Updated: Thursday, June 25, 2026 · Next update: Thursday, July 2, 2026
This Chesapeake Bay fishing report for late June finds the bay into its summer fishery. Cobia build in the lower bay around the shoals and channel edges, post-spawn stripers feed through the middle and lower bay, and red drum, trout and Spanish mackerel round out a busy summer card. Summer water warms into prime cobia range. The conditions to plan around are calm mornings for sight-fishing before the afternoon wind, and afternoon thunderstorms that build over the bay.
What’s Hitting
Cobia are the headline in the lower bay, sight-cast and chummed up around the shoals and channel edges. Striped bass feed post-spawn through the bay. Red drum work the shoals, Spanish mackerel are on the bait near the mouth, and croaker and trout fill in around the structure.
Where to Find Them
Sight-cast and anchor for cobia around the lower-bay shoals, the buoys and the CBBT. Stripers work the channel edges and structure through the middle and lower bay. Red drum sit on the shoals near the bay mouth, and Spanish chase bait along the beaches and channel edges.
The middle-bay channel edges and the Eastern Shore tributaries hold stripers and trout, giving options when the lower-bay cobia grounds are crowded or windy.
Tides & Conditions
Use the calm mornings for sight-fishing before the afternoon wind. The moving tide triggers the striper and drum bite around structure, since current pushes bait past fish holding on the edges. Afternoon thunderstorms build over the bay, so keep an eye on the radar on every trip.
Tackle & Tactics
Match the rig to the target:
- Sight-cast bucktails or live eels and bunker to cobia, or anchor and chum on the shoals.
- A stout spinning outfit with 30- to 50-pound leader handles cobia and big bull reds.
- For stripers, troll or jig the channel edges with jigging spoons and live-line spot around structure.
- Throw spoons to Spanish on a fast retrieve.
- Fish cut bait for red drum on the shoals.
Local Intel This Week
Launch from the Kiptopeke State Park or Lynnhaven (Crab Creek) ramps for lower-bay access to the cobia shoals and the CBBT; Sandy Point serves the upper bay. Cobia concentrate on the lower-bay shoals and stripers along the channel edges. The CBBT, the Kiptopeke fishing pier and the Hampton Bar give shore and small-boat anglers access to cobia, stripers and croaker. Striped bass and cobia have strict seasons in both Virginia and Maryland waters. Check current state and federal regulations and seasons before keeping fish.
This Week’s Tip
For cobia, a chum line on a productive shoal pulls fish to the boat even when sight-fishing is slow. Set up on the up-current edge of the structure, get a steady slick going and keep a sight rod ready for fish that follow the chum right to the transom. Consistency in the slick matters more than volume.
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