USWW Delmarva FishCast — As of 2026-06-07: surf stripers and blues, Delaware Bay perch/catfish, and freshwater bass/crappie

Overview As of 2026-06-07, this Friday-main FishCast is built from Delaware DNREC, NOAA, and USGS reports, with MD DNR unavailable this cycle. The best read this week is a mixed but useful one: the surf and inlet bite improved when the weather improved, Delaware Bay shore points held fish, and a few freshwater systems continued to produce bass and crappie. For anglers planning a short trip, the tide windows and water-temperature spread matter more than chasing one hot spot.

🌊 Atlantic & Surf Confidence: good. Old Inlet Bait and Tackle reported that 3Rs Road saw blues and stripers show up here and there toward the end of the week as the surf finally settled down. Cut mullet was the bait that produced both species, which is a straightforward sign that the beach bite is still offering a live target for anglers working the wash and the troughs. The report did not mention a widespread flounder pattern in the surf, so this zone remains more of a striped bass and bluefish watch than a broad mixed-bag zone.

🟦 Delaware Bay Confidence: good. This was the most productive and most diverse zone in the Delaware report. Patty at Captain Bones reported a new state record flathead catfish out of the Delaware River at Augustine Beach on a chunk of shad, which is a notable fish but also a reminder that the river and bay edges are carrying some heavy catfish right now. The shoreline from Augustine Beach down to Woodland Beach, as well as the pier at Woodland Beach, produced white perch, catfish, and small stripers on bloodworms, Fishbites, and cut bait. Farther south, Steve at Smith Bait in Leipsic said croaker and trout were being caught at the Coral Beds off Slaughter Beach on peeler crab, bloodworms, and Fishbites. DNREC also noted that black drum action has slowed a bit, so that bite is not the headline it was earlier in the season.

🟩 Chesapeake Bay (MD) Confidence: limited reports this week. MD DNR was unavailable this cycle, so there is no official Maryland main-bay catch report to build a confident pattern from. The tide tables still show useful movement for Cambridge and Annapolis anglers, but from a fishing-report standpoint this side of the bay is a check-the-forecast, check-the-water week rather than a report-driven destination. If you are headed into the Maryland main bay, treat it as a conditions-first trip and confirm the marine forecast before leaving the ramp.

🟨 Inland Bays Confidence: good. Indian River Inlet was the clearest inland-water note in the Delaware report. Old Inlet Bait and Tackle said striped bass and bluefish were caught from first light until dawn from the jetties and under the bridge. Bucktails, plugs, and metal lures such as a Hopkins were the primary tools when the blues were aggressive. That is a classic inlet pattern: low-light movement, moving water, and reaction baits doing the work.

🟫 Rivers & Freshwater Confidence: limited reports this week. Freshwater action was solid enough to mention, but it came from a handful of shop reports rather than broad coverage. Patty at Captain Bones said bass and crappie have been caught from Garrisons Lake, Lum’s Pond, and Silver Lake, with crappie taking small minnows or crappie jigs and bass favoring spinner, chatter, and soft plastic baits. Steve at Smith Bait in Leipsic added crappie on minnows from Morris and Silver Lake. These are the kinds of reports that usually mean small presentations and patient work around cover and edges will still matter more than speed.

Water Temperatures (NOAA NDBC)

• Delaware Bay buoy 44009: 64.0°F (17.8°C) at 2026-06-07 13:00Z
• Long Island offshore buoy 44025: 60.3°F (15.7°C) at 2026-06-07 12:40Z
• Cape May, NJ buoy CMAN4: 68.0°F (20.0°C) at 2026-06-07 12:30Z

Tides (NOAA CO-OPS)

• Lewes, DE: H Sun 01:49 (4.2 ft); L Sun 08:11 (0.5 ft); H Sun 14:24 (3.6 ft); L Sun 20:20 (0.8 ft)
• Ocean City Inlet, MD: H Sun 01:09 (2.2 ft); L Sun 07:27 (0.5 ft); H Sun 13:38 (1.9 ft); L Sun 19:31 (0.5 ft)
• Reedy Point, DE: H Sun 04:15 (5.8 ft); L Sun 11:27 (0.5 ft); H Sun 17:02 (5.2 ft); L Sun 23:36 (0.9 ft)
• Cambridge, MD: L Sun 03:28 (0.5 ft); H Sun 09:21 (2.0 ft); L Sun 16:14 (0.3 ft); H Sun 22:06 (1.8 ft)
• Annapolis, MD: L Sun 04:24 (0.6 ft); H Sun 10:35 (1.4 ft); L Sun 17:15 (0.5 ft); H Sun 23:35 (1.2 ft)
• Cape May, NJ: H Sun 01:43 (4.9 ft); L Sun 08:03 (0.5 ft); H Sun 14:18 (4.3 ft); L Sun 20:15 (0.9 ft)

Rivers (USGS)

• BR ANDYWINE CREEK AT WILMINGTON, DE (01481500): discharge 160 cfs at 2026-06-07 08:30-0400
• MURDERKILL RIVER AT FREDERICA, DE (01484080): discharge 2440 cfs; water 76.5°F (24.7°C); gauge 4.81 ft at 2026-06-07 09:06-0400
• POCOMOKE RIVER NEAR WILLARDS, MD (01485000): discharge 7 cfs; gauge 4.49 ft at 2026-06-07 08:45-0400
• NANTICOKE RIVER NEAR BRIDGEVILLE, DE (01487000): discharge 21 cfs; gauge 3.97 ft at 2026-06-07 08:15-0400
• CHOPTANK RIVER NEAR GREENSBORO, MD (01491000): discharge 21 cfs; water 73.9°F (23.3°C); gauge 2.36 ft at 2026-06-07 09:15-0400
• TUCKAHOE CREEK NEAR RUTHSBURG, MD (01491500): discharge 19 cfs; gauge 0.52 ft at 2026-06-07 08:45-0400

Regulation Notes

• DNREC surfaced flounder caught over the new 17.5-inch minimum size limit in the Lewes and Rehoboth Canal.
• Kayak anglers are finding flounder and over-slot stripers at the broken pilings at the end of the pier; check current striped bass slot and season rules before retaining fish.
• ASMFC tautog management documents were surfaced this week: Tautog Management Program Overview and the Tautog Technical Committee and Stock Assessment Subcommittee Projections Memo – April 2026.
• Because the regulation callouts were surfaced, anglers should verify current tautog rules and any retained-fish limits with the latest state guidance before heading out.

Closing Conditions can change quickly with wind, surf, and tide, especially when buoy temperatures and local current differ by only a few miles of coastline. Wear a life jacket, check the NOAA marine forecast and local weather before you go, and confirm current rules with MD DNR, DE DNREC, NOAA, and ASMFC before keeping fish. Sources: MD DNR, DE DNREC, NOAA, USGS. — US Weather Warriors 🌪️