Chesapeake Bay Bonanza: Stripers, Specks, and Puppy Drum Bite Heats Up on the Water

As of November 8, 2024, the Chesapeake Bay is buzzing with activity, making it an exciting time for anglers. Here’s what you need to know to make the most of your fishing trip. ### Conditions The weather is crisp with a mild breeze, perfect for a day on the water. Sunrise is at 6:34 AM, and sunset is at 4:53 PM. Tides are moderate, with high tide expected around 10:30 AM and low tide around 4:30 PM. ### Fish Activity The striped bass bite has picked up significantly, especially in the Potomac River where trollers are having success with small umbrellas, tandems, and bucktails dressed with shad. In the tributaries of the Rappahannock, anglers are catching stripers on the upper end of the slot and puppy drum just shy of the slot. Speckled trout are the stars of the show, particularly in the sheltered waters of Rudee, Lynnhaven, and Little Creek Inlets. These fish are actively biting on shrimp hooked under popping corks, jigs, plugs, and topwater baits. Puppy drum are abundant in the southern Chesapeake Bay, with good catches reported in Linkhorn Bay, Rudee, and Lynnhaven Inlet. Topwater lures during low light hours and Gulp baits on quarter-ounce jigheads are working well. Large red drum are still present near the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, especially around the third island, and can be caught using cut mullet on fish finder rigs. ### Best Lures and Bait For striped bass, use small umbrellas, tandems, and bucktails dressed with shad. For speckled trout, shrimp under popping corks, jigs, plugs, and topwater baits are highly effective. Puppy drum are biting on topwater lures and Gulp baits on jigheads. For red drum, cut mullet on fish finder rigs is the way to go. ### Hot Spots - **Potomac River**: Trollers are doing well here for striped bass. - **Lynnhaven Inlet**: This area is teeming with speckled trout and puppy drum. - **Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel**: The third island is a hotspot for large red drum. - **Linkhorn Bay**: Good reports of speckled trout catches here. - **Rudee Inlet**: Another productive spot for speckled trout and puppy drum. With the cooler weather and dropping water temperatures, the fish are feeding actively, making this a great time to hit the water. Good luck, and tight lines This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.