Delaware & Maryland Fishing Report — September 24, 2026

⚠️ Storm Watch — Fishing Shut Down

🌪️ The Nor'easter Has the Coast Locked Up

The summer-to-fall changeover usually brings a one- or two-day northeaster. This one is expected to hang on for about a week and run right into Saturday's full moon. Ocean, bay and surf fishing have been completely shut down since Tuesday, and if the forecast holds there won't be any fishing the rest of this week.

Ocean City Gusts
Up to 50 mph

OC High Surf
8–12 ft breakers

Coastal Flood Warning
Through Fri 4 AM

Flood Threat
Into Saturday

🌊 What's Happening

Minor flooding hit low spots in Delaware and Maryland with Wednesday evening's high tide — each tide stacks on the last, and tides keep climbing toward Saturday's full-moon peak
More rounds of moderate, locally major, coastal flooding expected from Virginia to New Jersey through Friday or even Saturday
Days of pounding surf mean significant beach erosion — expect new cuts, sloughs and lost bars along the beaches
Ocean City is under a wind advisory, high surf advisory and coastal flood warning; low areas near the bay, the Inlet and tidal creeks are most at risk
The storm's worst wind and rain loop toward New England this weekend; conditions improve here as winds swing from NE to N and then NW

🛟 Before You Head Back Out

Watch for debris. Floodwater drags driftwood and junk out of low-lying areas — the beaches will be littered and floating objects will damage your boat
Don't trust the first "calm" forecast — ocean swell lags well behind the wind. Give the sea a day to lay down before running to ocean structure
Check drive-on beach access before loading the truck — erosion and high tides can close crossings at Delaware Seashore and Fenwick Island State Parks
Inspect trailers, docks and moorings after the full-moon tides; clear or check any sunk crab pots and gear
Plan on dirty, stirred-up water at first — scent baits (cut bait, bloodworms, Fishbites) out-fish artificials until it clears

🏆 Top 3 to Target Once It Blows Out

🐟

Flounder

Last week's bite was the best of the year — a 13-lb, 32" doormat out of Lewes. Big fish should still be on ocean structure when the seas lay down, though storms often push flatties to start their fall move.

🐡

Sheepshead & Tog

An 8.5-lb sheepshead came out of Indian River Inlet on a sand flea just before the blow. The rocks are the first place to fish once the inlets settle.

🔴

Red Drum & Blues

Classic post-nor'easter surf play. Big reds were already showing in the Assateague suds, and fresh sloughs cut by the storm are where they'll feed.

🏖️ Rehoboth Beach, DE — Surf, Pier & Nearshore

Storm-Bound

Species	Before the Storm	Notes
Spot & Croaker	HOT	Main catch from the Cape Henlopen pier and Broadkill Beach through the weekend
Snapper Blues	WARM	"Harassed everybody" on the pier; cut bait or small spoons
Pompano	WARM	A few mixed in at Broadkill Beach on sand fleas
Flounder & Sea Bass (small)	SLOW	Mostly shorts and very small sea bass around the pier pilings
Surf — all species	CLOSED	Heavy surf and flooding tides; no fishable water this week

🪱 Post-Storm Baits & Rigs

Lug worms, bloodworms or Fishbites on a hi-lo for spot and croaker
Fresh cut mullet or bunker on a fish-finder rig for blues and early reds
Sand fleas for pompano — the storm will uncover plenty

⏰ When & Where

Cape Henlopen pier is the first spot fishable — a couple anglers still bought bait to fish it Monday
Scout the beach at low tide for new sloughs and cuts left by the erosion
Wait until the NW wind flattens the surf before soaking baits

📋 Local Word

Dan's Tackle had just two customers on Monday, both buying bait for the Cape Henlopen pier. Before the wind came up, Breakwater Tackle's pier crowd was filling coolers with spot and croaker, and Dan's reported spot, croaker, a few blues and pompano off Broadkill Beach. The Broadkill River was loaded with fat jimmies and bigger croaker — worth checking once the flood tides drop.

🌅 Rehoboth Bay, DE — Bay Fishing

Flooded Out

Species	Before the Storm	Notes
Flounder	HOT	Bubblegum Beach and channel edges on bucktails and Gulp!; heavy on shorts
Croaker	WARM	Massey's Ditch and back-bay channels
Blue Crabs	HOT	Fat jimmies — expect a strong post-storm run as water settles
Bay — all species	CLOSED	Coastal flooding around the bays; stay off the water

🪱 Post-Storm Baits & Rigs

Live minnows or Gulp! on a bucktail — add scent for muddy water
Bloodworms or peeler crab for croaker
Chicken necks and bunker for crabbing once tides normalize

⏰ When & Where

Give the bays a day or two to clear after the flood tides
Fish the outgoing tide as the bays drain — bait flushes toward the inlets
Be alert for floating debris and submerged junk in channels and at ramps

📋 Local Word

With each high tide stacking on the last and a full moon Saturday, low roads and marinas around Rehoboth and Indian River Bays are the ones to watch. The flounder bite back here was strong heading into the blow — a hard cold front and storm often trigger their fall migration toward the inlets, so focus on the inlet end of the bays when you get back out.

⚓ Lewes, DE — Canal & Outer Breakwaters

Docked

Species	Before the Storm	Notes
Flounder	HOT	13-lb, 32" monster on the Grizzly; Shooter Dog had 32 fish on ocean structure
Black Sea Bass	HOT	Captain Bob had good sea bass with their flounder on Friday
Mahi-Mahi	WARM	Charter and private boats found dolphin offshore before the wind
Spot & Croaker (canal)	WARM	Biting well in the Lewes & Rehoboth Canal
Boats	CLOSED	No boats left the slips at Lewes Harbour Marina Monday; Delaware Bay 6–7 ft

🪱 Post-Storm Baits & Rigs

Bucktails with Gulp! or squid strips for ocean-structure flounder
Squid or clam on hi-lo rigs for sea bass
Sand fleas or crab tight to the Outer Wall for sheepshead

⏰ When & Where

Canal is the first fishable water for small boats once winds drop
Ocean structure trips — wait for seas to settle, not just the wind
Watch for floating logs and debris washing out of the bay

🏆 Catch of the Year Contender

Last Thursday, Frank Falcone, fishing aboard the Grizzly with Captain Cary Evans out of Lewes, landed a 13-pound, 32-inch flounder — one of the largest flounder ever landed in Delaware. The Shooter Dog put 32 flounder on the deck from ocean structure, and the Katydid also found flounder on the ocean grounds. Since Monday, though, Aaron at Lewes Harbour Marina reports no boats have left their slips; a handful ran the canal and "didn't see or hear of any fish."

🌊 Indian River Inlet, DE — Both Sides & Back Bay

Dangerous

Species	Before the Storm	Notes
Sheepshead	HOT	8.5-pounder on a sand flea at Old Inlet, plus plenty of smaller fish
Tautog	WARM	A few keepers on sand fleas along the rocks
Bluefish	HOT	Metal lures on the morning tide
Striped Bass	WARM	Night bite on live eels (28" minimum, 1 fish in coastal waters)
Jetties	CLOSED	Waves over the rocks, strong currents and flood tides — stay off

🪱 Post-Storm Baits & Rigs

Sand fleas and green crabs tight to the rocks for sheepshead and tog
Live eels after dark for stripers — storms often get the fall run moving
Metal and bucktails for blues pushed into the inlet

⏰ When & Where

North & south jetties once waves stop washing over the rocks
Tides will run high and hard through the full moon — pick slack windows
Check drive-on beach status at Delaware Seashore State Park before going

🎣 Tournament Alert — Fall Surf Fishing Classic

The 29th Annual Delaware Seashore Fall Surf Fishing Classic is still listed for Saturday, September 26 (7 AM – 3 PM) at Delaware Seashore and Fenwick Island State Parks, headquartered at Old Inlet Bait & Tackle. Saturday is also the full-moon tide peak. The official rules say that if the state beaches close because of a storm, prizes are awarded by lottery at 4:30 PM Saturday. Check with Old Inlet before heading out for any weather updates.

🎣 Ocean City, MD — Surf, Inlet & Nearshore/Offshore

Advisories Up

Species	Before the Storm	Notes
Flounder	HOT	Back-bay channels holding; nearshore wrecks worth the run; a huge fish on an OC party boat
Red Drum	WARM	Returned to the Assateague suds — big fall run expected late September
Kingfish / Spot / Croaker	WARM	Assateague surf mix; big croaker on squid in the channels
Sheepshead & Tautog	HOT	Live sand fleas at the jetty rocks; most tog under 16"
Striped Bass	WARM	Soft plastics at the inlet early morning and late evening
Black Sea Bass	WARM	Nice fish mixed with flounder on nearshore wrecks
Offshore	SLOW	Canyons had cooled off even before the storm

🪱 Post-Storm Baits & Rigs

Fresh cut mullet or bunker on fish-finder rigs for surf reds
Bloodworms or Fishbites for kingfish and spot in the suds
Live sand fleas, green crabs or shrimp for sheepshead at the jetties
Soft plastic jigs tipped with squid for flounder in the channels

⏰ When & Where

Assateague beaches — look for fresh sloughs and cuts after the erosion
East Channel & back-bay channels for flounder once the water clears
Inlet jetties at slack tide once the surge drops
Expect heavy Oceans Calling Festival traffic in town Friday–Sunday

🌪️ Ocean City Storm Watch

Ocean City took the brunt of the storm in Maryland: a wind advisory (NE winds 30–40 mph, gusts to 50) through Thursday evening, a high surf advisory with 8–12 foot breakers, and a coastal flood warning from Wednesday afternoon through early Friday. Low-lying areas near the bay, the Inlet and tidal creeks are most at risk. Maryland DNR notes that calmer, pleasant fall weather is in the forecast once the storm pulls away.

🔴 Post-Storm Surf Play

Nor'easters rearrange the beach, and late September is prime time for big red drum. Before the storm, reds were back in the Assateague suds and anglers were waiting on the fall run. Once the surf drops, walk the beach at low tide, find the new holes and sloughs, and soak fresh cut bait.

🪝 Local Bait & Tackle Shout-Out

Before you head out after the storm, call Old Inlet Bait & Tackle at Indian River Inlet. They're hosting this weekend's Fall Surf Fishing Classic and have the latest word on beach access, surf conditions and the inlet sheepshead bite.

Also thanks to Dan's Tackle, Lewes Harbour Marina, Breakwater Tackle (Cape Henlopen), Hook 'em and Cook 'em, and the Delaware & Maryland DNR fisheries teams for the week's intel. Stay safe and stay off the water until it lays down.