The Garrisons Lake aluminum fishing pier on the north side of the lake is to close Monday, Oct. 16 for repairs after having been damaged by a fallen tree during a recent storm, the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife announced today. Repairs are expected to be completed by end of week but are weather-dependent.

Garrisons Lake’s South Boat Ramp, pond, and shoreline fishing are unaffected by the pier’s closure and will remain open while repairs are made to the pier.

For more information about the fishing pier closure, please call the DNREC Fisheries Section at 302-739-9914.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife conserves and manages Delaware’s fish and wildlife and their habitats, and provides fishing, hunting, wildlife viewing and boating access on nearly 68,000 acres of public land owned or managed by the Division of Fish and Wildlife. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter) or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Joanna Wilson, joanna.wilson@delaware.gov; Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov

###

Bridgeville angler Sydney McBroom with the third consecutive state blue catfish record caught from the Nanticoke River, which weighed in at 53 pounds. /Submitted photo.

DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife Weighs in 53-Pounder
Taken from Nanticoke River by Yet Another Bridgeville Angler

If it’s starting to sound like a broken record, that’s exactly what it is: For the second time in less than a month, the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife has confirmed that Delaware has a new state record blue catfish. Sydney McBroom of Bridgeville landed the 53-pound whopper – which measured 46.5 inches in length and is believed to be the largest freshwater fish caught since DNREC began keeping recreational fishing records – midmorning Sept. 22 on the Nanticoke River.

McBroom caught the big cat fishing from his boat, using a whole bluegill as bait and landing it after a 20-minute wrestling match. His catch eclipsed a record that lasted just 20 days, a 48-pound, 7.2-ounce specimen taken by another Bridgeville angler, Chris Andrews – and another fish, which, like the three most recent blue catfish state records, was caught from the fertile catfishing waters of the Nanticoke.

“You use a big fish to catch a big fish,” Mr. McBroom said of landing the mammoth blue catfish, which stands as the fifth state record of the 2023 Delaware Sport Fishing Tournament. “I don’t fish for attention, I fish for fun, I fish for me. You have to go onto the water and put your time in. We’d see a mess of nice catfish (every time we went out). That was just our day.”

McBroom’s record catch was certified by Cpl. Kyle Wharton, Delaware Natural Resources Fish and Wildlife Police, at Lewes Harbour Marina in Lewes. His blue catfish catch shattered Mr. Andrews’ state record caught Sept. 2 by more than 4.5 pounds after Andrews had surpassed the previous record (set in April 2022) by four ounces. A list of all Delaware fishing records for both freshwater and saltwater species can be found on the DNREC website.

More information about the Delaware Sport Fishing Tournament and state record fish can be found in the 2023 Delaware Fishing Guide and at de.gov/sportfish. The guide is also available in printed form from the DNREC Fisheries Section, from the Licensing Desk in DNREC’s main office in Dover, and from license agents throughout the state.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife conserves and manages Delaware’s fish and wildlife and their habitats, and provides fishing, hunting, wildlife viewing and boating access on nearly 68,000 acres of public land owned or managed by the Division of Fish and Wildlife. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter) or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Joanna Wilson, joanna.wilson@delaware.gov; Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov

###

Chris Andrews’ night-time fishing trip with friends on the Nanticoke River netted him a state-record 48-pound, 7-ounce blue catfish that eclipsed a Delaware record for the species lasted less than a year. Photo courtesy of Chris Andrews

DNREC’s Division of Fish and Wildlife has confirmed a new state record blue catfish, the fourth state record of the year for the 2023 Delaware Sport Fishing Tournament. The 42.5-inch, 48-pound, 7.2-ounce blue catfish was caught on cut bait earlier this month by Chris Andrews of Bridgeville, while fishing in the Nanticoke River on his personal boat at night with friends who helped him land his massive catch.

“Fishing is a big part of my life – I go out about three times a week, so I guess you’d say I’m an avid fisherman,” said Andrews, noting it was just another quiet end of summer evening on the water – until he felt a strong tug on his line. “I knew it was a big one, just not how big. I got the fish up and close to the boat multiple times, but it would just take off pulling my drag. I had a smaller net than usual, so it took multiple tries (to get it into the boat). After about a 5-minute fight, the fish was landed.”

The record catch was weighed at Taylored Tackle Shop in Seaford and certified by Sgt. Nathan Evans, Delaware Natural Resources Fish and Wildlife Police. Andrews’ blue catfish eclipsed the previous state record set in 2022 by James Lord, by only 4 ounces – but as DNREC Fisheries biologist Devon Scott, who recorded Andrews’ catch in the Delaware Sport Fishing Tournament, noted, “They’re both behemoth fish.”

A list of all Delaware Sport Fishing Tournament state records is available at the Division of Fish and Wildlife’s Delaware Fishing Records.

More information about the Delaware Sport Fishing Tournament and state record fish can be found in the 2023 Delaware Fishing Guide and at de.gov/sportfish. The guide is also available in printed form from the DNREC Fisheries Section, from the Licensing Desk in DNREC’s main office in Dover, and from license agents throughout the state.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife conserves and manages Delaware’s fish and wildlife and their habitats, and provides fishing, hunting, wildlife viewing and boating access on nearly 68,000 acres of public land owned or managed by the Division of Fish and Wildlife. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter) or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Joanna Wilson, joanna.wilson@delaware.gov; Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov

Jeff McCoy and his wife Jen McCoy of Millsboro display the state-record
52-pound, 11.2-ounce king mackerel Jeff caught on a recent family fishing
outing along Fenwick Shoal off Delaware’s Atlantic Coast. /Submitted photo

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control announced today that a Millsboro angler has become the kingfish king of Delaware’s Atlantic waters by catching a 52-pound, 11.2-ounce king mackerel, also known as a kingfish, in late July along Fenwick Shoal. Jeff McCoy landed the new state record king mackerel fishing from his 25-foot boat, The Reel McCoy, kept at DNREC’s Indian River Marina in Delaware Seashore State Park.

“To be honest, it was one of those cases of pure luck – well, not pure luck but like the old saying goes, ‘I’d rather be lucky than good almost any day,’ and that was one of those days,” said McCoy, while enroute back to the dock this afternoon after another angling outing on the ocean. His king mackerel, with a 56-inch fork length and 24-inch girth, bested the previous Delaware record, which stood for more than 31 years, by a stunning 4 pounds, 2.2 ounces.

McCoy’s catch was certified as a state record by Delaware Natural Resources Police Fish and Wildlife Cpl. Kyle Wharton at Hook ‘em & Cook ‘em Bait, Tackle and Seafood on the Indian River Inlet. Aboard the center console Reel McCoy with him that day were his wife, Jen McCoy, and his mother- and father-in-law, Lynda and Dennis Boas, and brother-in-law, Jeff Boas.

McCoy had intended to fish for sharks that day and once his family fishing party reached Fenwick Shoal he put in play some studious preparation and execution of strategy for catching a big gamefish – just not that gamefish. At one point, after the king mackerel made a 15-minute run, McCoy said his fishing line wrapped around the boat’s anchor rope. Quick action by his brother-in-law disentangled McCoy’s fishing line, and the fight was on again with the kingfish making several more runs. Eventually he gained the upper hand and was able to maneuver the fish alongside Reel McCoy, where it was landed with another assist from brother-in-law Jeff Boas.

Delaware Sport Fishing Tournament state records can be found at de.gov/sportfish. More information about the Sport Fishing Tournament and state record fish is available in the 2023 Delaware Fishing Guide. The guide is also available in print from the DNREC Fisheries Section by calling 302-739-9914 and from license agents throughout the state.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife conserves and manages Delaware’s fish and wildlife and their habitats, and provides fishing, hunting, wildlife viewing and boating access on nearly 68,000 acres of public land owned or managed by the Division of Fish and Wildlife. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Instagram,  Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media contacts: Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov; Nikki Lavoie, nikki.lavoie@delaware.gov

###

Striped bass caught by recreational anglers in Delaware waters can no longer be handled with a gaff according to a new fishing regulation from DNREC that brings the state into compliance with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission management plan for species’ recovery from overfishing. /DNREC graphic: Duane Raver

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control announced that the use of a gaff to handle any striped bass caught by recreational anglers is prohibited, effective immediately, to ensure Delaware’s compliance with the Atlantic State Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) Amendment 7 to the Atlantic Striped Bass Fishery Management Plan (FMP).

The FMP cited the ban on gaff use as one of a suite of required management measures intended to reduce the mortality of recreationally-caught striped bass. Recent ASMFC striped bass population assessments have shown that recreational release mortality is currently the largest source of mortality for the overfished striped bass population. The ASMFC’s gaff ban is seen as aiding the recovery of striper stocks by helping reduce recreational release mortality of fish that could go on to spawn after they were caught and released by anglers.

Delaware’s gaff prohibition regulation can be found on the DNREC regulatory orders webpage. For more information, anglers may call the DNREC Fisheries Section at 739-9914.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife conserves and manages Delaware’s fish and wildlife and their habitats, and provides fishing, hunting, wildlife viewing and boating access on nearly 68,000 acres of public land owned or managed by the Division of Fish and Wildlife. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Instagram,  Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media contacts: Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov; Nikki Lavoie, nikki.lavoie@delaware.gov

###