Heading to Indian River Bay next weekend....

[jmt1980]

I'm heading to DE next weekend with the family - I'm planning to fish south of the inlet down towards the VFW. My goal is to catch "something" preferably some flounder but I'm not that picky as long as there's something to do. So far I've been pretty unsuccessful the two other times I've fished the Indian River Bay. Last year in April I put in at Massey's Landing and fished just south of it and caught a few skate but the current through there is insane so we didn't stray too far from the launch. I've also launched from the Bay Forest Marina (near Walter Point) and fished that area with zero success. My plan is to try the area between the inlet and the VFW (avoiding the actual inlet like the plague!) drifting for flounder. If that doesn't work out I may just troll the area to see what I can come up with. I'm in the area frequently enough to justify fishing while I'm there, but infrequently enough that figuring out the area is maddening... so this is still trial and error exploration for me.

If anyone is in the area and wants to join let me know!

[jmt1980]

Plans changed and we ended up in DE earlier so I headed out this morning... snagged a ray and hooked something else I never saw before I finally got what I was after. Pulled this doormat out of a deep hole... The guys at Old Inlet Bait & Tackle said pink was the ticket and I caught this guy on a pink gulp minnow.

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P.S. no idea why these are sideways...

[Big Mike]

That’s an impressive flounder!

[mchottie]

Thats a heckofa doormat!!! Congrats!

[mike o]

Nice flounder, I fished Roosevelt inlet and the canal this week. I only got 1 short flounder a schoolie rock and a lot of toad fish.

[john from md]

Nice catch!

While your Fluke is exceptional for these days, I remember a time when over 30 inchers were common place. I grew up in North Wildwood New Jersey in the '50's and '60's and we used to come back with door mats all the time. In the early spring we used to get winter flounder that ranged in the 20's. Drifting with bull minnows would get one all the time and sometimes even doubles.

Ah well, time marches on.

[WeCallEmRockfish]

This is an old thread, but relevant to me at the moment. My Dad just got a new Vibe kayak. We have been going down and surf fishing every year for the last three - fun little annual tradition. This year, we are taking our kayaks and plan to launch at the VFW (he and my mom are members there). Of course we know to avoid the inlet and shoot for the slower-moving waters, but other than that we're, like you, going to be doing a lot of exploring.

We only have the weekend (end of October) so hopefully we can get our bearings and find something biting sooner rather than later. We've never had too much luck in the surf, so it won't be too hard to do better! Unless we see that they are tearing up something in the surf, the kayaks are the plan for the moment.

Any tips from those who have been back there would be greatly appreciated!

[john from md]

There are some big sharks off the waters around there if you use the right bait. A leg dangled over the yak usually works pretty well.

All kidding aside, here's hoping you have a great time and catch lots of fish from another VFW.

[Big Mike]

I have a friend who has a house way at the back of the bay. We do very well catching stripers off his dock at that time of the year. Flounder should still be around as well. Much bigger size limits for stripers over there.

[WeCallEmRockfish]

I have a friend who has a house way at the back of the bay. We do very well catching stripers off his dock at that time of the year. Flounder should still be around as well. Much bigger size limits for stripers over there.

That's music to my ears! I know the limit is 28". I was thinking Stripers would be a pipe dream, but I figured at least we could get some flounder.

Looking at the charts, it's crazy shallow where we'll be launching, so that's a bit discouraging. Any idea how deep it is around his dock?

[Big Mike]

It’s shallow, as in you need high tide to get his 18’ boat out. They do have a small tidal creek near the dock that flushes mud minnows out during a falling tide. I’d look for similar situations where you’re fishing