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Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report: Blue Cats, Perch, and More for a Productive Day on the Water
Good morning anglers! Here’s your Chesapeake Bay area fishing report for Saturday, April 12, 2025. Today brings promising conditions, so grab your gear and hit the water.
The sun rose at 6:32 AM and will set at 7:39 PM, giving us plenty of daylight for some solid fishing. Tides for Baltimore are as follows: a high tide at 7:11 AM, another at 7:29 PM, and low tides at 1:06 AM and 2:03 PM. The tidal coefficient is high today, meaning stronger currents—good movement for fish activity.
Blue catfish are the stars of the show right now across the Chesapeake Bay. These invasive fish are abundant, especially from the Bay Bridge northward, with reports of anglers hauling in fish over 30 pounds near Sandy Point, Hart Miller Island, and the Tolchester area. They are being caught in depths of 5 to 15 feet using fresh cut gizzard shad on fish finder rigs. If you’re targeting catfish, now is a great time to sign up for CCA Maryland’s Great Chesapeake Invasives Count to log your catches and win prizes.
White perch are another solid target. They’ve been running up rivers like the Chester River, Bush River, and even the upper reaches of the Patapsco. Crappie-sized plastics or shad darts tipped with bloodworms, grass shrimp, or minnows are effective baits. If you head to Middle Bay creeks or salt ponds like Triton Beach, you can find white perch schooling near structure.
Pickerel are active in tributaries such as the upper Magothy, Bodkin Creek, and Back Creek. They’re around structure like fallen trees and docks. Use lures like inline spinners, chatterbaits, or paddletails for the best results.
In freshwater areas and tidal tributaries, crappie are schooling near sunken structures like brush piles and docks. Small minnows under slip bobbers or marabou jigs tend to get bites.
For hotspots, check the waters near the Bay Bridge for blue catfish or the upper reaches of the Magothy and Patapsco for pickerel and white perch. The Chester River near Crumpton is another excellent location for catfish. Lastly, Mason Springs offers productive shad fishing with dart and spoon rigs—bright colors like chartreuse are working well.
Weather-wise, expect early spring conditions with moderate temperatures and calm seas, providing ideal fishing weather. Pack your cut bait for blue cats, shad darts for perch and pickerel, and small crappie jigs for freshwater action.
Tight lines and good luck out there!
The sun rose at 6:32 AM and will set at 7:39 PM, giving us plenty of daylight for some solid fishing. Tides for Baltimore are as follows: a high tide at 7:11 AM, another at 7:29 PM, and low tides at 1:06 AM and 2:03 PM. The tidal coefficient is high today, meaning stronger currents—good movement for fish activity.
Blue catfish are the stars of the show right now across the Chesapeake Bay. These invasive fish are abundant, especially from the Bay Bridge northward, with reports of anglers hauling in fish over 30 pounds near Sandy Point, Hart Miller Island, and the Tolchester area. They are being caught in depths of 5 to 15 feet using fresh cut gizzard shad on fish finder rigs. If you’re targeting catfish, now is a great time to sign up for CCA Maryland’s Great Chesapeake Invasives Count to log your catches and win prizes.
White perch are another solid target. They’ve been running up rivers like the Chester River, Bush River, and even the upper reaches of the Patapsco. Crappie-sized plastics or shad darts tipped with bloodworms, grass shrimp, or minnows are effective baits. If you head to Middle Bay creeks or salt ponds like Triton Beach, you can find white perch schooling near structure.
Pickerel are active in tributaries such as the upper Magothy, Bodkin Creek, and Back Creek. They’re around structure like fallen trees and docks. Use lures like inline spinners, chatterbaits, or paddletails for the best results.
In freshwater areas and tidal tributaries, crappie are schooling near sunken structures like brush piles and docks. Small minnows under slip bobbers or marabou jigs tend to get bites.
For hotspots, check the waters near the Bay Bridge for blue catfish or the upper reaches of the Magothy and Patapsco for pickerel and white perch. The Chester River near Crumpton is another excellent location for catfish. Lastly, Mason Springs offers productive shad fishing with dart and spoon rigs—bright colors like chartreuse are working well.
Weather-wise, expect early spring conditions with moderate temperatures and calm seas, providing ideal fishing weather. Pack your cut bait for blue cats, shad darts for perch and pickerel, and small crappie jigs for freshwater action.
Tight lines and good luck out there!
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By Quiet. PleaseGood morning anglers! Here’s your Chesapeake Bay area fishing report for Saturday, April 12, 2025. Today brings promising conditions, so grab your gear and hit the water.
The sun rose at 6:32 AM and will set at 7:39 PM, giving us plenty of daylight for some solid fishing. Tides for Baltimore are as follows: a high tide at 7:11 AM, another at 7:29 PM, and low tides at 1:06 AM and 2:03 PM. The tidal coefficient is high today, meaning stronger currents—good movement for fish activity.
Blue catfish are the stars of the show right now across the Chesapeake Bay. These invasive fish are abundant, especially from the Bay Bridge northward, with reports of anglers hauling in fish over 30 pounds near Sandy Point, Hart Miller Island, and the Tolchester area. They are being caught in depths of 5 to 15 feet using fresh cut gizzard shad on fish finder rigs. If you’re targeting catfish, now is a great time to sign up for CCA Maryland’s Great Chesapeake Invasives Count to log your catches and win prizes.
White perch are another solid target. They’ve been running up rivers like the Chester River, Bush River, and even the upper reaches of the Patapsco. Crappie-sized plastics or shad darts tipped with bloodworms, grass shrimp, or minnows are effective baits. If you head to Middle Bay creeks or salt ponds like Triton Beach, you can find white perch schooling near structure.
Pickerel are active in tributaries such as the upper Magothy, Bodkin Creek, and Back Creek. They’re around structure like fallen trees and docks. Use lures like inline spinners, chatterbaits, or paddletails for the best results.
In freshwater areas and tidal tributaries, crappie are schooling near sunken structures like brush piles and docks. Small minnows under slip bobbers or marabou jigs tend to get bites.
For hotspots, check the waters near the Bay Bridge for blue catfish or the upper reaches of the Magothy and Patapsco for pickerel and white perch. The Chester River near Crumpton is another excellent location for catfish. Lastly, Mason Springs offers productive shad fishing with dart and spoon rigs—bright colors like chartreuse are working well.
Weather-wise, expect early spring conditions with moderate temperatures and calm seas, providing ideal fishing weather. Pack your cut bait for blue cats, shad darts for perch and pickerel, and small crappie jigs for freshwater action.
Tight lines and good luck out there!
The sun rose at 6:32 AM and will set at 7:39 PM, giving us plenty of daylight for some solid fishing. Tides for Baltimore are as follows: a high tide at 7:11 AM, another at 7:29 PM, and low tides at 1:06 AM and 2:03 PM. The tidal coefficient is high today, meaning stronger currents—good movement for fish activity.
Blue catfish are the stars of the show right now across the Chesapeake Bay. These invasive fish are abundant, especially from the Bay Bridge northward, with reports of anglers hauling in fish over 30 pounds near Sandy Point, Hart Miller Island, and the Tolchester area. They are being caught in depths of 5 to 15 feet using fresh cut gizzard shad on fish finder rigs. If you’re targeting catfish, now is a great time to sign up for CCA Maryland’s Great Chesapeake Invasives Count to log your catches and win prizes.
White perch are another solid target. They’ve been running up rivers like the Chester River, Bush River, and even the upper reaches of the Patapsco. Crappie-sized plastics or shad darts tipped with bloodworms, grass shrimp, or minnows are effective baits. If you head to Middle Bay creeks or salt ponds like Triton Beach, you can find white perch schooling near structure.
Pickerel are active in tributaries such as the upper Magothy, Bodkin Creek, and Back Creek. They’re around structure like fallen trees and docks. Use lures like inline spinners, chatterbaits, or paddletails for the best results.
In freshwater areas and tidal tributaries, crappie are schooling near sunken structures like brush piles and docks. Small minnows under slip bobbers or marabou jigs tend to get bites.
For hotspots, check the waters near the Bay Bridge for blue catfish or the upper reaches of the Magothy and Patapsco for pickerel and white perch. The Chester River near Crumpton is another excellent location for catfish. Lastly, Mason Springs offers productive shad fishing with dart and spoon rigs—bright colors like chartreuse are working well.
Weather-wise, expect early spring conditions with moderate temperatures and calm seas, providing ideal fishing weather. Pack your cut bait for blue cats, shad darts for perch and pickerel, and small crappie jigs for freshwater action.
Tight lines and good luck out there!