Lower Bay Fishing Reports

Lower Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, September 12 Update:

The shallows of Lower Bay tributaries were very productive this week for many of our favorite species. Kayak anglers hitting the lower Potomac are reporting some solid success on slot redfish while casting scented jigs and bouncing them slowly along bottom. The Tackle Box reports that after a slow bite last week, things are back in order and they had several accounts of slot red drum in the St. Mary’s around points and creek mouths. A pair of fly anglers fishing the Corrotoman had a great outing last weekend as they boxed a limit of puppy drum, filled a cooler with big white perch, and caught three carp. Another angler fishing out of Whitestone last weekend also found a good bite. They caught slot and over-slot puppy drum, speckled trout, rockfish, and a few flounder. Virginia anglers are anxiously awaiting the opening of the fall striped bass season which will run from October 4th through December 31st. The shallow water bite should only get better and there is plenty of bait around too that should lead to fish frenzies once Rocktober arrives.

There are only a few days left for anglers to box a cobia before the season will close in both Maryland and Virginia waters of the Chesapeake Bay. The season officially closes after September 15th but catch and release will still be allowed. Big bluefish, some Spanish mackerel, bull reds, and cobia are all still being found in open water along channel edges and shoal areas, though some of them are starting to push south. Cobia fishing has been tough in September as early cold fronts stunted the bite for a bit and has likely pushed some fish south. There were a few successful reports from around the Target Ship and Tangier Island by trollers pulling large surgical tubes. Mackerel are becoming less numerous and if water temperatures continue to drop rapidly, the remaining schools will push south soon. The general rule this week was that the better fishing for these species was being found in Virginia waters, but scattered schools can still be found inside the Potomac. The name of the game is still to cover lots of water and keep an eye out for signs of life on the water whether it be bird activity or boat activity. It looks like some nasty weather is going to blow in over the back half of the weekend, so get out and wet a line before the wind kicks up.

Lower Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, September 5 Update:

The Lower Bay has been a hotspot this week as anglers aim to take advantage of the wide variety of fish that late summer offers. Creeks and tribs of the lower Potomac remain a highlight for those ISO slot redfish, with readers reporting rockfish, plus a few blues and speckled trout in the mix. A kayak angler on the Potomac had an exceptional day fishing the shallows last weekend as they caught over 50 fish. This included a mix of white perch, rockfish, and red drum. Most of the drum were undersized, but they did catch two slots at 24 and 26 inches. On the Rappahannock, a similar pattern is in place and we saw reports of reds as far north as Tappahannock. The early onset of fall-like temperatures will likely start heating up the action in the shallows as fish begin to feed to build up body reserves for the colder months ahead. Look for action around creek mouths, shoreline points, rip-rap, docks, and any other hard structure that can provide cover for predatory fish.

The Tackle Box reports that trollers are having the best luck when targeting mackerel, bluefish, cobia, and red drum. Surgical eels are catching big blues and cobia while small metal spoons have worked well for mackerel and smaller blues. Bull drum have been few and far between as cooler temperatures have likely started to push the larger schools south. Covering water has been the name of the game for these fish as they have been popping up anywhere from the mouth of the Potomac down to Deltaville. We did get multiple reports of big bluefish being caught in the vicinity of the target ship last weekend with some reaching the 28-inch mark. There have been a lot of boats on the water during calm days as many anglers are trying to take advantage of the last two weeks of cobia season, so be prepared for crowds, especially on weekends. Our late summer push of cobia started in mid-August and fish have made their way as far north as Poplar Island, but better concentrations have been reported around Point Lookout, the Target Ship, Tangier Island, Windmill Point, and York Spit. The northeast winds and cooler temperatures will likely send the fish south soon, but the action isn’t done just yet.