Best time to fish in Laurel
Today, Wednesday, October 28, 2026 · local time (EDT) · Delaware, United States Today, Wed, Oct 28 · EDT- High tides
- 6:45 am and 6:55 pm
- Major periods
- 1:37–3:37 am and 2:09–4:09 pm
- Solunar activity
- Medium
- Sun
- 7:25 am–6:07 pm
Today, Wednesday, October 28, the best time to fish in Laurel is 7:00 am to 7:50 am, with the 6:45 am high tide and sunrise, though with rising pressure. It's an average day (5/10). The best day this week is Thursday, October 29, at 7/10.
Your day in Laurel at a glance
The strip runs from midnight to midnight, local time. Night in gray, daylight in yellow; the blue curve is the tide; below, the solunar periods and the best windows.
Fishing forecast for the next 7 days
| Day | Rating | Best times | High tides | Moon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Today | 5average day | 7:00–7:50 am7:10–8:00 pm | ▲ 6:45 am ▲ 6:55 pm | Waning gibbous |
| Thu 29 | 7good day | 7:00–8:00 am6:50–8:50 pm | ▲ 7:38 am ▲ 7:53 pm | Waning gibbous |
| Fri 30 | 6average day | 5:30–6:20 pm1:50–2:30 pm | ▲ 8:36 am ▲ 9:01 pm | Waning gibbous |
| Sat 31 | 4fair day | 5:30–6:30 pm10:40–11:20 pm | ▲ 9:38 am ▲ 10:15 pm | Waning gibbous |
| Sun 1 | 5average day | 6:00–6:50 am4:20–5:30 pm | ▲ 9:45 am ▲ 10:28 pm | Last quarter |
| Mon 2 | 6average day | 5:40–7:10 am4:20–5:30 pm | ▲ 10:55 am ▲ 11:35 pm | Waning crescent |
| Tue 3 | 6average day | 6:00–7:10 am | ▲ 12:03 pm | Waning crescent |
Each day's rating comes from the tide, the solunar periods, the light and, when we have the forecast, the weather.
What can you catch in Laurel?
Sport fishing species with the most records within about 62 mi of Laurel: summer flounder, spot, longfin inshore squid, Atlantic croaker and weakfish. October is one of the months when these are seen most: longfin inshore squid, Atlantic croaker and weakfish.
- Summer flounder Paralichthys dentatus · fish · 2,024 records Photo: U.S. Government - NOAA · public domain · Wikimedia Commons
- JanJ
- FebF
- MarM
- AprA
- MayM
- JunJ
- JulJ
- AugA
- SepS
- OctO
- NovN
- DecD
- Spot Leiostomus xanthurus · fish · 1,426 records Photo: NOAA's Fisheries Collection; Collection of Brandi Noble · public domain · Wikimedia Commons
- JanJ
- FebF
- MarM
- AprA
- MayM
- JunJ
- JulJ
- AugA
- SepS
- OctO
- NovN
- DecD
- Longfin inshore squid Doryteuthis pealeii · cephalopod · 1,410 records Photo: Wikimedia Commons · public domain
- JanJ
- FebF
- MarM
- AprA
- MayM
- JunJ
- JulJ
- AugA
- SepS
- OctO
- NovN
- DecD
- Atlantic croaker Micropogonias undulatus · fish · 1,244 records Photo: Carvalho-Souza, Gómez & González-Ortegón (2024) · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- JanJ
- FebF
- MarM
- AprA
- MayM
- JunJ
- JulJ
- AugA
- SepS
- OctO
- NovN
- DecD
- Weakfish Cynoscion regalis · fish · 1,204 records Photo: Northeast Fisheries Science Center, Fisheries Service… · public domain · Wikimedia Commons
- JanJ
- FebF
- MarM
- AprA
- MayM
- JunJ
- JulJ
- AugA
- SepS
- OctO
- NovN
- DecD
- Striped bass Morone saxatilis · fish · 1,121 records Photo: Steven G. Johnson · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- JanJ
- FebF
- MarM
- AprA
- MayM
- JunJ
- JulJ
- AugA
- SepS
- OctO
- NovN
- DecD
- Scup Stenotomus chrysops · fish · 968 records Photo: Wikimedia Commons · public domain
- JanJ
- FebF
- MarM
- AprA
- MayM
- JunJ
- JulJ
- AugA
- SepS
- OctO
- NovN
- DecD
- Bluefish Pomatomus saltatrix · fish · 934 records Photo: SEFSC Pascagoula Laboratory; Collection of Brandi Noble, NOAA/NMFS/SEFSC. · public domain · Wikimedia Commons
- JanJ
- FebF
- MarM
- AprA
- MayM
- JunJ
- JulJ
- AugA
- SepS
- OctO
- NovN
- DecD
These are sightings and catches recorded since 1970 (reports from divers and anglers, scientific surveys and museum collections), not a promise that you will catch them. The months come from sightings only, adjusted for how many there are each month; hatched months have too few to tell.
Source: GBIF.org, which also gathers OBIS data. Only records licensed CC0 or CC BY 4.0, from 1,130 datasets (retrieved October 24, 2026). Where the data comes from
Photos: each species' image on Wikidata (Wikimedia Commons) or, if there isn't one, one from GBIF; only licences that allow this use, each with its author and licence.
What anglers catch most in Delaware
Recreational saltwater catch across the whole state in September and October (2021–2025 average), from NOAA's recreational fishing survey (MRIP). It counts fish kept and fish released; bait fish are left out.
From shore
Beaches, piers, jetties and rocks
- Tautog 190,000 * 95% released
- Bluefish 140,000 100% released
- Spot 99,000 65% released
- Atlantic croaker 67,000 95% released
- Oyster toadfish 27,000 100% released
Private or rental boat
Private boats and rentals without a captain
- Tautog 260,000 95% released
- Black sea bass 190,000 85% released
- Oyster toadfish 110,000 100% released
- White perch 96,000 * 65% released
- Atlantic croaker 61,000 95% released
Charter or party boat
Charters and party (head) boats
- Black sea bass 10,000 * 70% released
- Summer flounder 1,200 * 70% released
- Oyster toadfish 650 * 90% released
- Atlantic croaker 600 90% released
- Weakfish 530 95% released
Fish a year · * Less precise figure: use with caution
All year: the top three every two months
| Months | Species |
|---|---|
| Jan–Feb | No data |
| Mar–Apr | White perch, Tautog, Striped bass |
| May–Jun | Bluefish, Atlantic croaker, Northern kingfish |
| Jul–Aug | Spot, Atlantic croaker, Northern kingfish |
| Sep–Oct | Tautog, Bluefish, Spot |
| Nov–Dec | Tautog, Spiny dogfish, Striped bass |
| Months | Species |
|---|---|
| Jan–Feb | No data |
| Mar–Apr | White perch, Tautog, Channel catfish |
| May–Jun | Black sea bass, Summer flounder, Atlantic croaker |
| Jul–Aug | Black sea bass, Summer flounder, Atlantic croaker |
| Sep–Oct | Tautog, Black sea bass, Oyster toadfish |
| Nov–Dec | Black sea bass, Tautog, White perch |
| Months | Species |
|---|---|
| Jan–Feb | No data |
| Mar–Apr | Tautog, Oyster toadfish, Spiny dogfish |
| May–Jun | Black sea bass, Summer flounder, Tautog |
| Jul–Aug | Black sea bass, Summer flounder, Atlantic croaker |
| Sep–Oct | Black sea bass, Summer flounder, Oyster toadfish |
| Nov–Dec | Black sea bass, Summer flounder |
These are estimates from a survey of anglers, not a count, and they cover the whole state, not this exact spot. Each figure is the average for one year in those two months, rounded. Only species with a relative standard error of up to 50% are shown, NOAA's standard; those marked * are between 30% and 50%, and NOAA advises using them with caution.
Source: NOAA Fisheries, Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP), wave-level catch estimates for 2021–2025. Courtesy: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Where the data comes from
Piers, ramps and tackle shops nearby
Map: OpenFreeMap · © OpenMapTiles · © OpenStreetMap contributors
- Boat ramp 0.3 mi
- Boat ramp 0.9 mi
- Boat ramp 1.8 mi
- Boat ramp 3.7 mi
- Boat ramp 5.3 mi
- Boat ramp 5.5 mi
- Seaford Boat Ramp 5.9 mi
- Boat ramp 6.0 mi
- Boat ramp 6.0 mi
- Marina 6.0 mi
- A Bit More Than Bait and Tackle 1.2 mi
- Taylored Tackle Shop 3.7 mi
Within 9.3 mi. A spot may be missing or closed. Open the map on OpenStreetMap · Missing one? Add it to OpenStreetMap
Spots: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and Overture Maps.
How we work out the best time
We score every moment of the day, every 10 minutes, with simple rules anglers have used for decades:
- Tide: 2 to 3.5 points in the hour before and the hour after each high and low tide. Spring tides (high coefficient) score more, because the water moves faster.
- Solunar: 2.5 points in the major periods (moon overhead or underfoot) and 1.5 in the minor ones (moonrise and moonset).
- Light: 2 points at dawn and dusk, from first light to the end of the morning golden hour and from the evening golden hour to the end of twilight.
- Weather: falling pressure adds 1 point and rising pressure takes 1 away; wind takes points away from force 4 (about 12 mph), up to 5 points in a gale; waves of 1.6 ft to 4.9 ft add half a point (they stir up the water) and from 8.2 ft they take points away (up to 4).
- Best windows: the stretches of 40 minutes to 3 hours with the most points, at least an hour apart.
- Day's rating out of 10: the best window (up to 5), the moon (up to 2, near new or full moon), the tide coefficient (up to 2) and whether a solunar period lines up with sunrise or sunset (1). Without a tide, we score out of 8 and scale it to 10. Good weather adds up to 1 point and bad weather pulls it down.
Today: best window 3.5 of 5, moon 1 of 2, coefficient 1.5 of 2 and lineup 0 of 1; the weather multiplies the rating by 0.83.
It's a guide, not a guarantee: fish don't read tide tables. Always check the sea conditions and local fishing rules before you go.
Learn more
Fishing rules in Laurel
Licenses, size limits, bag limits and closed seasons are set by the authorities and change often. We don't copy them here: check the official website before you go.
Questions about fishing in Laurel
What's the best time to fish in Laurel today?
7:00 am to 7:50 am, with the 6:45 am high tide and sunrise, though with rising pressure. Also 7:10 pm to 8:00 pm and 12:30 pm to 3:30 pm. Today's rating: 5/10 (average day).
What about tomorrow? When's the best time to fish in Laurel?
Tomorrow, Thursday, October 29: 7:00 am to 8:00 am, with a rating of 7/10.
Which day this week is best for fishing in Laurel?
Thursday, October 29, at 7/10. Its best window is 7:00 am to 8:00 am.
What can you catch in Laurel?
Sport fishing species with the most records within about 62 mi of Laurel: summer flounder, spot, longfin inshore squid, Atlantic croaker and weakfish. October is one of the months when these are seen most: longfin inshore squid, Atlantic croaker and weakfish. These are sightings and catches recorded in GBIF and OBIS, not a promise that you will catch them.
When are the solunar periods in Laurel today?
Major: 1:37–3:37 am and 2:09–4:09 pm. Minor: 10:00–11:00 am and 7:15–8:15 pm. Solunar activity today: medium.
Does the tide affect fishing in Laurel?
Yes. Today high tide is at 6:45 am and 6:55 pm and low tide at 1:13 am and 1:03 pm, with a tide coefficient of 76 (average tides). The hours around each tide change tend to fish best, because moving water carries food.
How is the rating worked out?
From the tide, the solunar periods, the light at dawn and dusk, the moon phase and, when we have the forecast, the pressure, the wind and the waves. Each factor gives a fixed number of points and the rating sums them up out of 10.
Does it take the weather into account?
Yes. During today's best window: rising pressure (+0.12 inHg in 24 h) and almost no wind. Strong wind and big waves lower the rating; falling pressure raises it a little.
What are the fishing rules in Laurel?
Recreational fishing rules in Laurel (licenses, size limits, bag limits and closed seasons) are set by the authorities: Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) - Division of Fish and Wildlife; offshore, NOAA Fisheries. They change often: check the official website before you go.
More about Laurel today
Our own calculation: tide from Sharptown (NOAA), sun and moon with astronomy-engine and, when available, weather and sea from Open-Meteo (ECMWF, NOAA GFS and Copernicus Marine, CC BY 4.0). Slackwater database (https://github.com/openwatersio/slackwater-database)