We all know printed fishing reports are generalized and weeks have passed before the report gets into your hands, so for timely, up-to-date reports, visit our Reports section. Current reports will be published every Friday by noon — just in time for your weekend fishing adventures. In the meantime, here’s our monthly prognostication.
COASTAL FISHING FORECAST
Although winds and weather can throw up hurdles, October is undoubtedly one of the best months of the year for fishing along the coast. In recent seasons we’ve seen excellent surf fishing for kingfish and spot with an uptick in weakfish action, plus some big reds showing up. The coastal bays were the real highlight last year, though, as rockfish, bluefish, and flounder were all chewing hard. Sheepshead came on strong around rocks and jetties, too, an event we’d love to see repeated. As for offshore, fingers are crossed we get a strong run of tunas moving down the coast and daytime swording should be picking up right about now, too..
FRESHWATER FISHING FORECAST
Yes people, the fall bite should be peaking right about now! In fact, for freshwater anglers the list of October options is too long to list out here. Bass in the reservoirs? Check. snakeheads in tributary upper reaches? Check. Crappie, bluegills and catfish? Check, check, check.
WAY NORTH CHESAPEAKE FISHING FORECAST
You all know the drill: blue catfish should be just about everywhere willing to eat just about anything. Hopefully we’ll see some striper action on the Flats and around the shorelines, a bite which was fairly good last year particularly around the channel edges and the south side of the Flats. Don’t overlook those white perch, either, they should be snapping hard as cool weather approaches.
UPPER CHESAPEAKE BAY FISHING FORECAST
If this season is anything like the last several we can hope for rockfish to be gathering near the mouth of the Patapsco, at Love Point, and the Sewer Pipe. Let’s remember that larger rockfish can historically be had in the fall eeling at Poole’s, but this season, the upper slot will make most of those fish off-limits. In fact, those in search of fish for the cooler may want to opt for livelining spot or jigging, as eels generally produce larger fish as a rule.
MIDDLE BAY FORECAST
Naturally everybody’s mind will be on rockfish as Rocktober hits. Many of us will also be thinking back to last October’s excellent sea bass action on wrecks and reefs, which produced far more keeper sized fish than usual for the Middle Bay. However, considering the rather epic Middle Bay redfish bite we had in late summer there’s a strong chance the reds will prove an irresistible target for those hitting areas like the lower Choptank, the shorelines of Herring Bay, and the lower Patuxent. Hint: four-inch Gulp! Paddleshad in Chrome bounced along bottom. Oooooh, buddy!
LOWER BAY FORECAST
We may have to wave good-bye to the Spanish mackerel but the fall stripers that anglers in Maryland and Potomac waters have been chasing come in starting on the fourth of the month for Virginia—WOOHOO! Expect the fish to begin schooling and popping bait if the temps drop, but working the shallows at daybreak and sunset should be a better move if it’s unseasonably warm through the month. Plus blues will still be around, we can expect the speckled trout action to heat up as the water cools down, and if this season is like last year we may see an influx of keeper gray trout as well.
TANGIER, POCOMOKE, AND LOWER SHORE FORECAST
The shallows should be absolutely rockin’ it this month—yes for rockfish, but also for specks and reds. It’s time for those fall runs and as water temps drop expect all of these species to push up into skinny water and feed around points with current rips, stump fields, and around riprap. We also want to note that the area wrecks should be filling up with black sea bass, hopefully with a keeper-to-throwback ratio that builds on the past few seasons’ increasing productivity.
WAY SOUTH AND VA FORECAST
This month will probably mark the curtain call for bull drum, but wow what a season it’s been and there’s a good chance of getting in a last lick or two before November arrives. Same goes for many of our other summer visitors, however, the inlets and rivers should soon be enjoying peak fall speckled trout action. Expect plenty of puppy drum to be in them, too, so load up on jig heads and paddle tails, folks.
Don't forget to sign up for the FishTalk Fishing Reports to get the latest intel on the bites in all these zones every week, by noon on Friday.