Lower Bay Fishing Reports

Lower Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, April 10 Update:

The Tackle Box reports that white perch are coming back to the shallows on warmer days, and they had several anglers report catching them on both bait and lures this week, but they are not in strong numbers yet. They also mentioned that catfishing has been excellent in the tidal Potomac River. They are very active from the Quantico up to Washington, D.C., but are starting to spread downriver. They expect blue catfish to be available to catch near Bushwood and Breton Bay sometime over the next month. Flathead catfish have also presented more angling opportunities as they congregate near the fall lines of the tidal rivers where shad and other anadromous fish get bottle necked during their spawn. Anglers are reporting a good flathead bite on the upper Potomac River in D.C. and on the James River near Richmond. You can catch these fish by using cut bait, but they respond very well to artificial lures. Jigging is a very effective method.

Big migratory striped bass are still in our area and are in various stages of their spawn. The air temperatures have been all over the place this spring with highs in the 80s and lows in the 30s just within the past 10 days. Anglers fishing on the Potomac have already reported catching spawned out females. The spawn isn’t over yet, but warm temperatures in the forecast will surely trigger fish to spawn as water temperatures climb into the low to mid 60s. Once these fish spawn, they will start heading south for the mouth of the Bay. You can still catch them on their way out, but they often move fast and are less focused on feeding. Expect the big fish to offer catch and release opportunities for a couple more weeks. Warming water temperatures are also bringing schoolie sized striped bass up the tidal rivers. We had reports from both the Potomac and Rappahannock rivers of fish in the 20” range willing to hit both cut bait and lures. While the big fish will start to migrate out, the schoolies should be around well into May.

The shad runs are well underway throughout the Lower Bay tidal rivers. Hickory shad are abundant near Fletchers Cove on the Potomac, City Docks on the Rappahannock, and near Richmond on the James. There are several smaller tributaries within these river systems that shad will run up. Areas such as Mattawoman creek off the Potomac are a great example of this. Eric Packard took a few shad trips earlier this week and reports that one day he started fishing at Governors Bridge on the Patuxent in search of American shad, but found no bites. He then drove to Mason Springs on Mattawoman Creek and headed up the creek to fish several holes where he caught 28 hickory shad and four dink largemouth bass. Packard has been catching fish on spin gear, casting chartreuse shad dart (various weights, water depth dependent) above a gold 000 Nungesser shad spoon. He has also used a five weight fly rod with small chartreuse jigs, bead head nymph and orange colored flies in various tandem setup and combinations. His largest shad this week was a Maryland citation-sized fish coming in at 18 and a half inches.

Lower Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, April 3 Update:

There is no shortage of fishing opportunities in the Lower Bay as we enter one of the most exciting months for spring fishing. Contributor Eric Packard tried for shad near Fletcher’s on the Potomac and didn’t find the fish, but a friend said he caught a pair of Americans and six hickories there the day before. Reports Editor Dillon Waters took a trip to Fletcher’s Cove last week to fish for flathead catfish on his kayak. The river flow was a bit fast, and the wind made it difficult to keep a vertical presentation while drifting, but he managed to catch five flathead catfish ranging from five to 15 pounds (almost as many fish as jigheads lost). A two and a half ounce jighead with an eight-inch dark green and silver paddletail produced the most bites. He also saw a few anglers catching hickory shad near Gordon’s Rock on the shoreline, but only a few. Another pair of readers spent a day fishing from Fletcher’s Cove down to Three Sisters Island. They caught one blue catfish, three flathead catfish, two schoolie striped bass, and one walleye. This stretch of river is busy with boats this time of year, so try to plan a midweek trip if you want to fish around fewer anglers. The shad bite has also been mediocre in Virginia on the upper Rappahannock and James. Hickory shad and a few American shad are being caught near City Docks on the Rapp and near Richmond on the James. One angler reported that a traditional red and white shad dart worked well this week while another angler had success on a gold spoon. The color and lure preferences of shad can change from day to day, so it is best to bring a variety of options with you in your tackle box. We cover all the basics you need to know in our Spring Shad Fishing article.

A big change to the striped bass fishery this year allows Maryland anglers to catch and release striped bass in certain areas of the Chesapeake Bay. Many of the tidal rivers and other tributaries are closed, so it will be best to check the Maryland DNR striped bass regulation maps to see where fishing is allowed. Catch and release fishing is also open on the Potomac River and in Virginia waters. The striped bass are migrating up the tributaries, and we have reports of trophy fish being caught in all the tidal rivers from the James up to the Potomac. Light tackle anglers are catching them with large soft plastics. Anglers throwing cut bait are also having success for both catfish and striped bass. If you are targeting striped bass with cut bait, make sure you are in compliance with the bait and gear restrictions of the jurisdiction you are fishing in. Maryland, D.C., PRFC, and Virginia jurisdictions do not have reciprocity amongst their regulations, so always double check before your trip.

The big news announced in Virginia this week was that the Virginia Marine Resources Commission closed down recreational speckled trout harvesting from April first through June 30th. This decision is in response to the cold stun event earlier this year that makes two consecutive years in a row with significant speckled trout die-offs in Virginia. Catch and release fishing is still permitted, but if you want to take a fish home for dinner, you will have to target other species. Speckled trout harvest is still allowed in Maryland waters of the Chesapeake Bay, but we will have to wait and see how many fish push up the Bay.