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Rehoboth Bay Fishing Report

Updated Fri, Oct 23, 2026 from live gauge and weather data

Rehoboth Bay: the northern of Delaware's Inland Bays, linked to Indian River Bay by Massey's Ditch and reached from DNREC's Massey's Landing ramp.

3/5
Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.
Next tide
Low 12:56 AM
Air / High
58 / 61 F
Wind
NE 18 mph

Sources: NOAA tides 8558690, Open-Meteo, solunar calculated for these coordinates.

Satellite view
Friday
23
October 2026

Today's Fishing Report

Generated this morning from live readings: gauge, weather model, sun and moon. A fresh report is published here every morning.

3/5Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Rehoboth Bay feels the season turning: shorter days, grouping fish. Today brings clear skies, wind NE around 18 mph, steady pressure near 1027 hPa and a high of 61. Tides: high 6:51 AM and 7:08 PM, low 12:20 AM and 12:41 PM: the moving water either side of each change is when this place feeds. Water sits around 64 F for the season (estimated). With the waxing gibbous, the solunar majors run 9:34 AM-11:34 AM and 10:03 PM-12:03 AM: the windows to build the day around.

The plan, species by species

Striped bassExcellent

Spring and fall are the shoreline seasons: ODWC points to windblown points, riprap and dams during the May shad spawn and the pre-winter feed.

BluefishExcellent

Fall turns the migration south toward the South Atlantic Bight, and fish feed along beaches and inlets on the way. Follow the bait and the birds.

Redfish (red drum)Excellent

Late summer into fall is spawning time (mid-August to mid-October on the Gulf, per TPWD), and big adults gather off passes and beaches. Surf and pier anglers soak fresh cut mullet, larger live mullet or blue crab on bottom rigs.

Speckled troutExcellent

As water cools in fall, trout leave the shallow bays for deeper water, and in dry years many run up rivers and bayous with the first cool weather (TPWD). Work fish-shaped lures and shrimp-tail jigs slower and deeper.

Tomorrow: Similar at 59 F. The solunar majors shift about 50 minutes later.Next report: Sat, Oct 24, 6:30 AMHow this report is made β†’

Before you go

Delaware requires a fishing licence from age 16, from $8.50 for residents. What a Delaware licence costs and where to buy it β†’

Chasing striped bass here? Check the size and bag limits with DNREC before you keep anything. The season dates for Delaware, read off the agency, are on the Delaware seasons page.

Water and weather

Live readings.

Tides

NOAA station 8558690 (Indian River Inlet). Fish the moving water either side of each change.

Fri
LOW12:20 AM0.4 ft
HIGH6:51 AM2.9 ft
LOW12:41 PM0.4 ft
HIGH7:08 PM2.9 ft
Sat
LOW12:56 AM0.3 ft
HIGH7:34 AM3.1 ft
LOW1:29 PM0.3 ft
HIGH7:50 PM2.9 ft

Indian River Inlet tide chart: the week and the month β†’

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp58 F
High / Low61 / 52 F
WindNE 18-24 mph
Pressure1026.8 hPa, steady
Sky / Rain11% cloud, 0%
Sunrise / Sunset07:17 / 18:10
MoonWaxing Gibbous, 91%
Water temp (seasonal)~64 F est.

Bite planner

Hour-by-hour bite forecast for today. Tap a bar to see why.

5 AM8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PMsunrisesunsetPRIMEPRIME

Which day to fish Rehoboth Bay this week

The best day on Rehoboth Bay this week looks like Sunday Oct 25, at 4 out of 5, against 3 today.

Best day this week: Sunday, Oct 25 β€” good at 4/5, falling pressure, usually the best window of a week.

Today, Oct 23 β€” Fair

A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Solunar majors
9:34 AM-11:34 AM and 10:03 PM-12:03 AM
Minor period
3:56 AM-4:56 AM
Sun
07:17 to 18:10
Moon
Waxing Gibbous, 91% lit
Sky and wind
Overcast, 19 mph
Rain chance
0%

Forecast-based scores, less reliable further out: how the score is built.

Species guide

The species that matter on Rehoboth Bay: seasons, structure and how to fish each one. Today's ratings live in the report above.

Striped bass illustration

Striped bass

Best: spring and fall inland; on the coast, during the seasonal migrations

The largest of the temperate basses, a sea-run fish of the Atlantic and Gulf coasts that now also lives in reservoirs across much of the country after hatchery stocking. Inland, it follows schools of shad and herring through open water. Spring and fall are the shoreline seasons: ODWC points to windblown points, riprap and dams during the May shad spawn and the pre-winter feed.

Bluefish illustration

Bluefish

Peak harvest: May-Oct, most in Jul-Aug (NOAA)

Bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix) are sharp-toothed schooling predators that move up and down the Atlantic coast with the seasons and feed in surface blitzes on menhaden, silversides and squid. Fall turns the migration south toward the South Atlantic Bight, and fish feed along beaches and inlets on the way. Follow the bait and the birds.

Redfish (red drum) illustration

Redfish (red drum)

Best: late-summer and fall bull run; inshore all year

Red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus), called redfish across the South, is a bronze inshore drum with a black spot near the tail, fished on grass flats, oyster bars, marsh creeks and beaches from the Chesapeake around Florida to Texas. Late summer into fall is spawning time (mid-August to mid-October on the Gulf, per TPWD), and big adults gather off passes and beaches. Surf and pier anglers soak fresh cut mullet, larger live mullet or blue crab on bottom rigs.

Speckled trout illustration

Speckled trout

Shallow bays spring and summer; deeper water in winter

Speckled trout is the anglers' name for the spotted seatrout (Cynoscion nebulosus), a spotted member of the drum family that lives in shallow bays and estuaries from the Chesapeake to Texas. As water cools in fall, trout leave the shallow bays for deeper water, and in dry years many run up rivers and bayous with the first cool weather (TPWD). Work fish-shaped lures and shrimp-tail jigs slower and deeper.

When to come: the Rehoboth Bay calendar

Activity by species and month, and how the water warms through the year. Tap any cell.

Species activity by month

1 = slow, 5 = peak. Current month highlighted.

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Striped bass
Bluefish
Redfish (red drum)
Speckled trout
SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 64 F (estimated, not a reading).

4050607080JanMarMayJulSepNovOct, ~64 F now

Angler reports

Real reports from real anglers, reviewed before publishing. The water log below tracks each day automatically.

No angler reports yet this weekBe the first: your report helps every angler who checks Rehoboth Bay today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Thu, Oct 22

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Striped bass led the card at excellent. High of 65 F, wind to 15 mph.

Wed, Oct 21

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Striped bass led the card at excellent. High of 63 F, wind to 20 mph.

Tue, Oct 20

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Striped bass led the card at excellent. High of 68 F, wind to 19 mph.

Where roughly, what depth, what bait. Skip anything you want to keep secret.
Only used if we need to ask you about your report. No mailing list, no spam.

Before you go

License

Delaware requires a valid fishing license for adults. Buy online from the state agency; one-day options exist for visitors.

Regulations

Delaware fishing license. 2026 DNREC tidal limits: summer flounder 16 in. (Jan 1–May 31) or 17.5 in. (Jun 1–Dec 31), 4 a day; striped bass 28–31 in., 1; weakfish 13 in., 1; bluefish 5 (private boat or shore); red drum 20–27 in., 5; spotted seatrout 12 in.; tautog 16 in., 4, closed May 16–June 30. Some limits are marked for expected change: check the current tidal table.

Access

DNREC's Masseys Landing tidal access area (Indian River and Rehoboth Bay): 4 boat ramps with an ADA courtesy dock, and a fishing pier. No fishing or crabbing is allowed from courtesy docks.

About this water

Rehoboth Bay, one of Delaware's Inland Bays, in Sussex County, connected to Indian River Bay through Massey's Ditch.

Fishing Rehoboth Bay: the full guide

Part of the Inland Bays

Rehoboth Bay lies behind Rehoboth Beach and Dewey Beach in Sussex County. DNREC describes Massey's Ditch as an important navigation channel in the Inland Bays, running between Rehoboth Bay and Indian River Bay; the state finished dredging it in February 2020 to a width of 100 feet and a depth of 7.5 feet below mean lower low water. Indian River Bay, in turn, meets the Atlantic through Indian River Inlet.

Tidal limits that apply here

Delaware's 2026 tidal limits (updated September 23, 2026) apply in the bay. Summer flounder must be 16 inches from January 1 to May 31 and 17.5 inches from June 1 to December 31, with 4 a day. Striped bass are a 28-to-31-inch slot with 1 a day. Weakfish must be 13 inches, with 1 a day. Bluefish have no size limit, with 5 a day from shore or a private boat. Red drum from 20 to 27 inches may be kept, 5 a day. Spotted seatrout must be 12 inches. Tautog are open January 1 to May 15 and July 1 to December 31 at 16 inches, 4 a day.

Crabs and clams

The bay is also tidal water for shellfish rules. Delaware allows a bushel of blue crabs a day (hard-shell crabs at least 5 inches, peelers 3 inches, soft-shells 3.5 inches), with crab pots legal from March 1 to November 30 and other gear all year. Hard clams must be at least 1.5 inches, with 100 a day for residents and 50 for non-residents.

Common questions

How big must a summer flounder be in Rehoboth Bay?

16 inches from January 1 to May 31 and 17.5 inches from June 1 to December 31, with a limit of 4 a day under Delaware's 2026 tidal rules.

Where can I launch a boat on Rehoboth Bay?

DNREC's Masseys Landing access area has four ramps, an ADA courtesy dock and a fishing pier, and serves both Rehoboth Bay and Indian River Bay.

Can I keep a striped bass?

One a day between 28 and 31 inches. The 20–24 inch summer slot applies only in the Delaware Bay, the Delaware River and their tributaries, not in the Inland Bays.

Is fishing good at Rehoboth Bay right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Nearby waters

Indian River Inlet5 miBroadkill River9 miCape May21 miOcean City24 miNanticoke River27 miDelaware Bay28 mi

Where this page's numbers come from

Tide predictions
NOAA CO-OPS 8558690 β€” Indian River Inlet
Harmonic predictions, datum MLLW, local time. 12 high and low events returned for today and the next two days. A prediction, not a measured water level: wind and surge move the real thing.
Weather and pressure
Open-Meteo forecast model
Queried at 38.6800, -75.1000 in this water's own timezone. A model, not an observation.
Moon and solunar windows
Calculated on this site
Astronomical calculation from these coordinates and the date, not a third-party feed. How much weight it deserves.
Pages checked
The facts in the written guide were checked against these pages, from the agencies and operators that manage the water, on October 6, 2026. Anything we could not verify was taken out.
The written guide on this page
Pablo Ruiz Quintero
How this page was made. The daily report is computed by our scoring engine from live readings; nobody types it. The written text was drafted with AI assistance from the official pages listed above, and its facts were checked against those pages by automated verification on October 6, 2026; anything that could not be verified was taken out. Pablo Ruiz Quintero sets every guideline, the data-verification system and the minimum standards a page must meet to be published, reviews page structure and approves what goes live; the responsibility is his, and the AI carries out the work. We work this way because it is how one person can keep every page current with named sources. Errors are published in the verification log; the full policy is in the editorial policy.

Readings refresh on a 30-minute window. The full method, with every figure and its source, is on how our reports are made. Something wrong here? Tell us and it goes in the log with the date.