Updated: Thursday, October 29, 2026 · Next update: Thursday, November 5, 2026
This Ocean City MD fishing report is a seasonal outlook for the inlet, the Assateague surf and the offshore reefs. Late October brings the first reliable striped bass to the beaches and inlet, while tautog settle onto jetty rocks and wrecks. Northeast wind and swell are the main variables for surf and inlet fishing this week, and they decide when the beach is fishable.
What’s Hitting
Striped bass are the headline, moving along the Assateague surf and into the inlet as bait pushes south and water cools. Tautog hold on the jetty rocks, bridge pilings and offshore wrecks and reefs. Sea bass remain available on the reefs in cooler water, and bluefish are scattered through the inlet. Speckled trout hold in the back bays near West Ocean City and Chincoteague, and flounder are mostly finished for the season.
Where to Find Them
Fish the Ocean City Inlet rocks and the north jetty for tautog and stripers, working the outgoing tide near the rock edges. The Route 50 bridge pilings hold tautog and sheepshead-sized structure fish. Assateague Island’s surf holds stripers and blues at dawn and dusk. Offshore, artificial reefs and wrecks in 40 to 80 feet hold tautog and sea bass, and the back bays hold trout along the grass edges.
Tides & Conditions
With the moon waning, tide movement through the inlet is easing, and the falling tide remains the best window for stripers near the rock edges. Tautog fishing is best around slack tide, when you can hold bait tight to structure. Northeast wind can build a heavy surf on the beach and make the inlet hazardous, so check the marine forecast before heading out.
Tackle & Tactics
Bucktails, swim shads and soft plastics on a 3/4 ounce jighead for stripers in the inlet. For tautog, green crabs, fiddler crabs or clams on a heavy jig or a tautog rig, fished straight down against the rocks. For sea bass, a two-hook rig with clam or squid. Use 30 pound braid with a stout fluorocarbon leader around the rocks, and carry extra rigs.
Local Intel This Week
Public access includes the Ocean City Inlet area at the south end of the boardwalk, ramps along Shantytown Road in West Ocean City, and Assateague State Park for surf fishing. Fish concentrate at the inlet on the falling tide, on the Route 50 bridge pilings and on offshore reefs. Check current state and federal regulations and seasons before keeping fish, especially striped bass and tautog.
This Week’s Tip
Keep your bait close to the rock. Tautog hold within a foot or two of structure, so a rig dropped straight down along the face outperforms a long cast.
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