The Chesapeake Bay is in its early-summer pattern this week. Cobia are arriving in numbers in the lower Bay, the striper post-spawn fishery has settled in with fish recovering in the open Bay, and the Spanish mackerel and bluefish are running the lower Bay. Light winds most of the week.
Cobia — Building
The Chesapeake Bay cobia fishery is building toward its annual peak. First arrivals are settling into the lower Bay around the CBBT (Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel) complex, the Wolf Trap reef area, and the cape mouth. Sight fishing — running between rays and structure looking for fish on the surface or on the backs of cownose rays — is the active technique. White bucktails with soft plastic trailers on heavy spinning gear pitched to spotted fish.
Anchor-and-chum approaches are also producing. Sit at productive structure (Wolf Trap, the various reef numbers, the buoys around the CBBT), chum with ground menhaden, fish live or cut bait on circle hooks behind the boat. The bite typically goes binary — nothing happens or everything happens in 20 minutes.
The peak will be late June through early July. Numbers and average size will continue to build through next week.
Stripers — Post-Spawn Recovery
The Chesapeake striper population is in its post-spawn recovery phase. Fish are dropping back from the spawning rivers into the open Bay and feeding heavily. The middle Bay (Bloody Point Light, Thomas Point, Sharps Island) and the lower Bay (around the Bay Bridge complex through to the CBBT) are producing fish on chumming, live-lining menhaden when available, and topwater plugs at dawn.
The “magic” post-spawn fishing — aggressive fish on topwater over structure at first light — is at peak this week. Spook Jr.’s, MirrOmullets, and other walking plugs cast over working schools produce explosive surface strikes. The Bay Bridge pilings and the various reef numbers have been the consistent producers.
Chumming with ground menhaden at known structure is the high-percentage approach for putting numbers of fish in the boat. Cut chunks on circle hooks fished 30-60 feet behind the chum stream.
ASMFC slot regulations apply — verify current MD DNR / VA Marine Resources Commission rules. Use circle hooks with bait. Pinch barbs. Release oversized breeders.
Spanish Mackerel, Bluefish
Spanish mackerel are running in the lower Bay. Schools of 1-3 lb fish are pushing through the open water from the bay mouth up to around Tangier Island. Trolled Clarkspoons on planers (00 and 1 size) are producing limits when schools are located.
Bluefish are building. Snappers in the 1-3 lb class are abundant; choppers in the 5-10 lb range are scattered. Trolled or cast metals are the standard.
Croaker, Spot, Sea Trout
Bottom fishing for croaker, spot, and the inshore mix has improved this week. Standard bottom rigs with bloodworms or squid produce numbers fish at productive numbers throughout the Bay. The lower Bay (around the CBBT and the Cape Charles area) has been the most productive.
Speckled trout are scattered but a few schools have been found in the shallower water on the western shore. Live shrimp under a popping cork is the standard.
Wrecks and Reefs — Tog Closed
Tautog season is closed in MD waters (verify MD DNR dates). The Bay wrecks are producing sea bass and the occasional summer flounder.
What’s Ahead
The new moon is June 5 — expect strong cobia push and active striper bite cycles. Water temperatures climbing through the upper 60s. The summer mid-day heat is beginning.
For this weekend: cobia sight fishing on the lower Bay, dawn striper topwater over open-water structure, Spanish mackerel trolling.
Tight lines.