January brings the Chesapeake Bay’s most dedicated anglers out for trophy striped bass in the lower Bay and tautog on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel. Water temperatures have bottomed out in the mid-30s°F in the upper Bay and hover around 40–44°F near the Bridge-Tunnel and the Bay mouth — the warmest water in the system and where the largest concentrations of winter species hold.
Inshore Fishing — January 2026
Striped Bass — Trophy Season in the Lower Bay
The largest striped bass in the Chesapeake system winter in the lower Bay between the Bay Bridge-Tunnel (CBBT) and the Bay mouth. Fish in the 28–44″ range concentrate in the Chesapeake Channel, the Outer Middle Grounds, and around the CBBT tunnel island complex in 30–60 feet of water. Vertical jigging with 4–6 oz Stingsilver, Crippled Herring, or BKD-style metal jigs in white or chartreuse is the primary winter technique. Work the jig in 3-foot hops off the bottom — bass hold tight to the substrate in cold water and rarely chase bait far.
Live-lining large spot or croaker on a 7/0–9/0 circle hook in 40–60 feet of water near the CBBT structure produces consistent hookups when bait is available. The south side of the CBBT’s island #1 fishes consistently throughout January on all tides. The Outer Middle Grounds shoal produces best on incoming tides when current concentrates bait over the shallow edges.
Tautog — CBBT Rock Piles
The Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel’s island rip-rap and rock fill holds a strong population of tautog throughout the winter. Fish from 3 to occasionally 12+ pounds are caught regularly by anglers fishing green crabs or fiddler crabs on a Virginia-style rig with 4–5 oz bank sinker directly on the structure. The CBBT fishing pier (accessible by fee — cbbt.com) provides excellent tautog access without a boat. The south side of each island concentrates fish on outgoing tides; the north side on incoming.
Offshore Fishing — January 2026
True offshore fishing is minimal in January. The CBBT tunnel islands are the offshore equivalent for most Bay anglers in winter — focus on tautog, late stripers, and the occasional spadefish around the artificial structure. NOAA weather windows in January are rare enough that open-water offshore trips are not practical for most.
Top Techniques — January
1. Vertical jigging for deep winter stripers: Find fish on the sounder holding 5–10 feet off the bottom in 40–60 feet of water. Drop a 5 oz white Stingsilver to the bottom, reel up 3 turns, then work in sharp 2-foot hops. The strike comes on the pause as the jig falls. 20–30 lb braided line with 40 lb fluorocarbon leader and a 6/0–8/0 assist hook.
2. Bottom-bouncing for CBBT tautog: Fish a two-hook Virginia rig with 4 oz bank sinker directly on the CBBT rip-rap. Lower to the bottom, feel for the rock structure, then lift 6 inches and hold. Tautog bite as the crab settles. 30 lb fluorocarbon leader, 4/0–5/0 wide-gap hook, and patience.
3. Slow-rolling soft plastics for lower Bay stripers: A 5″ shad-tail swimbait on a 1.5 oz lead head, retrieved very slowly (1/4 crank per second) through the current seam 10–20 feet below the surface, imitates a dying bunker and triggers reaction strikes from winter stripers that won’t chase a faster presentation.
Insider Tips
Water temperature is your best indicator. In January, even a 2°F difference in water temperature will concentrate fish. The CBBT area consistently runs 3–5 degrees warmer than the upper Bay. Use NOAA’s CoastWatch SST charts to find the warmest water in the Bay system before making the run.
Fish the warmest part of the day. Unlike spring and fall, winter striper metabolism is slow. The bite in the lower Bay often improves from 10am–2pm as solar warming raises surface temperatures slightly and activates baitfish near the bottom structure.
Looking Ahead to February
February continues the trophy striper season in the lower Bay, with the additional bonus of pre-spawn perch running up the Bay’s freshwater tributaries. Tautog remain excellent at the CBBT. Watch for the first cobia scouting reports from the Virginia Beach area by the very end of February in warm years.
Updated every Thursday. See our Chesapeake Bay Fishing Guide for year-round detail.