It's a Fishing Day

Worcester County, MD · Atlantic Ocean

Assateague Island — MD Surf

Worcester County, MD

Assateague Island National Seashore and Assateague State Park offer miles of Atlantic surf fishing on undeveloped barrier island beach. Red drum, bluefish, summer flounder, and coastal stripers are the primary targets. Oversand vehicle (OSV) access extends your range significantly.

Live · updated

Top pick today

Bluefish — Drop everything — ideal day for Bluefish.

Best conditions of 5 species tracked at Assateague Island — MD Surf.

100 /100
ideal

Atmosphere

Air Temp
86°F
Sunny
Wind
8 to 14 mph
SW
Rain
12%
Friday
Pressure
29.82 inHg
Steady · last 6h

Water

Water Temp
67°F
Tidal waters
Tide
incoming

Sun & Moon

Sunrise
5:37 AM
Sunset
8:23 PM
Moon · 11%
waning crescent

Today's Tides

Time Type Height
4:38 AM High 2.1 ft
10:37 AM Low 0.1 ft
5:25 PM High 2.6 ft
11:45 PM Low 0.3 ft

Species at Assateague Island

5 species tracked, ranked by today's conditions. The top pick is open below — tap any species to expand it, or a chip to focus.

#1 Bluefish Drop everything — ideal day for Bluefish. In season 100/100

What's helping

  • 67°F water — right in bluefish's ideal range
  • incoming tide — bluefish prefers incoming tide
  • 14 mph wind — light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed

About. Pomatomus saltatrix — Toothy, aggressive pelagic predator. "Snapper blues" invade the lower Bay and coastal bays in summer; bigger choppers along the Atlantic coast. Hits metal jigs, topwater, and cut bait savagely — wire leaders recommended.

Prefers. Water 60–80°F (ideal 70°F) · incoming tide · depth 5–50 ft.

Regulations may be out of date

Last verified 51 days ago on 2026-04-22. Open source page →

Min size
8"
Daily creel
5

Atlantic coast and coastal bays: 8-inch minimum. 5 per person on shore or private boat; 7 per person on for-hire boats. Subject to ASMFC coastwide allocation.

Source: Maryland tidal regulations · verified 2026-04-22.

#2 Red Drum Drop everything — ideal day for Red Drum. In season 88/100

What's helping

  • 67°F water — inside red drum's active range
  • incoming tide — red drum prefers incoming tide
  • 14 mph wind — light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed

About. Sciaenops ocellatus — Also called channel bass, redfish, or (as juveniles) puppy drum. Summer and fall target around the lower Bay shoals and the Eastern Shore coastal bays. Big "bull reds" cruise the surf in fall.

Prefers. Water 65–85°F (ideal 75°F) · incoming tide · depth 3–20 ft.

Regulations may be out of date

Last verified 51 days ago on 2026-04-22. Open source page →

Min size
18"
Max size
27"
Daily creel
1

Atlantic coast and coastal bays: 18–27 inch slot, 1 per day. Release all fish outside the slot.

Source: Maryland tidal regulations · verified 2026-04-22.

#2 Striped Bass Check local Striped Bass regulations before you keep one. Regs unverified 88/100
Regulations not yet verified

We don't have confirmed size, creel, or season rules for Striped Bass in MD on file yet. The live conditions score still applies — but confirm the current regulations with your state agency before keeping any fish.

What's helping

  • 67°F water — inside striped bass's active range
  • incoming tide — striped bass prefers incoming tide
  • 14 mph wind — light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed

About. Morone saxatilis — Maryland's state fish. Anadromous — runs into Bay tributaries to spawn each spring. Targeted by trolling, jigging, live-lining, and surf casting. Locally called "rockfish."

Prefers. Water 50–72°F (ideal 62°F) · incoming tide · depth 5–35 ft.

No regulations on file for Maryland tidal / atlantic. Check the appropriate state agency directly before fishing.

#2 Spotted Seatrout Drop everything — ideal day for Spotted Seatrout. In season 88/100

What's helping

  • 67°F water — inside spotted seatrout's active range
  • incoming tide — spotted seatrout prefers incoming tide
  • 14 mph wind — light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed

About. Cynoscion nebulosus — Popularly called "speckled trout" or "specks." Summer-fall target in the lower Bay grass beds and the Eastern Shore coastal bays. Topwater walkers at dawn and soft plastics on jigheads are standard.

Prefers. Water 60–85°F (ideal 72°F) · incoming tide · depth 3–15 ft.

Regulations may be out of date

Last verified 51 days ago on 2026-04-22. Open source page →

Min size
14"
Daily creel
4

Atlantic coast and coastal bays: 14-inch minimum, 4 per day.

Source: Maryland tidal regulations · verified 2026-04-22.

#5 Summer Flounder Great day to fish for Summer Flounder. In season 80/100

What's helping

  • 67°F water — right in summer flounder's ideal range
  • 14 mph wind — light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed

What's hurting

  • incoming tide — summer flounder prefers outgoing tide

About. Paralichthys dentatus — Locally called "fluke." Flatfish that ambushes bait off sandy and mixed bottom. Drifting bucktails tipped with Gulp! or live minnows through Ocean City and Chincoteague inlets is the classic method.

Prefers. Water 58–75°F (ideal 65°F) · outgoing tide · depth 10–100 ft.

Regulations may be out of date

Last verified 51 days ago on 2026-04-22. Open source page →

Min size
16"
Daily creel
4

Atlantic coast and coastal bays: 16 in (Jan 1–May 31) / 17.5 in (Jun 1–Dec 31), 4 per day. Summer flounder regulations are ASMFC-managed and typically re-set annually; verify before the season.

Source: Maryland tidal regulations · verified 2026-04-22.

Location Info

Water Body

Atlantic Ocean

Access

Shoreline access

Jurisdiction

Maryland tidal

Coordinates

38.0870, -75.2102

Notes

Federal and state entrance fees apply. OSV permit required to drive on the beach — apply early, limited permits. Walk-in surf access at the state park end is always free. Wild horses roam the island — do not feed.

What anglers are reporting

From the Maryland DNR weekly fishing report, published May 27, 2026 · 15 days old — a newer report may be available.

Atlantic Ocean and Coastal Bays

Surf anglers are enjoying good fishing off the beaches of Ocean City and Assateague Island. Anglers fishing with large cut baits are catching large striped bass, red drum and bluefish. Most of the striped bass measure over the maximum slot size of 31 inches, but provide exciting catch-and-release action, as do the large red drum. Black drum are being caught on sand fleas and clams. At the Ocean City Inlet and Route 50 Bridge area, anglers are catching striped bass by casting soft plastic jigs and paddletails . A fair number of the striped bass being caught are falling within the 28-31 inch slot.

Species mentioned: black drum, bluefish, red drum, striped bass

Excerpts are anecdotal and reflect a single week's observations from DNR biologists and reporting anglers — not predictions. Use as one signal among many; verify against current conditions before planning a trip.

Local reports & rules for Assateague Island — MD Surf: Maryland DNR fishing report → · trout stocking schedule → · fish-consumption advisory →

Nearby Access Points

Public Landing Beach

8.6 mi

Worcester Co., MD · Pier · Atlantic

Assateague Island National Seashore

8.7 mi

Worcester Co., MD · Shore · Atlantic

Assateague State Park

12 mi

Worcester Co., MD · Multi · Atlantic

Chincoteague NWR — Fishing Access

14 mi

Accomack Co., VA · Multi · Atlantic

Frequently Asked

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Assateague Island — MD Surf?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Assateague Island — MD Surf 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 — MD Surf?

Assateague Island — MD Surf is listed on this site for 5 commonly-targeted species: Bluefish, Summer Flounder, Red Drum, Striped Bass, 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 — MD Surf?

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 — MD Surf 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 — MD Surf have?

Assateague Island — MD Surf has shoreline / wading access. There is no pier or boat ramp at this location. Federal and state entrance fees apply. OSV permit required to drive on the beach — apply early, limited permits. Walk-in surf access at the state park end is always free. Wild horses roam the island — do not feed.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Assateague Island — MD Surf?

Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) tidal regulations apply at Assateague Island — MD Surf. 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 — MD Surf tidal water?

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

Is there parking or an entry fee at Assateague Island — MD Surf?

Federal and state entrance fees apply. OSV permit required to drive on the beach — apply early, limited permits. Walk-in surf access at the state park end is always free. Wild horses roam the island — do not feed.

Data from NOAA, NWS, MD DNR

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