CatchWindow fishing intelligence

Marcus Hook, PA Daily Water Report — August 28, 2026

The Delaware River at Marcus Hook is the laid-back venue you want today, with a decisive high recommendation for kayaking, boating, and diving. The scores don’t lie: kayaking hits a 9.3 out of 10, boating an 8.8, and diving an 8.4. This is the kind of day that makes you grateful for a flat river. The driving force is a dead calm. Measured wind is just 2 knots from the north-northwest, with gusts barely reaching 5. The wave height is a flat zero across the board—no swell, no wind chop, nothing. The representative pressure sits at 1016 hPa and is rising, which is a classic sign of stable, high-pressure air settling in. That calmest window, technically whenever you look at the water today, delivers conditions that are essentially identical to the calmest period near midnight. For anyone in a paddle craft or small powerboat, there is no bad time to launch. Divers will appreciate that placid surface as well, and the water temperature anomaly is a mere 0.2 degrees Celsius below the long-term average, so nothing startling. The tradeoff is for surfers, sailors, and those chasing a fishing score near its peak. With zero wave energy, surfing is a non-starter at 4.5, exactly the same as it’s been for the past week. That number isn’t budging until a swell shows up. Sailing at 4.6 is also underwhelming—you need a breeze to move, and there simply isn’t one. Fishing scores a solid 7.3, up a hair from yesterday but not quite as good as it was two days ago. The solunar data offers a major period from just after noon to 2:00 PM and a minor window around 6:34 AM to 7:34 AM, which lines up with the low tide at 7:53 AM. That early-morning minor period, combined with a falling tide and light wind, is your best bet for active fish, though don't expect a full-on bite. Compared to yesterday’s very similar 9.1 kayaking score, today’s 9.3 is a nudge upward, and boating has ticked up from 8.7 to 8.8. The consistency of these scores over the past several days tells you that the river has been in a long, quiet stretch. The key difference today is that rising barometer and the absence of even the whisper of rain—precipitation is zero. Looking ahead, the forecast keeps the river flat through at least September 3rd, with waves forecast at zero each day. The wind is predicted to stay light, peaking under 10 knots through Sunday, though by Monday and Tuesday the chance of showers creeps up toward 40 percent and the air temperatures start to climb into the mid-30s Celsius. If you want the cleanest, most comfortable window for a paddle or a dive, today is it. Best bet: Slide the kayak in anytime the sun eases the morning haze and enjoy a mirror-flat river until the high tide builds around 1:09 PM.