If someone asks where the striped bass are in Ocean City right now, the honest answer is behind the island. The October reports from Fin-Atics, the tackle shop on West Avenue, put the best striper action in the back bays and tidal rivers. The fish are holding at creek mouths, along sod banks and in the deeper channels, and they bite best on moving tides around dawn, at dusk and after dark. The ocean beaches that hold the summer crowds are mostly giving up kingfish and small bluefish for now.
That will change. In its October 19 report to The Fisherman, Fin-Atics said it expects surf fishing to turn toward stripers in November, which the shop called the month when migrating stripers traditionally get the beach fishing going. The fall season in Ocean City moves from the bridges, to the inlets, to the open beach. Most of the dates that decide where you can fish, and what you can keep, fall on that same path.
October Starts Under the Bridges
The two bridges that link Ocean City to the mainland are the center of the late-October bite. Fin-Atics' report for the week of October 11 lists the 9th Street Bridge, the Ocean City–Longport Bridge and Corson's Inlet as active spots for tautog, also called blackfish. Green crabs and sand fleas were the baits producing. The week before, the shop told The Fisherman that blackfish were holding at the Longport Pier and the 9th Street Beer Pier. It also reported schoolie stripers on soft plastics around the local bridges at night.
A short guide to the bridge spots:
- The Route 52 causeway at 9th Street. The City of Ocean City's 2024 public-access plan describes fishing piers along the causeway, with parking and access meant to allow nighttime fishing, and it notes that night fishing is permitted on the Route 52 piers. The Fisherman's local guide describes the "Beer Pier" as a concrete pier at the base of the 9th Street Bridge on the Somers Point side.
- The Longport Pier at the Route 152 bridge. Down Beach News describes this pier as a 500-foot remnant of the old bridge. It sits on the Egg Harbor Township side, next to the bridge the Cape May County Bridge Commission operates. NJDEP's statewide pier list also calls it the Longport Pier.
The bay stripers are on the small side so far. Fin-Atics' October 12 report described back-bay and river fish up to 26 inches. That size matters later in this post, because under New Jersey's 2026 rules a 26-inch striper is too short for the regular limit. It can only be kept with a bonus permit. The bay reports also match the wider region. In On The Water's October 22 Southern New Jersey report, Ocean City captain Brian Williams of Badfish Charters reported decent bay striper action on plugs and soft plastics and said the fall run was beginning.
The Inlets Are Where the Bay Meets the Ocean
At each end of the island, an inlet connects the back-bay fishery to the ocean. Fin-Atics' October 19 report said Great Egg Inlet and Corson's Inlet both had bass and bluefish moving through. Its October 11 report listed Corson's Inlet, Great Egg Inlet, the surf and the back bays for bluefish, and recommended metal lures or fresh-cut mullet and bunker.
Corson's Inlet works differently in the fall than it does in summer. Corson's Inlet State Park has no entrance fee, and its gate is open daily from sunrise to sunset. Vehicles are not allowed on the beach from May 15 through September 15. Outside that window, a mobile sport-fishing permit allows 4x4 beach access for fishing only. The park's boat ramp is open around the clock all year. The vehicle closure ended in mid-September, so the inlet beach has been open to permitted vehicles for the whole October run.
The Island Has One Fishing Jetty, at 5th Street
The October 19 report also mentioned smaller stripers on soft baits at a north-end jetty. Before heading out to the rocks, know that Ocean City's beach code names only one jetty. Section 18-2.5d of the city code says fishing is allowed on the 5th Street jetty and prohibited on all other jetties. NJDEP's saltwater fishing guide also lists the 5th Street jetty, along with surf fishing outside the guarded areas.
The same section of the code explains why the open beach is available all day now. From Memorial Day to September 30, fishing is banned on guarded beaches between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays, and until 5:30 p.m. on weekends and holidays, unless a beach is designated for fishing or surfing. The city says lifeguards work from Memorial Day weekend to mid-September. Both of those windows have closed. Public beaches stay open from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m., subject to emergency conditions. Those hours cover the dawn tide, though not the deep-night bite.
November Turns to the Surf
The ocean beaches are where the season goes next, and not all of the island's surf is equal. Fin-Atics' September 9 report said the mid-island surf was fishing better. It said beach replenishment had hurt fishing on the north end and had affected the south end toward Strathmere. In October, the shop reported occasional kingfish on mid-island streets. Its October 19 report described kingfish and small bluefish still active in the local surf while the stripers stayed in the back bays. On The Water's October 22 regional report noted striper action improving in both the back bays and the surf after cooler weather and northeast winds.
Organized surf fishing in town ended earlier this fall. The Ocean City Fishing Club held its 57th annual Surf Fishing Tournament on September 19 on beaches south of 23rd Street, according to the Ocean City Sentinel. That means the November surf run happens with no tournament schedule attached.
These reports describe conditions from mid-to-late October. Fish move with every cold front and wind shift, so check the latest shop report before you go.
The Dates Between Now and New Year's
Two state dates still lie ahead this year. Both follow the same shift from bay to surf:
- November 16. New Jersey's tautog limit rises from one fish, the limit since August 1, to five fish through December 31. That gives blackfish anglers at the bridges and piers a much bigger bag for the second half of the month.
- December 31. The 2026 Striped Bass Bonus Program ends. Since May 15, the program has allowed one extra striper from 24 inches to less than 28 inches.
The bonus window covers the fish the October bay reports describe. NJDEP's 2026 summary sets the regular recreational limit in marine waters at one striped bass from 28 to 31 inches. A 26-inch fish from the back bay falls below that slot and inside the bonus range. Bonus fish must be reported within 24 hours. When fishing for striped bass with bait, you must use inline, non-offset circle hooks. The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission chose not to go ahead with a proposed 12% cut in removals and kept the status quo. Its Addendum III adds technical measures such as a standard way of measuring total length.
One more requirement applies before you fish at all. Saltwater anglers age 16 and older must sign up for the free New Jersey Saltwater Recreational Registry. It is a registry, not a license. NJDEP exempts anglers who fish only aboard party and charter boats registered with the program. The rules above summarize NJDEP and city sources as general information, not legal advice. Check the linked pages for current details before you keep a fish.
At The Anchor Group, we follow Ocean City by the season, from the causeway piers in October to the mid-island beaches in November. If you're picturing a year-round place close to the bay or a short walk from the 5th Street jetty, we're happy to talk through which blocks put you closest to the water you want to fish. Get a free home valuation or start your shore search with us.
