Fishing Report
Chesapeake Bay (middle), VA
Summary: Middle Bay - 8/28/26 When the striped bass season reopens September 1, anglers will be exploring locations that produced prior good fishing results. The Bay Bridge Piers will no doubt attract anglers and hopefully they will encounter striped bass. Live-lining spot or drifting baits to the pier bases will be a popular way to fish. The early morning and late evening hours during a strong current flow offer the best fishing. Spot can be found in the shallower waters at the west end of the Bay Bridge. The channel edge from Buoy 83 south past the Sharps Island Light will be a good place to explore for striped bass. Thomas Point will be worth checking out as will various channel edges throughout the middle bay region. Live-lining spot will be a popular way to fish and spot should be able to be found in the shallower waters of Whitehall Bay, Chesapeake Beach, Eastern Bay, the lower Choptank, and other tidal rivers. Spanish mackerel and bluefish are still providing good fishing in the middle Bay and anglers are urged to not delay on enjoying their presence. The Spanish are going to exit the middle bay region soon and head south; the bluefish will usually stick around a little longer. Trolling a mix of Drone spoons and gold Clark spoons behind planers and inline weights are working well for the Spanish mackerel. Bluefish will hit the spoons but placing a few surge tube lures in a trolling spread will increase bluefish catches. Chumming for bluefish continues to be popular while drifting cut spot baits. White perch are being found in the region’s tidal rivers and creeks, often holding near structure in deeper waters. The larger white perch tend to move into shallower waters during the evening near shoreline structure. Fishing under docks with grass shrimp or pieces of bloodworm is a fun way to fish, especially for our younger anglers. Casting small spinnerbaits, spin jigs, and similar small lures offer fun light tackle fishing along promising looking shorelines during the evening hours. Fishing over oyster bars with bait for white perch will offer a mix of sizes. There are blue catfish and channel catfish in all the region’s tidal rivers, but the upper Choptank offers the best fishing opportunities this week. The blue catfish can be found near Denton as they seek the cooler waters in the channels.