Coastal Fishing Reports
Coastal Mid-Atlantic Fishing Report, April 17 Update:
We have been blessed with some excellent weather for flounder fishing this week. Highs along the coast reached the mid 70s and even 80 degrees a few days this week. The flounder bite responded well, and we heard of several boat limits caught between Quimby and Ocean City this week. Hot spots right now seem to be Wachapreague, Gargatha, and Chincoteague. Flounder rigs tipped with bull minnows, silversides, squid, or Gulp! Baits are all working to tempt the flatties. Water clarity is the most important factor when fishing for flounder in the coastal creeks and bays. If you find yourself in an area with murky water, it is worth it to make a move in search of cleaner water, even if it is only slightly better. Luckily, the wind hasn’t been too bad, and conditions remained good this week. The above average temperatures have made the shallow bays a good spot to catch fish, but the deeper guts and channels are also still producing. We also have our first report of 2026 of a flounder being caught in the surf, coming in from a reader fishing Assateague. He said it was also his first fish of the year, and it hit a white Gulp! mullet teaser above a bucktail cast and retrieved during the low tide.
The surf bite has cut loose as the black drum run is in full swing. We are also seeing several reports of striped bass being caught in the surf, which is a bit early, but makes sense given the above average temperatures we have had this spring. Many striped bass have already spawned in the Chesapeake Bay and are making their way back north up the coast. One angler fishing on Assateague this week reported an excellent day soaking bait in the suds, catching four black drum and a 30-inch striped bass that fell within the 28-31-inch slot limit, so it went home for dinner. Dave Moore from Shark Whisperers Guided Trips also checked in after spending some time on Assateague this week. Dave said that he scouted multiple spots and tested a few with some friends. They managed 16 black drum between the three of them. They also caught more clearnose skate than he would like to admit and ran into some big smooth dogfish too.
In the back bays, some striped bass are roaming around the coastal marshes and bayside bridges. One reader checked in after slinging paddletails around marsh points one afternoon. They only caught a few schoolie stripers, but said the fish were putting up a good fight in the shallow water. Anglers are also catching stripers at the Route 90, Route 50, and Verrazano Bridge. Fish In OC even had a report of a 40-plus-inch fish caught right next to the Route 50 Bridge this week. There will be some opportunities to catch these big fish in the surf and near the Ocean City inlet as they migrate back north.
Coastal Mid-Atlantic Fishing Report, April 10 Update:
The coastal bite is cutting loose as water temperatures are finally warm enough for migratory fish to start returning to inshore and nearshore waters. Last year’s flounder fishing was some of the best we have seen in many years, and this year is also off to a hot start. The bite is still best in and around the Virginia coastal inlets, but fish are also being caught well north of there. Both Sea Hawk Sports Center and Captain Steve’s Bait and Tackle have reported boats checking in with double-digit keepers. The colder weather starting this week did slow the bite down a bit, but it looks like air temperatures are going to jump right back up, so the bite should turn on again this weekend into next week. Anglers should still plan their trips around the tide cycles if possible. In the early spring, the outgoing tide is usually best for flounder fishing as the cold ocean water brought in by the incoming tide has been warmed up on the shallow flats. The warmer water temperatures trigger the flounder to bite. The back bay flounder bite around Ocean City has been improving. Fish In OC reported several successful trips from anglers last weekend. One crew fishing the thoroughfare had three keeper flounder measuring 18″, 18″ and 19″. Lucky Break Charters has been able to box a few keeper flounder for their anglers, and is also reporting decent tautog action at the OC inlet rock jetties.
One of the bites that anglers are most excited about is the black drum run in the surf. Reports from down south near the mouth of the Bay on the oceanfront have been very good, with several boats boxing black drum. We have reports of drum being caught all the way up to Assateague on the Maryland side of the island. The largest fish we have heard caught in the surf is 39”. If you are looking for a fish to take home, you generally want to look for a smaller drum as the big fish tend to have worms in their meat. Luckily, a lot of the drum caught in the surf are the perfect size to take home for a delicious fresh caught meal. Sand fleas and fresh chunks of crab are the preferred baits for these bottom feeders. When trying to find a spot on the beach to fish for them, look for deep troughs running parallel to the beach. The drum are often cruising right along the deeper water next to the sandbars. Cuts in the sandbars are another excellent place to cast for drum. These breaks are known feeding zones for drum and other fish.
Water temperatures have warmed enough in the back bays to turn on the striped bass bite. The schoolie sized fish in the 15” to 25” range have been biting along the marsh shorelines, creek mouths, and at the various bridges. Fish In OC reported that some fish have been caught at the Route 90 Bridge. Jigging soft plastic straight tails and paddletails next to the bridge pilings is the best way to produce a bite. There is also a chance to catch flounder while bouncing jigs around the pilings. These fish are also hanging around the Route 50 Bridge and Verrazano Bridge as you head onto Assateague Island. The coastal slot for striped bass is 28”-31”, so most of the stripers fall short of legal size. As post-spawn fish start to leave the Chesapeake Bay and head up the coast in the coming weeks, that will be the best chance at catching a legal-size fish. Most of the fish will stay along the beaches and not enter the back bays during the journey back north, so surf fishing will be a good option.
Coastal Mid-Atlantic Fishing Report, April 3 Update:
The black drum have arrived right on schedule as we heard the first few reports of fish being caught in the surf this week. Surf fishing expert Dave Moore checked in with us after catching his first drum of the season on the Maryland side of Assateague Island on Wednesday. The 39-inch fish was caught using sand fleas. There were also black drum reports from Sea Hawk Sports Center and Captain Steve’s Bait and Tackle of fish being caught along the beaches in both Virginia and Maryland. Sand fleas are usually the most effective bait, but the other top performer is chunks of blue crab. The drum bite should steadily get better over the coming weeks. The wacky spring weather can make for unpredictable surf conditions, so make sure you have a variety of surf weights to be able to handle a variety of conditions. Other species to be caught in the surf include clearnose skate and dogfish, but striped bass will also start to show up on their way back north after their spawn in the Chesapeake Bay.
As water temperatures are heating up, so is the flounder bite. Early in the season, the better action is usually south along the Eastern Shore of Virginia with hotspots including Oyster, Wachapreague, and Chincoteague. A boat fishing out of Chincoteague this week managed to box nine keepers during one of the warmer days. Ocean water temperatures are still cold, so you should try to plan your trips around the tide cycle to hit the outgoing tide. The incoming tide will bring in cold ocean water that usually shuts down or slows the flounder bite. That water then gets heated up on the shallow flats and water temperatures warm considerably on the outgoing tide. This triggers the flounder into a more active feeding patter and is the prime time for the early spring flounder fishing bite window. You can still catch fish throughout the tide cycle, but the outgoing is usually best in early spring. The first flounder was also caught in Ocean City and was reported by Fish In OC. Jamie Metz was fishing with her husband Rob behind Assateague Island around the airport when she caught the first keeper flounder of the OC season on a tandem rig baited with an orange Gulp.
