Coastal Fishing Reports

Coastal Mid-Atlantic Fishing Report, June 26 Update:

The pelagic fishery is really picking up this week as we are moving into some prime offshore summer fishing. Reports of improving tuna action offshore streamed in during the past week, with multiple readers reporting catches of yellowfin, most in the 20- to 40-pound class with a few reaching the 60-pound range. Catches varied from three to 12 tuna, including a couple of boats with limits. Poormans and Washington canyons were both noted as productive areas. Boats heading out to the canyons in search of tilefish are also finding good action, and we had a report from a reader this week who cranked up some big golden tilefish from 700’ at the canyons off Ocean City. At the offshore wreck and reef sites, Captain Monty Hawkins of the Morning Star has been putting his clients on sea bass. Monty reports that the bite was a bit slower this week, and when the bite did turn on, it was usually time to head back to dock. Still, his anglers boated some good fish for the box and deployed more reef structure as they always do when heading offshore.

Readers fishing the inshore wreck and reef sites off the coast from Delaware south report good numbers of flounder are being reeled up, though a large proportion are throwbacks as opposed to keepers, and the black sea bass bite continues to be solid as well. Sea Hawk Sports Center reports that the flounder fishing around the seaside inlets is still going strong, though keepers have been harder to come by since the minimum size limit went up to 17.5”. Creeks and Bays from Chincoteague south have been productive with silversides, minnows, and Gulp! baits doing the trick. At the Ocean City inlet, striped bass and bluefish are being caught at the Route 50 Bridge and at the south jetty of the inlet. These fish have been holding close to bridge pilings and are usually willing to hit jigs. At Indian River, Captain Cook of First Light Charters reports that after dark stripers and blues are providing good action. These fish should be a reliable target throughout the remainder of summer.

Coastal Mid-Atlantic Fishing Report, June 19 Update:

The Angler in Chief says a run to the Washington Canyon ISO tuna produced a couple of hook-ups that unfortunately came unbuttoned but were nice fish. One tore line off a bent-butt with heavy drag and was almost certainly too big to be a yellowfin; chatter on the radio was that a couple of bigeyes had been caught in the area the day before, but that particular fish will remain a mystery… They did reel a mahi up to the boat, so at least a few of those green and blue missiles are around these days. A reader fishing offshore at the canyons reported a solid yellowfin bite but did not disclose which canyon they caught at. Their boat landed eight yellowfins and one chunky bigeye before returning to dock. The offshore wrecks and reef sites have provided some good sea bass fishing recently and Monty Hawkins with the Morning Star has been keeping his anglers in on the action. Monty reports that his anglers have been catching some nice knot heads on jigs and the occasional Flounder has also been in the mix. When the fish want to feed the bite has been very good, but occasionally they are tricky.

Along the beaches, sharks continue to put a big bend in surf rods and there were several sandbar and blacktips landed this week. Some bigger sharks, including sand tigers, have also been landed that are in the 10’ range, so shore-based shark fishermen have a good chance for success on the beaches right now. Stingrays have also been prevalent and numerous anglers have landed big butterfly rays recently, including some monsters in the 70” to 80” range. Clear nose skate and cownose rays have also been willing to take cut bait from the surf. Other catches from the beaches have included bluefish, flounder, and some big red drum. Inshore at the Ocean City Inlet, big bluefish and some rockfish are being caught at both the south jetty and the Route 50 Bridge. Fish In OC had reports of bluefish up to 33” this week and casting jigs into the pilings seems to be the ticket. Flounder a being consistently caught from Ocean City down to Virginia Beach and the coastal bays at Chincoteague and Wachapreague have been very productive lately, with minnows and Gulp! baits doing the trick.

Coastal Mid-Atlantic Fishing Report, June 12 Update:

There is still some good action along the coastal beaches, especially at Assateague Island. Dave Moore from Shark Whisperers has had several productive trips lately and has been dialed in on the sharks. One of his most recent trips to the suds produced four sandbar sharks, a sand tiger, and a 50” red drum. Other anglers on the beach are also getting in on the shark action and one group reported landing seven sharks and pulling the hook on another three. In the back bays, striped bass and bluefish can be found at bridges and other structures in deeper channels. Lucky Break Charters had a good trip this week, releasing seven striped bass with two fish over the 28 to 31” slot. They also had some throwback flounder. The bluefish have been concentrated around the Route 50 Bridge and there have been some big ones pulled from the pilings. Their aerial acrobatics make for a fun fight on light tackle.

Reports of good flounder fishing at the wreck and reef sites were off to an early start this season and the trend continued this week, as we had a reader checking in with a limit catch off Chincoteague at Blackfish Bank. Another fishing out of Ocean City also reported good action, with several keepers and many undersized fish biting on Gulp! Swimming Mullet fished on top-and-bottom rigs. Fish In OC had a few decent reports for flounder this week, including a boat that caught some fish just outside the south jetty of the OC inlet and another with five keeper flounder from the offshore grounds. The offshore bite continues to heat up and there was some more tuna action reported this week. The OC Fishing Center had a boat return to dock with an impressive 214-pound bigeye tuna caught at the Poorman’s Canyon. The crew of Marli Sportfishing Charters reeled in some bluefin tuna and an impressive lineup of tilefish from the deep water.

Coastal Mid-Atlantic Fishing Report, June 5 Update:

Tuna fishing is picking up and there were several reports from the coast this week. A few recreational boats made some long trips offshore, but it was well worth it as there were several yellowfin tuna boxed. The Spring Mix II was out this week, and their crew out two bluefin tuna in the box and had another to the boat that was released. Chasin’ Tides Charters also got in on the action with their crew catching tuna, black belly rosefish, golden tilefish, and some nice sea bass. Boats heading out to deep drop for tilefish have been doing well and one of the best reports of the week came courtesy of the Ocean Princess. There were several limits of blueline tilefish with multiple fish over 10 pounds. Golden tilefish were in the mix too. Striped bass and bluefish can be found hanging out at the bridges in the coastal bays. The Route 50 Bridge behind OC has seen some good action with fish being pulled from the pilings by both bridge anglers and those in boats. There is a lot of current in this area, so if you are on a boat make sure to be careful because the sandbars are always changing with the strong currents. The rock jetties at the OC Inlet have also been holding these fish along with some tautog.

Flounder fishing has been weather dependent recently, and on good weather days there has been some very good fishing. Clear water has been the most crucial component and that has often been found on the last of the incoming and the first of the outgoing. As of June 1st, the flounder minimum size limit has changed to 17.5”. The four fish creel limit remains the same. A reader wrote in and let us know he jigged up a pair of flounder while fishing in the suds of Assateague this week using white Gulp! baits. While some flatties have been found in the surf, greater numbers are being caught in the back bays. Chincoteague, Wachapreague, and Folly Creek continue to be highlighted hotspots. Captain Cook also reports a good flounder bite at areas like the Old Grounds and wrecks off the Delaware coast. Fishing on the beaches has been very good this spring, and the bite was good again this week. Dave Moore from Shark Whisperers Guided trips wrote in to let us know the drum bite picked up this week. One night he had a client out who caught a six-foot sandbar shark and the first reported cobia off the beach. It was a shorty at 28”, but still a cool catch! Dave also caught the first few reported blacktips and said the redfish have shown up thick. A weeknight trip produced six bulls and the biggest was 53”. Another angler also caught a blacktip and a 43” bull drum in the suds.