Most fishing reports that appear in print are generalized, and days or even weeks may have passed before the report gets into your hands. Not so, with our timely, up-to-date Fishing Reports delivered via email and the interwebs. Current reports are published every Friday by noon — just in time for your weekend fishing adventures. In the meantime, however, we do print a forecast for the upcoming month based on the recent weather patterns and what we've seen on a month-by-month basis in the eight years of weekly fishing reports we've produced. Here's what seems likely to be in store for anglers in our region during December of 2025.
COASTAL FISHING FORECAST
If you see those bluefin tuna busting water, well, wave at them and bid them well. Luckily tautog should be on the feed right about now too, and in recent years the inshore wrecks have been offering up a wide range of additional species in December: big chopper blues, knot-head sea bass, and drum of both species, among others. Back on the beach, meanwhile, December always offers a chance of encountering a migrating striped bass or two, and the coastal bays will likely have plenty of schoolies to keep you busy.
FRESHWATER FISHING FORECAST
The fish may be slowing down a bit but they’ll still be biting, and larger reservoirs in particular are often a good bet at this time of year. Expect pike and pickerel to be hunting, largemouth bass will often hit blade-baits at this time of year, and crappie will likely be found suspended next to structure (especially bridge pilings) in deepwater areas. Musky and smallmouth fishing in the region’s rivers are good opportunities at this time of year, too, so also consider heading for those deeper pools.
WAY NORTH FISHING FORECAST
Yellow perch should begin schooling up late this month, and while we wait for that to happen the smallmouth and walleye will likely be active in lower portions of the Susquehanna. Hopefully the striper bite will be an improvement over last season, too. The most reliable action, however, will almost certainly be the blue cats. December is an excellent month of the year to go after these fish and if you set up anywhere in the Port Deposit to Perryville stretch you can often catch all you can handle.
UPPER CHESAPEAKE BAY FISHING FORECAST
Hopefully the striper bite will hold up until the end of the season (the 10th of the month is our final day keeping fish in these waters), and perhaps beyond that for catch-and-release anglers. By now the Baltimore-area creeks should also be offering up excellent pickerel action, and we note that every year in the CCA Winter Pickerel Championship multiple 25-inch-plus fish come from this zone.
MIDDLE BAY FORECAST
Everyone will have their fingers crossed hoping that those big rockfish make a return showing this year. We can’t predict if it’ll happen, but if it does, expect the waters off Calvert Cliffs, the mouth of the Choptank, Chesapeake Beach, and Poplar Island to all hold potential. Just before and right around Christmas is often the peak of the action, and if they return the schools should be busting bait in 20’ to 40’ of water. Meanwhile the tributary pickerel fishing should be kicking into full swing this month. Grab some bull minnow, inline spinners, or jerkbaits, and hit the creek mouths and docks.
LOWER BAY FORECAST
Will the mouth of the Potomac be loaded up with striped bass this month? We certainly hope so, and historically this is one of the best areas to find fish during the month of December. The Rap should offer up some action, too, especially for trollers working from Urbanna down. And although the season closes December 10 in Maryland waters, striped bass remain in season in both the Potomac (PRFC waters) and Virginia. Those farther up the tribs may well want to target blue catfish, though, because they’ll be feeding hard as winter approaches.
TANGIER, POCOMOKE, AND LOWER SHORE FORECAST
The Sounds will likely hold some stripers this month, and last December there were sporadic bird shows from Tangier Island clear down to Cape Charles. The big news for anglers plying the area with small boats or kayaks, however, is likely to be the boost in action in the tributaries. The lower Eastern Shore rivers really come to life as water temps drop, with crappie and perch schooling up and pickerel and bass going on a rampage.
WAY SOUTH AND VA FORECAST
Monster stripers? We sure hope so! Eeling and trolling should both be good bets. It’s also a good bet that there will be reds and specks caught this month, particularly in the Elizabeth and the inlets. Remember that last year during this timeframe suspending MirrOlures and jerkbaits were killers.
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