Reading the Beach



“Where are the fish in the surf?” many anxious anglers were asking over
Mother’s Day weekend. Typically, the first or second weekend in May sees a run of
blues. We saw a few, so let’s just hope the season is running late and by the time
this paper hits the press, the blues will be out in force!



“How do I know where to go to surf fish? Can I just go anywhere
on the beach?”



Well of course you can. And it may be “hit or miss” whether you
are in a good hole or not. The best way to find a good street in Ocean City,
Fenwick Island, Dewey or Bethany Beach is to ride down several streets at low
tide and look at the beach. Drive down several streets approximately five to
ten blocks apart and take a good look in all directions.



“What am I looking for?”



You want to find changes in the beach. Look for a drop-off close to
shore, an outer bar with a “cut” of deeper water running through it, or a rock
jetty with a “rip” next to it. A deep pool of water close to shore is always a
good sign. Even if it is only a couple feet deep at low tide, you can mark that
spot and come back at high tide when the water is deeper. You can also tell if
there are changes in the water offshore, by looking at the sand sitting on the
beach. If the beach is smooth, the water beyond is may be “flat.” If the sand
is uneven in certain places and you see that the waves have come in and made a
“cut” in a pile of sand, it is likely that you are near a “hole” or “rip.”



A really good way to find a good fishing beach is to see where the
“surfers” go. Underwater drop offs make good “waves.” These areas also draw fish.
Surfers are usually riding waves early in the morning and late afternoon, so
keep your eye out for them and their surfing beaches. Of course, you don’t want
to fish on top of them. Just note the spot and come back later.



“It all looks the same to me!”



Sometimes it does! But the longer you look, the more you will see.
A good pair of polarized sunglasses will help too. The most elementary rule of
thumb is this: White water means shallow water, while dark rolling water means
deeper water. And you want to get your rig out there in that rolling dark water.
Even if the beach is flat, you can always walk out as far as you can on low tide,
and cast into the deeper water. But if you find a nice hole or slough close to shore,
life is much simpler! You find the hole at low tide, and go back there at high tide,
and hopefully, you will have some luck.



“I had good luck at 90th Street last year. Is it still good there
this year?”



The beach changes all the time, so the chances of a particular street being
good a year later is pretty slim. Sometimes, though, there may be a jetty or
a contour in the beach that makes it good all the time. The lower streets in
Ocean City have more rock jetties, so there are always holes on one side or
the other on the higher tides. North Ocean City beaches from 120th to 146th
Street naturally jut out more, so these streets generally produce.
Unfortunately, beach replenishment sometimes gives us flat beaches. But
a good Northeaster usually gives us some good holes, at least for a while.
We have also found that a good hole can actually move. It may be at 75th Street
today, and three or four days later, it may be at 76th Street.



“When can I fish the surf in Ocean City?”



In Ocean City and surrounding towns anglers can fish before 10 A.M.
and after 5:30 P.M. once the lifeguards go on duty close to Memorial
Weekend. Earlier in the season and after Labor Day, anglers can fish
all day as long as there are no swimmers in the water.



“Are the State and National Parks better fishing?”



Well, that’s a good question. Sometimes I feel that more fish are caught
in the parks because most of the experienced fishermen are fishing there!
But I do think the beaches in the state parks are more natural and have more
contours, holes, sloughs, and drop offs. 3-R’s Road, just South of Indian
River Inlet is especially well known for it’s quick drop-off. (It was the
only place anglers caught any fish in the Bethany-Fenwick Surf Fishing
Contest over Mother’s Day.)



I like to fish that particular beach because I do not have to cast out so
far, because the drop is right there. I also don’t have to try to find the
drop off, because it is always there! This is probably due to its proximity
to the Indian River Inlet. And sometimes, especially on the high tide, just
starting out, the fish come out of the inlet and get on the beach there.
The only bad part about the 3-R’s beach is that on an outgoing tide, if the
water coming out of the inlet is dirty, the water on the beach will be dirty.
So, when I fish 3-R’s I like to fish the low incoming, high, and the beginning
of the outgoing.



The North side of the Indian River Inlet makes a natural “pocket” so surf
fishing there can also be quite good. Of course, there’s a lot of competition
for this one area. Surfers are usually riding waves, anglers are casting
from the rocks, and surf anglers are casting from the beach.



“Do I have to pay?”



Yes, these park areas have a fee, but it’s only a few bucks, and you can
park in the parking lots, walk to the beach, and fish all day. There are
several parking areas from just north of Fenwick Island all the way up to
Cape Henelopen. Once you pay to go in one, you can move to any of the other
parking areas. Four-wheel drive permits are available at the “ranger station”
at the north side of the Indian River Inlet. The permits are a little pricey
if you are out-of-state and you have to buy one for the whole year.



“How about Assateague?”



The Assateague beach also has a natural drop-off so it is easy to fish.
You do have to pay to use the fishing areas. There is one fishing area in
the State Park and another in the National Park. Follow the signs for these
parks once you cross over the Bridge going to Assateague. If you have a
4-wheel drive and want to buy a permit to drive on the beach, you need to
go to the National Park and buy it at the Ranger Station. Like Delaware,
you have to buy the permit for a full year. But unlike Delaware, the permit
date starts when you purchase it. For example, if you buy your permit in June,
it is good till the following June. (In Delaware the year begins and ends
on Jan 1st, no matter when you buy it.)



“Do you have to be in the 4-wheel drive area to catch the big stripers
and drum?”



Your changes are better, because there are miles of beaches to drive
and look for good holes. Some of these “hot spots” are half way to
all the way down to the Virginia line. But I’ve seen more than one
striper come out of the water close to the walk-on area. If you put
in your time, you will catch plenty fish in the walk-on areas. But if
you do have a 4-wheel drive and have the time to ride the beach, it is
a special experience that is hard to beat!



“What tide is best?”



Generally, the incoming tide (anywhere between low and high tide),
the high tide, and the tide just starting out is best. The outgoing
water can sometimes be dirty and the outgoing tide also sees more crabs
nibbling at your bait. But, surf fishing can surprise you and fish can
bite at any time. Time of day is important when surf fishing as well.
Any time from 4 A.M. until 10 A.M. is good and fishing from 4 P.M.
until dusk is good. A light easterly breeze also helps bring in fish.
If you have a combination of good tide, breeze, and time of day, then,
“life is good.”



Good fishing…