Coastal Fishing Reports

Coastal Mid-Atlantic Fishing Report, October 24 Update:

The winds have made it tough to get on the ocean lately during a month when there can be some great offshore fishing. Virginia Beach Sport Fishing reports that boats heading offshore are targeting reefs and wrecks for black sea bass. They are abundant at nearshore and offshore structures. Fresh cut bait, squid, and metal jigs work especially well when fishing reefs. VBSF also mentioned that boats heeding to the canyons out of Virginia Beach and coastal North Carolina are deep dropping for swordfish. These big billfish feed on squid and other baitfish and are typically found at depths of 1000’ to 2000’. Mobsquad Fishing was out on the ocean this week outside of Ocean City, and their crew went on a meat run. They found mahi, blueline tilefish, some big black belly rosefish and more. Hopefully the weather will hold for more offshore opportunities.  

Tautog are moving inshore as water temperatures drop. They are being caught up and down the coast from Delaware to Virginia Beach. Anglers fishing at the Ocean City inlet have reported a hot bite for tautog this week at the inlet rock jetties. Most of the tautog are undersized, but there are also some keepers in the mix. Scott Lenox from Fish In OC reports that he was out tautog fishing this week with Lucky Break Charters, and they caught and released over 40 fish. They also put five keepers in the box. Down at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, tautog are being caught around the rock islands. Crab and squid work very well for tautog, but they are very good at stealing bait, so bring extra if you plan to fish for them. The back marshes of the coastal bays are holding some striped bass right now. There was a report from an angler who caught several stripers up to 30 inches while fishing the marshes behind Ocean City. The Route 50 bridge has also been holding striped bass and even a few slot-sized fish.

Coastal Mid-Atlantic Fishing Report, October 17 Update:

The Nor’easter that moved up the coast last weekend battered our coastal communities and brought serious coastal flooding to the beachside towns. The high water and stiff winds limited fishing opportunities last weekend and the beginning of this week. Before the winds kicked up, the sheepshead fishing at the Ocean City inlet and nearshore structure had been very good. Captain Chase Eberle of Chasin’ Tides Charters was running trips last week and put his clients on several keeper sheepshead from the south jetty. Anglers fishing along the jetties have also been catching some tautog and bluefish. Anglers fishing from the Route 50 Bridge are catching some striped bass and bluefish while jigging lures near the bridge pilings. Most of the stripers are under slot, but the occasional keeper has come over the rails. The coastal slot limit for striped bass is 28” to 31”.

Over the past few weeks, there have been two new Maryland state records for the Atlantic division. Marc Spagnola set the new state record for longfin albacore with an impressive 78-pound catch, and James L. Frazetti Jr. set a new state record for pompano dolphin. Congratulations to both anglers! Fishing on the coastal beaches has been very difficult lately as the offshore storms have churned up the surf. When the suds are fishable, some red drum, flounder, skate, pompano, and bluefish are being caught. There was a decent red drum run along Assateague in September, but the bulk of the fish are pushing south. Anglers fishing on the Virginia beaches south of the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay will have a good chance to catch bull red drum in the coming weeks as these fish leave the Bay for the winter months. Virginia Beach Sport Fishing reports that mahi are schooling around floating debris and other cover, but opportunities will wind down as water temperatures cool off. They also mentioned that there are some swordfish opportunities near the canyons.

Coastal Mid-Atlantic Fishing Report, October 10 Update:

While the wind may limit fishing opportunities, you can always find some protected waters in the back bays. There have been some striped bass hanging around the Route 50 bridge. Anglers fishing from the bridge did well this week, and we heard of some slot fish caught. The night bite can be very good this time of year as the stripers feed on the baitfish attracted to the illuminated water from the bridge lights. The sheepshead fishing has been a highlight this year from Delaware down to Virginia Beach. Anglers fishing the Ocean City inlet are still catching some big fish on the south jetty. Lucky Break Charters had some great fishing last weekend where his crew sheepshead up to 10 pounds and some keeper flounder. Sea Hawk Sports Center reports that the offshore action has been mainly comprised of some mahi on the troll or bailing around pots. Some marlin and tuna have also been landed at the canyons. Nearshore wrecks are producing seabass, flounder, and some triggerfish.

A reader checked in from Assateague and reports that surf conditions have been very unpredictable but very fishable. Mid to late mornings have been best for them, and they have caught a lot of kingfish on hi-lo rigs tipped with sand flea and bloodworm flavored Fishbites. They have also caught some flounder by throwing four-inch Gulp! mullets. They said all the flounder have been on the small side and caught at the very edge of the surf. Other anglers fishing on the coastal beaches are catching some sandbar sharks, pompano, small bluefish, the occasional speckled trout, and some bull red drum. The forecast is calling for a possible Nor’easter this weekend into next week. If that shapes up, the surf will likely be unfishable. This month has already brought its fair share of coastal storms, making for rough ocean conditions. The active storm pattern looks like it is at least going to continue into next week. The OSV may be shut down on Assateague, so make sure to check the status before heading to the beach.

Coastal Mid-Atlantic Fishing Report, October 3 Update:

Two hurricanes off the coast have kept most of the offshore boats at the dock during the later part of the week. The swells have been big, and the ocean has been rough, so fishing has been limited to inshore waters, but the bite in the Atlantic was good before the wind machine turned on. Several readers have checked in after enjoying rather epic mahi-mahi action at the canyons. At least prior to this week’s big blow, they were still crowding around the lobster pot floats waiting to be bailed, so let’s hope the passing hurricane didn’t rile up those waters too much. Fish In OC also had some great reports from the canyons. One of which included a private boat that put 17 yellowfin tuna and 54 mahi in the box. The nearshore wrecks and reefs have been producing good catches of black sea bass and flounder recently. The size of the fish appears to be improving as the weather cools off.

On the beaches of Assateague, the bite has been picking up, and Dave Moore of Shark Whisperers says the big redfish have been chewing in the evening and after dark. Four trips produced nine bulls, with two topping the 50” mark. October is when you want to be on the coastal beaches targeting the bull reds in the fall. The run will only last a few more weeks before the bulk of the fish have migrated south of our waters. The surf has been very rough thanks to offshore storms, but once the water lays down, the bite should pick back up. The drum tend to like a little bit of choppy water, and you can catch them even if it is rough. Last weekend, we had a report from an angler fishing at Assateague who caught a mixed bag of species, including pompano, bluefish, and flounder. Another reader reported that flounder were biting in the surf on double-bucktail/Gulp! Rigs, though mostly small fish, up until the rough conditions hit. Over at the Ocean City Inlet, sheepshead are still biting along the rock jetties. A few tautog have also been in the mix. Striped bass and bluefish are biting at the Route 50 Bridge. Casting lures to the bridge pilings by boat or dropping down from the bridge walkway is how most anglers target them.