Summer Flounder Fishing in Maryland
Paralichthys dentatus
Also known as: Fluke, Northern fluke, Flounder
Maryland quick take
Maryland fluke fishing is mostly an Ocean City tide game, so start where bay channels and bridge current force bait across sand edges.
Max Length
94cm
Typical trophy size
Max Weight
12kg
Record class
Water Temp
57–79°F
Preferred range
Difficulty
3/5
Skill level
How to catch Summer Flounder in Maryland
Maryland fluke fishing is mostly an Ocean City tide game, so start where bay channels and bridge current force bait across sand edges.
Where to fish for Summer Flounder in Maryland
Target Ocean City Inlet, the Route 50 and Route 90 bridge corridors, and the deeper channels in Assawoman, Isle of Wight, and Sinepuxent bays.
Look for sandy ledges, bridge shadow lines, and inlet-adjacent holes that keep bait moving along the bottom.
Use the open bay only after checking the inlet and channel edges that concentrate fish more tightly.
How to work the pattern in Maryland
Drift bucktails and bait strips through the inlet and bridge current until you find a lane with repeat bites.
Lighten up and lengthen the drift in the bays when the current drops and fish spread over broader sand flats.
Stay vertical near the bridge channel edge because fluke there often pin tight to the base of the drop.
Seasonal behavior in Maryland
Maryland fish push into the coastal bays as late spring warms the backwater and bait starts using the channels more consistently. Summer keeps the strongest bite around Ocean City Inlet, bridge structure, and nearby bay edges because current never stops funneling prey there. Fall still produces as long as the bays stay warm enough, but fish increasingly hold closer to the inlet and deeper exits before shifting offshore. Winter leaves little inshore opportunity because the stock has moved back toward offshore spawning ground.