Fishing Report
Chesapeake Bay (upper), VA
Summary: Upper Bay - 7/30/26 The Conowingo Dam continues to be on a typical summer evening power generation schedule this week. The cool waters are attracting striped bass, three species of catfish and Chesapeake Channa to the dam pool and lower Susquehanna River. The early morning hours offer the best opportunity to catch striped bass, and the catfish can be caught throughout the day. During the Bay striped bass fishing closure that runs from August 1 through August 31, anglers will need to pursue other species. Blue catfish are the primary target catfish species in the dam pool and river and can be found holding deep. Chesapeake Channa, also known as northern snakeheads, are entertaining anglers in the upper sections of the region’s tidal rivers. Shallow grass beds are the most frequented areas for Chesapeake Channa. Soft frogs, chatterbaits, and buzzbaits cast over shallow grass is one of the best ways to target them. DNR staff along with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service completed tagging Chesapeake Channa as part of a cooperative study that examines harvest rates and movement of the fish in portions of the upper Chesapeake Bay. From spring 2025 through May 2026, more than 450 snakeheads were tagged in tributaries of the upper Bay including the Bush, Elk, Gunpowder, Sassafras, and Susquehanna rivers. Reporting a tag comes with a cash reward; Fish were tagged with either a blue “high reward” tag worth $200 or yellow tags worth $10. Anglers must harvest fish and report tags to the USFWS Maryland Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office by phone at 1-800-448-8322. Anglers may report tagged fish for rewards through December 2026. Before the summer closure, anglers are reporting finding striped bass holding near Pooles Island, the Love Point rocks, and in some of the shallower waters of the Bay. Live-lining spot and small eels are a popular way to fish, jigging and casting paddletails is also a good way to fish. The best fishing success occurs during the early morning and late evening hours due to bright sun and warm water temperatures. Finding suitable dissolved oxygen at deeper depths continues to be a problem in some areas. Spot can be found near the mouths of the region’s tidal rivers. The smaller spot can be found in the shallowest waters and larger spot will be found in deeper waters. In some deeper areas white perch can be part of the mix. Fishing for white perch is being reported to be a very early morning and late evening situation for best success. Fishing for blue catfish will continue to be good this week. The blue catfish can be found in the middle to upper portions of the tidal rivers and holding in the channel areas. A variety of cut baits and scented baits work well to attract them. Anglers missing striped bass fishing during the closure can enjoy plenty of action with blue catfish and the ensuing tasty fillets. As a reminder, there are no size limits or creel limits associated with blue catfish. DNR’s blue catfish webpage holds a lot of good information for anglers.