Tautog bite holds in Delaware Bay as blues linger post-storm
Delaware Bay is sitting at 64.9°F this week as anglers work through the tail end of a nor'easter that shut most fishing down. Old Inlet Bait and Tackle reported blues taken on metal lures during incoming water, about the only action anyone managed in winds that reportedly hit 40 to 50 knots, per The Fisherman — DE/MD/Chesapeake. Tautog fishing held up better inside the bay: Big Dave's Tackle noted a good bite on bridge and lighthouse structure for anglers working sandfleas and green crabs on tog jigs. Smith's Bait Shop said boats couldn't clear the bay in the rough seas, and Eric Burnley logged over 3 inches of rain with winds upward of 50 knots that kept fishing off the table entirely for the week.
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Seas are set to ease. Tom Pagliaroli's read of the National Weather Service Marine Forecast has swells dropping to 3 to 4 feet by Wednesday into Thursday night, with winds shifting W/SW around 10 knots — the first calm stretch in over a week. Smith's Bait Shop already expects the Port Mahon-area bite to keep building through October as water temperatures ease off summer highs.
With today's low tide falling near 5:12 PM local, the better window for tog and blues on the turn should sit around that afternoon tide change and again on the next incoming water. The waning gibbous moon keeps tidal swings moderate, without the extremes of a new or full moon push, so the calming seas matter more than the moon this week.
Context
Late September in Delaware Bay typically marks the shift from summer species toward the fall structure bite, and once storm effects clear this year is tracking on pace with that pattern. Water in the mid-60s is normal for the turn into fall, with tautog activity around bay structure the expected signature of the season and bluefish still working the last of the warmer water before pushing out. The extreme beach erosion from this week's storm may temporarily reshape bottom contours along the surf, an adjustment worth expecting into October.
Synthesized from real-time NOAA buoy data, USGS stream gauges, and current reports across regional fishing blogs, captain updates, and angler forums. Check local regulations before keeping fish. Never trust a single source for a trip decision.
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