Way North Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, June 2021

Way North Chesapeake Fishing Report, June 24 Update:

This week continued the trend of excellent reports from the Susquehanna Flats: as many stripers have moved far, far north, they’re covering them. Sarge’s reported that the stripers are happy to hit topwater during dawn and dusk. Again this week, the morning was the best time to fish, although the evening bite is nothing to sneeze at. Throughout the day it’s possible to locate schools of stripers and jigging along the bottom at channel ledges is good practice. Five-to-six-inch soft plastics in white, pearl, and chartreuse are doing best. In general, stripers on the Flats have been undersized or close to it, although Clyde’s did hear of a few upwards of 25 inches. Outside of the Flats, these tactics are working in the Sassafrass as well. Salt-and-pepper Saltwater Assassins were reported to be winners here. Many anglers are also making the run to Tolchester (like everyone else!) to liveline on the big schools of rockfish in the area.

trolling rockfish
Bob drove to the fish near Tolchester, then Dave reeled ‘em up.

Blue and channel catfish are also on the go, and ready to bite in the dam pool and on the Flats. Cut baits are their favorite, and they are not shy about hitting cut menhaden. We've heard that night fishing for the cats is great right now as well, although we caution shoreline anglers to heed the ticks. We're hearing that this is a bad season for them, and with Lyme's common in the DMV, it's essential to take measures to keep them off of ya. Unfortunately, the active ingredient in most bug sprays, DEET, is the only proven fish repellent — don’t get that stuff on your hands before baiting up!!

Perch fishing is just excellent in the rivers right now. Clyde's was happy to let us know anglers using FishBites or Beetle Spins are racking them up.


Way North Chesapeake Fishing Report, June 18 Update:

The northernmost regions of the Bay have the lion’s share of stripers right now, and they’re catching in the most exciting way! Topwater on the Susquehanna Flats is absolutely on fire — Clyde’s reported that the dawn and dusk bites are excellent. The morning bite is easily producing the most fish, from daybreak until the sun is overhead. Topwater is only working just as the sun rises, before the sun is beating down on the water. Anglers switching to jigging or lure-casting as the sun rises overhead have been in sync with the fish. Following their movements throughout the morning and staying on top of them is producing maximum yield, even though the fish aren’t always keepers. There are a fair amount of dinks mixed in with the keepers, but we haven’t heard of anyone complaining and most are finding their fish for the box. Outside of the Flats, these tactic are working in the Sassafrass as well. Herb’s let us know that white and chartreuse five- to six-inch paddle-tails, jerkshad, BKDs, or Gulp! are excellent choices at the moment, as well as salt-and-pepper Saltwater Assassins.

monster catfish caught by an angler in the bay
Sam Gardner scored this monster blue cat.

As for the catfish, the bite remains steady. They’re still hanging out in the Dam Pool, in the river, all over the Flats, and in the northern reaches of the Bay. Simply dropping down baits will suffice to tempt them.

The Susquehanna, Sassafras, and Chester are also offering anglers plenty of white perch — they can be found hanging around structure and throughout the creeks. Bottom rigs with bloodworm are employed to catch 'em in open water, and small spinners and Beetle Spins are working well around docks and shoreline structure. Boats that are hoping to liveline should consider using small perch or running down to the mouth of the Chester to load up on spot.


Way North Chesapeake Fishing Report, June 10 Update:

Hello, stripers! Anglers who hit the Susquehanna Flats this week were loving the early morning and sunset bites. Both were producing excellent numbers of schoolie-sized striped bass. At the earliest sunlight hours, topwater lures are racking up fish, and then petering off in effectiveness as the sun wears on. Switching to soft plastics when the sun is moving overhead is a smart tactic to work with the fish and keep them biting. Clyde’s reported that the largest concentrations of stripers are north of Tolchester. They let us know that there were reports of dolphin pods around the Bay Bridge throughout the week, possibly driving those stripers farther and farther north. Clyde’s suggested live lining for them, and reports that anglers using spot or eels with less than an ounce of weight in areas around 20-feet of water are catching.

kid caught a perch
Silas proves he’s the Still Pond Perch Pounder. Photo courtesy of Brad Spittel

Clyde’s also let us know that the white perch bite is absolutely crazy right now. There haven’t been any hotspots recently, with fish spread even and thick in the rivers. Clyde’s suggested using the classics for them: bloodworms or grass shrimp on a bottom rig, or shad darts. They also let us know that catfish aren’t holding back on the bite and are thick in rivers and throughout the area.

Tochterman’s reports that some anglers are enjoying solid snakehead action in Dundee Creek and the Bush River. Mepp’s Aglia number three and four plain spinners, plastic frogs, and chatter baits are all triggering strikes, especially when “attacking” a fry ball.


Way North Chesapeake Fishing Report, June 4 Update:

Anglers hitting the flats for stripers are doing best with topwater early and late in the day, and live-lined white perch once the sun is high in the sky. Catfish occasionally take the white perch as well, but any attempts to fish cut or dead bait for rockfish seems to result in… well, you know! The cat numbers are even higher up in the river with the Rt. 95 bridge channel areas and the dam pool both fingered as productive this week. Reader reports of good catfish action also came in from the Sassafras and the C & D Canal this week, with chicken livers fingered as a hot bait with five to 10 cats average catches.

catfish anglers up the bay
Steve and Matthew Fisher — yes, that’s their real last name — caught these cats in the northern end of the Bay.

Scattered reports of snakeheads also continue to come in from the lower river areas, though we didn’t get as many this week as in the recent past. We also heard from one reader who probed the Gunpowder in search of snakeheads while casting spinnerbaits and topwater, but reported catching a couple largemouth bass, instead.