Here's our forecast for fishing in the upcoming month of April based on what we've seen on a month-by-month basis looking back at our eight years of weekly fishing reports, as well as the current conditions and weather patterns. FishTalk's current weekly Fishing Reports drop every Friday by noon, just in time for your weekend fishing adventures. Our reports will be expanded and enhanced beginning this month, and next month, will be shifting to a subscription model; unfortunately, it’s become clear that we can no longer afford to produce the free weekly FishTalk fishing reports as we have been doing for over eight years. We’ll continue producing a free report on the general bite, but beginning May 1 we’re going to start asking everyone to sign up for a subscription to access the detailed weekly fishing reports and portions of our website. Please see Notes from the Cockpit: the Future of FishTalk’s Fishing Reports for the full scoop. Anyone signing up for a full year of the reports during the month of April will receive a complimentary FishTalk hat along with their subscription.
COASTAL FISHING FORECAST
April is a month of change along the coast, as our resident fish kick into gear and southern visitors begin arriving in serious numbers. Tautog will have the feed bag on as the waters warm up, rockfish will be hitting in the back bays, and by now you can bet the flounder action has kicked off in those waterways as well. But we’ll also see the surf come to life this month as surf fishing for black drum starts producing fish in good numbers. Remember that before April was out last spring, some big bull reds made their initial appearance in the suds as well.
FRESHWATER FISHING FORECAST
Pick a species — any species. Whether you enjoy chasing bass, crappie, pickerel, or trout, this is a great month to enjoy fast action (though we should note that in tidal areas pickerel are closed for harvest through the month). For many species this is the pre-spawn season, so depending on what the weather does, expect those finned critters to be in transition. One week they may be deep, the next they could move shallow. Snakehead fans should also remember that this is usually when the “spring push” happens and areas near spawning grounds can see concentrations of fish forming.
WAY NORTH FISHING FORECAST
April is the prime month for shad catch-and-release action, so grab those darts and spoons and head for the creeks or the dam. Where the shad go the blue catfish follow, so this is also prime time to put some cut fish chunks on bottom and hold on tight. We can expect the white perch to peak as they make their runs this month, too. Another great bite that should be going off right about now (as long as the weather isn’t a wash-out) is the largemouth bass pre-spawn fishery on the Flats and in the North East River. Last season chatterbaits and spinnerbaits had them striking.
UPPER CHESAPEAKE BAY FISHING FORECAST
Spring is here and that means lots of angling opportunities are cranking up in a big way. As the month begins white perch will be in fine form in areas that get a run, and although that action usually drops out by late April, snakeheads should pick up the slack in the upper reaches of the creeks and rivers. Catfish, meanwhile, present an awesome opportunity for fishing bait on bottom from the Bay Bridge up. After a wet winter there’s a good chance they’ll be spread throughout the range but remember that Sandy Point, Podickory, and the Heart-Miller area are often solid bets.
MIDDLE BAY FORECAST
White perch fans should have plenty to keep them busy through much of the month, so grab some grass shrimp and shad darts and head for the river, creeks, and salt ponds that get a good run. As we go to press Maryland has just announced that anglers will be allowed to catch and release striped bass this April in the open Bay, and there should be the opportunity to catch the striper of a lifetime. Remember people, treat those big fish with TLC — see “Set the Catch and Release Bar” if you need a refresher on best practices for safely handling those fish. There are well-defined areas you can and can’t target them, as well as some gear restrictions, so be sure to check the DNR striped bass regulations and maps before hitting the water. April Bonus: last spring good numbers of big black drum invaded the Middle Bay this month. Will they be back? We sure hope so, and you can bet we’ll be out looking for them.
LOWER BAY FORECAST
Last April there were so many bites popping off in the Lower Bay it was tough to keep track. White perch and peak shad in the upper tributaries kicked off the action, and blue cats were slamming baits in the same areas. By mid-month snakeheads joined the party and anglers who could tempt them into biting with flukes and frogs (which isn’t always so easy when they’re in a pre-spawn state of mind) enjoyed some explosive hits on warm sunny afternoons. And by the end of the month we were hearing about black drum, speckled trout, and even a few reds showing up in the mix for anglers from the Rappahannock south.
TANGIER, POCOMOKE, AND LOWER SHORE FORECAST
Thank goodness spring is here, and the bite should go from slow to stupendous in this neck of the woods. We weren’t more than a week into April in 2025 before rumblings of big black drum had been heard, and crab baits fished on bottom near drop-offs and shoals produced rather epic catches including fish north of the 50-pound mark by the middle of the month. Before May arrived bull reds had joined into the frenzy and along the southern reaches of the Eastern Shore slot reds were hitting as well. Specks are a bit of a question-mark considering the winter we just went through, but those that are around should start making their presence known in the shallows this month, too.
WAY SOUTH AND VA FORECAST
It’s time people — the specks and reds should both be feeding hard this month, so let’s hope that the rather rugged winter wasn’t too tough on them. Luckily migratory fish should show up in April, too, and if past is any prediction we’ll start seeing the big bull redfish show up before flipping any more pages on the calendar. This month should also prove prime for tautog fans working the CBBT and other area structure, so grab some crabs and fleas. Shore-bound anglers are undoubtedly happy to see April arrive as well, because this is when the bottom fish reappear within casting distance of the piers and shorelines. Before April turns into May there’s a chance we’ll see the first bluefish show up, too; last year they made it in just under the wire.