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Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report: Bluefish Frenzy, Stripers on the Rise, and More
Published 7 months, 1 week ago
Description
Good morning, anglers—Artificial Lure here with your Friday, September 19, Chesapeake Bay fishing report focused on Baltimore and the D.C. area. Let’s get right to it.
We’ve got sunrise at 6:50 AM and sunset set for 7:05 PM today, with above-average tidal swings due to the new moon coming up on the 22nd. This morning’s low tide rolled through at 3:51 AM, with the next high tide peaking at 9:03 AM. You’ll catch another low at 4:01 this afternoon and the evening high at 9:25 PM. That means moving water all day—exactly what you want to fire up the bite according to Tide-Forecast.
After a crisp start, expect mild late summer weather: partly cloudy, steady temps in the upper 60s to mid-70s, and a touch of northwest wind. Water clarity is good, and you’ll see some of that fall turnover just starting—fish know change is coming and are on the feed.
On the water, the big story this week is bluefish terrorizing bait schools from the Bay Bridge down past Cedar Point. Most are in the two- to five-pound class, and the boats trolling surgical tubes and spoons have been loading up. These blues are slashing at anything shiny, so bring wire leaders and be ready for some chopped off tails. The Target Ship area has been especially hot for both bluefish and for those looking for a shot at sheepshead with peeler crab or fiddler crab on a bottom rig—The Maryland DNR says catches there have been consistent.
Striped bass action is picking up—good numbers reported around Baltimore Harbor’s piers and piling fields in the early mornings and evenings. Folks throwing poppers, paddletails, and soft plastic jigs have found keepers and lots of schoolies. The power plant and bulkhead zones continue to produce as well, especially close to dawn. Live-lining spot remains the ticket at the Bay Bridge pilings, Love Point, and the Patapsco. Likewise, sharpies are catching bass on jigs and live spot in the Patuxent and Potomac, especially from the 301 Bridge to Fort Washington. Jigging the eastern grass flats will also put you in line for speckled trout and red drum.
Spot and white perch are still hanging around the knolls and reefs in the upper bay—try dropper rigs dressed with grass shrimp or bloodworm by deeper docks and oyster bars. If you’re after something hard-fighting and invasive, Chesapeake Channa—northern snakehead—are still active in western tidal rivers. Frogs, paddletails, and chatterbaits all get bit.
Tangier Sound and the lower Patuxent are producing good catches of spot, croaker, and flounder. Spanish mackerel are winding down, with far fewer showing. Crabbing remains excellent in all tidal rivers, so bring some chicken necks.
For lures, stick with proven fall patterns:
- Topwaters like poppers at dawn
- 4- to 5-inch paddletails and jerkbaits for stripers and trout
- Metal spoons or surgical tube lures for bluefish
- Dropper rigs tipped with grass shrimp or bloodworm for perch/spot
- Fiddler or peeler crab for sheepshead
Hotspots worth hitting this weekend:
- The Bay Bridge Piers—steady for stripers and white perch
- Target Ship and main channel near Cedar Point—for bluefish and sheepshead
- Baltimore Harbor’s industrial shoreline—especially at first light for stripers
- Lower Patuxent River bridge pilings—for spot, stripers, and a shot at flounder
That’s your on-the-water scoop for today. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe for the latest from Chesapeake country. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.
Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn
This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
This episode includes AI-generated content.
We’ve got sunrise at 6:50 AM and sunset set for 7:05 PM today, with above-average tidal swings due to the new moon coming up on the 22nd. This morning’s low tide rolled through at 3:51 AM, with the next high tide peaking at 9:03 AM. You’ll catch another low at 4:01 this afternoon and the evening high at 9:25 PM. That means moving water all day—exactly what you want to fire up the bite according to Tide-Forecast.
After a crisp start, expect mild late summer weather: partly cloudy, steady temps in the upper 60s to mid-70s, and a touch of northwest wind. Water clarity is good, and you’ll see some of that fall turnover just starting—fish know change is coming and are on the feed.
On the water, the big story this week is bluefish terrorizing bait schools from the Bay Bridge down past Cedar Point. Most are in the two- to five-pound class, and the boats trolling surgical tubes and spoons have been loading up. These blues are slashing at anything shiny, so bring wire leaders and be ready for some chopped off tails. The Target Ship area has been especially hot for both bluefish and for those looking for a shot at sheepshead with peeler crab or fiddler crab on a bottom rig—The Maryland DNR says catches there have been consistent.
Striped bass action is picking up—good numbers reported around Baltimore Harbor’s piers and piling fields in the early mornings and evenings. Folks throwing poppers, paddletails, and soft plastic jigs have found keepers and lots of schoolies. The power plant and bulkhead zones continue to produce as well, especially close to dawn. Live-lining spot remains the ticket at the Bay Bridge pilings, Love Point, and the Patapsco. Likewise, sharpies are catching bass on jigs and live spot in the Patuxent and Potomac, especially from the 301 Bridge to Fort Washington. Jigging the eastern grass flats will also put you in line for speckled trout and red drum.
Spot and white perch are still hanging around the knolls and reefs in the upper bay—try dropper rigs dressed with grass shrimp or bloodworm by deeper docks and oyster bars. If you’re after something hard-fighting and invasive, Chesapeake Channa—northern snakehead—are still active in western tidal rivers. Frogs, paddletails, and chatterbaits all get bit.
Tangier Sound and the lower Patuxent are producing good catches of spot, croaker, and flounder. Spanish mackerel are winding down, with far fewer showing. Crabbing remains excellent in all tidal rivers, so bring some chicken necks.
For lures, stick with proven fall patterns:
- Topwaters like poppers at dawn
- 4- to 5-inch paddletails and jerkbaits for stripers and trout
- Metal spoons or surgical tube lures for bluefish
- Dropper rigs tipped with grass shrimp or bloodworm for perch/spot
- Fiddler or peeler crab for sheepshead
Hotspots worth hitting this weekend:
- The Bay Bridge Piers—steady for stripers and white perch
- Target Ship and main channel near Cedar Point—for bluefish and sheepshead
- Baltimore Harbor’s industrial shoreline—especially at first light for stripers
- Lower Patuxent River bridge pilings—for spot, stripers, and a shot at flounder
That’s your on-the-water scoop for today. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe for the latest from Chesapeake country. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.
Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn
This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
This episode includes AI-generated content.