Advice on Yakking the OC Inlet

[yellowyak]

After seeing Slobber Bob's report, I'm writing the community to see if they can give me advice around fishing the OC Inlet. I bought my yak a little more than a month ago and have been out to the "Bridge" (Bay Bridge) a couple of times, Cape Henlopen, and Solomons Island. I've never yakked before, but I wanted to gain some experience before going out into the ocean. Anyhow, one of the things I wanted to know is would it be possible to yak the Rt 50 Bridge/ Inlet- I've always wanted to do this but was concerned about the currents. I know the peddle kayak I have is better suited for currents than paddles, but I've googled this topic and haven't found much on this- timing wise, seeing Slobber Bob's report, got me even more curious because I do prefer ocean fishing over Bay/ River fishing but know it's much more dangerous.

So if any of you guys/ gals who have fished the OC Inlet/ Rt 50 Bridge can tell me how it's done, I'd appreciate it. I assume you have to time this around winds/ tides, but I've fished off the inlet rocks plenty of times, and the currents/ waves have always seemed to be fast and big. So can you only go during high tide? Would launching out of Homer Park be okay? Can you stay in that area even if the tides are ripping? I wasn't sure if you'd get pulled out on an outgoing tide. I know of some honey holes around there when I charted a boat a couple of years ago and wanted to try for some tog/ sheepshead. I have a Hobie Outback / peddle system if this matters in that area.

Thank you- any advice would be appreciated.

[mchottie]

When are you headed down? See if our schedules link up.

[M_Duong60]

I and a few others I know launch out of Sunset Marina.

It's safest and easiest to fish the inlet during low and incoming tide, late August I went out a littler earlier than I should have and wasted a lot of time just trying not to get pulled out of the inlet so anchoring with something you don't mind losing to snags is a must at any time when using a paddle kayak if you are bottom fishing or trying not to get pulled out into the open ocean. I was a little overeager and went out before low tide and because my anchor didn't end up holding I had paddle pretty hard to slowly get back to a safer spot.

I don't know if others have fished the north jetty in the inlet but I have always fished the south only, you should be prepared for A LOT of boat traffic and deal with the swells they put off (2-3'? I'm not sure how to actually tell but they're big to me). I don't have one but I feel like a visibility flag along with a pfd for safety is a must, I'd say a majority of the boaters don't care that you're there and it isn't a no wake zone.

[HJS]

Don't forget that big incoming motor boats also have to gun-it to make headway during a strong outgoing tide. It's been a decade or more since I was last there at the inlet. Looks rough indeed. Back in the 1960s my father and I went out thru the Inlet on a 50' headboat to fish for porgies. It was a strong incoming with really big standing waves. One especially big wave broke over the bow of the head boat. All the patrons sitting hard-core and bug-eyed on the benches had to lift up their feet to stay dry and let the water flow by. Once outside of the Inlet all was relatively calm. Dangerous place at the wrong time.

[Slobber Bob]

It's very doable, but you have to plan ahead and be smart about it. Between boats, wake, and the current it's not a place to take lightly and it's best to ease into it until you get comfortable being out there.

The first thing I do before I head out to the inlet is check the tides and the tidal coefficient. I use tides4fishing: https://tides4fishing.com/us/maryland/ocean-city-inlet

The tide table will give you the time of high and low tide for the day - NOT slack tide. Slack tide in the Ocean City inlet is +2 - 2.5 hours after whatever is posted on the tide chart. For example, a 1300 low tide means that the current will still be flowing out of the inlet until about 1500 when it slacks. However between 1300 - 1500 the water level is already rising. It's still messes with my head to think that the water level is rising when the current is clearly moving out of the inlet, but trust me, it is happening.

The tidal coefficient measures the current and how fast or slow it will be moving. The higher the coefficient, the faster the current is moving. This will give you a good idea what you will be up against and how hard you may have to work. Coefficients projected to be getting above 90 are going to be extremely difficult to go against. The currents are a lot stronger than what you will typically encounter in the upper Chesapeake Bay area.

Wind is important to check too, but the tide and coefficient, in my opinion, will have more bearing on where in the inlet you can fish and when.

Not all areas are fishable from a kayak all the time. Some areas are easy on a certain tide while near impossible, if not dangerous, on an opposite tide. South jetty - very fishable on incoming, very difficult on outgoing. Martha's Landing - very fishable on outgoing, more difficult on incoming. Rt. 50 - difficult on either moving current unless the coefficient is low. Rt. 50 is best around slack current. Although there are current breaks in certain areas of the bridge that can be fish during a ripping tide, the pilings really funnel the current and it can be down right dangerous at times if you aren't careful. North jetty wall is fishable on outgoing, very difficult on incoming. However, boat traffic moves past that area pretty close to the jetty and wall as they come and go from the east channel, so I usually avoid that area unless I'm fishing near the pilings between the Oceanic Pier and Coast Guard Station.

Boat traffic is unavoidable there. Summer is bad. Weekends are bad. Summer weekends are the worst! Boats are afraid to get close to you either, so keep an eye out always. As I said boat traffic stays fairly tight to the north wall and jetty and probably isn't the best area to be bobbing around on a kayak. The south jetty gives you more distance from the channel and you don't really have to worry much other than watching for wakes. Offshore boats coming in don't slow down until they absolutely have to, and they can throw some big, big wake! So don't be farting around too close to the jetty for fear of eating a wake into the rocks. Martha's is no wake zone I believe? RT. 50 sees plenty of boats, but typically just by the drawbridge (not counting boats fishing the bridge). Wake, current, and pilings add to the complexity that is fishing the Rt. 50 bridge.

The only shore anglers you have to worry about are from the north jetty wall and Rt. 50 bridge. Another reason those two areas aren't my first choice. People fishing from up above the bridge often can't see you and will drop right on top of you. Or maybe they do it on purpose, lol.

If you want to go out to the ocean, just plan around the tides, because you aren't getting back into the inlet going against the current when it's running full speed ahead. Check the swell forecast too, because the tip of the south jetty can get gnarly just from the tide and ocean swell.

Sorry for the long read, but that is more or less the basics for you. Experience helps out there. The more time you spent the more comfortable it becomes. Some days the inlet seems no worse than anywhere else, but it can certainly be very dangerous at times, so just use caution when you go and enjoy yourself.

[Slobber Bob]

The best launch is the commercial harbor on sunset rd. like was mentioned already.

You could launch at Homer G. Park (stinky beach), I've done it before, but you have to go over the rocks or cart north to where the rocks end to get into the water. You can also park on the street and cart over to the east side of the Rt. 50 bridge and launch from underneath it.

[chimo]

It's very doable, but you have to plan ahead and be smart about it. Between boats, wake, and the current it's not a place to take lightly and it's best to ease into it until you get comfortable being out there.

The first thing I do before I head out to the inlet is check the tides and the tidal coefficient. I use tides4fishing: https://tides4fishing.com/us/maryland/ocean-city-inlet

The tide table will give you the time of high and low tide for the day - NOT slack tide. Slack tide in the Ocean City inlet is +2 - 2.5 hours after whatever is posted on the tide chart. For example, a 1300 low tide means that the current will still be flowing out of the inlet until about 1500 when it slacks. However between 1300 - 1500 the water level is already rising. It's still messes with my head to think that the water level is rising when the current is clearly moving out of the inlet, but trust me, it is happening.

The tidal coefficient measures the current and how fast or slow it will be moving. The higher the coefficient, the faster the current is moving. This will give you a good idea what you will be up against and how hard you may have to work. Coefficients projected to be getting above 90 are going to be extremely difficult to go against. The currents are a lot stronger than what you will typically encounter in the upper Chesapeake Bay area.

Wind is important to check too, but the tide and coefficient, in my opinion, will have more bearing on where in the inlet you can fish and when.

Not all areas are fishable from a kayak all the time. Some areas are easy on a certain tide while near impossible, if not dangerous, on an opposite tide. South jetty - very fishable on incoming, very difficult on outgoing. Martha's Landing - very fishable on outgoing, more difficult on incoming. Rt. 50 - difficult on either moving current unless the coefficient is low. Rt. 50 is best around slack current. Although there are current breaks in certain areas of the bridge that can be fish during a ripping tide, the pilings really funnel the current and it can be down right dangerous at times if you aren't careful. North jetty wall is fishable on outgoing, very difficult on incoming. However, boat traffic moves past that area pretty close to the jetty and wall as they come and go from the east channel, so I usually avoid that area unless I'm fishing near the pilings between the Oceanic Pier and Coast Guard Station.

Boat traffic is unavoidable there. Summer is bad. Weekends are bad. Summer weekends are the worst! Boats are afraid to get close to you either, so keep an eye out always. As I said boat traffic stays fairly tight to the north wall and jetty and probably isn't the best area to be bobbing around on a kayak. The south jetty gives you more distance from the channel and you don't really have to worry much other than watching for wakes. Offshore boats coming in don't slow down until they absolutely have to, and they can throw some big, big wake! So don't be farting around too close to the jetty for fear of eating a wake into the rocks. Martha's is no wake zone I believe? RT. 50 sees plenty of boats, but typically just by the drawbridge (not counting boats fishing the bridge). Wake, current, and pilings add to the complexity that is fishing the Rt. 50 bridge.

The only shore anglers you have to worry about are from the north jetty wall and Rt. 50 bridge. Another reason those two areas aren't my first choice. People fishing from up above the bridge often can't see you and will drop right on top of you. Or maybe they do it on purpose, lol.

If you want to go out to the ocean, just plan around the tides, because you aren't getting back into the inlet going against the current when it's running full speed ahead. Check the swell forecast too, because the tip of the south jetty can get gnarly just from the tide and ocean swell.

Sorry for the long read, but that is more or less the basics for you. Experience helps out there. The more time you spent the more comfortable it becomes. Some days the inlet seems no worse than anywhere else, but it can certainly be very dangerous at times, so just use caution when you go and enjoy yourself.

What he said! Although I will say I like fishing the very end of the south jetty on the outgoing. Also, if you get stuck ocean side on the outgoing you can land your kayak on the AI beach and drag it over the sand/rocks and re-launch back into the inlet.

[yellowyak]

Hey Guys- I really appreciate all the advice. That was very kind of you all to give some pointers to a rookie yakker- very much appreciated. Based upon the above, it looks like I’ll have to make very sure of where to go and when to go, considering tides, winds, and consider tidal coefficient and all. Personally, I think I’ll just wait around until I can go with someone else who has more experience or just stick to the rock walls at the Delaware Bay for now. I’ve done that before, and while there were also outgoing tide currents there, it won’t nearly be as bad as trying to fish. I may try Stinky Beach and try to fish along those rocks around the houses there and stay close to shore- hopefully, I wouldn’t get dragged out to the ocean on an outgoing, but I’ll pay attention to the tide. Ideally, I’d like to fish between the trees 50 bridge and the inlet but not get too close to the inlet in fear of being dragged out to the ocean. Thanks all. I’m going to try to get some pillage this weekend, maybe Solomon’s again or perhaps the backbays of Delaware or Assateague- still want to catch a big fluke before the season is over. I’ll post my report if I go out this week. Thanks again for all the advice.

[Slobber Bob]

I may try Stinky Beach and try to fish along those rocks around the houses there and stay close to shore- hopefully, I wouldn’t get dragged out to the ocean on an outgoing, but I’ll pay attention to the tide.

Those houses are Martha's Landing. The area in front of the houses has little to no current on an outgoing tide. That 90 degree corner in the rocks at the first house on the beach pushes the current out towards the middle of the inlet. It's a very easy spot to fish during outgoing current. Incoming current pushes strong along there and is tough to fish from a kayak.

Goodluck out there! Feel free to pm me anytime before you come down, and if I'm free to fish (which isn't always the case nowadays - but I try!) , I'd be happy to show you around out there.

[yellowyak]

Thanks, Slobber Bob- I appreciate all your advice, and if you go out as well, please let me know as well. I live in Howard County, MD but don't mind driving out to OC if there's someone to show me how to yak the area. I've read on Coastal Fisherman that they are still catching some fluke out in OC, so I definitely want to make it out there before it's too late.

[eprince]

Please keep me posted of any OC inlet trips, I'd like fish it but still unfamiliar with the currents. Does anyone know if it's best to target the bridge and inlet or is there any action on the flats?