Where To: Fishing Hotspots

Fishing hotspots in the Chesapeake Bay, Atlantic Ocean, and nearby freshwater fishing spots are detailed in specific, so you know where to go fishing.

July 13, 2022
The Mid-Atlantic region boasts a wide variety of fishing opportunities that are sure to satisfy any angler's addiction, whether you hope to catch a croaker or bag a bluefish. But sometimes the right…
July 3, 2022
Previously we looked for rock formations in the Upper and Middle Bay and this month we pick up that theme off Cedar Point, where there are excellent online sonar resources that facilitate the scoping…
June 4, 2022
My Brother once commented “Fish are where you find them.” We laughed, but what could be closer to the truth? Striped bass, rockfish as we call them in Maryland, are fairly easy to catch once you find…
May 27, 2022
East Ocean View Reef, originally known as ODU College Reef, or ODU Reef, was sponsored by The Institute of Oceanography at Old Dominion University (ODU). The reef’s purpose was to support student…
May 1, 2022
Many of Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay fishing grounds are accessible only by boat, but luckily, whether you own your own fishing machine, hop on a charter, or rent a boat for the day, just about anyone…
April 23, 2022
Just how much can you learn with modern electronics, like a Furuno NavNet system with DFF3D capabilities? The scans tell the story. Off the middle of Assateague Island about 4.1 miles out, look for a…
April 4, 2022
Flying can be tough for an angler looking to do some Maryland and Chesapeake Bay fishing. You have to pack your rods up in a tube, your bait knives and hooks need to be checked, and if you try to…
March 25, 2022
“That reef’s not fishable” said the late Charter Captain Eddie O’Brien, who was dedicated to trolling for rockfish. “Why did they build it that way?” His complaint: the rubble was indiscriminately…
March 13, 2022
Established in 1970, the Tower Reef is one of Virginia’s early artificial reefs and was originally sponsored by the Tidewater Artificial Reef Association of Virginia (TARAV), before becoming part of…
March 5, 2022
Are you a lifelong Marylander, have you moved here from afar, or are you just in the state for a visit? No matter why you find yourself in a Maryland state of mind, if you’re an angler, you’re in…
February 15, 2022
Couch-potato scouting for fishing structure seemed like a worthwhile diversion during the pandemic shelter-in-place and scanning my computer screen for wrecks and obstructions started well; then the…
February 3, 2022
Whether you’ve flown here from Fort Lauderdale, driven from Detroit, taken a train from Tucson, or if you call Hamden home sweet home (hon), if you’re in the state of Maryland, you’re in for some…
January 2, 2022
A common theme from commercial fishermen during the research phase of a 1990s national study of fishing vessel safety was, “We don’t go far offshore, so we don’t need new safety requirements.” Wrong…
December 17, 2021
For several years in a row now we’ve seen awesome winter fishing possibilities pop up during late December warm-ups lasting from several days to a week, where midday temps climbed into the 50s, the…
October 25, 2021
Nautical charts from the late 1990s show a large circular fish haven about 12 miles east of Rudee Inlet… yet there’s none charted there today. Why wasn’t this reef folded into the Virginia Marine…
October 4, 2021
Many vessels disappeared without a trace during the days of sail, often as it turns out not far from shore, adding to their tragedy. The existence of one such “unknown” sailing vessel off Ocean City…
September 28, 2021
Why do we call striped bass rockfish? Because they like to reside around rocks, of course! And experienced Chesapeake anglers know that hot fishing is in store when you find a submerged rockpile or…
September 13, 2021
When the wind kicks up a nasty chop at favorite main-stem hotspots, knowledge of Bay area geography and tributaries like the Chester River can save a fishing day. Advance preparation enables…