Help with my homework

[22Tango]

I'm going to ask for a lot. I don't expect anyone to walk through the entire process, but I, and I'm sure many other relative newbies, would appreciate it also. I want to make sure I'm moving in the right direction when learning to examine new places. I'm going to May 14, M&G in Lewes . Never been there. Been to the Bay Bridge but never near a real ocean. And I'm a paddler, so I want to find and efficiently get to good fishing spots.

I went to 3 websites, Google Earth, Navionic Webapp, & Tidefinder. Looked at GoogleEarth launches at Roosevelt & CHSP as potential launches. Tidefinder says Hi tides at 3:44 am and 4:28 pm. Lows at 10:15 and 10:33. So I conclude that morning launch time current will push me towards BERMUDA! One point for Roosevelt to ease the paddle, right? I couldn't find anything with windspeed/ direction this far in advance, so I just wing it.

It's 2.15 miles to the Ferry Breakwater and 2.35 to the outer barrier from Roosevelt. Quite a paddle, but at least the tide will help - both ways. Less than a 1/2 mile from CHSP.

The Navionics topo map doesnt show many lines - just the beach break, and then one channel line basically from Roosevelt to the outer barrier. If I troll, that's the path I want to find, correct? I guess I would follow the primary beach break if I wanted to go to the inner barrier near the Ferry because I wouldn't paddle out to paddle back in against the current.

The water is generally shallower, but with some deep holes around the inner breakwater harbor. Its deeper with a narrow channel (read: Good fishing current) around the outer barrier.

So from that, I looked at some of the pics on GoogleEarth to find riprap or other structure, and so identified a few spots that may work. The outstanding variables are wind and what fish are biting in the season, which I may need to find some fishing reports to narrow down and choose my tackle.

So, that's the homework that I did. Anything that I missed - maybe some better resources or places that I can find other info I may need. You can tell me where to really go when I get there, I just want to know if I'm doing it right when I'm looking for myself.

Sorry for the long post, and thanks for any time and insights.

[yakscientist]

Hey man I'm also a paddler looking to hit up that M&G. I think you and I have done similar research, the maps posted in the m&g thread under the main forum certainly help. I'm going to bring primarily bait fishing tackle, bottom rigs, fishfinder slides, etc. because that's my bread and butter when it comes to ocean fishing (though I've yet to fish in the ocean in a kayak, boats and in the surf mainly, once in a kayak in some canals). Though I will bring at least a few trolling spoons and swimbaits, and my typical rockfish trolling tackle. If you want to fish with me, I would be more than happy to accompany you wherever. I plan to launch out of the Roosevelt inlet because I feel like launching off the beach into breaking waves in my Sit-inside kayak would be tough/dangerous. From there, I plan to hit up some of the spots on the map, and some of the spots advised from the tackle shops, do some bottom fishing, and see how I do. I plan to maybe get some phone numbers and if the trolling scene is hot, then I will take my chances and troll out to wherever, again everything depends on the most up to date reports. I did find out that tog will be out of season, which sucks. However, I always seem to have the hot hands for croaker, so I imagine I will catch plenty of them. I don't know if you plan to primarily troll, but what I'm going to do, is sit along structure and rock piles with at least 2 bottom rigs out, and a third fishfinder rig (possibly with live or cut bait) out in the deeper water hooked to my baitrunner reel and see what happens. If the wind and waves look at all risky, I'm not going to hit the open water too hard, and if it's extremely rough, surf fishing from shore it is (or maybe along the river that comes out at the R.I. I don't know if any of this info helped, just thought I would give a shout out to a fellow paddler. I think we will be in the minority, by a lot.

[kitkatyaker]

Ditto to it all. I'm launching there too. Since Tog is out of season there is no advantage to going to the wall but its your choice.

[willf650]

Help with my homework

I wouldn't really call the beach near the pier at Henlopen a surf launch. The area is very protected in relationship to the area around the "point". I see a lot of sit inside kayaks and canoes there. I think you would have a very easy launch unless the winds are approaching 20.

That being said the area inside of lewes canal will be smooth regardless of wind. Going through the actual inlet can be pretty rough depending on the tides and winds. It's generally nice but I've taken a boat through the there a time or two when I wouldn't consider it close to safe for a kayak.


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[yakscientist]

Interesting. Do you think that the greater fishing spots for bottom fishing will be closer to the CHSP launch or the Roosevelt inlet launch? Also, when you say lewes canal, you do mean like the entire length of the canal between Roosevelt inlet and even past route 9? And you're talking about Roosevelt inlet being pretty rough at times right? Because I've read many bad stories on here about IRI.

[MD Dore]

If launching at RI, I would probably stay in the Broadkill River (exit launch and turn left) or canal (toward the Savannah Rd bridge), or if the winds are calm, around the inlet jetty. RI can be unpredictable at times and filled with power boats going full speed and/or drifting for flounder, so keep your head on a swivel. Current in the river and canal can be strong. Also, DE Bay conditions can go from calm to very challenging with little to no warning. So if you do exit RI, be very careful.

Viking Profish Reload
Hobie Outback

[willf650]

Help with my homework

I am talking about Roosevelt Inlet. There was one trip last year I was on you would be hard pressed to tell the difference between it and Indian River. I was in a line of 5 boats heading out and only two of us actually pressed through. The others got scared and stayed in the canal.

I couldn't tell you which areas would be better for bottom fishing as I've never really done it around the area. I've only fished the lewes canal once for about 30 minutes. There is a ton of boat traffic. If I launch my boat out of the ri I head to the outer wall, reef site 8 or 10.

I've only fished out of cape Henlopen for blue fish with my kayak. When I go for the meet and greet I will be targeting blues and may chunk for sharks although shark fishing normally peaks in June. I've never targeted sharks at cape Henlopen but they are one of my main targets in the bay during summer. I normally target sharks at slaughter beach.


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[kitkatyaker]

What's your take on Broadkill?