Chesapeake Bay Baltimore Washington D.C. Fishing Report Today

Name’s Artificial Lure, checking in with your Chesapeake Bay fishing report for the Baltimore–D.C. stretch.

We’ve got a classic early‑summer pattern setting up. Around Baltimore, first light is just after 5:40 a.m. with sunset close to 8:35 p.m., giving you a wide window to work those low‑light bites. Mornings are starting mild and humid, afternoons warming into the upper 70s to low 80s with a south to southwest breeze most days and a chance of pop‑up thunderstorms late in the day. Plan to be off the water or tucked in a creek by mid‑afternoon if you see those dark clouds stacking.

Tides on the upper Bay are running the usual two highs and two lows, with a mid‑morning high and late‑afternoon low around the Key Bridge and up into the Patapsco. Down toward Annapolis and the mouth of the Severn, shift that schedule a little later. Moving water has been the key; slack tide has been dead slow, but once that current starts sliding, the bite turns on fast.

Striped bass are still the headliner. Most fish are schoolies in the 18–24 inch range with some mid‑20s mixed in, holding on channel edges, bridge pilings, and any hard structure with a clean current seam. Light‑tackle jigging has been solid: 3/4‑ to 1‑ounce jig heads with 4–5 inch paddle tails in chartreuse, electric chicken, and natural bunker colors are producing steady action. A lot of locals are also doing well tossing small metal spoons and 1‑ounce jigging spoons straight under the birds when they pop up.

Live bait has been deadly when you can get it. Live spot and soft crab are top of the menu; bloodworms are still pulling fish but they’re pricey, so most folks are saving them for picky bites. Cut bunker on the bottom is pulling in a mix of schoolie rock and the occasional catfish in the upper reaches of the rivers.

White perch are thick in the creeks and along rip‑rapped shorelines. Small jig heads tipped with grass shrimp, bloodworms, or little pieces of soft crab are doing work, and any tiny gold spoon or beetle‑spin has been money for folks fishing light spinning gear. Perfect time to take kids or just put a mess of fish in the cooler for a fry.

Blue catfish in the Potomac and upper Patuxent are still wide open. Fresh cut gizzard shad, bunker, or chicken breast soaked in a little garlic are filling coolers with fish in the 5–20 pound range, with bigger ones showing after dark. Heavy sinkers, strong leaders, and patience – they’ll come to you.

As for hotspots, two standouts right now:

• The **Key Bridge and Patapsco River channel edges** – Work those pilings, drop‑offs, and nearby humps with jigs or live bait on the moving tide. Schoolie stripers and the odd better fish have been stacked here when the current’s right.

• The **Mouth of the Severn River and surrounding Bay side points** – Early and late, cast soft plastics or small topwaters along points and rip‑rap. Once the sun’s up, slide out deeper and jig the drops and ledges where the bait is marking.

If you’re looking for an easy half‑day, slip into any of the shallower creeks at first light with small paddletails or topwaters for rockfish and perch. Once the sun gets high, back off into 10–20 feet and fish jigs or bottom rigs.

That’s the scoop from around the Chesapeake for today. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss the next report.

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Good morning, anglers, this is **Artificial Lure** with your Chesapeake Bay fishing report for the Baltimore and Washington, D.C. waters. Early June has the Bay waking up fast, with **striped bass**, **speckled trout**, **bluefish**, **white perch**, and **catfish** all in play depending on the water and tide.

For **tides**, the smartest move today is to fish the moving water. In this part of the Bay, the bite usually picks up best on the last of the outgoing and the first of the incoming tide, especially around creek mouths, bridge pilings, points, and channel edges. If you’re launching before dawn, target the first hour of current change and again near the evening flood.

For **weather**, expect classic early-summer Chesapeake conditions: warm, humid air, with the chance of morning clouds or pop-up showers and a breeze that can help break up the surface. A light chop is often a good thing out here, especially for breaking fish. If the wind lays down hard, go smaller and quieter with your presentation.

**Sunrise** is early enough to make first light worthwhile, and **sunset** gives you that last strong window for topwater and baitfish activity. The best action is often right around dawn and again in the final hour before dark.

Recent reports from local waters have been pointing to a mixed bite. Anglers around the upper Bay and tributaries have been finding **rockfish hitting live bunker, cut bait, and paddletails**, while **white perch** have been stacking up near docks, riprap, and bridge shadows on bloodworms and small jigs. In warmer pockets and grassy shorelines, **speckled trout** have been showing on soft plastics and small topwaters. **Bluefish** can show up suddenly and cut through a school like a pair of scissors, so keep wire leaders handy if they’re around. If you’re fishing deeper holes and tidal edges, **catfish** remain steady on cut bait and shrimp.

Best **lures** for today:

- **4 to 6-inch paddletails** on jigheads, especially pearl, chartreuse, and opening night colors

- **Topwater walkers and poppers** at first light

- **Metal spoons** for covering water when bait is scattering

- **Small soft plastics** for perch and specks near structure

Best **bait**:

- **Live bunker** for striped bass

- **Cut menhaden** or **fresh cut bait** for bigger predators and catfish

- **Bloodworms** for perch

- **Shrimp** when you want steady bites from mixed species

A couple of **hot spots** worth checking:

- **The mouths of the Magothy, Severn, and Chester River systems**, where bait gets pushed by the tide

- **Bridge pilings and current seams** around the Bay Bridge approaches and nearby channel edges

If I were running the boat today, I’d start shallow at daybreak with a topwater or paddletail, then slide deeper as the sun gets up and the current starts rolling. Keep an eye out for breaking fish, working birds, and nervous bait flicking on the surface—that’s where the action is.

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This is Artificial Lure with your Chesapeake Bay fishing report for the Baltimore–D.C. corridor.

We’re sitting under classic early‑summer patterns around the upper and mid‑Bay. The National Weather Service is calling for a warm, muggy day: light southwest breeze early, building into the low teens by afternoon, with a mix of sun and clouds and a chance of a pop‑up shower as the heat builds. Morning air temps start in the upper 60s, pushing well into the 80s by mid‑day. According to the U.S. Naval Observatory, sunrise is right around 5:40 a.m. with sunset near 8:30 p.m., giving you a long window to work the tides.

NOAA tide tables for the upper Chesapeake show an early‑morning incoming tide, peaking mid‑morning, then easing to a late‑afternoon low. That sets up a classic one‑two punch: pre‑sunrise to mid‑morning on the flood, then an evening bite as current picks back up. Slack in the heat of the day is likely to be slow, especially in the shallows.

Recent dock talk from local marinas and charter captains around Rock Hall, Kent Island, and the Patapsco has been consistent: striped bass are still the headliner, with a mix of keepers and schoolies. Light‑tackle jigging over mid‑Bay structure has been producing decent numbers when the current is moving. Anglers have been reporting pockets of 18–24 inch fish with some larger mixed in, especially at first light. White perch are thick on hard bottom and around piers, and the catfish bite in the upper Bay rivers has been steady, especially in the Susquehanna, Patapsco, and Potomac.

For lures, think “natural and subtle” in this clear early‑summer water. Local tackle shops are moving a lot of 4–6 inch soft plastics in alewife and chartreuse/white on 1/2 to 1 oz jig heads for stripers. Small metal spoons and Kastmaster‑style jigs are working when fish are chasing small bait on top. Topwater plugs—Spooks, poppers, and walkers—have been drawing explosive strikes right at daybreak over shallow bars and points; once the sun’s up, switch to jigs and deeper edges. For perch, tiny beetle spins, shad darts tipped with bait, and small inline spinners are putting fish in the bucket.

On the bait side, fresh menhaden remains king for stripers and big blue cats, either chunked or live‑lined where allowed. Bloodworms or good quality fish‑bite strips are deadly on perch and spot. Nightcrawlers and cut eel are doing work on catfish in the rivers and creek mouths. If you’re soaking bait, focus on that moving water window; dead slack has been a grind.

Couple of local hot spots to keep on your radar:

1. Mouth of the Patapsco and Francis Scott Key Bridge area: current breaks around channel edges and structure have been holding schoolie stripers, especially on the last half of the incoming tide. Work jigs along the drop‑offs and watch for bait on the sounder.

2. Eastern Bay and the mouth of the Chester: hard bottom and channel edges are producing mixed bags of stripers, perch, and the occasional speckled trout. Early‑morning topwater over the flats, then slide off to jig the deeper contours once the sun gets high.

If you’re fishing close to D.C., the tidal Potomac is still a solid bet for blue cats and the odd striper down around the bridges and channel ledges—just bring enough weight to hold in the current.

Work the low‑light, moving‑water windows, stay mobile until you mark fish, and keep an eye on that afternoon breeze; it doesn’t take much to stack up a nasty chop in the open Bay.

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This is Artificial Lure with your Chesapeake Bay fishing report for the Baltimore and D.C. crowd.

We’ve got a classic early‑summer pattern setting up on the Upper Bay. Around Baltimore, NOAA tide tables show a pre‑dawn low and a solid incoming through the morning, then another high mid‑afternoon. That incoming water has been the sweet spot: bait pushes up on the points and fish are sliding shallow to feed. Winds are light south to southwest, 5–10 knots, with highs in the upper 70s to low 80s, a mix of sun and clouds, and only a slight chance of a pop‑up shower later. Sunrise is right around 5:40 a.m., sunset roughly 8:30 p.m., giving you a long window to work dawn and dusk.

Water temps in the Upper Bay are sitting in the low 70s, stained to dirty near the rivers after recent runoff, clearer as you get closer to the main channel. That stain has actually helped the bite shallow.

Striper action has picked up. Local reports from tackle shops around Pasadena and Essex say boats are boxing keeper rockfish in the 20–26 inch range, with a few up around 30, mostly early and late. Most of the numbers are coming off structure edges in 10–25 feet: channel ledges, bridge pilings, and rip lines where the tide pinches.

Best producers have been:

- Soft plastic paddletails in 4–5 inches, pearl or chartreuse on 1/2 oz jig heads.

- Bucktail jigs tipped with a small twister tail.

- For light tackle trollers, tandem rigs with 4–6 inch shad bodies in white or bunker patterns.

Live lining spot is starting to creep in down toward the mid‑Bay, but up around Baltimore most folks are still working soft plastics or cut bait. Fresh bunker chunks and soft crab on fish‑finder rigs are taking their share of schoolies and the occasional bigger fish on deeper edges.

White perch are chewing in the rivers and creeks—the Magothy, Patapsco, and Severn have been steady. Shore anglers and small‑boat folks are getting good pick‑a‑fish action with 8–12 inch perch on:

- Small shad darts tipped with bloodworms or grass shrimp.

- Tiny spinners and beetle spins in gold.

- Bottom rigs with bits of bloodworm around docks and piers.

Catfish remain wide open, especially for D.C. area anglers on the tidal Potomac and upper Patuxent. Blue cats to 20–30 pounds are coming on fresh cut shad, bunker, or chicken, fished on simple fish‑finder rigs in 15–40 feet along channel edges and outside creek mouths. Night and low‑light have been best, but with the stained water they’ll eat all day.

Here are a couple of hot spots to circle on the map:

First, the Key Bridge / Patapsco channel edges. Work the pilings and nearby drops with 4–5 inch paddletails during the first two hours of the incoming tide at daybreak. Let those jigs sink to mid‑water and hop them just off bottom; that’s been putting rock in the net.

Second, Podickory Point and the nearby shipping channel edges. Drifting and jigging bucktails or soft plastics along the drop from about 15 to 35 feet has produced steady rockfish and some decent perch hanging a little shallower. If the sun pops high and the bite slows, slide deeper and try heavier jigs or a bit of cut bait.

If you’re stuck on shore around D.C., the Washington Channel and Hains Point have been solid for catfish and the occasional striped bass at night—chunk bait on a simple bottom rig will keep the rod bending.

That’s your Bay rundown from Artificial Lure. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss the next report.

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This is Artificial Lure with your Chesapeake Bay fishing report for the Baltimore–Washington corridor.

We’ve got a warm, early-summer pattern setting up across the upper Bay and tidal rivers. Around Baltimore, air temps are riding the upper 70s into the 80s midday, with sticky humidity and a light south to southeast breeze most of the day. Skies are partly cloudy with a chance of a pop-up shower inland by late afternoon. On the Western Shore near Annapolis and down toward the mouth of the Potomac, winds are a touch stronger in the afternoon, enough to kick up a light chop on open water, but still very fishable.

Sunrise is lining up right around 5:40 a.m. on the upper Bay, with sunset about 8:30 p.m. That gives you long low-light windows at dawn and again the last two hours of daylight. Those have been the best bite windows for most species.

Tide-wise, the upper Bay around Baltimore Light and the Key Bridge sees a pre-dawn high, sliding toward a mid-morning ebb, with low tide late morning to midday and a strong incoming through the afternoon into early evening. Farther south near Annapolis and the Bay Bridge, shift those tides roughly 30–45 minutes later. That afternoon flood has been key for pushing bait up onto points, riprap, and bridge pilings.

Fish activity has ticked up with the warming water. Rockfish are still the headliner. Anglers working the Patapsco, Back River, and around the Key Bridge have reported steady schoolie action with some keeper-sized fish mixed in, especially early and late in the day around current seams and structure. Down by the Bay Bridge, fish have been holding tight to the pilings and under birds when bait gets pushed to the surface.

White perch are running thick in the upper Bay rivers and creeks. Folks soaking bait on simple bottom rigs around piers and channel edges are putting good numbers in the bucket, with the better fish coming on the top and bottom of the tide when current’s not ripping. Catfish remain very active in the Patapsco, Patuxent, and upper Potomac, with plenty of eater-sized blues and some bigger fish showing for those soaking cut bait on deeper ledges.

Recent catches have been dominated by rockfish in the 18–24 inch range, fair numbers of white perch, and consistent blue cats. A few speckled trout and puppy drum have been reported farther south and east, but close to Baltimore and D.C. it’s mostly stripers, perch, and cats carrying the load.

For lures, think natural baitfish profiles. For rockfish: 4–5 inch soft plastic paddletails in pearl, chartreuse, or alewife on 1/4 to 1/2 ounce jig heads are producing, especially around bridge structure and channel edges. Small bucktail jigs tipped with soft plastics, along with silver or gold casting spoons, are also solid. At first light, topwater plugs like Spooks and poppers along shoreline points and riprap can be deadly when there’s visible surface activity.

Best bait right now: bloodworms or fishbites-style artificial strips for white perch and smaller rockfish; fresh cut bunker, shad, or alewife for blue catfish and bigger stripers; and live minnows or grass shrimp where you can find them for perch and mixed bag fishing near docks.

A couple of hot spots to circle on your chart:

• The Key Bridge and adjacent Patapsco River channel edges. Work jigging plastics around pilings and current breaks on the moving tide. Early morning and that afternoon flood have been best.

• The Bay Bridge pilings and rock piles. Vertical jig soft plastics or bucktails tight to the structure, and keep an eye out for birds and breaking fish on either side of the bridge during tide changes.

If you’re closer to D.C., the upper tidal Potomac around Fort Washington and downstream toward Indian Head is a solid bet for numbers of blue cats and some mixed bass action along grass lines and laydowns.

That’s your Bay beat from Artificial Lure. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a report.

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Name’s Artificial Lure, checking in with your Chesapeake Bay fishing report for the Baltimore–D.C. crew.

We’re sitting on a classic early‑June pattern. Mild morning temps sliding up into the upper 70s to low 80s, light southwest breeze, and just enough humidity to remind you it’s summer on the Bay. Local marine forecasts are calling for mostly clear skies with a chance of a pop‑up afternoon shower. Water temps are hovering in the upper 60s to low 70s in the upper Bay and slightly warmer down toward the main stem.

Tides around the Bay Bridge and Baltimore Harbor are running a standard mixed semidiurnal cycle: an early morning low, building to a late‑morning to midday high, another drop in the afternoon, and a smaller evening push. You’ll want to time your trips around the moving water; that first couple hours of incoming and the start of the outgoing have been the most productive.

Sunrise is right around the very early 5:40s, with sunset a little after 8:30 in the evening, giving you a long window to chase the bite. The low‑light edges have definitely been the prime time.

Recent reports from local tackle shops and charter captains up and down the central Bay say striped bass are still the headliners, though more catch‑and‑release focused in some areas. Anglers working structure near the Bay Bridge pilings, the Key Bridge, and deeper channel edges have been boxing decent keepers where regulations allow, with a good number of throwbacks mixed in. Folks are talking 18–28 inch fish pretty regularly, with an occasional larger fish for those putting in the hours.

White perch are chewing hard in the rivers — Magothy, Patapsco, Severn, and up the Chester. Bank anglers and small‑boat folks are bringing in healthy numbers once they find a little current break or some hard bottom. Spot are starting to show in better numbers on the deeper edges, and there’ve been some croaker and catfish in the mix, especially farther up the rivers and around Baltimore Harbor’s deeper holes.

Artificial‑wise, this has been a jigging game. Quarter‑ to half‑ounce jig heads tipped with 4–5 inch paddletails in chartreuse, white, or alewife patterns have been the go‑to for stripers. Metal jigging spoons and smaller flutter spoons worked vertically around bridge pilings and channel ledges are putting fish in the boat when they’re holding deeper. For perch and spot, small shad darts, beetle spins, and tiny soft plastics on 1/16‑ to 1/8‑ounce heads are doing work.

For bait, bloodworms are still king for perch and spot, with razor clams and soft crab chunks getting the nod for stripers on the anchor. Fresh bunker and cut alewife are producing steady catfish bites, especially up the Patapsco and in the upper reaches of the Bay’s tributaries.

A couple of hotspots to circle on your chart:

First, the **Bay Bridge area**, especially the eastern side pilings and nearby rock piles. Vertical jigging on the up‑current side of the structure during moving water has been consistent for stripers. Slide off to the adjacent flats and ledges and you’ll often find perch stacked up.

Second, the **mouth of the Patapsco** and out toward the Key Bridge. Work the channel edges, submerged structure, and any bait marks you see on the finder. Early and late, there’s been a solid mixed bag here: schoolie stripers, catfish, and some perch closer to shore.

One last tip from a local: don’t sleep on the evening bite. That last hour of light on a falling tide has been just as good as dawn, and you’ll dodge some of the weekend traffic.

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Name’s Artificial Lure, checking in with your Chesapeake Bay fishing report for the Baltimore–D.C. stretch.

We’re riding a warm, early‑summer pattern now. Light southwest breeze this morning, picking up a bit in the afternoon, with air temps climbing through the 70s into the low 80s and scattered clouds. NOAA’s marine forecast calls for relatively manageable chop on the main stem, but it’ll get bumpy once that afternoon breeze stacks against the tide, so plan your run times.

Tides around the Bay Bridge and mid‑Bay are showing an early morning incoming, topping out mid‑morning, then a solid outgoing through the afternoon. Down toward the mouth of the Potomac the timing lags a bit, but you’re still getting that classic morning flood and afternoon ebb. That moving water is your feeding window, especially for stripers.

Sunrise came early and sunset’s late now, so you’ve got generous low‑light windows. First light to about 9 a.m. and the last two hours before dark are your prime casting times. Midday will fish, but you’ll work harder and likely have to go deeper.

On the catching side, the upper and mid‑Bay have been giving up good numbers of schoolie striped bass with some keepers mixed in. Anglers have been boxing fish in the 18–24 inch range, with the occasional mid‑20s and better when you find tighter bait balls. White perch are stacked on hard bottom in the rivers and bridge pilings, and croaker and spot are starting to show more consistently on soft bottom edges. Catfish are still chewing hard in the Potomac and upper tributaries, especially where fresh water meets a bit of salinity.

Artificial‑wise, this is a great time for **soft plastics** and **bucktail jigs**. Try 4–5 inch paddletails in bunker, pearl, or chartreuse on 1/4 to 3/4 ounce jig heads, depending on current. Classic white bucktail tipped with a curly tail or a small strip of soft plastic is still deadly around pilings and channel edges. Topwater is absolutely in play at dawn and dusk: walk‑the‑dog plugs in bone or black, and prop baits over shallow grass or riprap. For perch, small Beetle‑spin style spinners and tiny grubs will keep rods bent.

If you’re running bait, fresh cut bunker or soft crab for stripers, bloodworms or fishbites for perch and spot, and fresh cut shad or eel for big blue cats will all produce. Live spot, when you can get them, remain money for larger rockfish on lumps and channel ledges.

A couple of local hot spots to put on your list:

– The **Bay Bridge pilings and rock piles**: Work jigs tight to the structure on the edges of the tide, especially the up‑current sides. Let that lure sweep naturally in the current and hold on.

– The **mouth of the Patapsco and Key Bridge area**: Birds and bait have been showing here on moving water. Cast soft plastics into breaking fish or vertically jig marks on your sonar along the channel drop.

Inside the rivers, look for current seams, points, and any hard bottom with a bit of depth change. If you’re not marking bait or fish in 10–15 minutes, move. Early summer is all about staying mobile until you bump into life.

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This is Artificial Lure with your Chesapeake Bay fishing report for the Baltimore–D.C. corridor.

We’re sitting on a classic early‑June pattern. Around the mid‑Bay, NOAA tide tables show a pre‑dawn low and a strong incoming through mid‑morning, then another push late afternoon into dusk. That incoming tide has been the ticket all week. Sunrise is right around 5:40 a.m., sunset about 8:30 p.m., giving you a long window, but the best bite has been first light through about 9 a.m., then again after 6 p.m. once the sun drops and the wind lays.

Weather-wise, regional marine forecasts are calling for a light southwest breeze, generally under 10 knots, with daytime temps in the upper 70s to low 80s and decent visibility. That SW wind piles bait along western‑shore structure, so think points, riprap, and bridge pilings from the Patapsco down toward the Bay Bridge.

Rockfish (stripers) are still the main show. Local reports out of Baltimore charter docks and tackle shops say schoolies in the 18–24 inch class are pretty thick around the Key Bridge, the Patapsco channel edges, and the Bridge pilings, with an occasional keeper mixed in. Anglers jigging 1/2–1 oz soft plastics on 3/8–1 oz jigheads in chartreuse, white, or “electric chicken” are putting good numbers in the boat during the morning tide. Trollers running small umbrellas and tandem bucktails with 4–6 inch shads along 20–40 feet of water are also doing steady business.

White perch are chewing hard in the upper Bay rivers and creeks. Folks hitting the Magothy, Severn, and the upper Patapsco are reporting plenty of hand‑sized perch on bloodworms, grass shrimp, and small pieces of soft crab on bottom rigs. Tiny spinners and shad darts tipped with grass shrimp under a float are great if you like to keep it light on spinning gear. This is an easy play for kids or a quick after‑work run.

Catfish remain a reliable backup plan. The upper Bay and the tidal Potomac are holding good numbers of blue cats. Fresh cut bunker, gizzard shad, or chicken breast soaked on fish‑finder rigs in 10–25 feet of water will get hit. If the striper bite slows with the sun high, slide upriver and soak some bait; you’ll usually find action.

Best lures this week:

- 4–7 inch soft plastics on jigheads (chartreuse, white, or pearl for stripers).

- 1/2 oz bucktail jigs with a curly tail trailer.

- Small inline spinners and shad darts for perch.

Best natural baits:

- Bloodworms, grass shrimp, and soft crab for perch and stripers.

- Fresh cut bunker or shad for catfish and opportunistic stripers.

Couple of local hot spots to circle on the map:

- The Key Bridge and Patapsco channel edges: working great at first light with soft plastics and shallow‑running plugs on the moving tide.

- The Bay Bridge pilings and rockpiles: classic early‑summer striper structure, especially on that stronger part of the incoming tide and again at dusk.

If you’re launching after work from the D.C. side, the tidal Potomac’s channel edges and creek mouths are worth a look for cats and random stripers; focus on moving water around points and bends.

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Name’s Artificial Lure, checking in with your Chesapeake Bay fishing report for the Baltimore–D.C. crowd.

We’re working a classic early-summer pattern now. Water temps in the mid to upper 60s to low 70s across the upper Bay and main stem, with decent clarity on the eastern side and a little more stain on the western shore after recent winds and boat traffic. Light to moderate south to southwest breeze, making open-water drifts manageable if you watch the whitecaps and keep an eye on the afternoon chop.

Tide-wise, we’ve got a solid moving tide morning and late afternoon. Think low before sunrise, pushing in through the early morning, then a falling tide toward evening in most of the upper Bay and Patapsco/Severn stretches. Check your specific station, but plan to fish an *hour on either side of peak current* for the best bite. Sunrise is right around the early 5 a.m. hour, sunset near the 8:30 p.m. mark, which gives you prime low-light windows for stripers.

Recent chatter from local tackle shops and Bay regulars has the striped bass bite improving around the Bay Bridge pilings, Love Point, and the shipping channel edges. Fish have mostly been schoolies to mid-20‑inch class, with a few bigger mixed in when the bait balls stack up. Anglers trolling tandem bucktails and small shad umbrellas are putting decent numbers in the boat, while light‑tackle folks jigging 1/2–1 oz soft plastics in chartreuse, pearl, and bunker patterns are doing well when they mark arcs tight to structure.

White perch are thick in the creeks and along hard-bottom shorelines of the Magothy, Severn, and Patapsco. Small bottom rigs tipped with bloodworms, grass shrimp, or Fishbites are producing steady action. Pan-sized perch limits have been common for patient anglers sitting on shell or rock. Catfish remain reliable in the upper Bay and river mouths; cut bunker or chicken soaked on the bottom is filling coolers, especially in the Patapsco and Bush.

For lures, think **chartreuse and white** as your confidence colors. Soft plastic paddletails, 4–6 inches, on 1/2 oz jig heads are money around the Bay Bridge, Love Point, and channel edges. Metal jigs and spoons will shine if you find breaking fish or tight bait schools. In shallower morning and evening water, small topwater plugs and walk‑the‑dog baits can coax stripers along riprap and points.

Best natural baits right now: soft crab, peeler crab, live spot where available, and fresh bunker. Soft crab on a light fish‑finder rig around bridge pilings and rock piles has been scoring quality stripers when the current’s right. Peeler and bloodworms are your go‑tos for perch and mixed bottom species.

A couple local hot spots to keep on your short list:

• Bay Bridge Piers and nearby rock piles: great for jigging stripers, especially at dawn, dusk, and during strong current.

• Love Point and the surrounding channel edges: trolling lanes for stripers, plus solid bottom fishing nearby for perch and cats.

• Backup options: Magothy and Severn River mouths for perch and the occasional striper at first light along points and oyster bars.

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This is Artificial Lure with your Chesapeake Bay fishing report for the Baltimore–D.C. stretch.

We’re sitting on a classic early‑June pattern. Around Baltimore, National Weather Service marine data calls for morning temps in the upper 60s to low 70s, pushing into the upper 70s and low 80s by afternoon, light southwest breeze building to 10–15 knots, and only a slight chop on the open Bay. Skies are partly to mostly sunny with a low chance of showers later. Sunrise comes a little before 5:45 a.m., sunset just after 8:30 p.m., giving you a long, fishy day of light.

Tides in the upper Bay today run a predawn low followed by a mid‑morning flood, then an afternoon ebb. The best window is that first two hours of incoming and the first of the outgoing, especially around structure with moving water—bridge pilings, channel edges, and rip‑rapped points. Current is your friend: if it’s not moving, keep moving until you find it.

Recent reports from local tackle shops and charter skippers around Hart‑Miller, the Key Bridge, and down toward the Bay Bridge say striped bass action has perked up on the edges in 15–30 feet. Schoolie rockfish in the 18–24 inch class are the main players with a few bigger keepers mixed in. Anglers drifting soft plastics and small jigs have been putting numbers in the boat, and light‑tackle trollers have been picking off fish along the channel contours.

White perch are thick in the tidal rivers—the Patapsco, Magothy, Severn, and South—all the way up into the creeks. Bank anglers are reporting steady action on hand‑sized perch with the odd catfish and small rock mixed in. Catfish, especially blue cats, are still chewing hard in the Potomac and upper Bay tributaries; cut bait on bottom rigs has been putting up some real tug‑of‑war sessions.

Best artificial lures right now:

- For rockfish: 3–5 inch soft plastics on 1/4–3/4 oz jigheads in chartreuse, alewife, and white; small paddletails and straight tails are both working.

- For topwater around dawn and dusk: small walking baits, poppers, and spooks in bone or silver/black.

- For perch: 1/16–1/8 oz shad darts, tiny spoons, and beetle‑spin style jigs.

For bait:

- Rockfish: live spot or soft crab if you can get them, otherwise cut menhaden.

- Perch: bloodworms, grass shrimp, or small pieces of nightcrawler.

- Catfish: fresh cut menhaden, gizzard shad, or chicken soaked in your favorite stink.

A couple of hot spots to circle on your chart:

- **Key Bridge / Patapsco River mouth** – Work the bridge pilings and nearby channel edges on the flooding tide. Bounce jigs downcurrent of the structure or slow‑troll small bucktails and paddletails. Good shot at schoolie rock plus a mix of perch and the occasional catfish.

- **Bay Bridge pilings and rock piles** – Classic early‑summer pattern. Hit the shadows at first light with soft plastic jigs and topwater. As the sun climbs, drop heavier jigs straight down along the pilings and rock piles in 20–40 feet. Expect mostly schoolie rock with some better fish if you’re patient.

If you’re shorebound, the fishing piers and access points on the Severn, Magothy, and local Patuxent and Potomac spots are giving up perch and cats on simple bottom rigs and small jigheads—perfect for an after‑work session.

That’s your Chesapeake Bay report from Artificial Lure. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss the next tide.

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