Image Left: Anglers Employee Jordan holds up a Smallmouth Bass he caught during a fishing competition using a topwater frog!
Image Right: Photo sent in from Travis Long with Schooled Up Fishing Charters!
The Anglers Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report has ARRIVED!
Upper and Middle Bay
- With the rapidly cooling water temperatures, smaller baitfish are slowly moving out of the tidal rivers and into the main bay! The best spots for catching Striped Bass currently are areas just outside of rivers as they’re chasing the smaller baitfish! Anglers are catching slot sized Striped Bass in the early morning or late evening hours and transitioning to deeper water at a depth of around 30 feet during the day.
- Anglers are beginning to notice Spot are being caught in lesser numbers. Spot are beginning to move south as the water is beginning to cool down rapidly. Anglers are still catching them in deeper water however using bottom rigs! Areas towards the western part of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge is still host to a decent amount of live lining sized spot!
- White Perch are still present in tidal rivers, however Anglers are beginning to transition to using bottom rigs or Chesapeake Sibiki Rigs tipped with live or artificial bait in slightly deeper water! The larger White Perch can be found staging in river channels!
South Bay
- The south bay follows a similar pattern as the middle bay when it comes to targeting Striped Bass! Rockfish are becoming slightly more abundant in the south bay area! Anglers are having success targeting them in shallow waters in the early morning and late evening hours while jigging, trolling or live lining! Anglers are targeting deeper water during the midday hours when Rockfish have had their fill of fish during the early morning hours!
- Point lookout is host to some amazing Flounder fishing currently! Areas around the Targetship are also providing excellent opportunities to get on some good sized Sheepshead! Anglers are catching them on anything from peeler crabs to eels or cut bunker!
- Spot are beginning to move out of the tidal creeks and rivers as the temperature begins to rapidly cool, however the bite for other fish such as Bluefish, Speckled Trout or Striped Bass is explosive in these shallow waters! Anglers are catching them while jigging, trolling and live lining Spot!
Additional Information
- The crabbing is beginning to slow down a noticeable amount as they begin to fatten up and move to warmer, deeper water! Crabbers are suggesting water depths of 12-15ft deep!