Ocean City fishing report for the week of September 10, 2026. September is one of the best months of the year here — the crowds are gone, the flounder are still in the back bays, the canyons are at their peak for white marlin, and the sea bass fishing on the wrecks is improving as the water begins to cool. This week the weather has cooperated, and the boats that made the canyon run have come back with good reports.
What’s Hitting
What’s hitting this week starts with flounder. Fish are still in the back bays behind Assateague and around the inlet, with some better fish at the Route 50 bridge and the inlet rocks as they start to move toward the ocean. Offshore, white marlin are the headline in the canyons — the Baltimore, Poor Man’s, and Washington canyons have all had multiple-release days this week, with yellowfin tuna, some bigeye, and mahi on the same trips. Sea bass are on the nearshore wrecks and reef sites in 60 to 100 feet. Bluefish and Spanish mackerel are along the beach and around the inlet.
Surf anglers have been catching kingfish, spot, and some early bluefish from the Assateague beaches.
Where to Find Them
For flounder, the Thorofare and the channels behind Assateague, the deeper edges near the Route 50 bridge, and the inlet on the outgoing tide. The East Channel near the inlet has been consistent. For sea bass, the wrecks and artificial reef sites in 60 to 100 feet — the Jackspot area and the Great Eastern reef site have been good. Offshore, the Baltimore and Poor Man’s canyons for white marlin and tuna, working the 50 to 100-fathom edges. Surf anglers should fish the Assateague beaches at the tide changes.
Tides & Conditions
The new moon this weekend brings strong tides through the inlet, and the outgoing tide has been the flounder tide. Winds have been out of the northeast at 10 to 15 with some rougher days, and seas have been 3 to 5 feet offshore, which has limited the canyon trips to the best-weather days. Water temps at the inlet are in the mid-70s, and the canyons have had good blue water in the 76 to 78-degree range.
Tackle & Tactics
For flounder, a bucktail tipped with a Gulp swimming mullet or a strip of squid on a 1 to 2-ounce jig head, bounced along the bottom in the channels. For sea bass, a two-hook bottom rig with clam or squid and enough weight to hold on the wreck. In the canyons, troll ballyhoo and skirted lures for white marlin, and chunk or troll for tuna at the edge. Surf anglers should use a two-hook bottom rig with bloodworms or Fishbites for kingfish and spot.
Local Intel This Week
Public ramps: the Ocean City commercial harbor ramp in West Ocean City is the main public launch for the inlet and the ocean, the Assateague State Park ramp on the bay side covers the back bays, and the Gum Point ramp is a quieter option for the Isle of Wight Bay. Shore anglers have been doing well at the inlet rocks and along the Route 50 bridge, and from the Assateague surf. Fish are concentrating in the channels and at the inlet on the outgoing tide and on the wrecks in 60 to 100 feet. Check current Maryland DNR and federal regulations before keeping fish — flounder and sea bass limits and seasons change, and white marlin are a release fishery.
This Week’s Tip
Back-bay flounder in September are moving toward the inlet, and they stage in the deeper channel edges on the outgoing tide. Instead of drifting the flats, drift the channel edges in 8 to 15 feet and let your bucktail tick along the bottom of the slope. The bigger fish this week have all been on the edges.
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