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🎣 Weekly Fishing Report
Lewes, DE → Ocean City, MD

🔥 Flounder HOT in back bays ⚡ Stripers active at inlets & surf 🥁 Black Drum hitting surf 🦐 Sea Bass opens May 15

Week of May 4, 2026

🌊

Conditions at a Glance

🌡️

Water Temp

58–62°F

Rising ↑ spring

☀️

Air Temp

65°F

Clear today

🌬️

Wind

SW 10–15

kts, variable

🌊

Seas

2–3 ft

Nearshore calm

👁️

Clarity

Slightly off

Bay murky

🌙

Moon

Full Moon

May 12 peak

📊

Species Activity This Week

Summer Flounder

🔥 HOT

Striped Bass

🔥 80%

Black Drum

🟡 72%

Tautog (Tog)

🟡 65%

Bluefish

🟡 58%

White Perch

🔵 50%

Black Sea Bass

Opens 5/15

Based on current local reports • DNREC / MD DNR

🐟

Top Species Report

🐟

Summer Flounder

🔥 Hot

Where: Lewes & Rehoboth Canal, back bays, nearshore reefs & wrecks
Bait: Gulp! + live minnow, bucktail jigs
Best: Moving tides, early AM

📏 Min 16" · 8/day (DE) · 10/day (MD)

🐠

Striped Bass

🔥 Hot

Where: Indian River Inlet N Jetty, C&D Canal, Broadkill Beach surf
Bait: Bloodworms, cut bunker, black bucktails, Wind Cheater plugs
Note: Many fish above 28–31" slot

📏 Slot 28"–31" only · 1 fish/day

🥁

Black Drum

🟡 Moderate

Where: Delaware ocean surf
Bait: Clams, crab, cut bunker on bottom rigs
Size: 25–35" class fish reported

📏 Min 12" · 5/day

🪨

Tautog (Tog)

🟡 Moderate

Where: Offshore wrecks & reefs, OC nearshore structure
Bait: Green crab, fiddler crab, Asian crab
Season closes May 16!

📏 Min 16" · 4/day through May 15

📍

Hot Spots This Week

🏖️ Surf Fishing

Indian River Inlet – N Jetty

Stripers at night · Black bucktails, Wind Cheaters

Cape Henlopen Point

Big stripers · Cut bunker, bloodworms

Broadkill Beach

Slot & large stripers · Bunker & bloodworms

Delaware Ocean Surf

Black drum 25–35" · Clams on bottom

🌊 Bay & Canal

Lewes & Rehoboth Canal

Flounder starting · Gulp! + minnow

Rt. 90 & Verrazzano Bridge

Stripers on structure · Topwater lures

⚓ Nearshore / Offshore

Ocean Wrecks & Reefs (OC)

Flounder, tog · Sea bass opens May 15

Baltimore Canyon

Tuna, mahi-mahi · Season warming up

🪝

What's Working This Week

🏖️ Surf Fishing

Bloodworms on non-offset circle hooks for stripers

Cut bunker for big bass & black drum

Black bucktails, Rebels & Rapalas at night

Clams on bottom rigs for drum

🛥️ Bay & Canal

Gulp! Sandworm + live minnow combo for flounder

Bucktail jigs tipped with Gulp in back bays

Topwater plugs at bridges for rockfish

Bloodworms & minnows for white perch

⚓ Nearshore Bottom

Green crab & fiddler crab for tog on wrecks

Squid strips for flounder on reefs

🌊 Offshore Canyon

Canyon runs starting as water warms

Spreader bars & squid chains for tuna

🌙

Tide Forecast — Indian River Inlet / OC Inlet

Mon 5/4

HI: 6:12a

LO: 12:18p

⭐⭐⭐

65°F ☀️

Tue 5/5

HI: 6:58a

LO: 1:04p

⭐⭐⭐

72°F ⛅

Wed 5/6

HI: 7:44a

LO: 1:50p

⭐⭐

69°F 🌧️

Thu 5/7

HI: 8:30a

LO: 2:35p

⭐

58°F 🌧️

Fri 5/8

HI: 9:15a

LO: 3:20p

⭐⭐

59°F ⛅

💡 Best windows this week: Mon–Tue offer the cleanest weather + strongest moving tides. Fish the incoming tide 2 hrs before high at Indian River Inlet north jetty for stripers. Flounder bite best on the first moving water after slack tide.

📋

Regulations Reminder — DE & MD Coastal Waters

Summer Flounder (Fluke)

Min size: 16" · Bag: 8/day DE | 10/day MD
Season open year-round inshore

Striped Bass

Slot: 28"–31" only · 1 fish/day
Non-offset circle hooks required in surf (DE)

Tautog (Tog)

Min size: 16" · Bag: 4/day
⚠️ Season CLOSES May 16 · Reopens July 2026

Black Sea Bass

Min size: 12.5" · Bag: 15/day
⚠️ CLOSED in MD waters until May 15, 2026

Black Drum

Min size: 12" · Bag: 5/day
Bull drum over 52" should be released

Bluefish

No minimum size · Bag: 3/day
Season open — check ASMFC for updates

Always verify current regs at dnrec.delaware.gov and news.maryland.gov/dnr before fishing.

Sources: DNREC Delaware Fishing Report · Maryland DNR Weekly Report · Nanticoke Outfitters OCMD (Capt. Dave) · Old Inlet Bait & Tackle · Lewes Harbour Marina · WGMD Fishing Reports

Generated by Claude AI · May 4, 2026