Upper Bay Fishing Reports

Upper Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, January 15 Update:

This cold weather is making us wish for Spring, but we are still a long way away from that. In the meantime, there are a few different species that can help us pass the time while still getting out on the water. Pickerel have been active in the Upper Bay tidal rivers this winter, but the bite has not been red hot. The higher concentrations of fish can be found in the Magothy River and the smaller tidal creeks off the main stem of the Patapsco River in the Baltimore metro area. Slow sinking or suspending jerkbaits are very effective this time of year. These fish thrive in colder water but can still be lethargic in the dead of winter. A slow presentation with a few jerks between long pauses is a good style of retrieve to get bites. Flashy lures with spinners also get their attention and can get reaction bites. Striped bass can be found in the deep channels of the Patapsco River, in the main stem of the Bay along the main shipping channel, and around the rock piles of the Bay Bridge. The bite is slower this time of year but can turn on during brief warmups.

There have been a few hearsay reports of yellow perch being caught in some of the upper reaches of the Magothy River, but we cannot confirm this. What we do know is that the yellow perch usually start getting caught with some consistency in the Magothy River in February. Since we are only a few weeks away from then, it’s plausible to think a few fish are in the area. Live minnows are the most effective way to catch the yellow perch in the winter, but small jigs tipped with worm can also work well. We want to remind anglers that the Maryland Department of Natural Resources just announced that the yellow perch creel limit has been reduced from 10 fish per person per day to five fish per person per day. This is due to poor spawning recruitment over the last several years. You can find more information from the public notice announced last week.

Upper Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, January 8 Update:

The first week of 2026 has come and gone, and the weather this week was great for getting out to fish. Unfortunately, we don’t have any reader reports to tell you how the bite has been. What we can tell you is that the pickerel creeks are open in the Upper Bay tidal rivers, and the warmer weather should have them active. The tidal creeks in the upper reaches of the Magothy River and the Baltimore area creeks are historically productive areas to fish for pickerel in the winter. They tend to congregate around docks, riprap shoreline, and marsh edges. Flashy lures work best, so throwing jerkbaits and spinners is a good tactic. In the main stem of the Bay and the tidal rivers, resident striped bass are in their wintering areas. The Patapsco River is known to hold stripers throughout the year. In the winter, these fish hunker down in depths of 30’ to 50’ in the main channels. They tend to stay tight to bottom, so metal jigs and bladebaits usually work best. Sometimes they are suspended feeding on bait, so soft plastics can also work, it just depends. Some migratory striped bass are likely out along the main shipping channel in the Bay, but we haven’t heard from any anglers out looking for them. Hopefully we have some better intel next week!

Upper 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. The wind was howling this week, and the weather was very cold, so there was not much fishing going on. The Upper Bay tidal rivers provide some protection from the wind for anglers targeting pickerel, but sub-freezing temperatures and blowout tides have made it difficult to fish productive waters recently. The forecasted temperatures look to have overnight lows below freezing, so tidal creeks may begin to freeze up. If you are lucky enough to have a creek with fishable conditions, suspending jerkbaits are an excellent winter lure for pickerel. Other productive lures include spinnerbaits, and paddletails. If all else fails, floating a minnow under a bobber usually gets them biting.

Fishing on the main stem of the Bay for striped bass is slow this time of year. There are likely some resident stripers and some migratory stripers hanging out along the main shipping channel ledge but locating them is not easy. Trollers will likely have the best luck as these fish are often suspended in the water column in small schools moving quickly. In the Patapsco River, resident striped bass are hunkered down in the main stem of the river at depths of 30’ to 50’. These fish have been very lethargic and are not eating throughout the day. Often the bite window is on the tide swing, but sometimes it can be during the peak of the moving tide. It really depends on the day. Metal jigs, spoons, and bladebaits are most effective for fish hanging on the bottom.