Red hake in Ocean City, Maryland

Red hake are soft-mouthed cod relatives that turn up in the same bottom tangle as sea bass, scup, and eelpout around Ocean City. Hake on a New England menu is not the same fish as what hit your chicken rig without a Maryland DNR check.

All inshore species guides Charter directory What we catch — red hake roster Nearshore & wreck hub Verify regulations

Find a charter or rent a boat

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

Editorial only. Whiting on a charter line can point to northern kingfish in surf speak—not always hake. For red hake, seasons, and possession, anchor to Maryland DNR and any federal table your operator cites. Official portals.

Bottom and wreck fishing (general; Ocean City, Maryland area)
Atmosphere only—hake bycatch is a mottled, pecky middle-fish on structure days.

Bait, jigs, and soft-mouth discipline

Treat hook sets like you owe the fish a clean mouth—then compare side-by-side with ocean pout and sea raven before you name your cooler fish on Instagram.

Scup (porgy) — Ocean City, Maryland

Scup (porgy)

Wreck rails where pecks and pouts interleave.

Ocean pout (eelpout) — Ocean City, Maryland

Ocean pout (eelpout)

Another bottom oddball, different family story.

Northern kingfish (whiting) — Ocean City, Maryland

Northern kingfish (whiting)

The other “whiting” name on Delmarva.

Charter directory — Ocean City, Maryland

Charter directory

Wreck and bottom when porgy is the plan.

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