Northern stargazer in Ocean City, Maryland

Northern stargazer bury in sand with their mouth up, waiting to ambush bait around Ocean City. They carry a reputation for electric shock, so this is not a fish to hold up for strangers on the jetties, and it is not a stingray, either.

All inshore species guides Charter directory What we catch — stargazer roster Surf fishing hub Verify regulations

Not in our directory yet? Browse the committed Charter Boat Directory listings grid (marketplace crosswalk).

Safety and rules first. Stargazers are not a prank prop; electric-organ injury is a real first-aid topic, not a paragraph on this page. For possession and seasons, Maryland DNR is the public rule of record. Compare handling themes with stingrays and monkfish only in the “ask the mate, not TikTok” sense. Official portals.

Sandy inshore and surf (general; Ocean City, Maryland area) — We keep generic scene art—on-beach, use caution and distance when anything buries in the suds.

Suds, inlets, and the buried face

When croaker, kingfish, and small-shark drifts are the day’s script, a stargazer in the outer suds and cuts is the fish that rewrites the script to slow down, re-rig, and think. ID against sea raven and oyster toadfish is adult work, not a kid’s dare.