Lower 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. Striped bass season has officially come to an end in the Potomac River and Virginia waters of the Chesapeake Bay. Fishing for stripers will be strictly catch and release from here on out until the season opens later this year. In Virginia Waters, anglers fishing at the mouth of the Rappahannock are catching migratory striped bass. The bite has not been on fire, but covering water and keeping a close eye on electronics has produced some very big fish. One reader said that they have been doing well while live-lining live eels near the main channel. Trolling has also been an effective method as the fish are usually in small wolf packs suspended in the water column and moving quickly.
On the Potomac River, trollers took full advantage of the last few days of catch and keep season. We heard of several reports of boat limits in the lower Potomac with several big fish mixed in as well. One recreational boat reported catching around a dozen slot fish and kept their six-man limit. Another boat said it only took them an hour to catch their limit, then they enjoyed catch and release fishing for fish into the mid 30” range. Farther up the Lower Bay tidal rivers, blue catfish are in their wintering zones, which include the deeper holes and channels on the main stems of the rivers. The Potomac, Rappahannock, and James River are all premier destinations for trophy blue catfish. Recent reports show that fresh cut eel has been the hot bait, and small chunks seem to be outperforming big baits. Fish are also most active during a moving tide, so make sure to check those tide charts before heading out.