Article by Sue Foster
It’s summer time! The busiest time of the year in Ocean City, MD and vacationers and “hope to be” anglers have lots of questions. When the “out of towner” calls or stops in to the local tackle shop or sends us e-mails, there are certain questions we hear over and over again. The most need to know question is “Where can we go fishing from the shore, and where can we park?” So let’s get at it!
“Where can we fish from the shore and where can we park?”
The Ocean City Inlet is located at the southernmost end of Ocean City, Maryland. Anglers use lures such as bucktails, Gotcha Plugs, Spec Rigs, spoons, and swimming Shad Lures for bluefish, trout and stripers. Dig or buy sand fleas for tautog, triggerfish and sheepshead. Squid, mullet, or shiners are the baits to use for the flounder and bluefish. Live eels or live spot are the ticket for stripers. Parking is easy! There are 1,200 parking spaces in the Beach Parking Lot for a fee. Simply drive thru and get a ticket and pay when you leave. The only time parking at the Inlet is a problem is when there is an event. Then it is necessary to pay to park in one of the other municipal parking lots.
The Ocean Pier is a pay pier which runs parallel to Ocean City Inlet. Enter from the Beach Parking Lot and park close to the steps leading up to the pier on the north end of the lot. Use bloodworms for bait for spot, whiting and sand perch; squid or mullet strips for flounder, bluefish, shark and trout.
The Oceanic Pier is a pay pier which is located at the southernmost end of Philadelphia Ave. near the Inlet. Use shiners, squid or live minnows for fishing bait for flounder, bluefish and trout-- bloodworms or night crawlers for spot and other small fish. Fishing lures are the tackle to use at night. Cast Got-cha Plugs and spec rigs. To park, go to the Oceanic Motel Parking Lot, buy your pass and you will receive a parking pass to put in the window of your car. There is also a big (fee) parking lot a block and a half away at Worcester Street between Baltimore & Philadelphia Ave. on the left hand side of the highway when you are heading south.
The Route 50 Bridge, located 1 block south of 1st Street, provides excellent summer flounder fishing for anglers using frozen shiners or live minnows in combination with a strip of squid for bait. Worms are used to catch spot and other small fish. Bluefish hit fishing lures such as Got-cha Plugs or they take natural bait such as squid and shiners. Tautog and triggerfish like sand fleas fished near the pilings. Use fairly heavy fishing tackle on the Bridge since it's at least 30 feet off the water. Night fishing is generally good when you are working fishing lures beneath the lights. The best fishing lures on the Bridge are Gotcha plugs, Swimming Shad Lures or Swimming Shad Lures tied in tandem. Live eels are for fishing for stripers at night. You can park anywhere on the side street on St. Louis Ave. then walk up the stairs. You can also park in one of Ocean City’s fee parking lots on First Street & St. Louis or cross over the Rt. 50 Bridge and there is some parking on the side of the highway. Go a little further and park in the Park and Ride parking lot for free.
In West Ocean City, you can fish off the beach at Homer Gudelsky Park. There is free parking right next to the beach. To get there, travel west over the Rt. 50 Bridge. Make a left on Golf Course Road (next to Royal Farms Store) and make your first left onto Old Bridge Road. This beach, with rocks along the shore, is a very pleasant place to go and a popular location for fly fishermen. Use cast shiners and squid combinations for bait or live minnows for flounder. Use worms for bait on small hooks for sea bass, croaker and spot. Use fishing lures early in the morning or after dark for blues and stripers. Anglers also cast Swimming Shad Lures, Got-cha Plugs, Spec Rigs, MirrOlures, bucktails and Rattletraps. Parking is limited here, so get dropped off or go early. You could also park in the Free Park & Ride, go out the back entrance, and walk to the park although it is a pretty good jaunt!
The 2nd thru 4th Street Bulkhead is a public area located on the bayside along the East Channel. Use shiners and squid for bait for flounder, bluefish and sea bass-- bloodworms for bait for Norfolk spot, sand fleas for tautog, triggerfish, sheepshead, and stripers. When the tide is running hard, fish straight down. When the tide subsides, you may cast out into the channel. Some anglers fish here at night for stripers, trout and bluefish with fishing lures such as bucktails, spec rigs, Got-cha Plugs, Rattletraps and Swimming Shad Lures. To park in this area, there are fee meters that accept credit cards. Parking is very easy and and very close to the fishing!
The 9th Street Pier is a free public pier located on 9th Street and the bay. Use shiners or live minnows for fishing bait for flounder-- squid strips for sea bass and bluefish-- worms for Norfolk spot. You may also crab here with fair success with crab lines or collapsible crab traps. There isn’t a parking lot for this pier so you have to find a spot on a side street.
You will find a free public bulkhead and pier behind Convention Hall at 40th Street. There is good crabbing at this location with crab lines or collapsible crab traps and fair fishing on the high tide. Use live minnows for flounder bait, bloodworms for spot and croaker bait. Light fishing tackle for a rod and reel is all you need here. Convention Hall has plenty of free parking. You can also park here and go elsewhere on the bus.
The Isle of Wight is a nice place to go. Cross the Route 90 Bridge at 62nd Street heading west. At the traffic light in the center of the bridge, turn left. This public area is good for crabbing with collapsible crab traps and for light tackle fishing. Use worms for bait to catch spot and sand perch. Use live minnows or squid for bait on the high tide for flounder or bluefish. Light fishing tackle is all you need here. There is plenty of free parking.
The 125th Street Pier offers a public fishing and crabbing pier just north of the Recreational Center at 125th Street. There’s good crabbing with crab lines or collapsible crab traps and light fishing. It’s best on high tide and only use small hooks and small sinkers. Use bloodworms for bait for spot, croaker and sand perch. Light or ultra light fishing tackle is all you need here. There’s plenty of free parking. You can park on the side street at 125th and walk across the ball field. You can also park at 127th Street in the parking lot and follow the trail back to the pier. Yes, you have to walk!
Anglers can also fish off the beach. During the summer season, anglers are allowed to surf fish before 10 A.M. and after 5:30 P.M. (or when the life-guards go off duty.) Off-season, anglers are allowed to fish all day. Use finger mullet on a whole finger mullet rig to catch bluefish, squid bait for sharks and trout, bloodworms for bait for spot, whiting and stripers and lures such as spoons, Swimming Shad Lures, Hopkins Lures, Sting Silvers, Windcheaters and MirrOlures for stripers and bluefish. A surf rod and reel in the 8-to-12 foot range is all you need for the beach. For parking, find a spot anywhere on the side streets going up to the beach, except where the condos are between 94th and 119th Streets, as there is no parking on the east side of the highway. Just avoid this little stretch and you’ll be fine.
You can also fish in the Assateague State and National Parks located at the very end of Route 611. Both of these parks have fishing areas for a fee. Four-wheel drive permits are also required to drive on the beach in the National Park. Use finger mullet on a whole finger mullet rig for bluefish, squid for an all around bait and bloodworms for kingfish, spot, and croaker. A surf rod and reel in the 8-to-12 foot range with a reel spooled with 15 to 20-pound test works well. There is plenty of parking once you pay to get into the park.
There are quite a few places to fish with convenient parking nearby.
Good fishing!
Sue Foster is an outdoor writer and co-owner of Oyster Bay Tackle in Ocean City, MD and Fenwick Tackle in Fenwick, DE.