Lower Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, February 28 Update:
The Angler in Chief says he visited the Potomac in the Indian Head area this week with FishTalk’s Zach Ditmars on the boat, on the hunt for blue catfish. The water was still a bit chilly at 38 degrees and the bite was on the slow side, but after locating a 20’ depression surrounded by a flat around 10’ deep they caught a half-dozen eating size blue cats between 20” and 29” and one monster tipping the scales at 42 pounds. (Ditmars did NOT catch the monster… Ditmars did NOT catch the monster… well, okay yeah he did). Cut white perch garnered the most bites, followed by mud shad and bunker. A bit further up the Potomac, catfish have been biting in the Georgetown area along main river ledges. The upper Potomac in D.C. will soon be the place where catfish and other species congregate during the spring spawning runs. Shad, perch, and stripers will be arriving in the coming weeks offering ample spring fishing opportunities. The Rappahannock and James rivers will also see these species show up soon, but for now, blue catfish are still providing the most action.
Migratory striped bass will soon be returning to the lower Bay tributaries for their spawning run. There are likely some holdovers from the initial push at the beginning of winter, but more will be on the way as water temperatures continue to trend upward. We saw a report of some catch and release action at the 301 Bridge recently. Jigging around the deeper bridge pilings produced some fish in the mid 20-inch range. Fishing for striped bass in the lower Bay is strictly catch and release right now.
Striped Bass Closure Update: Starting Saturday, March 1st, many of the Chesapeake Bay tidal rivers and parts of the Upper Bay will be closed for targeting striped bass. Other sections of the Bay will remain open for the month of March before the entirety of the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland governed waters closes from April 1st to May 15th. Anglers can view an interactive Striped Bass Regulation Map on the Maryland DNR website to see when and where closures take place.
Lower Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, February 21 Update:
Catfish have been offering up the best action during the doldrums of late winter. Contributor Eric Packard hit Allen’s Fresh in search of yellow perch, but reported finding blue catfish instead, plus blue catfish, and more blue catfish. The fish were so thick they clogged his side-scan screen 80’ across and he reeled back 20 or so while casting jigs without any bait. We also fielded a reader report of solid catfish action while fishing in the Potomac up near Georgetown. The blue catfish are providing most of the fishing opportunities right now throughout the Lower Bay. The Potomac River, Rappahannock River, and James River all have robust populations of blue catfish, and some very big fish roaming around their waters. The increased flows from rain and snow runoff this week led to hot bites in the James, and we saw reports from Goober Time Guide Service that they caught fish ranging from 15 to 35 pounds while fishing with local fishing legend Ernie The Hog Snatcher earlier in the week. The spring spawning runs will soon kick off as yellow perch usually get started in late February and early march. Once the yellow perch start spawning, white perch, hickory shad, and American shad will follow shortly after. Hang in there folks, because more fishing opportunities will be here soon.
Lower Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, February 14 Update:
Fishing is still on the slower side in the Lower Bay as winter is still going strong. The region got another blanket of snow this week followed by rain, and there is more rain in the forecast this week. The precipitation will likely lead to muddy water in the upper portions of the tidal tributaries. The Potomac, Rappahannock, and James rivers have been fishing well for blue catfish this winter and the big fish are still biting. Catfish anglers often look forward to rising water on the river as these conditions can trigger the fish to bite as they don’t mind the muddy water and higher flows. Goober Time Guide Service was out on the James this week and had some impressive hauls including a trip where the biggest fish weighed in at 25, 32 and 48 pounds. Other trips this week yielded several fish in the 20-to-30-pound class, and they said the bite has been fast and furious with the current river conditions. Anglers fishing on the upper Potomac near D.C. have also found better fishing recently with big fish being pulled from the deeper waters near Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling. If you are fishing for blue catfish, or any invasive species in Maryland, you should consider participating in CCA Maryland’s Great Chesapeake Invasives Count. This event is still running until March 31st, 2025, and we encourage anglers to log their catches. The data collected through citizen science is used to help fisheries managers understand the spread of invasive species in our waters. Anglers will also be entered into monthly drawings for a chance to win some great prizes. Some of the biggest blue catfish in the Bay are caught this time of year, so go get them.
Lower Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, February 6 Update:
We can look forward to the start of the spring spawning runs ramping up this month. It should begin with yellow perch moving into the Lower Bay tributaries followed by white perch, shad, and striped bass. We have heard good reports from other areas of the Bay for yellow perch already, so fish may be staging in the tribs already. Our invasive blue catfish have continued to be active throughout the Potomac, Rappahannock, and James River. Big fish are consistently being caught and the biggest seem to be coming out of the James right now. Fresh cut gizzard shad or eel are tried and true baits that usually get the blue cats biting. The biggest fish are typically caught in the winter and spring, so now is a great time to try for a trophy sized fish.
The upriver sections of these tributaries where there is more freshwater influence have also seen some good crappie action. We heard from an angler who said that the crappie in D.C. have been more active since the river thawed out. Fishing with crappie jigs around bridges and docks near the Washington Channel has produced bites. Fishing at night around areas with illuminated water seems to be working well too despite the cold nighttime temperatures. Another area that can be productive for crappie on the upper Potomac is Oxon Cove. The shorelines are riddled with fallen wood and crappie often school up on the edges of the structure. Live minnows will likely be the best bait to use while water temperatures are still cold. After a slow winter for fishing, the tides are about to turn and we have a lot to look forward to in the coming months.