Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report

August 31st, 2018

It’s been a long hot week and we’re excited for a Labor Day weekend where the temps stay under 90º! A front will be moving through this evening with some thunderstorms bringing somewhat cooler weather. Good news is, despite the heat, fishing this past week was excellent. Fish are being caught all over the bay, in a variety of ways.

School, that’s right, school is back in session for most this upcoming week so get those kids out fishing this weekend and make some memories! You can easily get them on fish by casting worms under bobbers in freshwater ponds catching Bluegill and some Bass. Simple Bloodworms or Grass Shrimp on bottom rigs in a tidal river near you will most likely land some Perch. Either way, they’re sure to have a blast, and you’ll be a hero!

Rockfish

Chumming/Chunking/Live-Lining

The Chumming/Chunking bite continues to produce fish, much like all year. In the Upper Bay we’re finding that chumming and chunking fresh Bunker will land you a mix of throwback Rockfish, Channel Catfish and a few decent keeper Rockfish. Decent spots this week have been Podickory Point, Love Point, Swan Point and around the Key Bridge in the Patapsco. The fish are constantly on the move looking for cooler, oxygen rich waters and can be found in these areas in about 20′ of water.

Live-lining Spot has been the best way to catch nice keeper Rockfish the last few weeks. In all the same areas that anglers are chumming, you can live-line a 4″-6″ Spot or Perch with a 8/0-9/0 in-line circle hook through the back of the dorsal fin. Some of the better areas have been Love Point, Swan Point, Bay Bridge pilings and a little further south around the mouth of the Eastern Bay.

 

Light Tackle Casting

The topwater bite continues to be good before the sun comes up. Look to catch nice Rockfish early in the morning in 10′ of water or less around structure. The ship docks and channel ledges in the Patapsco, rock piles under the Bay Bridge and around Thomas Point Lighthouse have all been good spots to target them on top. Great baits to use are the Savage Gear Needlefish bait, Nomad Chug Norris or the Yo-Zuri 3D Popper.

Jigging once the sun comes up has been heating up over the last couple weeks. The fish are moving to deeper water and holding close to the bottom once it gets hot out. Areas like the Key Bridge in the Patapsco, Love Point in the Chester and the Bay Bridge pilings are all good spots to target these fish. Look to use a 1/2oz-1oz jig with your favorite 4″-7″ soft plastic trailer.

Casting little 4″-6″ swimbaits at dock pilings and structure will work for catching Rockfish as well. Remember an outgoing moving tide early in the morning is going to be prime time.

Spanish Mackerel

We’ve seen more and more Spanish Mackerel being caught in the Middle to Lower Bay region. Areas like the mouth of the Eastern Bay, along the ledges of the shipping channels around Deale and the mouth of the Potomac have been good areas to find them. Trolling a mix of spoons, red or green hoses or casting and burning the new G-Eye Jigs Rain Minnow have all been effective.

Perch/Spot/Croaker

The White Perch bite continues to be good in the Upper Bay area. Early in the morning you’ll find Perch along the shorelines and holding tight to shallow structure. You can fish for them with bait on bottom rigs or casting small spinnerbaits like the Perch Pounders or Mepps Roostertails. Later in the day, you’ll have a better chance of hooking up with them by fishing hard bottom areas in 10′ or deeper water. Bloodworms or Grass Shrimp will work best in this situation.

Spot are being caught on bloodworms in a variety of areas in the Upper Bay. Look to find them in the mouth of the Magothy, some areas of Love Point, around the Bay Bridge and in the Eastern Bay in 10′-15′ of water. The best fishing for Spot continues to be further south in the Bay. Solomons, the mouth of the Patuxent, the Pokomoke and Tangier Sounds have all been really hot.

Croaker are being caught with regularity further south in the Bay. In many of the areas where they’re catching Spot, you will find a mix of small to giant Croaker. Fish for them just like you would Spot or Perch.

Crabbing

With much excitement we are reporting that Crabbing has been GOOD the past couple weeks in a row now! In many of the tidal rivers around the Upper Bay area people are catching good size and decent numbers! Chicken necks are working but if you really want to make it happen get some Razor Clams. They’re working really well right now. We’re getting reports of a bushel or more while trotlining in the Eastern Bay and further south.

Show us what you caught!

We’d love to see your catch! Send your photos with some simple info (your name, location, bait/technique) and any other info you’d like to share to kevin@anglersannapolis.com. By sending your images you are giving us permission to use them online.

If there are any children under 18 we need their parents permission before posting any images online!