It’s a fishing day

Assateague Island National Seashore fishing conditions · Maryland

Tomorrow 1 pm to Monday 4 amSummer flounder

The bite peaks at 85. Water is 62°, close to the 65° summer flounder like best, and a solunar period lands on the window.

Small Craft Advisory until Sunday 10 am
Log a trip here
Right now: 75 for summer flounder, worth the tripTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Summer flounder, hour by hour

Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.

  1. 754 pm
  2. 71
  3. 71
  4. 717 pm
  5. 66
  6. 66
  7. 7010 pm
  8. 70
  9. 66Sun
  10. 711 am
  11. 71
  12. 63
  13. 634 am
  14. 71
  15. 75
  16. 667 am
  17. 66
  18. 66
  19. 6610 am
  20. 70
  21. 70
  22. 811 pm
  23. 81
  24. 81
  25. 854 pm
  26. 81
  27. 81
  28. 817 pm
  29. 81
  30. 81
  31. 8110 pm
  32. 85
  33. 85Mon
  34. 811 am
  35. 81
  36. 81
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now

Water
62°F

Summer flounder range 58–75°

Wind
15 mph

From the northwest

Light
Daylight

Sunset 4:55 pm

Sky
Sunny

No rain expected

Air
57°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Steady

Measured, last 3 hours

Moon
5% lit

Waning crescent

What’s biting

Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are Maryland tidal regulations for these waters.

Summer Flounder

Summer flounder

Paralichthys dentatus

85GoTomorrow 1 pm to Monday 4 am

Water

62°
48°58–75° · ideal 65°85°

Why

Right in summer flounder's ideal range. Summer flounder prefers outgoing tide. Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Holds 10–100 ft down.

Keep

16" minimum · 4 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Maryland Atlantic coast and coastal bays: 16" minimum Jan 1–May 31 and 17.5" Jun 1–Dec 31, 4 a day, open all year.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Maryland tidal

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: May–Sep. More on summer flounder

Striped Bass

Striped bass

Morone saxatilis

77Worth the tripTomorrow 1 pm to Monday 4 am

Water

62°
40°50–72° · ideal 62°82°

Why

Right in striped bass's ideal range. Striped bass is showing up in this week's state fishing report for the area. Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Holds 5–35 ft down.

Keep

28" minimum · 31" maximum · 1 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Atlantic Ocean, coastal bays and their tributaries (Ocean City / Assateague): 28–31" slot, 1 fish/day, year-round — the ASMFC coastwide reg. Distinct from the Chesapeake Bay 19–24" reg.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Maryland tidal

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Jun, Sep–Nov. Likes an incoming tide. More on striped bass

Bluefish

Bluefish

Pomatomus saltatrix

53Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

62°
50°60–80° · ideal 70°90°

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Inside bluefish's active range. Holds 5–50 ft down.

Keep

8" minimum · 5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Maryland Atlantic coast and coastal bays: 8" minimum; 5 a day from shore or a private boat, 7 on a for-hire boat (up from 3 and 5 in 2025). Open all year.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Maryland tidal

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: May–Oct. Likes an incoming tide. More on bluefish

Black Drum

Black drum

Pogonias cromis

53Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

62°
45°55–85° · ideal 72°95°

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Inside black drum's active range. Holds 2–40 ft down.

Keep

16" minimum · 1 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Maryland Atlantic coast and coastal bays: 16" minimum, 1 a day, 6 per boat, open all year.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Maryland tidal

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Sep–May. Likes an incoming tide. More on black drum

Red Drum

Red drum

Sciaenops ocellatus

12Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

62°
55°65–85° · ideal 75°95°

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Below red drum's active range (65–85°F). Holds 3–20 ft down.

Keep

18" minimum · 26" maximum · 3 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Maryland Atlantic coast and coastal bays: 18–26" slot, 3 a day, open all year.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Maryland tidal

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Jun–Nov. Likes an incoming tide. More on red drum

The water

  • Water temperature62°F
  • Barometer29.87 inHg, steady

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunset today4:55 pm
  • Sunrise tomorrow6:34 am
  • MoonWaning crescent, 5% lit
  • Minor solunarToday 3:20 pm–4:20 pm
  • Major solunarTonight 9:50 pm–11:50 pm
  • Minor solunarTomorrow 5:40 am–6:40 am

Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works

Fishing report

Maryland DNR, Nov 4

Atlantic Ocean and Coastal Bays. Anglers fishing in the Ocean City Inlet and Route 50 bridge area are experiencing good fishing for tautog near the jetty rocks, bridge piers, and dock piers. Live sand fleas or pieces of green crab are popular baits. Flounder are still being caught in the inlet as the flounder make their way offshore for the winter. Striped bass are also being caught in and around the inlet and at the Route 90 and Verrazzano bridges. Casting paddletails and soft plastic jigs are popular lures. This is mostly a catch-and-release fishery, but now and then a striped bass measuring in the 28-inch to 31-inch slot can be caught.

Quoted from the Maryland DNR weekly fishing report. Reports are what anglers and biologists saw that week, not a forecast.

Licenses and rules: MD DNR · fish-consumption advisory

About this spot

Undeveloped Atlantic surf on Assateague Island, with over-sand vehicles allowed in designated areas by permit. The Park Service's surf-fishing guide lists striped bass, bluefish, red and black drum, summer flounder, kingfish, weakfish, spot and croaker.

Nearby

Public spots within 40 miles, with the same 36 hours of floats.

Assateague State Park3 mi · MarylandBest tomorrow 1 pm to Monday 4 amSmall Craft Advisory
85Go
Assateague Island — MD Surf9 mi · MarylandBest tomorrow 11 am to Monday 4 am
100Go
Ocean City Inlet — North Jetty9 mi · MarylandBest tomorrow 11 am to Monday 4 am
100Go
Public Landing Beach9 mi · MarylandBest now until Monday 4 am
100Go
Assawoman State Wildlife Area13 mi · MarylandBest tomorrow 1 pm to Monday 4 amSmall Craft Advisory
85Go
Fenwick Island — Surf Fishing18 mi · DelawareBest tomorrow 1 pm to Monday 4 am
100Go

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Assateague Island National Seashore?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Assateague Island National Seashore you need a Maryland Chesapeake Bay & Coastal Sport License issued by MD DNR. Anglers may instead qualify for the free Maryland Saltwater Angler Registration in some circumstances (e.g., guest on a boat carrying a Bay & Coastal Sport Boat Decal, or holder of a Virginia saltwater license). See the agency's current rules: https://dnr.maryland.gov/pages/service_fishing_license.aspx

What fish are commonly targeted at Assateague Island National Seashore?

Assateague Island National Seashore is listed on this site for 5 commonly-targeted species: Striped Bass, Bluefish, Summer Flounder, Red Drum, and 1 more. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.

When is the best time to fish at Assateague Island National Seashore?

It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at Assateague Island National Seashore against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.

What kind of access does Assateague Island National Seashore have?

Assateague Island National Seashore has shoreline / wading access. There is no pier or boat ramp at this location.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Assateague Island National Seashore?

Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) tidal regulations apply at Assateague Island National Seashore. Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.

Is Assateague Island National Seashore tidal water?

Yes. Assateague Island National Seashore sits on tidal water with a NOAA tide station nearby. Today's high/low timing is in the tide chart on this page.