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Assateague Fishing Report

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

Surf fishing on Assateague Island's Maryland beaches: flounder, kingfish, drum, striped bass and bluefish, with an over-sand vehicle zone by permit.

3/5
Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.
Next tide
Low 12:26 AM
Air / High
59 / 62 F
Wind
NE 16 mph

Sources: NOAA tides 8570283, 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.

Assateague feels the season turning: shorter days, grouping fish. Today brings clear skies, wind NE around 16 mph, steady pressure near 1026 hPa and a high of 62. Tides: high 6:07 AM and 6:27 PM, low 12:14 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.

Tomorrow: Similar at 60 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

Maryland requires a fishing licence from age 16, from $32.00 for residents, and salt water needs its own licence here. What a Maryland licence costs and where to buy it β†’

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

Water and weather

Live readings.

Tides

NOAA station 8570283 (Ocean City Inlet). Fish the moving water either side of each change.

Fri
HIGH6:07 AM2.4 ft
LOW12:14 PM0.4 ft
HIGH6:27 PM2.4 ft
Sat
LOW12:26 AM0.3 ft
HIGH6:51 AM2.6 ft
LOW1:03 PM0.3 ft
HIGH7:09 PM2.4 ft

Ocean City tide chart: the week and the month β†’

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp59 F
High / Low62 / 47 F
WindNE 16-24 mph
Pressure1026.3 hPa, steady
Sky / Rain23% cloud, 0%
Sunrise / Sunset07:17 / 18:11
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 Assateague this week

The best day on Assateague 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 18:11
Moon
Waxing Gibbous, 91% lit
Sky and wind
Overcast, 16 mph
Rain chance
0%

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

Species guide

The species that matter on Assateague: 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.

When to come: the Assateague 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)
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 Assateague 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 66 F, wind to 11 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 61 F, wind to 15 mph.

Tue, Oct 20

2/5 Slow. Work for them. Conditions favor short windows and patient fishing. Striped bass led the card at excellent. High of 66 F, wind to 16 mph.

Where roughly, what depth, what bait. Skip anything you want to keep secret.
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Before you go

License

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

Regulations

NPS requires a saltwater fishing license and enforces state rules on the beach. Maryland 2026 Atlantic rules (updated Sept. 16, 2026): striped bass 1 a day, 28 to 31 inches, with non-offset circle hooks required when using bait, and no striped bass fishing in federal waters beyond 3 miles; bluefish 5 a day from shore or private boat; summer flounder 4 a day (16 inches to May 31, 17.5 inches from June 1); red drum 18 to 26 inches, 3 a day; black drum 16 inches, 1 a day.

Access

Atlantic beaches of the national seashore's Maryland district, except lifeguarded beaches; OSV zone by NPS permit only. Fishing information is available at the visitor centers and the ranger station.

About this water

The Maryland district of Assateague Island National Seashore, a barrier island in Worcester County, Maryland, shared with Virginia.

Fishing Assateague: the full guide

Surf fishing on the national seashore

The National Park Service allows shore fishing along the Atlantic beaches of Assateague Island National Seashore, except on lifeguard-protected beaches. It notes that late spring and fall draw most anglers, and that state rules on size, seasons and limits are enforced on the beach. After-hours fishing passes are not required in the Maryland district.

What the park lists by season

The park's surf-fishing table names summer flounder (late spring to fall), croaker and spot (summer), kingfish and weakfish (spring to fall), black drum (spring, early summer and fall), red drum (spring and fall), striped bass and bluefish (spring to fall), northern puffer (summer) and sharks (late spring to early fall). It recommends 3- to 4-ounce pyramid or no-roll sinkers for most surf conditions and 17- to 20-pound line.

Over-sand vehicles

Driving on the beach is allowed only in the designated Over-Sand Vehicle (OSV) zone, with a permit bought on Recreation.gov and picked up within 10 days at the North Beach Ranger Station in Maryland or the Bateman Center in Virginia. NPS lists permit fees from $110 to $200 depending on the access, valid for a year, and staff will not winch out stuck vehicles.

Tides and the horses

Tide data for this page come from NOAA station 8570283, Ocean City Inlet, at the north end of the island. The Maryland herd of wild horses is managed by the National Park Service, which asks visitors to enjoy them from a distance.

Common questions

What are the striped bass rules in 2026?

On Maryland's Atlantic coast: one fish a day, 28 to 31 inches, all year in state waters, with circle hooks required when fishing bait.

Do I need a vehicle permit?

Only to drive in the OSV zone. NPS sells permits on Recreation.gov ($110 to $200, depending on access); fishing on foot needs no park permit.

Where can't I fish?

On lifeguard-protected beaches, and inside posted bird-nesting areas.

Is fishing good at Assateague 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

Ocean City6 miIndian River Inlet25 miRehoboth Bay30 miBroadkill River37 miNanticoke River41 miTangier Sound47 mi

Where this page's numbers come from

Tide predictions
NOAA CO-OPS 8570283 β€” Ocean City Inlet
Harmonic predictions, datum MLLW, local time. 11 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 38.2500, -75.1300 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.