Chesapeake Bay Fishing

The Chesapeake Bay offers a wealth of sport fishing opportunities.  Favorite Chesapeake Bay species include rockfish, bluefish, drum, speckled trout, flounder, spot, and croaker.  Look below for regulations, reports, and resources for fishing Maryland and Virginia's Chesapeake Bay waters.

Going Fishing?  Know the Regulations

Make sure you're legal.  Fishing regulations are different for Maryland and Virginia waters.  Know the proper Chesapeake Bay fishing regulations and licensing requirements. 

Chesapeake Bay Fishing Reports:

• Capt. Jim's Fishing Reports. Fishing reports for the middle Chesapeake Bay area.

• Chesapeake Bay Fishing Reports and Message Boards. User entered fishing reports from around the Chesapeake Bay.

• Maryland Chesapeake Bay Fishing report provided by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Chesapeake Bay-wide fishing reports for Maryland waters updated weekly.

• Virginia Saltwater Review.  The Virginia Marine Resources Commission compiles this weekly saltwater fishing report for Virginia waters.

• Chesapeake Angler.  Monthly fishing reports

• Tidal Fish.  fishing reports include Maryland and Virginia portions of the Chesapeake Bay.

Chesapeake Bay Fishing Charters:

There are Chesapeake Bay Charter fishing boats operating throughout the Maryland and Virginia regions of the Bay.  If you want to be assured of a good day of Chesapeake Bay fishing, taking a charter is a great option.  Most Chesapeake Bay towns have at least a few fishing charters operating out of their port.  Some of the larger charter fleets are located in Deale, Chesapeake Beach, Solomons, Kent Island, and Reedville are popular places for charter fishing boats to depart from. 

Charter captains know where the fish are and how to catch them.  They will provide the fishing tackle and bait and they'll ice down your catch for you.  BayDreaming.com's Chesapeake Bay Charter Fishing Directory will point you to the websites for fishing charter captains in the Chesapeake Bay area.

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 Rudow's Guide to Fishing the Chesapeake

Rudlow's Guide the Fishing the Chesapeake Bay is the most comprehensive guide to angling on all the Chesapeake's waters from Main-stem Bay to tributaries and tidal creeks.  Detailed charts show over 550 specific hotspots and 35 public shoreline fishing hotspots.  Specific Bay sportfish and the most effective methods of catching them during each phase of the season are meticulously discussed on a fish by fish basis, as are both modern and traditional tackle and rigs.  Topics are as varied as casting for spring trophy rock on the Susquehanna Flats, jigging for seatrout at the Bay Bridge, wire-ling for flounder at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, and ice fishing for perch in Port Deposit.

See more details and purchase online from Amazon.com

Maptech Large Chart Kit for Chesapeake and Delaware Bays

These chart kits are full-color reproductions of U.S. Government and private charts spiral bound into easy to use compilations.  Features include GPS datums, Latitude/Longitude, Loran grids, distances in nautical miles, and aerial photos of harbors and anchorages in popular destinations.  The 22 x 17 inch books are large enough to allow for manual platting, yet small enough to sit on your nav-station or lap.
 

 View Details and Order Online from Boaters World, with free shipping and no sales tax

Weather and Tides:

Use BayDreaming.com's weather and tides page to check the marine forecast, current conditions, and tides and weather forecasts before going out on the water.

Waypoints:

There are several websites available that list Chesapeake Bay Loran and GPS waypoints for fishing and boating use.  We've gathered links to these sites and have provided them below. 

• Chesapeake Bay Fishing Hot Spots: Listing of user entered coordinates for favorite Chesapeake Bay fishing locations.

• Daybreak Local Fishing Information:  Collection of GPS and Loran waypoints for Maryland's lower Eastern Shore and Virginia's Eastern Shore. 

• Wrecks:  Loran and GPS coordinates for Chesapeake Bay wrecks.

• Virginia's Artificial Reef Program:  Description and coordinates for artificial reefs.

• Virginia Lower Chesapeake Bay Loran Waypoints:  This listing includes notes on the types of fish commonly caught at each location. Includes wreck and reef locations. Most sites are in the Cape Charles, Virginia area. 

• Visit our Chesapeake Bay Maps and Charts page for maps and charts available for sale online.

Careful Catch:

Help conserve our Chesapeake Bay resources by only keeping the fish you'll use and releasing the rest for another day.  The Chesapeake Bay Foundation has released a fact sheet with helpful information on how to safely practice catch and release fishing.

Chesapeake Bay Fishing Links:

• Chesapeake Angler Magazine.  The online version of the monthly Chesapeake Bay fishing magazine.  Includes fishing articles and charter fishing boat directory.

• Virginia Marine Angler's Guide.  From the Virginia Marine Resources Commission.  Includes a guide to Virginia's saltwater fishes, saltwater fishing tournament information, and licensing requirements.
   

• Fishing tackle for sale @ BoatersWorld.com