Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report – October 10th, 2025!

Fishing for rockfish has been steadily improving as we welcome fall patterns. Fish have been found both on shallow water structure and in open water during this transition period. Shallow water has been productive in the Patapsco River, and deeper water fish have been caught around Pooles Island, Love Point, and the Bay Bridge. Live lining spot is still working well in both deep and shallow situations, but the spot will start heading south any day now, so get live-lining while you can. Jigging pilings and channel edges with paddletail and straight tail plastics in the 5 inch to 7 inch range is a successful tactic as well. For shallow water, try paddletails on light jig heads, diving plugs, or topwater plugs. Don’t be afraid to throw these same shallow water options if you come across a bird show as well. There are some scattered reports of small, pan-sized bluefish mixed in with rockfish around the aforementioned areas. White perch fishing in the shallows is getting increasingly tough, but there are still plenty of fish willing to bite on shoals or CCA reef sites. There are also plenty being caught off of the Bay Bridge pilings. Sabiki rigs tipped with bloodworms, grass shrimp, soft crab bits, or Gulp baits are far outperforming most artificial lure offerings. Bottom fishing for spot and croaker is dwindling out, but there are still a few around.

Rockfish has been reported as relatively hit or miss in the Middle Bay this week. Areas where we heard decent number of catches include Poplar Island, Eastern Bay, South River, West River, Thomas Point, and the Choptank River. In this fall transition, fish are being found around shallow water structure, in open water over structure or along channel edges, and under birds. Live lining spot will continue to be effective until the spot are gone, jigging metals or soft plastics in open water will work well, and topwater or diving plugs should continue working well in shallow water. Small bluefish have been reported under birds and mixed in with schools of rockfish, and these fish can be caught trolling spoons or hoses, or by casting metal jigs. White perch fishing was a struggle this week as has been the story all season long. Some anglers reported catching a few perch on sabiki rigs tipped with grass shrimp over deeper water structure, as well as some anglers catching them around docks in the last hour of light using spinners. Bottom fishing is dwindling out, but some anglers are still catching spot, croaker, small flounder, and lizardfish.

Big bluefish continue to school around bait from the Maryland/Virginia line all the way up to Sharp’s Island lighthouse. Fish can be found by marking them on your electronics or seeing them at the surface. Metal jigs and topwater plugs continue to be successful, as well as trolling spoons and hoses. The Spanish mackerel have all but left Maryland waters until next year. Shallow water fishing for rockfish, specked trout, and the occasional puppy drum has been successful in areas like the Potomac River and Tangier Sound. Popping corks with shrimp style plastics have been especially successful, as well as small paddletails and topwater plugs. Bottom fishing around Point Lookout continues to be good, but will start slowing down the further we get into fall. Bottom rigs tipped with bloodworms or Fishbites are producing spot, croaker, perch, weakfish, pufferfish, lizardfish, kingfish, and more.

Fall trout stocking began in Maryland this week at Cunningham Falls Lake, North Branch Potomac River, and Carrol Creek. Rainbow and golden rainbow trout will be readily available and can be caught on Powerbait, nightcrawlers, meal worms, or small spinners. Smallmouth fishing remains hot in the Upper Potomac and Monocacy Rivers as flows remain low and the water clear. Topwater baits, soft plastic paddetails, and jerkbaits were all reported as successful options this week. Crappie are schooling in lakes and reservoirs around open water structure like laydowns, rock piles, and dying vegetation. A minnow under a bobber or dropped down on a small jig is always an effective option to fill the cooler. Largemouth are also biting well in ponds, lakes, and reservoirs. They are still shallow for the most part and will be feeding hard to fatten up for winter. Topwaters, wacky rigged stick worms, and chatterbaits should all get the job done. The snakehead bite has died off for the most part, with these fish moving off of shallow water structure and looking for their cooler weather haunts.

The fall red drum bite in the surf is in full swing. Anglers have been catching plenty off of Assateague, as well as bluefish, flounder, croaker, and pompano. The jetties are still producing sheepshead and tautog on heavy jigs or bottom rigs tipped with crab or sandflea. The 50 Bridge remains reliable for bluefish and rockfish. Out in the canyons, mahi seem to be moving further and further offshore to find comfortable water temps. A few small wahoo and bluefin have been hooked, but action is pretty slow in the “local” canyons for the most part. Many boats are heading north to target tuna.

Crabbing has begun to slow down just a bit, but there is still plenty of action. Look to run trot lines and pull traps in depths of 12 to 15 feet for the largest crabs. All of the regions rivers have been reported as holding lots of crabs.