The Anglers Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report has ARRIVED!
Upper and Middle Bay
- Yellow perch are starting to make an appearance in small numbers along the eastern shore around Tuckahoe, Greensboro and particularly in standout locations like Hillsboro! As we transition into spring, their presence is expected to increase even more, thanks to the rising water temperature! Anglers are successfully catching Yellow Perch using a variety of lures, similar to those employed for White Perch, such as small spinners, shad darts, or bottom rigs!
- Pickerel fishing remains at its prime in the local tidal rivers of the upper and middle bay areas, particularly in hotspots like the Severn and Magothy rivers! While Pickerel can be caught throughout the year, their activity peaks during the fall and winter months. To efficiently target these predatory fish, anglers are finding success with lures like jerkbaits, chatterbaits, or willow vibes paired with a 3-4 inch plastic! Pickerel can be caught all around shallow water structure however with the pickerel beginning to move for spawning, the biggest ones can be found further up the creeks and rivers!
- As bird activity has decreased since last month, anglers are adapting their tactics by moving more frequently to find the best spots for Striped Bass fishing. Targeting drop-offs or steep channels remains the key to landing trophy-sized Striped Bass. Reports indicate larger fish individually roaming in areas of the lower middle bay. While both jigging and trolling are effective methods, jigging seems to be the favored and most common approach. Striped Bass are being caught in decent numbers about an hour after sunrise, with the action dropping off during the day and picking up dramatically just before sundown!
South Bay
- In the southern bay area, the Striped Bass bite has been notably slow and inconsistent, particularly when fishing from shore. However, anglers are finding success by employing jigging techniques around steep drop-offs, channel edges, or deep water structures to target trophy-sized Striped Bass. Despite the challenges, there’s still a variety of opportunities in shallower waters around structures, providing a chance to catch other species such as speckled trout or white perch here and there! Hopefully with spring just around the corner, fishing in the southern bay, especially around the mouth of the Potomac River will swing back into full force!