In DE for six months

[betjeman]

Dear Delaware flyfishers,

I am a New England saltwater flyfisher who will be in Delaware for six months, from September to February. I will be living near Wilmington.

I am beginning to research saltwater fly options for Delaware - are there organizations I might want to hook up with? a CCA chapter perhaps? Fly shops in particular that you might suggest?

Also, I am considering bringing a 16' trailered boat and wonder if any of you could suggest a portion of the Delaware coast (ideal would be within an hour of Wilmington) that I might want to consider using as my fishing home base. With such info., I can search for self-storage facilities, marinas, etc. to see if bringing the boat is practical. (It cannot be stored where I will be living.);

Thanks in advance - any suggestions as to how I might precede would be very helpful. I can provide Massachusetts salt or trout info. in exchange if any of you happen up this way at some point.

Peter

[tartansailor]

[BillMichelinie]

There is a new saltwater fly fishing club in Delaware called the Saltwater Fly Anglers of Delaware. They are based in Lewes, DE which is about an hour and a half drive from Wilmington. Contact Don Avondolio at ty2cast@erols.com.

I am also looking for a good place to saltwater fly fish within an hour of Wilmington. No luck so far. Best fishing seems to be at Lewes, Roosevelt Inlet near Lewes, Cape Henlopen, and Indian River Inlet in Delaware. I do most of my fishing on the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay. Go after stripers (they call them rock fish), white perch, croakers (also called hard heads), and catfish. The message boards on www.worldwideangler.com cover the bay very well.

The best fly shop locally is Austin Reed Outfitters in the Powdermill Square Shopping Center, Greenville, off Route 52. Austin is usually there and saltwater is their main focus. There is also an Orvis shop on out Route 52 in Centreville called the Sporting Gentleman.

We don't have a CCA chapter here in Delaware. I belong to the Maryland chapter in Kent Island which is near where I fish mostly.

Boat storage places are around. There is Eastern Marine in Newark, Delaware City Marina, Carlisle's near the Christiana Hospital to name a few. Delaware State launching ramps are free and you can pick up a map at tackle stores or by contacting DNREC. There is no saltwater fishing license required in Delaware.

There is a chapter of Trout Unlimited that meets at the Ashland Nature Center in Ashland, DE. (Delaware Nature Education Society);

Good luck. Hope you find a place to fish close to home. I have purchased nautical charts and it looks like there should be places along the Delaware River and the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal. Let me know if you find a spot.

Bill Michelinie
wmichelinie@davehallinc.com

[tidepoint]

Just bought a beach house at the DE shore, have been flyfishing alot in the region the last month. If shorebound I recommend the Indian River inlet area. Focus on the water and tides, not where the bait casters are and you should have some success. I have had the best luck on outgoing tides with deciever like patterns, light underbidies w/ herl on top. I have been catching many seatrout (weakfish) up to 30 inches, stripers mostly schoolie size, some flounder (yes flounder, when slow let it sink and bottom bounce) and the ever present sea bass. I have been using an 8 wt. Not bad when wind is not howling. Good Luck. I also live in Wilmington. Let me know if this helps.

Bill

[claudeil]

Just a heads up as well, you are in prime trout region with Pennsylvania being so close. There are so many great trout streams within 2 hours of Wilmington. I spent 5 years there. My in-laws 30 years. Learned to fish at a small park called Newlan Mills, all stocked fish mind you. But private, and fun, with VERY large rainbows and some BIG Browns. Other trout streams nearby are in PA: Tulpehocken, The Octararo, can't remembers several others. E-mail DCSander@aol.com for more info if you are interested.

Salt was minimal for me, although weakfish can be great, Indian River inlet is wild in the fall, blues & rockfish everywhere. Great beach access too.

Best of luck