Fishing Report

Summary: 5/8/25 - Anglers fishing along the beaches of Assateague are catching a mix of black drum and large striped bass in the surf this week. The northern migration of post-spawn striped bass are making their way up the coast from the Chesapeake and providing additional action for anglers. Sand fleas have been the most popular bait for the black drum and the striped bass seem to like them also, anglers are reminded there is a 28-inch to 31-inch slot for striped bass. At the inlet and Route 50 Bridge area, anglers are catching a mix of striped bass and small bluefish by casting soft plastic jigs, paddletails, and Got-Cha type lures. Most of the striped bass being caught inside the inlet come up a little shy of the 28-inch minimum. Tautog are also being caught along the jetty rocks and bulkheads on sand fleas; the change of the tide tends to offer some of the best success. Flounder are moving through the inlet, headed for the back bay waters on a falling tide. Flounder fishing in the back bay channels leading from the inlet is good this week, there are a lot of undersized flounder that don’t meet the 16-inch minimum, but by the end of most fishing trips anglers can catch a limit of four legal flounder or close to that. A falling or ebb tide is the most productive time to fish for flounder. Fishing for striped bass near the bridge piers of the Verrazano and Route 90 bridges remains a fun catch and release fishery this week. Most of the striped bass being caught fail to meet the 28-inch minimum. The early morning and late evening hours offer the best fishing when casting paddletails and jerkbaits near the bridge piers and sedge bank edges. Outside the Ocean City Inlet, the boats taking anglers out to the wreck and reef sites are finding good fishing for tautog for their anglers. Most anglers can catch a four fish limit and still be able to release the larger tautog.

The Check Station

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