Upper Bay Fishing Reports

Upper Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, December 6 Update:

Striped bass season has less than a week to go in Maryland waters of the Chesapeake Bay and will officially close after December 10th. Catch and release fishing will still be allowed after the season closes. Unfortunately, the bite has not been as good as we had hoped for this fall, but there are pockets of fish that can still be targeted. The Patapsco River has been one of the hotspots and there are still fish being caught this week. An angler trolling umbrella rigs along the main river channel edge says that his recent bites have come in 45’ of water. Deep channels in the Patapsco have also been holding schools of white perch with most of them being found in the 40’ to-50’ range. One angler reported that blade baits have been the hot lure on recent trips. He has caught a few striped bass and several perch all of which were holding close to bottom. Other areas that can produce fish this time of year are the rock piles at the Bay Bridge and the ledges along the shipping channel on the main stem of the Bay.

Off the main stem of the Bay, action in the tribs for pickerel has been much better, with anglers in the Magothy reporting a good bite with the colder temperatures. Fish seem to be hanging out around docks in the upper reaches of creeks and along shorelines with fallen trees and other structure. The pickerel bite seems to be the most consistent option right now and will remain a great opportunity throughout the winter fishing season. Anglers planning to fish for pickerel should consider signing up for the CCA Pickerel Championship. The tournament runs until the end of February 2025 and there are several divisions to compete in for great prizes.