Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report – August 8th, 2025

The first week back from the rockfish closure in the Middle Bay has been productive as well. Areas like the Patuxent River, Poplar Island, and Sharp’s Island have been reported as hot spots. Casting topwater plugs during low light hours and throwing three inch to five inch paddletails once the sun comes up should get them biting. Live-lining around structure will work well, too. Bluefish are blitzing from just south of the Choptank to the mouth of the Bay. Finding birds is key, and once the fish start breaking, cast metal jigs tied to a heavy monofilament or wire bite leader. Some bull redfish are being found close to the bluefish in the Middle Bay zone, so keep an eye on your electronics and look for any flashes of gold in the breaking bluefish. Seven inch paddletails are the go-to for most anglers when targeting schools of bull reds. White perch are still tougher to come by than anyone can remember in recent years, however there are a few locations where fish are being caught. Multiple reports have come in from the Rhode and Patuxent Rivers, with anglers casting inline spinners, Perch Hounders, and micro hair or feather jigs tipped with grass shrimp. Spot and croaker can be found on the bottom near any structure or shoal using sabiki rigs tipped with bloodworms or Fishbites.

Rockfish are open to target again in the Lower Bay, and reports of hot bites have come in from Point Lookout and Hooper’s Island. Targeting shallow water structure with topwater plugs, diving plugs, and paddletails is a great option. Anglers targeting rockfish are also catching speckled trout and the occasional puppy drum. Both of these species will hit in the same areas as rockfish on the same lures, but try a popping cork rig if you intend on targeting puppy drum or specks specifically. The summer heat has caused the bite window to be pretty brief in the morning early hours, as once the air and water begin to heat up, the rockfish, drum, and trout move to deeper water and become more difficult to find. On the bottom, there is lots of species variation being reported. Fishing over submerged rock structure with sabiki rigs tipped with bloodworms, soft crab bits, and squid is producing spot, croaker, baby black sea bass, undersized flounder, toadfish, and pufferfish. Cobia fishing is still extremely hit or miss in the area surrounding the Target Ships. Chunking alewife is the best method for attracting fish, unless you get lucky and see one cruising on the surface. Bluefish are still blowing up at the surface, though the not near to the level we were seeing the past two weeks. Bull reds can be found in and around the schools of bluefish, although it will take lots of looking to find that Chesapeake Gold. Target bluefish by finding birds and waiting for the feeding frenzy, then cast metal jigs on heavy mono bite leaders or wire leaders. Try to score a redfish by dropping a seven inch paddletail below the schools of bluefish, or by locating fish on your electronics.

The water in the upper reaches of the Potomac, Susquehanna, and Monocacy Rivers is reported as being high and muddy, making smallmouth fishing tough. Once the water levels drop and clarity improves, look to target these fish using topwater poppers and swimbaits during low light hours. Largemouth bass fishing in ponds and lakes improved a bit with the slight cold front at the beginning of the week, with anglers reporting catches on spinnerbaits, topwater frogs, and live bluegill. Crappie and sunfish are being caught along weedlines and near laydowns with minnows or nightcrawlers under bobbers. Most of the region’s snakehead are in post-spawn mode, meaning they are no longer guarding fry and are back hunting in grass lines and shallow mud flats. On the West side of the Bay Bridge, good reports have come in from the Potomac River and its creeks. On the Eastern Shore, most reports have come from the Blackwater area. Topwater frogs, chatterbaits, paddletails, and live minnows are all great options to stick a snake. The catfish bite is starting to pick up in both non-tidal and tidal portions of the Western Shore rivers. Chunks of alewife or chicken liver on a bottom rig are often the most effective methods for catching lots of cats.

The tuna bite has slowed down significantly out in the canyons, however there are plenty of other species to target out in the deep blue. More and more white marlin are being released every day in the Washington and Baltimore canyons. Tilefish are being caught in the same canyons, with bluelines found in 300 feet to 500 feet of water, and goldens caught in 800 feet to 1000 feet. Mahi are plentiful and can be found around lobster balls in the Washington and Baltimore canyons. Don’t be afraid to check other floating objects, however, as a group of our Prostaff filled the box this week with mahi caught underneath a floating, dead sea turtle. At the inshore wrecks and reefs, flounder and seabass along with the occasional triggerfish are being caught, particularly at the Jack Spot reef. Perhaps most exciting is the presence of cobia around these reef and wrecks. Target them with live eels or large bucktail jigs. Sheepshead and triggerfish are being caught in the inlet on bottom sweeper jigs tipped with green crabs, squid, or shrimp. At the Rt. 50 bridge, rockfish and bluefish are still being caught on heavy jigs and deep-diving plugs. Surf fishing has been slow this week, however reports have come in of keeper flounder being caught on bucktail/teaser rigs tipped with Gulp. Anglers fishing for sharks have been catching more rays than anything else, with the occasional shark or red drum mixed in. Kingfish, spot, and croaker are almost always available to catch in the surf, and are best targeted with bottom rigs tipped with sand fleas.

August and September are some of the best months for crabbing in the Chesapeake Bay. Reports are thick of folks collecting full bushels in a day or less of work. Razor clams and chicken necks are working well in pull traps, on hand lines, and on trot lines. Look to target three feet to eight feet of water in the Severn, Chester, Choptank, Magothy, and South Rivers.