# Stripers in the River



## BLUESMAN

Fished DOD yesterday, 3/21/04, saw 3 nice bass (30"+) taken.
45 minutes before and after high tide.

Conservation Officers said bass were taken all along the Jersey side south of the DMB.

I had several hits from shorts but no connects - like they say 10% of the fisherman catch 90% of the fish. Circle hooks?

Too windy to fish today. Temperatures are supposed to be better this week. I'm watching the tide, hoping to get back down there before next weekend.

Let the fun begin!

Ken Miller


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## Manayunk Jake

Greetings BLUESMAN!

Any info on what those bigger fish hit?

I've seen a few fishermen tossing bucktails at the Art Museum (Fairmount Dam) but I haven't heard of any fish being caught. Good news is the chain is down on West River Drive, but I haven't seen any cars parked in the old parking area. Could be the chain was taken down by an overeager fisherman (or a roofer looking to dump more shit) and not the city.


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## BLUESMAN

*Jake*

Worms - light ground gear 2-4 ozs - fish finder - #6 hook.

I was using a 10' lamiglass, penn mag and 14lb test line and 4oz lead with a breakaway rig - way too heavy for the river. I'm going back with a 9' medium light penn rod and 5500 reel, 12 lb. line, 3 oz lead and fish finder.

I'm excited, I coulda hooked those shorts if I were using regular hooks, what the heck conservation right, I'll get a cow next time.

I looked at chester island, aka flood gates, I would want to be armed to spend any time there, bunch of wierdo's. I might try it during the week sometime.

Interesting, the conservation officers were looking at everthing, seemed to be looking for guns and drugs as well as fish. Never asked for a license, I think anything south of the commodore barry is considered salt water, no license. I'll check in case you want to come over and give it a shot.


Ken Miller


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## Manayunk Jake

Greetings BLUESMAN!

You'd be surprised how many fishermen are "packing" these days. Many have "permit to carry" and/or gun club patches sown right onto their vests and rain gear, while others practice open display. I don't think anybody fishes below the Art Museum dam at night by themselves. A few guys have been robbed along the Schuylkill River as far north as Manayunk/East Falls. One 70 year old who use to fish the Delaware Avenue pier had all his tackle taken by a group of teens. I'm sure guns and drugs are a high priority for COs these days.... Just another sign of the times!


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## fiddler

where is DOD ? here a link for pa regs.
http://sites.state.pa.us/PA_Exec/Fish_Boat/fishpub/summary/boundary.html[/URL]


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## flatfish

bluesman , i had good success using circle hooks , what size ,hooks do you use?


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## BLUESMAN

*DOD*

Department of Defense:

An abandoned WWII military munitions facility on the Delaware River between Oldmans Creek and the Delaware Memorial Bridge.

I was using #6 circle hooks with a breakaway rig instead of a fish finder. I think they were feeling the weight as soon as they picked it up and spitting it out. Veterans down there told me the shorts particularly like to do that.

KM


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## murphman

*New Castle*

we will be fishing the DE side of the river this weekend. Will post a report. There were some nice rock caught last weekend !


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## BLUESMAN

*Murph*

I'll be right across from the Bellevue Range Light, if you're that far 
north wave and I'll wave back, I'll be wearing a camo VT hat. LOL!

I've shot clays at Ommelanden for a few years, that looks like
a good flat right behind and south of the range. Is there any access down there. Man they sure have built some houses along Rte. 9 lately.

Tight Lines,
KM


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## fiddler

I was thinking about giving the river a shot this weeekend. I' never fished the De. where can I access the pa side that's worth trying as far north as possible s. of c barry?


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## fiddler

also how about a bait shop


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## murphman

*Fox Point State Park*

Fidler,
You would have to drive down to Claymont, DE..take Phila Pike exit off 495..go to Governor Printz Blvd..look for Fox Point State Park..on the other side of the Amtrak and I-495. I don't know of any bait shops in the area. You may want to get some bloods in PA. Sorry for the bad directions just trying to help..this Jersey boeard can be real DEAD somtimes..lol..although I have to admit it is starting to pick up..must be another McGreevy plot..lol


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## murphman

*Bellevue Range Light?*

Bluesman,
Where is that light? You're right about Rt. 9..it sure has changed since I was a kid.


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## BLUESMAN

*Bellevue Range*

Had to look at map quest, don't play in that part of DE much.

I would say it sits on a rise between 95 and the river just east of the intersection of Bellevue Road and Gov Printz Blvd.

You can probably see it better from the jersey side. I understand those old navigational range lights are still in operation. Long ago before GPS and depth finders we used to use the range light beacons when ferrying our boats between Bridgeport and Stone Harbor. They're great when it's clear but you got nuttin when it's foggy!

Long answer?

Ken Miller


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## fiddler

Hey Murphman. Went down to try out fox point yesterday. Nice park but one small problem. No access for fishing. So I followed the river as close as I could, found a pier in Marcus Hook. Skunk City.


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## wshep

Hey Fiddler,
There is a pier off of the Brandywine River in DE, its at the mouth of the Brandywine and Christina River. I'm not sure exactly the road its off, but I checked on the map and it show E 7th st. I have never fished this area, there is a boat launch there. But beware b/c the City of Wilmington still has old sewage pipes that dump raw sewage into the area. They havent converted all there sewage pipes to be pumped to a treatment facility. You will see signs about not eating the fish in this area. but if your looking to catch and release it may be a place to try. We have fished on the Brandywine River near the Brandywine Zoo below the Market St bridge in the past. We have caught stripers there nothing big was ever landed but we did hook into 2 large stipers that ripped off our line the cut us off in the rocks. Mostly small 17 inch stripers on the incoming tide. (Tidal up past the bridge about 400 yards to the 2nd dam, the first small dam goes under water at high tide(under the bridge) We have also caught shad there too. Just check Delaware Regulations b/f going to the river b/c I dont know if its legal to fish this area now until later in the year. I have heard about people catching some nice large stipers there during high tide. Its a nice location around the city to fish but be out of there by dark b/c the area is located near a bad area, Perch and small mouth bass are there to. Good luck


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## murphman

Fidler: Sorry about the wrong info. I reallyb thought there was access to the river there. If you ever want to scope out the tidal Brandywine area that Wshep was talking about I live right up the street. Murph


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## fiddler

Murpman; Your forgiven. I'll take you up on that in the near future. Thanks


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## Manayunk Jake

Greetings All!

Stopped by Bob's B&T in East Falls (Philly). First large striper (13 lbs) was reported from the Art Museum last Sunday (the fish was released.) Carol and I were hoping to pick up some bloodies before hitting the pier, but ended up with frozen "clam tounges" (surf clam foots cut in long strips and soaked in shedder oil) as a poor second choice.

We caught about two dozen cats up to four pounds, all but two on chicken livers. It was pretty raw in the morning and later in the day, but the sun came out about noon and stayed around for a couple hours. No stripers caught -- pretty much need bloodies or fresh herring. Commorants were really working the river hard. A couple of dozen of the fish-eatin' varmints have taken up residence at the Art Museum, so there may be some herring in.

Raining like hell outside right now, and calling for snow flurries for tonight/early tomorrow with a 20 degree drop in temps and wind chills doubling that. I have a feeling we are going to go from winter right into summer (fine by me if the fish don't mind!)


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## murphman

*Chicken Livers*

Jake,
How do you rig your chicken livers. Do you use rubber bands? nylon stockings? Just looking for a better way than sticking them on the hook and waiting for a fish to bite before they fall off.


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## Manayunk Jake

Greetings murphman!

I just stick them on a #1 Eagle Claw wide gap bronze. Most of the casts from the pier are underhanded lobs. Its been so cold that the livers have been holding up pretty good, even when cast. I break the livers in half and use a single lobe (never cut or slice livers, it tears them to hell!) I try to hook as much of the fatty membrane as I can, then slide the hook through the liver once or twice. As long as you don't damage that thin membrane that holds the lobe together, you'll be alright.

In warmer weather I've had better luck with thread than panty hose. I've been meaning to try Ghost Cocoon but haven't found it.

Berkley (makers of Power Baits) just came out with Gulp! Chicken Livers. I'm looking forward to trying them in a side-by-side against the real thing this summer.... They have Gulp! Grubs, Maggots, Corn, and Earthworms, too. I think they do a lot of (uggh!) trout fishing!

Now if they can come up with a bloodworm.... I've tried the old Power Bait sandworms, but they're not as good as the real thing.


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## murphman

Thanks Jake!


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