Chesapeake Bay sun cracked the horizon at 6:13 this morning, casting pink light over a glassy tide rolling toward low at 8:47 AM and climbing to a midday high around 2:26 PM. Temperatures are set to climb into the high eighties with a patchwork of sun and clouds, and a light southwest wind at 10 knots—classic mid-August conditions, so make sure you’ve got sunscreen and plenty of water.

On the fishing front, there’s plenty to chase but you’ll want to time your outing to take advantage of that dawn window before the heat sets in. Just like always this time of year, stripers are laying deep or moving through shaded pier structure; the Bay Bridge tunnel pilings are still producing but the bite is described as hit-or-miss. If you can get on the water right at first light, you might luck into some solid fish in 12–20 feet along the three-mile stretch between Fisherman's Island and the first island. Drifting live spot or chunking soft crab by the pilings is the top ticket here. For those who like to cast—3-inch white or chartreuse paddletails along rocks or riprap move fish, and you’ll often hook into bonus speckled trout at the same spots.

Reports from On The Water echo what locals are seeing: the bluefish are stacked up from the Target Ship down to the HS Buoy. Trolling red and green tube lures or spoons behind in-line weights is the call, and folks are hitting their limits pretty consistently. Metal jigs cast into breaking schools are turning up both blues and the first wave of Spanish mackerel—a handful were landed off Cape Henry just two days ago, and more are showing as water clarity improves with the weaker tides.

If you want a changeup from the usual Bay fare, the inshore grasslines and backwaters are loaded with snakehead right now. These hard-fighters are on the chew post-spawn, so frog lures and noisy poppers dragged over the thick grass in the creeks of Dorchester and the Eastern Shore can get explosive surface strikes. The northern creeks off the York and the backside of Poquoson hold 'em, too.

Sheepshead fans, that’s your best August bite. The bridge tunnel and pilings on both sides of Thimble Shoals Tunnel are hot—dropping fiddler crabs or pieces of blue crab tight to the pilings is pulling steady action, with several fish over 7 pounds checked in at shops from Cape Charles to Seaford. According to folks on the ground and at Rick’s Bait and Tackle, sheepshead numbers are as good as we’ve seen in several seasons.

For trophy hunters, the cobia are cruising the lower Bay channel edges and off Cape Charles flats. Live eels, blue crabs, and croaker are all putting fish in the box, with several fish topping 50 pounds reported by Nauti Dog Sportfishing this week. Sight-casters working bucktails tipped with eel strips have seen fish following rays in three to six feet of water around Latimer Shoal—keep polarized glasses handy.

White perch and spot are still biting well for the family off docks and small boaters, particularly at mouth of the Rappahannock and in Mobjack Bay—piece of bloodworm or Fishbites on a #6 hook gets the job done. And the croaker bite remains consistent on the deep edges after sunset.

Hot spots you shouldn’t miss: the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel pilings for sheepshead and flounder, and the Target Ship area for bluefish and Spanish mackerel. Don’t overlook the mouths of the York and James for early-morning striper action, especially on moving tides.

Best baits and lures this week:
- Live spot, chunked crab, and soft plastics for stripers and trout
- Red/green tubes and small spoons for bluefish and mackerel
- Fiddler crabs and blue crab for sheepshead
- Live eels and croaker for cobia
- Bloodworms and Fishbites for perch and spot

Remember, with warm water and late-summer hypoxia, take care handling all your catch—revive those big fish for another day. Thanks for tuning in to today’s Chesapeake Bay fishing report with Artificial Lure. Be sure to subscribe and catch us next time.

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Good morning, anglers—Artificial Lure here, bringing you today’s Chesapeake Bay fishing report for August 13, 2025.

Conditions are shaping up classic for a late summer bite across the Virginia stretch of the Bay. According to the National Weather Service, we’ve got southwest winds steady at 5 to 10 knots, picking up to 10–15 knots in the afternoon and a one- to two-foot chop, so boaters should be comfortable with just a bit of roll. Expect clouds and a shot at afternoon showers or thunderstorms, so pack your rain gear if you’re making a run. The air’s thick and warm, but that’s what gets these Chesapeake predators fired up.

Sunrise came at 6:19 a.m. and sunset will be around 7:57 p.m., giving us a long day on the water. Watching the tides, the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel saw low tide at 5:39 a.m., with the next high just before noon at 11:44 a.m. This means your best moving water for a morning bite is mid-morning and again as the tide drops out late afternoon. Plan to work structure or shallows as that incoming tide peaks and bigger fish slide in to feed.

Now, what’s been on the end of folks’ lines? Local pier and surf reports have seen king mackerel showing up with regular catches—one angler even landed a giant after a hard fight, while a king hit a live spot in short order right after[Wired2Fish]. Tarpon, though rare, have made an exciting appearance right off the pier. Bait schools are thick, bringing in predators and making live spot and mullet effective choices almost everywhere.

On the inshore shallows, perch fishing is going strong. TidalFish.com checked in with a solid haul of white perch using homemade spinnerbaits, especially in shallow water tight to shore[TidalFish]. Those same areas are holding good numbers of croaker and the occasional red drum. If you’re bottom-fishing, peel up a bit of soft crab or bloodworm to get steady action.

For the lure folks, soft plastics in chartreuse or white, 3–5 inch paddle tails fished near rock piles or pilings, have stirred up stripers and the larger bluefish still prowling the main channel edges. Topwater walkers at dawn are a must for speckled trout in grassy flats around Lynnhaven and the mouth of the York River—don’t be surprised if a big striper blows up on it as well.

Hot spots? You can’t go wrong drifting the CBBT islands and pilings—the first and second islands have been holding mackerel, big bluefish, and flounder this week. The mouth of the Rappahannock remains reliable, and the piers at Buckroe and Ocean View are giving up a mixed bag with early morning and dusk best. For shore-bound anglers, Harris Creek flats near Hampton have delivered solid perch and puppy drum.

A quick heads-up: There’s been an uptick in shark activity, especially around schools of bait and when targeting big drum or mackerel, so use heavier leaders and don’t dally getting your catch in.

Best baits this week: live spot, cut bunker, bloodworms, and soft crab. As for lures, you can’t beat a midsize paddletail or bucktail jig near structure, with a spinner or popper for dawn and dusk action.

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Good morning, this is Artificial Lure coming to you with your Chesapeake Bay, Virginia fishing report for Sunday, August 10, 2025.

The sun’s up at 6:13 AM and we’ll see it set over the water at 8:04 PM—so there’s a solid window for fishing all day today. Local weather is calling for a typical muggy August morning in the upper seventies climbing to mid-eighties by afternoon, with a southerly breeze picking up through the day. That’ll keep the chop manageable, but keep an eye out mid-bay later as thunderstorms can pop up quick this time of year.

Tides are working in our favor. At Fleet Point, we saw a high tide right around midnight with low at 7:04 AM, then the next high will be about 1:45 PM. Meanwhile, at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, expect low at 5:39 AM and a push toward the next high right in the middle of the day. Peak tidal movement will be late morning into that lunch hour—prime time for big fish to feed according to Tides4Fishing and Tide-Forecast.

Water temps are holding warm, making the fish feisty but pushing them toward deeper holes or channels as the heat builds. Fish are chasing comfort zones, so focus your efforts near drop-offs, artificial reefs, and shaded structures. Creeks and shallows will be best early and late.

What’s biting? Inshore has been on fire for Red Drum and Bluefish. Reports from up and down the Virginia stretch say the big drum are still hanging along the bars and flats—several catches over 40 inches were reported this past week by Hatteras Harbor Marina, and there’s a solid mix of slot fish, too. Bluefish are tearing up just about anything shiny, especially during the moving tide. Speckled Trout are popping up with the lower light, especially around grassy points and creek mouths. If you’re out after sunrise or sunset, target those areas for your best shot at a trophy.

Offshore action’s a little pickier, but when folks have made it out, they’re finding limits of Dolphin (mahi), the odd Wahoo, and some Blackfin Tuna. Tidal Fish Forum reports also mention some solid Spanish Mackerel action right off Cape Henry and over the lumps, so keep those spoons and gotchas handy.

Top baits and lures right now:
- For Reds and Blues, you can’t beat a gold spoon or a chartreuse 4-inch paddletail on a jig head. Soft plastics like ZMans and Gulp have been putting in the work, especially in New Penny and Electric Chicken colorways.
- Live Menhaden and spot are gold for the bigger drum. Cut mullet is a classic—don’t overthink it.
- For specks, low and slow with MirrOlures or popping cork rigs rigged with shrimp imitations seem to be the ticket at dawn or dusk.
- Topwater action right at first light will bring explosive bites, whether you’re throwing a Super Spook or a smaller popping plug near grass or oyster bars.

If you’re after something a little different, August is peak time for crabbing and the Chesapeake’s blue crabs are thick. Folks down near Lynnhaven and around the mouth of the York River are hauling in full baskets—get yourself a trotline or a couple of collapsible traps and don’t forget the chicken necks.

A couple of hot spots you don’t want to miss today:
- **Lynnhaven Inlet oyster reefs**—great numbers of trout and the occasional flounder drifting soft plastics on the outgoing tide.
- **Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel pilings**—always a classic, with big Bluefish and Spanish Mackerel slashing bait on moving water; drop a bucktail or vertical jig for a shot at a late-summer Cobia too.

Don’t forget, local tackle shops like Wilkins Brothers Bait & Tackle in Chesapeake Beach can set you up with the freshest bait and a little homespun advice to keep your cooler full.

Thanks for tuning in to Artificial Lure’s report. Make sure to subscribe so you never miss the action, and remember—tight lines and smooth waters out there, anglers.

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Good morning anglers, this is Artificial Lure coming to you with your Chesapeake Bay Virginia fishing report for August 9th, 2025. The sun rose at 6:16 this morning and will set at 8:02 tonight. We’ve got a nice long day to put some lines in the water and chase what’s biting.

Let’s get right to the tides: today’s low tides come in at 5:38 AM and 5:38 PM, with high tides hitting around 10:43 AM and again just after 11 tonight. That means you’ll have moving water mid-morning and early evening, which is prime for stirring up both bait and hungry gamefish—and sets the pace for a productive day, especially around the grass flats and structure.

Weather is typical summery heat, with muggy air and light chop on the Bay, so make sure to stay hydrated and wear your sun protection. Winds are calm to light out of the southeast, which should leave most inshore and near-shore spots perfectly fishable, though the bite might slow down in the dead heat. Have a plan for the mid-day lull.

Fishing activity has been solid across the region. The lower Bay rivers—think Elizabeth, York, and James—are holding schools of striped bass, red drum, and some solid speckled trout this week according to the latest Lower Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report. Rockfish can still be caught on heavy jigs or soft plastics fished along channel edges, pilings, and drop-offs. Early morning and dusk are your best windows before the heat shuts them down.

Catfish action has been ramping up in the upper Bay tributaries—reports are coming in from the Potomac, Pocomoke, and Rappahannock systems as well as the tidal stretches of the Chickahominy and Appomattox. Blue catfish and flatheads are both on the chew. Cut herring is working wonders right now—locals swear by it, and it’s matching the main forage.

If you’re in for a variety, the hard-bottom spots around the middle Bay are giving up good numbers of spot and croaker, plus a few chunky white perch—especially around the mouths of the rivers and near oyster beds. Drop a bloodworm, shrimp, or Fishbites strip right to the bottom and wait for that peck. Kingfish rigs tipped with shrimp are also picking up some tasty kingfish for the cooler.

In the surf, action’s slower, but you may still run into some flounder, bluefish, and the odd bull red. If you’re itching for a fight, fresh cut mullet or bunker on a big surf rig may tempt a feeding ray or a stray drum. And don’t forget, the menhaden management debate is still front and center with changing rules—so always check if there have been any last-minute closures or restrictions before heading out.

Top lures today: 4- to 6-inch paddle tails in chartreuse or white for stripers and red drum; gulp swimming mullets or bait-fueled plastics for flounder; and crankbaits or inline spinners for perch in the creeks. Live bait, especially fresh herring or menhaden, is still the gold standard for catfish and bigger drum.

Hot spots worth your time: try the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel for stripers and trout at sunrise, or hit the hard-bottom patches off Cape Charles and Cherry Point for spot, croaker, and a mixed bag. If you want a peaceful bend in the rod, find a shaded bank up the Chickahominy with cut bait for cats—there’s good numbers and size right now.

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It’s another August morning here on the Chesapeake—Artificial Lure dialing in with your local fishing report for August 8, 2025. Welcome, anglers.

First light broke at 6:08 a.m., and sunset will be around 8:07 p.m., so you’ve got over 14 hours of daylight to work with. The marine weather is friendly: warm, stable, just flirting with low-80s water temps, and only a mild chance of afternoon storms, so get out there early before the heat pumps up[6][5]. Tidal action is prime: a morning low rolled through around 5:45 a.m. with the next high tide cresting late morning and another low this evening. Strong tidal coefficients today mean good current movement and often heavy fish activity on the turn, especially for stripers and bottom dwellers[6][10].

On the catching side, this has been a classic dog-days-of-summer week. Middle Bay is still producing respectable striped bass, especially around sunrise and late in the evening—topwater walkers and poppers cast along the Choptank, Patapsco, and Eastern Bay flats are getting slashed, while deeper spots near the Bay Bridge and up by Pooles Island are best fished with live spot or soft crab drifted near the pilings[3][5]. Jigging soft plastics in shad or bunker patterns at the bridge piers at dawn gets the rods bent, too.

Bluefish have pulled back from last week’s surface frenzy but can still be found hunting bait on the channel edges near the mouth of the Potomac and the Target Ship—drop cut spot or paddle-tail jigs tight to the bottom for a shot at these toothy bruisers[3]. Out further toward the mouth, anglers drifting bloodworms and peeler crabs are hauling in a nice mix: spot, croaker up to 13 inches, northern blowfish, small sea bass, and kingfish. Pound for pound, white perch are steady on the shallows and shoals, smacking spinners and small jigs, especially around Sandy Point, the western Bay Bridge, and the Magothy mouths[5].

Snakehead are heating up in the grassy tidal rivers—walking frogs and chatterbaits worked early, or cut bait on bottom rigs, will do the trick if you’re after a different sort of drama this summer[3]. And don’t overlook blue catfish, which are reliably hitting cut bait and chicken parts in the Susquehanna and Elk, Chester, and most major tidal rivers[5].

Bait and tackle rundown? Live spot is king for stripers and larger blues this week. Bloodworms, peeler crab, and shrimp are producing croaker, kingfish, and perch. For artificial fans, try 4- to 5-inch paddletails, bucktail jigs tipped with Gulp, and, for jacks and pompano if you’re at the ocean interface, throw spoons and Gotcha plugs. Banana jigs paired with sand fleas or shrimp are also reliable for pompano[4].

Local hot spots to try today:

- The Bay Bridge east pilings and 30-foot edge—drift live bait or bounce jigs at first light.
- Channel edges near the Brick House Bar and Gum Thickets—stripers and late bluefish on cut bait or soft plastic lures.
- The mouth of the Choptank, especially near Cambridge, for steady striper and bluefish action on live-lining spot.

For those watching the forage base, there’s worry among watermen about shrinking menhaden numbers, with commercial and recreational interests butting heads over management. But the boards say no overfishing confirmed yet, so bait remains available—just don’t wait too long if you want to stock up[1].

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Artificial Lure here with your Chesapeake Bay and Virginia fishing report for August 6th, 2025. Today brought classic late-summer Bay weather—warm, humid air, and a light east wind at 5 to 10 knots. Wave heights held steady around 1 foot according to the National Weather Service, making for smooth running whether you were casting near the pilings or chasing the edge of a channel. Sunrise was at 6:15 AM, with another gorgeous sunset at 8:03 PM.

Tides played right into the hands of early risers and evening anglers. We had a low at 3:33 AM, first high at 8:25, an afternoon low at 3:12 PM, and then a solid evening high tide coming in just after sunset. With a strong tidal coefficient peaking near 71 today, current was moving, and that's always a recipe for fish on the chew.

The fishery’s as lively as ever—plenty of variety with summer patterns setting the tone. Striped bass are sticking to classic ambush territory: look for action around the Bay Bridge, especially at the 30-foot edges on the eastern side. Early mornings and evenings are prime. Live-lining spot or soft crab baits drifted down-current to the bridge piers has kept rods bent, and tossing soft plastic jigs or bucktails at the pilings when the shadows are long is still putting linesiders in the net, according to the latest Maryland DNR reports.

Bluefish are chasing bait along steeper channel edges. Drone spoons and bucktails trolled or cast are doing the heavy lifting. The Brick House Bar, Gum Thickets, and Breezy Point are firing, especially on the moving tide. There are reports of solid mixed bags near Sharps Island Light and up the Choptank River around Cambridge, with both blues and stripers hitting live spot.

In the lower Bay, we're seeing kingfish, croaker, spot, and blowfish in the mix, particularly at the mouth of the Potomac, Tangier Sound, and Pocomoke Sound. Dropper rigs with small soft plastics or shad darts are money for perch and panfish across the shoals and lumps—these bite best during dawn and dusk.

Up in the creeks and grassy tidal rivers, Chesapeake Channa (northern snakehead) are feeding more aggressively now, with adults done herding fry balls and getting back on the hunt. Spin jigs thrown tight to cover are a great bet.

Crabbing remains hot—expect a good bushel in the lower to mid Bay if you work deeper waters for larger males. The oyster reefs, especially now restoration is wrapping up in places like the Lynnhaven and Manokin Rivers, are loaded with life and always worth a drift or two for mixed species action.

Best bait and tackle this week? You can't beat live spot or a lively soft crab for stripers. For bluefish, break out the Drone spoons or red and green surgical tube rigs, and when in doubt, a bucktail dressed with a white or chartreuse trailer gets attention. For panfish and perch, jigging with small soft plastics is still king.

A couple of hot spots to try: the Bay Bridge piers at dawn for stripers, and the channel edges between Gum Thickets and Breezy Point for bluefish. If you're looking to fill a cooler with spot or croaker, the mouth of the Potomac and Tangier Sound are holding strong.

That’s your report from the Bay for today. Thanks for tuning in—don’t forget to subscribe for the latest, and tight lines to all! This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

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You’re tuned in with Artificial Lure, bringing you the latest from Chesapeake Bay, Virginia, on this warm July 7th, 2025. Summer’s in full throttle and so’s the fishing—from Cape Charles to Lynnhaven Inlet, the Bay is alive and kicking.

Let’s kick things off with your sunrise at 5:52 AM and sunset at 8:26 PM. The moon’s rising at 6:10 PM, which should help the evening bite. According to Tide-Forecast.com, you had a low tide at 3:18 AM, high at 8:08 AM, low at 2:54 PM, and a solid high again at 8:35 PM—prime for that twilight topwater action.

Weather’s been classic July: humid, highs in the upper 80s, light SW winds. Water temps are running in the low to mid-80s, a sweet zone for both inshore and nearshore action.

The bite? Flat-out on fire. Cobia are thick from the mouth of the Bay up to the bridge-tunnels. Reports over the weekend had boats regularly hooking into fish in the 30-50 lb class, with a few real bruisers mixed in. Anglers drifting live eels or tossing big bucktails tipped with Gulp! Eel trailers scored best, especially around buoys and channel markers. Chumming’s also been productive, so bring some cut menhaden if you want a shot at a citation.

Red drum are holding strong on the shoals. Folks are landing them running a spread of peeler crab, fresh bunker, or even cut bluefish. For the artificial crowd, red and white paddle tails or topwater plugs like Spooks are drawing explosive strikes on the flats, especially at daylight and dusk. There’s been talk on social media—TikTok anglers showing off personal bests—about red drum hammering white/red combos just off Lynnhaven.

Sheepshead are hot right now on the pilings of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel. Fiddler crabs and sand fleas are classic, but drop a crab-pattern Jigging Bugger or a small chartreuse bucktail if the sheepies are picky. Local charters report limits are coming easy on the right tides, with some fish breaking 10 pounds.

Spanish mackerel and bluefish are blitzing around the tunnel and up the rivers. Troll small silver or gold spoons at 6-8 knots to find the birds and the jumpers. Ribbonfish? Yes, those toothy critters are here too—rig a flashy, white swimbait and hold on.

For the fly crowd, don’t overlook the Woolly Bugger in saltwater patterns—shrimp and baitfish colorways have knocked out weakfish and schoolie stripers in the grass beds, especially around early-morning moving water.

If you’re bottom bouncing, now’s the time for spot and croaker. Pile up some bloodworms or Fishbites and fish the edges of the deeper channels late in the day.

Hotspots? The CBBT (Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel) remains unbeatable for sheepshead, spadefish, and the occasional big drum. The mouth of the York River is holding solid schools of croaker and spot, while the shoals off Cape Charles are where big reds and cobia are turning up reliably. Also look to the drop-offs around Lynnhaven Inlet for a mixed bag—Spanish, bluefish, and even a bonus flounder.

Bait and tackle? Live eels and peeler crab for the trophy fish, cut bunker for the bottom biters. For lures: 1- to 2-ounce bucktails (tipped, if you got ’em), paddle tails in pearl or chartreuse, and don’t sleep on the classic white and red topwaters for reds and specks.

All in all, it’s a banner week. Whether you’re chunking, jigging, or soaking baits, Chesapeake Bay is serving up summer in style.

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You’re tuned in to Artificial Lure’s Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report for Sunday, July 6, 2025. Summer’s in full swing and the bite is on fire from the mouth of the Bay all the way up its tributaries.

Today’s weather at the Bay Bridge Tunnel saw partly cloudy skies with gentle winds around 17 mph and comfortable temps, hovering in the mid-60s. Water temp’s holding steady at 63°F, making for prime conditions. Sunrise was at 5:52AM, sunset at 8:26PM, giving us loads of daylight to wet a line. Tides today rolled in with an early morning low at 2:28AM, high at 7:17AM, another low at 2:05PM, and the evening high rolling through at 8:35PM.

Now to the fish—let’s talk action. Cobia are stealing the spotlight this week. They’re thick inside the Bay, moving into their spawning phase. Anglers are hooking up using sight-casting with bucktails, live eels, and croaker. If you’re chumming, keep your lines ready—along with cobia, you might tangle with some sharks or skates. Anchoring and soaking live baits like croaker, eel, or even crab is paying off.

Red Drum are running strong, especially the big ones. Look for schools near structure—bridges, wrecks, reefs—and don’t be surprised to find them blitzing on the surface. Have a bucktail or large topwater plug at the ready. Puppy drum are prowling the shallows near docks, piers, and grass beds, alongside speckled trout. Topwaters, 4-inch swim baits, and popping corks with scented baits are the go-to choices.

Sheepshead have been on fire—word is, an 18-pound 2-ounce fish was checked in over the Fourth of July weekend, according to Virginia Saltwater Fishing. Fish hard structure like rocks, rubble, and pilings using crabs, clams, or sand fleas. These same zones hold black drum as well.

Spanish mackerel anglers are doing great both inside the Bay and along the oceanfront, trolling Drone and Clark spoons at around 6 knots. If bluefish show up thick, just bump up your speed a notch. Speaking of blues, pier anglers are catching plenty—along with croaker, sea mullet, and the occasional flounder.

Now, flounder have been hit or miss, but the bridge tunnels and ocean structures are still your best bet. Spadefish catches are down compared to years past, but the Chesapeake Light Tower is still worth a visit, especially if you’re looking for variety.

Hot spots you don’t wanna sleep on: Lynnhaven Inlet and the Elizabeth River for drum and trout action, and the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel—always a classic for cobia, sheepshead, and flounder. If you’re up for a cruise, Mobjack Bay and the Piankatank River are producing steady numbers of puppy drum and speckled trout.

To recap your tackle bag for this week: Bucktails and eels for cobia, crabs and sand fleas for sheepshead and black drum, bucktails, swim baits, and big topwater plugs for red drum, popping cork rigs for specks, and spoons for Spanish mackerel. Don’t forget your in-line weights for those trolling setups.

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Artificial Lure here with your Chesapeake Bay, Virginia, fishing report for Sunday, June 22, 2025.

Sunrise kicked off at 5:45 AM and anglers got nearly fifteen hours on the water, with sunset wrapping things up at 8:27 PM. Today’s tidal action was lively: we saw high tides at 5:55 AM and 6:28 PM, with low water at 11:48 AM. The tidal coefficient rose from 70 to 75, meaning currents were strong and there was plenty of water movement to stir up the bite along the bottom and around structure, especially with the moon waning and daytime highs in the low 80s with a stiff bay breeze coming out of the south.

This week the fish have been on the chew and the lower Bay, especially around the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel (CBBT), is the place to be. Sheepshead are hitting their stride on the CBBT pilings—kayak and jet ski anglers reported catches up to seven quality fish per trip using frozen fiddler crabs, while some who fished closer to the Virginia side limited out with live fiddlers on bottom sweeper jigs. Tautog also made a decent showing on bridge structure, with the occasional black drum and red drum mixed in, especially along other Virginia Beach bridges and inlets, according to FishTalk Magazine.

The big news is that schools of bull reds are still running the shallow flats, but more fish are stacking up around deeper structures as water temps climb. If you’ve got side-scan, use it to hunt schools around the islands of the CBBT. Once you mark them, drop large paddletails or straight-tail soft plastics on two-ounce jigheads right in the zone for some rod-bending action.

Spanish mackerel continue to run strong inshore, slamming small spoons and mackerel trees trolled at higher speeds. For speckled trout, Green Top Sporting Goods recommends working topwater lures and popping cork rigs with shrimp baits or 3-4 inch swimbaits, especially at dawn and dusk when the bite is hottest. Puppy drum and the occasional striper have been reported in the feeder creeks and inlets, mostly on soft plastics and live minnows.

If cobia’s your game, their numbers are climbing at the mouth of the bay and along the oceanfront. The season just opened, so try live eels, bucktails, topwaters, or shallow-diving twitch baits to tempt those surface cruisers.

For bait, can’t beat live fiddler crabs and eels for sheepshead and cobia, while cut mullet, squid, and bloodworms are pulling in drum and tautog. Artificial lures like Z-Man paddletails, Gulp! baits, and classic bucktail jigs are all working when fished around structure.

Two hotspots for today: the islands of the CBBT for sheepshead, drum, and tautog, and the flats off Cape Charles for bull reds and specks. For folks staying closer to shore, the Lynnhaven Inlet and Rudee Inlet are holding trout and puppy drum, especially around grass edges and oyster bars.

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Artificial Lure here with your Chesapeake Bay fishing report for Saturday, June 21, 2025, straight from the heart of Virginia’s saltwater scene.

Sunrise kicked off at 5:45 a.m. with a blazing sky, and we’ll see daylight stretching all the way till sunset at 8:27 p.m. Over the Bay, it’s a warm, breezy day—highs near 85°F, light southwest winds, and just a touch of chop on the water. Tidal action’s energetic with strong swings today: high tides hit around mid-morning and again just before dusk, which means fish are on the move and currents are brisk around structures, perfect for active angling according to the local tide table.

Let’s talk fish. The Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel (CBBT) is the place to be right now. Sheepshead fishing is peaking around the bridge pilings, with plenty of limits coming in from both jet ski and kayak anglers. Live and frozen fiddler crabs fished on bottom sweeper jigs are the ticket, and don’t be surprised if you tangle with tautog or the occasional black or red drum around those same pilings. Spadefish are crowding in around the CBBT as well as the Chesapeake Light Tower, snatching up clam strips and small jelly balls—bring stout tackle because these fighters don’t mess around.

Red drum schools are still hanging around the flats and deeper structure near the CBBT islands and Fisherman’s Island. Look for them on your side-scan, then drop large paddletails or straight tails on two-ounce jigheads to draw a big strike. According to Green Top Sporting Goods, bloodworms and shrimp are putting fish in the cooler all over the rivers and inlets, especially for puppy drum and speckled trout tight to the docks and grass edges.

With the cobia season officially open, anticipation has gone into overdrive. Their numbers are growing at the Bay’s mouth, across the oceanfront, and on the inside shoals. Boats with towers are spotting surface fish, and a well-placed live eel is your best shot—though big bucktails, topwater lures, and twitchbaits are all drawing bites. Don’t forget your patience, sometimes covering water is the key to tracking down these bruisers. Spanish mackerel and flounder are also showing strong along the CBBT and into the inlets.

If you’re after other action, the northern flats are red hot at sunrise and sunset for rockfish and largemouth, with snakeheads prowling the upper creeks. Blue catfish are chomping just about anything cut or live near the bottom, especially during stronger tidal swings.

For today’s hot spots: the CBBT second and third islands for sheepshead, tautog, and drum; the Chesapeake Light Tower for spadefish; and Fisherman’s Island for a shot at red drum and cobia. Don’t overlook the grass lines in Elizabeth River or Lynnhaven inlets for speckled trout and puppy drum.

Thanks for tuning in to your Chesapeake Bay report. Don’t forget to subscribe for the latest updates and tips straight from the dock. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.