Hey there, anglers! Artificial Lure here with your Chesapeake Bay fishing report for Monday, March 31, 2025. It's a beautiful spring day out on the water, with temps in the low 70s and a light breeze. Sunrise was at 6:51 AM, and we'll have sunset at 7:26 PM, giving us plenty of daylight to wet our lines.

Tides are looking good today, with low tide at 4:20 AM (-0.47 ft) and 4:25 PM (-0.42 ft), and high tide at 10:30 AM (2.83 ft) and 10:53 PM (3.4 ft). That incoming tide in the morning should get the fish moving.

Now, let's talk fish. Striped bass season is winding down, with the catch-and-release period ending today. Anglers have been having luck with big females feeding on bunker in pockets of warmer water. If you're out there today, remember it's strictly catch and release, and use heavy tackle to reduce fight times.

White perch are running strong in the tidal rivers, with anglers catching good numbers on shad darts tipped with bloodworms or minnows. Yellow perch are mostly spawned out, but you can still find some post-spawn fish in the deeper waters.

Blue catfish are on the move as water temps warm up. They're being caught from the Susquehanna all the way down to the Bay Bridge. Cut bait like white perch or menhaden on a fish-finder rig is your best bet.

For lures, big soft plastic jigs and suspending jerkbaits like the Rapala X-Rap have been producing for stripers. For perch, small jigs with 2-inch plastics or shad darts tipped with Gulp baits are the ticket.

Hot spots this week include the Susquehanna Flats for stripers (remember, catch and release only), the Choptank River for white perch, and the channel edges near the Bay Bridge for blue cats.

That's it for now, folks. Remember, starting tomorrow it's hands off the stripers until mid-May. But don't worry, there's plenty of other fish in the sea – or in this case, the Bay. Tight lines, y'all!

This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI