# Rat patrol ....



## Pomatomus salta (May 3, 2016)

Caught a bunch of rat size stripers @ IRI this morning...1 oz white jigheads with white 4" gulp....there's lots of 'em there-but the biggest was only around 19"....
Something to do on a freezing cold ,windy morning...felt like winter again ....


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## Ajv5148 (Mar 3, 2017)

Thanks for the update. That's a place Im interested in fishing this spring/summer but it's far enough away that it's only worth a trip if the action is going to be good. Keep it coming!


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## CYT (Nov 9, 2015)

Thanks for posting!

Heard of a pretty good bite on shorties in OC near Rt 90 bridge. Fish up to 27".
It's startin to happen.


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## Pomatomus salta (May 3, 2016)

Yeah...there were shorties being caught here up and down the beaches that surround IRI...north pocket,3rs etc....they are hitting in waves and move quickly .. and usually at the top and bottom of the tides..big blues will be here in force any day now....a couple were caught already...Great time of yr to just walk the beaches with a single rod and a 5 gal bucket full of lures,plastics,plugs etc..


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## CYT (Nov 9, 2015)

Salta, how are you so confident of another inshore big Bluefish run here on the Delmarva coast? 

Just wondering.


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## andypat (Jan 7, 2004)

They might show up at Cape Henlopen State Park soon also.


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## Pomatomus salta (May 3, 2016)

CYT said:


> Salta, how are you so confident of another inshore big Bluefish run here on the Delmarva coast?
> 
> Just wondering.


Truth be told , CYT....I'm not confident of an INSHORE run...what we had at the fishing pier/ broadkill / inlet the last couple yrs was an aberration....I AM confident there will be at least three good weeks starting sometime in april where the choppers can be caught on the open ocean beaches here in De...mullet rigs , bunker chunks etc will get their share and when they are thick - plugs, spoons or anything that looks good will be inhaled...another yr like last yr at the fishing pier would be a nice gift from the "fish gods" but I'm not counting on it...HTH


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## CYT (Nov 9, 2015)

Yeah, we'll probably never see another Broadkill River run of choppers like 2 yrs ago in our lifetime.


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## Pajigging machin (Oct 3, 2015)

I don't know how to copy and paste the link to here but Maryland game wardens arrested some people for illegally keeping stripers recently


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## Jerry Norris (Oct 14, 2016)

Here you go.


http://news.maryland.gov/dnr/2017/03/29/six-men-charged-with-striped-bass-violations/


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## Pajigging machin (Oct 3, 2015)

Yup that's it Jerry


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## Pomatomus salta (May 3, 2016)

Hit the surf on both sides of the inlet again this morning ...got a few more RATS...they are inhaling pearl storm shads ...lots of fun on light tackle. still no big daddy's yet ....


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## Pomatomus salta (May 3, 2016)

I know this is getting old , but today me and a buddy who works at one of the local tackle shops teamed up and met at the inlet around 1 pm..by 3:30 we combined for over 22 RATS ....fun day , good weather ....


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## kurazy kracka (Oct 14, 2008)

Finally gonna make maiden 2017 voyage this weekend


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## CYT (Nov 9, 2015)

It's not getting old. Great report salta! We need more people like you on this site that aren't afraid to give up some quality info.

Awesome dude! Won't be a few more weeks before the big fish finish spawning and make a left turn north up the coast out of the Chesapeake.


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## kurazy kracka (Oct 14, 2008)

CYT said:


> It's not getting old. Great report salta! We need more people like you on this site that aren't afraid to give up some quality info.
> 
> Awesome dude! Won't be a few more weeks before the big fish finish spawning and make a left turn north up the coast out of the Chesapeake.


People don't post reports anymore because it's always the same 3 or 4 doing it and everyone leeching off that. People are "waiting for the big fish to arrive" still because no one has jabbered about it and they can't take the initiative to put in their own work.


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## Pomatomus salta (May 3, 2016)

well I guess you can say I am "waiting" for the big fish to arrive but I'm doing it while walking up and down the beaches with a fishing rod in my hand .....working the cuts... I dont mind posting this stuff...I figure there is some guys reading this that are a little too for from this area to just take a joy ride to see whats there...The small ones are there now...have been consistently for a week now... They have even moved inside the inlet.masseys landing had some bigger fish to 26" the other morning...they may be only RATS ,but lots of fun on light tackle !


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## kurazy kracka (Oct 14, 2008)

Oh I am more than happy with rats, that's my plan for the weekend along with looking to see if any flatties have moved in yet in certain areas. Last year the second week of april I got into a bunch of rats up to 22" or so


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## Pajigging machin (Oct 3, 2015)

People still getting busted for illegally taking stripers. One group got caught with 73


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## Pomatomus salta (May 3, 2016)

Pajiggin' - no worries here...its all catch & release in my world.


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## Pajigging machin (Oct 3, 2015)

Understand catch and release but math wise they say the average female striper can't spawn until she is 6yrs old and the average male is 3. Take into account they grow kinda slow keeping hundreds of illegal stripers added to what commercial fishing does can hurt a population quickly. Leaving few fish for c&r fisherman also


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## nhunter344 (Oct 14, 2016)

Pajigging machin said:


> People still getting busted for illegally taking stripers. One group got caught with 73


They just need to up the penalties. 1st warning, $100 fine. Second offense, confiscation of license, all fishing gear and boat for one year. 3+ offense, permanent revocation of license, confiscation and strip down of boat so it can be added to MD's reef replenishment program.

Just replace boat with car for shore fisherman. Commercial fisherman should know the regs better than any of us and should lose their license after the first offense. I'm not talking having a 21" fish on board when the minimum is 22", but having fish out of season, well past catch limits, etc.


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## Pajigging machin (Oct 3, 2015)

$100 fine that's it? Woooow up here in PA game commission is vicious. You get fined per fish . There was a father son tandem that got caught with 96 crappie over the limit they got fined per fish


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## Jerry Norris (Oct 14, 2016)

http://news.maryland.gov/dnr/2017/04/05/police-charge-nine-with-possessing-striped-bass/

No boats and not commercials. I'll let you draw your own conclusions.


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## kurazy kracka (Oct 14, 2008)

Oh hey look at their names.....


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## andypat (Jan 7, 2004)

Will they get a break if they are all from another Country?


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## Pomatomus salta (May 3, 2016)

andypat said:


> Will they get a break if they are all from another Country?


If they are from another country ,penalty should be the same for all...if they are here *illegally* ...and poaching ..thats another story


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## CYT (Nov 9, 2015)

kurazy kracka said:


> Oh hey look at their names.....


Yep. Damn EYE..TALIAN'S and POLLOCK'S!


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## nhunter344 (Oct 14, 2016)

Pajigging machin said:


> $100 fine that's it?


I consider that my get out of jail free card. Most of us have made mistakes just due to plain ignorance of the regulations. I see the $100 fine as a wake up call to make sure you know the regulations the next time you go out. The 73 stripers in a duffel bag is another story. When its something that egregious, of course the $100 wouldn't apply, unless its like PA and they charge per fish. Of course I'm just peeing in the wind since these guys will get a slap on the wrist and be out next weekend doing the same thing.

Used to love fishing up in PA. Now I just cant justify the $70 out of state for a license for the 3 or 4 trips I make up there a year.


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## kurazy kracka (Oct 14, 2008)

plan to see if i can find some bruiser blues this weekend


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## CYT (Nov 9, 2015)

nhunter344 said:


> I consider that my get out of jail free card. Most of us have made mistakes just due to plain ignorance of the regulations. I see the $100 fine as a wake up call to make sure you know the regulations the next time you go out. The 73 stripers in a duffel bag is another story. When its something that egregious, of course the $100 wouldn't apply, unless its like PA and they charge per fish. Of course I'm just peeing in the wind since these guys will get a slap on the wrist and be out next weekend doing the same thing.
> 
> Used to love fishing up in PA. Now I just cant justify the $70 out of state for a license for the 3 or 4 trips I make up there a year.


Delaware out of state only $20 for everything fresh/salt. MD is ludicrous.


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## andypat (Jan 7, 2004)

cyt said:


> yep. Damn eye..talian's and pollock's!


lmao!


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## Pomatomus salta (May 3, 2016)

No Rats Today ....wave heights were minimal , but the water on both sides of the inlet was chocolate brown after the big blow yesterday...I did get a few bumps ,so they are still around-just not able to see/hit my lure well...did hook a skate on my storm lure....It's probably gonna take a few tide cycles till the water clears and they start hitting good again...Inside the inlet might be a better choice this weekend....


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## CYT (Nov 9, 2015)

Great report salta...well not so good, but thanks anyway.
Save me a trip from making the 2 hr ride down.

This is what this forum SHOULD be all about...anglers helping others with quality reports.
Unfortunately I know most disagree here on P&S.


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## andypat (Jan 7, 2004)

CYT said:


> Great report salta...well not so good, but thanks anyway.
> Save me a trip from making the 2 hr ride down.
> 
> This is what this forum SHOULD be all about...anglers helping others with quality reports.
> Unfortunately I know most disagree here on P&S.


--------If I give any more Info. I might as well give my Visa # too. Giving Info. on areas, like rivers is fine. Giving exzact spots, or a spot some one else showed you is Not good, but it happens all the time. IMO. Is it OK to show/tell what you caught the fish with. LOL! Some people take fishing too serious. Fishing is easy. Main thing is to stay calm. LOL!


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## Pomatomus salta (May 3, 2016)

Water cleared up nicely around the inlet this afternoon ..went down around 5pm...got 10 rats in an hr...had to leave 'em biting as the boss was with me and she wanted to go for dinner...Guys on the south jetty who were midway between the tower and the shoreline were really bangin' them ...They are pretty thick as of today ...don't know how long it will be this good...My buddy, Bill just returned from hatteras thursday and he told me the BIG BLUES were there in force last week...won't be long till there in va beach , then here...they travel fast this time of yr....can't wait till they show up...


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## Pomatomus salta (May 3, 2016)

Bang the drum slowly......tried heading waaay south today ISO black drum ....none found ...weed... as in gobs of hairball size weed piling up on the line every 15 mins ... that full moon the last couple nights brought in a load of crap weed...will try gain next week....in between i'll play with the rats ...lol


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## Thunderchild (Nov 29, 2010)

Jerry Norris said:


> Here you go.
> 
> 
> http://news.maryland.gov/dnr/2017/03/29/six-men-charged-with-striped-bass-violations/


GOOD!! People like that ruin it for everyone else!!!


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## CYT (Nov 9, 2015)

Thunderchild said:


> GOOD!! People like that ruin it for everyone else!!!


Case in point: Kent Narrows is now closed from 10pm til 6am 24/7.


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## Pomatomus salta (May 3, 2016)

As for DE ...I tried for the rats in their usual spots this AM...only managed one...I think the invasion of big blues has put an end to the rat patrol for spring 2017,at least for me...I'm chasing blues (this afternoon) and drum thursday from here and then when the migratory bigger stripes show up..i'll be on them ...the rats were a great primer !!


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## kurazy kracka (Oct 14, 2008)

Pomatomus salta said:


> As for DE ...I tried for the rats in their usual spots this AM...only managed one...I think the invasion of big blues has put an end to the rat patrol for spring 2017,at least for me...I'm chasing blues (this afternoon) and drum thursday from here and then when the migratory bigger stripes show up..i'll be on them ...the rats were a great primer !!


They are still there, we had them damn near blitzing spearing in the wash for hours today. You could watch them riding in the waves.


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## Pomatomus salta (May 3, 2016)

kurazy kracka said:


> They are still there, we had them damn near blitzing spearing in the wash for hours today. You could watch them riding in the waves.


I was at the south end of DSSP .it was quite dead down that way.when it started -that area was on fire first...so maybe they are headed north...in fact a nice size keeper was caught over the weekend in the area I was fishing yesterday morning...so maybe something's startin'....I hope.


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## kurazy kracka (Oct 14, 2008)

Pomatomus salta said:


> I was at the south end of DSSP .it was quite dead down that way.when it started -that area was on fire first...so maybe they are headed north...in fact a nice size keeper was caught over the weekend in the area I was fishing yesterday morning...so maybe something's startin'....I hope.


There's been a few large 25-35lb fish caught over the last few weeks........my fish came from the very north end of DE ocean side


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