As of October 16, 2024, the Chesapeake Bay around the Baltimore and Washington D.C. areas is offering some excellent fishing opportunities, despite the transitional fall weather.
### Weather and Tidal Conditions
Expect moderate, sunny, and breezy weather, which is ideal for fishing. The sunrise today is at around 7:15 AM, and sunset will be at approximately 6:15 PM. Tides are relatively normal, with high tide in the morning and low tide in the late afternoon, making the early morning and evening hours prime for fishing.
### Fish Activity
The fall transition period has kicked off a robust striped bass bite, particularly in the Upper Bay. Anglers have been reporting good catches of striped bass in the Patapsco River, especially around the mouth of the river up to Fort McHenry and near Love Point. These fish are actively chasing schools of baitfish, making topwater lures like blue Chug Bugs and soft plastic jigs such as Z-Man paddletails highly effective.
White perch are also plentiful, with good catches reported in the creeks and around the Bay Bridge in depths of 10 to 15 feet. Bloodworms, Fishbites, and peeler crab are working well for bottom fishing for white perch, spot, and croaker.
Additionally, there have been reports of large blue catfish in the Port Deposit area and throughout the upper Bay, particularly in the Chester River. Cut menhaden and gizzard shad are popular baits for these catfish.
### Best Lures and Bait
For striped bass, using soft plastic jigs, paddletails, jerkbaits, and poppers is highly recommended. Live lining with spot is also effective, especially along channel edges. For white perch and other bottom fish, bloodworms, Fishbites, and peeler crab are the go-to baits.
### Hot Spots
- **Patapsco River**: The area around the mouth of the river up to Fort McHenry is a hot zone for striped bass.
- **Love Point**: This spot is great for live lining with spot and catching striped bass.
- **Bay Bridge**: Both the east and west sides of the Bay Bridge are good for catching white perch in depths of 10 to 15 feet.
- **Chester River**: This river has a large population of blue catfish and is a good spot to target them using cut menhaden or gizzard shad.
Overall, the Chesapeake Bay is offering a diverse and exciting fishing experience as we move deeper into the fall season.