Upper Bay Fishing Reports

Upper Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, January 1 Update:

Happy New Year folks! We hope that everyone has made one of their resolutions to get out and fish more in 2026. The wind was howling this week, and the weather was very cold, so there was not much fishing going on. The Upper Bay tidal rivers provide some protection from the wind for anglers targeting pickerel, but sub-freezing temperatures and blowout tides have made it difficult to fish productive waters recently. The forecasted temperatures look to have overnight lows below freezing, so tidal creeks may begin to freeze up. If you are lucky enough to have a creek with fishable conditions, suspending jerkbaits are an excellent winter lure for pickerel. Other productive lures include spinnerbaits, and paddletails. If all else fails, floating a minnow under a bobber usually gets them biting.

Fishing on the main stem of the Bay for striped bass is slow this time of year. There are likely some resident stripers and some migratory stripers hanging out along the main shipping channel ledge but locating them is not easy. Trollers will likely have the best luck as these fish are often suspended in the water column in small schools moving quickly. In the Patapsco River, resident striped bass are hunkered down in the main stem of the river at depths of 30’ to 50’. These fish have been very lethargic and are not eating throughout the day. Often the bite window is on the tide swing, but sometimes it can be during the peak of the moving tide. It really depends on the day. Metal jigs, spoons, and bladebaits are most effective for fish hanging on the bottom.