Doin' that Delaware Thing!

[Jim Gronaw]

Had a good couple of days fishing in Sussex County, Delaware this week. Me and my buddy Charlie were fishing primarily for hickory shad, but we ran into a lot of other species to include redbreast and redear sunfish, white perch, yellow perch, bluegills, herring, bonus slab crappie and some surprise white shad up in the down-state tributaries and tidal creeks. For some reason, people don't bother too much with panfish species down here when the shad and herring are running. But there's nothing wrong with a mess of slabs for dinner!

We concentrated on spillways below several millponds and caught lots of fish, totaling close to 200 shad in three days of fishing. Hickory and American, or white shad, are protected from harvest in most Mid-Atlantic states, but catch and release fishing is permitted in most systems. Hickories are dynamic leapers and are in high number once the runs get under way.
Tidal shad runs are a long and storied tradition in east coast tidal rivers and streams. But as the numbers decline, restrictions were imposed. Some waters are seeing a resurgence of these great fighting fish. Hickories like to jump, and can go 5 feet in the air. The larger whites stay deep and scorch off with sensational, line-peeling runs. We caught just about every thing on my sparkle braids and Charlies shad darts he ties.

Along the way, we fished Records and Trap Ponds, and caught a few nice red ears and Charlie got bait ( river herring) in the spillway for some upcoming flounder fishing.

But the fish of the trip were the surprising number of white shad that we caught. These fish average close to four pounds, and are freight-train fighters that smoke your tackle if your not sized accordingly. I managed to land a 5 lber on 4 lb test and on Weds morning got a spectacular roe white shad that the old timers said was comfortably over six pounds. Wow! What a spectacular fish! My new personal record on these fish!

As I write this, I am being buzzed as to the fact that the 'run' has just started! What a drag...my buddy Charlie only has 3 more weeks of this stuff. Maybe he'll invite me back down, and soon!

[Greg McWilliams]

Jim I think this retirement might agree with you. You are making the most of it!! Glad to see that. I see you got crappie fish on the stringer. What you gonna do with them?????? lol