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Fishing Reports
Weekly fishing reports for the Chesapeake Bay and Mid-Atlantic and surrounding region. If you would like to be notified via e-mail when our weekly fishing reports are updated, click here to sign up.
FishTalk fishing reports are presented by Anchor Boats, Brown Dog Marine, CCA MD, Riverside Marine, Suzuki Marine, and Tri-State-Marine
Coastal Mid-Atlantic Fishing Report, January 15 Update:
The brief warm up to start the new year made for some great fishing weather. Scott Lenox from Fish In OC reported that he was able to get in on an excellent offshore trip last week during the warmer weather. He reports that it was one of the best days of bottom fishing he has ever had. They fished in 130’ out of the Ocean City Inlet and started their day with a great tautog bite. They used green crabs and white leggers on bottom sweeper… Read more from Coastal...
Freshwater Fishing Report, January 15 Update:
We are two weeks into the new year, and I think all of us are ready for warmer weather. There are still plenty of fishing opportunities right now, but gearing up to brave the cold usually takes a lot of convincing. A reader checked in after fishing one of the Eastern Shore millponds this week. They reported a good bite for a mix of pickerel and bass. Most of their catches were bass that were schooled up in the deeper waters of the pond. Their… Read more from Freshwater...
Way North Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, January 15 Update:
It has been a slow start to the fishing season in 2026, but we did have a few reports that came in this week. Several readers let us know some fish were biting in the upper reaches of the Bay, including some nice yellow perch and lots of bluegills near Joppatown. A green and white shad dart tipped with worm did the trick. One said the yellows were “not on fire” but the fish that were around were of a very nice class and were hitting… Read more from Way North...
Upper Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, January 15 Update:
This cold weather is making us wish for Spring, but we are still a long way away from that. In the meantime, there are a few different species that can help us pass the time while still getting out on the water. Pickerel have been active in the Upper Bay tidal rivers this winter, but the bite has not been red hot. The higher concentrations of fish can be found in the Magothy River and the smaller tidal creeks off the main stem of the… Read more from Upper Bay...
Middle Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, January 15 Update:
The Angler in Chief says he made it out on the Patuxent late last week after a long stretch of being landlocked, but despite seeing some nice marks near the mouth of the river in 25’ to 35’ didn’t get any bites. Bait was thick, and they snagged several bunker, and bigger fish were spotted in small groups hunting around the baitfish. Back at the ramp, a boat they spoke with had caught a 47” rockfish outside of the river, in the main-stem… Read more from Middle Bay...
Lower Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, January 15 Update:
Anglers fishing for striped bass in the Potomac River have been reporting a slower bite for the most part. One angler fishing this week said they spent a few hours searching around the river and found fish in depths of 25’ to 32’, but the schools were small and staying close to bottom. They struggled to get bites, and the few fish they caught were smaller. Another angler said the bite windows have been short, usually around the tide… Read more from Lower Bay...
Tangier, Pocomoke, and Lower Shore Fishing Report, January 15 Update:
The weather has been all over the place since the start of the new year. This can make it difficult to pattern fish, but there are a few reliable bites to count on. A reader checked in after fishing one of the Eastern Shore millponds this week. They reported a good bite for a mix of pickerel and bass. Most of their catches were bass that were schooled up in the deeper waters of the pond. Their largest fish was a 23” fish,… Read more from Tangier and Lower Shore...
Way South Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, January 15 Update:
There are several good reasons to brave the cold in this region of the Chesapeake Bay. The red drum were active this week in the Way South tidal tributaries. We had several reports of puppy drum cruising the shallows feeding on bait at depths of four feet or less. One angler caught a limit of reds, keeping three fish in the upper range of the slot, and releasing several others. Fresh shrimp was the hot bait. Another angler reported… Read more from Way South...