OC Bay Report

[Slobber Bob]

Thanks Bob , not having any luck with the fleas on jetties.

Sorry to hear you aren't having luck. What jetties are you fishing?

[Slobber Bob]

I tried a different section of the bay this past Friday to change things up and to be a little closer to where I launched since there was a chance of thunderstorms all day. Although, aside from some dense morning fog, it turned out to be a beautiful day with low winds. The plan was to fish some structure and then check out some flats to see if any puppy drum, or anything for that matter, was up on them.

Fishing around the structure I landed 3 of 4 sheepshead; a pair of 19" and a smaller 14". Picked up a couple puffers and a burrfish too. I threw some goofy jigs around from time to time and caught some small bottomfish - croaker, spot, and sand perch. The spot was good sized, but the croaker were very small.

The flats were a bust. An incredible amount of baitfish up there, but nothing for gamefish that I could find. Just school after school of silversides, mullet, or peanut bunker swimming around happily.

One thing I have noticed recently is that sand flea, fresh or frozen, has been better than quartered or halved blue crab. Three times now I've had fleas instantly hit by both drum and sheepshead after I switched my bait from blue crab. I know both will readily take blue crab, so I found it interesting how quickly they pounced on the flea when they had all the time in the world to eat the crab I was previously presenting them.

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[elkfish2]

Sorry to hear you aren't having luck. What jetties are you fishing?

Inner wall inside and out . ferry wall . Henelopen

went 3 for 3 on sharks with bunker chunks.

[elkfish2]

Very nice . I'll have to try that way.

[Fish123]

What size hooks do you use for sheep’s? And why type of rig? I tried from shore for them at iri but quickly gave up lol


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[Slobber Bob]

Inner wall inside and out . ferry wall . Henelopen

went 3 for 3 on sharks with bunker chunks.

I've never fished the walls or CHSP before so I can't give you an specific advice to help you out. I know they are there though.

The best advice I can give you in general is to not pound one spot too long. I fish a spot for 2 - 3 minutes tops before I move if I haven't gotten a bite. They usually hit pretty quick if they are going to bite. Even just moving ten feet can make a difference/ Try different depths of the water column if fishing vertical structure - they aren't always on the bottom. For jetties they can be super shallow near where the rocks come out of the water or deep and 30 feet from where the rocks come out of the water; just keep moving until you start getting some action.

[Slobber Bob]

What size hooks do you use for sheep’s? And why type of rig? I tried from shore for them at iri but quickly gave up lol


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I find fishing from shore for them (and tog) tough - I snag up way too much and give up quick myself.

I'm using 3/4 - 1 oz. tog jigs; occasionally a 1.5 oz. I don't know the exact hook size on the jogs but they are about 3/0 - 4/0 in size roughly. People say you need small hooks for sheepshead, but that's not true in my opinion. I like a big, strong hook because you really need something stout to penetrate somewhere in their mouth. Unlike tog, they don't have big gummy lips, so burying a hook isn't quite as easy.

If the 1.5 oz jig isn't heavy enough because of the current I switch to a standard dropper loop and sinker with a 4/0 hook.

I have a cousin that lives in NC and uses a slip float effectively for sheepshead and puppy drum around structure. I've thought about trying it myself next time I fish from shore to see if I can reduce snags but haven't done it yet. You basically set the slip float so your bait is sitting just above the rocks.

[Fish123]

I find fishing from shore for them (and tog) tough - I snag up way too much and give up quick myself.

I'm using 3/4 - 1 oz. tog jigs; occasionally a 1.5 oz. I don't know the exact hook size on the jogs but they are about 3/0 - 4/0 in size roughly. People say you need small hooks for sheepshead, but that's not true in my opinion. I like a big, strong hook because you really need something stout to penetrate somewhere in their mouth. Unlike tog, they don't have big gummy lips, so burying a hook isn't quite as easy.

If the 1.5 oz jig isn't heavy enough because of the current I switch to a standard dropper loop and sinker with a 4/0 hook.

I have a cousin that lives in NC and uses a slip float effectively for sheepshead and puppy drum around structure. I've thought about trying it myself next time I fish from shore to see if I can reduce snags but haven't done it yet. You basically set the slip float so your bait is sitting just above the rocks.

Thanks for the tip. I’ve seen the jigs here in Delaware at some shops. I’m thinking about putting in my kayak in OC area tomorrow morning but have never fished from kayak there. Are there any soft launches available near good fishing or boat ramp only? Thinking I’m going to target sheeps as I only have a 3-4 hour window I can fish.


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[Slobber Bob]

Thanks for the tip. I’ve seen the jigs here in Delaware at some shops. I’m thinking about putting in my kayak in OC area tomorrow morning but have never fished from kayak there. Are there any soft launches available near good fishing or boat ramp only? Thinking I’m going to target sheeps as I only have a 3-4 hour window I can fish.


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I sent you a pm.

[elkfish2]

I've never fished the walls or CHSP before so I can't give you an specific advice to help you out. I know they are there though.

The best advice I can give you in general is to not pound one spot too long. I fish a spot for 2 - 3 minutes tops before I move if I haven't gotten a bite. They usually hit pretty quick if they are going to bite. Even just moving ten feet can make a difference/ Try different depths of the water column if fishing vertical structure - they aren't always on the bottom. For jetties they can be super shallow near where the rocks come out of the water or deep and 30 feet from where the rocks come out of the water; just keep moving until you start getting some action.

Thanks Bob , not new to fishing . Just this area . I'm used to deeper water . First time actually targeting Sheep .Good tips . Always willing to learn . Knowledge is good .

[Slobber Bob]

Everything lined up perfect for me yesterday evening to make a quick, last minute trip behind OC. Wanting to maximize my time I just grabbed some frozen sand fleas out of my freezer and hit the nearest sheepshead holding structure to my house. It was slack current by the time I got to where I wanted to fish and I was doing nothing but feeding the pickers (croakers, puffers, black wills, etc. at first). Once the current started to move I started to get some better action.

My first good hookup I was bale to get the fish halfway up before it hung me into some debris, came off, and left me will a hook full of sponges and coral. I never saw it but know it was a sheepshead. My second hookup did its best to try and go around the structure, but I was able to win the battle this time to land and release a 19" sheepshead. My third good hookup beat me badly. It dove for some structure, got me all twisted around and jammed up my positioning and angle on it, and broke me off on the structure before I knew what hit me. I never had a chance with it and couldn't tell if it was a drum of sheepshead.

The shallows and flats at dusk were just jammed full of peanuts and mullet. Insane amounts of bait back there right now. Finger mullet jumped right into my lap several times. I tried casting some soft plastics in the area briefly before I headed in but didn't have any luck. I don't know how a fish would find a lure with the amount of bait I saw.

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[elkfish2]

awesome

[ronaultmtd]

Fishing in big balls of bait, I often think the same thing...how could a fish find my lure attractive enough to eat it in a smorgasbord? But one trick that “sometimes” works is a small, shiny metal jig...I find a 3/8 Oz. Kastmaster worked on the outside edges of bait sometimes get slammed...not always, not a guarantee, but sometimes...