Coastal Fishing Reports

Coastal Mid-Atlantic Fishing Report, June 12 Update:

There is still some good action along the coastal beaches, especially at Assateague Island. Dave Moore from Shark Whisperers has had several productive trips lately and has been dialed in on the sharks. One of his most recent trips to the suds produced four sandbar sharks, a sand tiger, and a 50” red drum. Other anglers on the beach are also getting in on the shark action and one group reported landing seven sharks and pulling the hook on another three. In the back bays, striped bass and bluefish can be found at bridges and other structures in deeper channels. Lucky Break Charters had a good trip this week, releasing seven striped bass with two fish over the 28 to 31” slot. They also had some throwback flounder. The bluefish have been concentrated around the Route 50 Bridge and there have been some big ones pulled from the pilings. Their aerial acrobatics make for a fun fight on light tackle.

Reports of good flounder fishing at the wreck and reef sites were off to an early start this season and the trend continued this week, as we had a reader checking in with a limit catch off Chincoteague at Blackfish Bank. Another fishing out of Ocean City also reported good action, with several keepers and many undersized fish biting on Gulp! Swimming Mullet fished on top-and-bottom rigs. Fish In OC had a few decent reports for flounder this week, including a boat that caught some fish just outside the south jetty of the OC inlet and another with five keeper flounder from the offshore grounds. The offshore bite continues to heat up and there was some more tuna action reported this week. The OC Fishing Center had a boat return to dock with an impressive 214-pound bigeye tuna caught at the Poorman’s Canyon. The crew of Marli Sportfishing Charters reeled in some bluefin tuna and an impressive lineup of tilefish from the deep water.

Coastal Mid-Atlantic Fishing Report, June 5 Update:

Tuna fishing is picking up and there were several reports from the coast this week. A few recreational boats made some long trips offshore, but it was well worth it as there were several yellowfin tuna boxed. The Spring Mix II was out this week, and their crew out two bluefin tuna in the box and had another to the boat that was released. Chasin’ Tides Charters also got in on the action with their crew catching tuna, black belly rosefish, golden tilefish, and some nice sea bass. Boats heading out to deep drop for tilefish have been doing well and one of the best reports of the week came courtesy of the Ocean Princess. There were several limits of blueline tilefish with multiple fish over 10 pounds. Golden tilefish were in the mix too. Striped bass and bluefish can be found hanging out at the bridges in the coastal bays. The Route 50 Bridge behind OC has seen some good action with fish being pulled from the pilings by both bridge anglers and those in boats. There is a lot of current in this area, so if you are on a boat make sure to be careful because the sandbars are always changing with the strong currents. The rock jetties at the OC Inlet have also been holding these fish along with some tautog.

Flounder fishing has been weather dependent recently, and on good weather days there has been some very good fishing. Clear water has been the most crucial component and that has often been found on the last of the incoming and the first of the outgoing. As of June 1st, the flounder minimum size limit has changed to 17.5”. The four fish creel limit remains the same. A reader wrote in and let us know he jigged up a pair of flounder while fishing in the suds of Assateague this week using white Gulp! baits. While some flatties have been found in the surf, greater numbers are being caught in the back bays. Chincoteague, Wachapreague, and Folly Creek continue to be highlighted hotspots. Captain Cook also reports a good flounder bite at areas like the Old Grounds and wrecks off the Delaware coast. Fishing on the beaches has been very good this spring, and the bite was good again this week. Dave Moore from Shark Whisperers Guided trips wrote in to let us know the drum bite picked up this week. One night he had a client out who caught a six-foot sandbar shark and the first reported cobia off the beach. It was a shorty at 28”, but still a cool catch! Dave also caught the first few reported blacktips and said the redfish have shown up thick. A weeknight trip produced six bulls and the biggest was 53”. Another angler also caught a blacktip and a 43” bull drum in the suds.