• Autumn Fishing Bonanza in the Chesapeake Bay Around Baltimore and DC

  • Nov 22 2024
  • Length: 3 mins
  • Podcast

Autumn Fishing Bonanza in the Chesapeake Bay Around Baltimore and DC

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  • Summary

  • As of November 22, 2024, the Chesapeake Bay, particularly around the Baltimore and Washington D.C. areas, is seeing a significant uptick in fishing activity due to the recent cold fronts and more seasonal weather.

    ### Weather and Tidal Conditions
    Today, expect partly cloudy skies with a high of around 55 degrees and a low of 45 degrees. Sunrise is at 6:53 AM, and sunset will be at 4:43 PM. Tides are moderate, with a high tide at 9:15 AM and a low tide at 3:15 PM, making the changing tides ideal for targeting various species.

    ### Fish Activity
    The cold fronts have finally brought water temperatures down, and fish are now schooling up and engaging in their typical fall feeding patterns. Striped bass, or rockfish, are active in several areas. Anglers have reported good success in the Patapsco River, especially around Fort McHenry and the mouth of the river. The Bay Bridge is also a hot spot, with trollers doing well along the edges of the shipping channel and between the pilings. Light tackle anglers are finding success jigging in the eddies on the backside of pilings during running tides[1].

    White perch are schooling and moving to deeper waters, particularly around the mouths of tidal rivers and shoals in the upper Bay. They have been caught in 35-foot depths, with metal blade baits, especially those with a firetiger pattern, proving effective[1].

    Big blue catfish are another target, often caught by chunking up fresh cut bunker, eel, or using clam baits around the lumps near Pooles Island. These lumps in the 20-30 foot range have historically been productive for catfish[1].

    ### Best Lures and Bait
    For striped bass, umbrella rigs with 5” sassy shads have been successful, especially when trolling. Jigging with soft plastics and metal blade baits is also effective. For white perch, metal blade baits with firetiger patterns are recommended. For blue catfish, fresh cut bunker, eel, or clam baits are the way to go[1].

    ### Hot Spots
    - **Patapsco River**: From Fort McHenry out to the mouth, this area is producing both striped bass and white perch.
    - **Bay Bridge**: The edges of the shipping channel and between the pilings are great spots for trollers and light tackle anglers.
    - **Pooles Island**: The lumps around this island are good for targeting blue catfish and striped bass.

    With the current weather and tidal conditions, these spots are likely to yield some impressive catches. Keep an eye out for bird shows, as they often indicate the presence of schooling fish.
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