Chesapeake Bay fishing report for the week of September 24, 2026. I spent enough fall seasons on this Bay to know what the last week of September means. The water temperature is starting to drop, the bay anchovies and peanut bunker are moving, and the stripers are coming out of their summer funk. With the full moon Saturday, this is the week the fall pattern really gets going.
What’s Hitting
What’s hitting this week is striped bass. The fish are feeding on breaking bait in the middle and upper Bay, and the topwater bite at dawn and dusk is getting better every day. In the lower Bay, speckled trout are in the shallows and grass beds, and puppy drum and slot redfish are active around the shorelines and structure. Spanish mackerel and bluefish are still around, but they won’t be for long, and spot and croaker are thinning as the water cools.
Where to Find Them
Look for stripers under the birds in the middle Bay, from the Bay Bridge south to the Choptank River and the mouth of the Patuxent. The shallow-water bite along the rocky shorelines and points is also improving. In the lower Bay, speckled trout are in the grass beds and shallows around the Eastern Shore of Virginia and the Hampton Roads area. Reds are around the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel and the shorelines of the lower Bay.
Tides & Conditions
Strong full-moon tides are moving a lot of water, which is good for concentrating bait and fish. Water temperatures are in the low to mid-70s and falling. The first cool nights of fall are starting to show up.
Tackle & Tactics
For stripers on breaking fish, cast a soft plastic on a jig head or a small metal lure into the action. Topwater plugs are effective at dawn and dusk along the shorelines. For speckled trout, a soft plastic on a light jig head or a live shrimp under a popping cork. For reds, a soft plastic or cut bait fished around structure.
Local Intel This Week
In Maryland, the Sandy Point State Park ramp and the Kent Narrows ramp are good options. In Virginia, the Kiptopeke State Park and the Lynnhaven Inlet ramps provide good access to the lower Bay. Fish are concentrating under the birds and along the shorelines. Striped bass rules on the Bay change frequently and differ between Maryland and Virginia waters, so check current Maryland DNR and Virginia Marine Resources Commission regulations before keeping fish.
This Week’s Tip
When the stripers are feeding on bay anchovies under the birds, match the hatch. A small, slender soft plastic on a light jig head will often out-fish larger lures.
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