Chesapeake Bay Bounty: Rockfish, Trout and More Await This November

Artificial Lure here, reporting from the banks of Chesapeake Bay, Virginia on a crisp Saturday morning, November 1st, 2025. It’s shaping up to be classic fall fishing—cool, breezy, and full of promise for the weekend bite. **Weather & Water Conditions** Marine forecasts from WBOC Weather are calling for waves about 2 to 3 feet, with a Small Craft Advisory lasting until 6 a.m. this morning, so take caution if you’re heading out early. Winds are blowing steady out of the west, adding a little chop that’s perfect for stirring up baitfish and getting the game fish fired up. Skies are mostly clear, with sunrise at 6:29 a.m. and sunset at 5:05 p.m—an abbreviated window, so maximize that daylight. **Tides** The Virginia pilot’s dock at Lynnhaven Inlet shows a high tide at 5:40 a.m. (2.4 ft), a low at 11:44 a.m. (0.59 ft), and another high at 6:02 p.m. (2.48 ft). Work those moving water periods for best results—they’ll coincide nicely with the bite windows for most species today. **Fish Activity & Catches** November means **rockfish (striped bass)** are front and center. Reports from FishTalk Magazine say Lower Bay waters are holding plenty of healthy rockfish, with anglers scoring at the mouth of the Potomac and Rappahannock last week. Middle and upper Bay are also productive, especially around bridges and points with working birds. The average keeper size is around 24-30 inches, with some bigger cows showing up on the outgoing tide. Don’t sleep on the **speckled trout** action, peaking this month. The west side of the Bay has been best for specks, while puppy drum (juvenile redfish) are still biting hard, particularly in the creeks and marsh edges. There’s also the tail end of bluefish and slot red drum—the farther south you get, the better your odds. Tautog action is heating up near structure and the CBBT pilings. Last year saw cutlassfish and even flounder into November, and recent catches confirm they’re still lingering. Flounder sharpies are fishing inshore wrecks and reefs with nice success. **Best Lures & Baits** Rockfish are hammering **soft plastics**, especially 4-6” paddle tails in chartreuse or white, rigged on 1-ounce jig heads. The Chesapeake Light Tackle Kit remains a top choice for versatility. For an edge, try the Prawn USA Original shrimp lure—its gliding action and weedless design are drawing strikes from smarter bass and reds. For specks and reds, jigged Gulp! Swimming Mullet and MirrOlure suspending twitch baits are the ticket. Tautog anglers are sticking to fiddler crabs and cut blue crab pieces on stout rigs. If you’re bass fishing in the creeks, match your jig retrieve to the forage: quick hops in cold water, slow drags when they're shy. Skirted jigs with bulkier trailers are picking up more bites. **Hot Spots** - Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel (CBBT): Target the pilings for rockfish, tautog, and the occasional keeper flounder. - Lynnhaven Inlet: Consistent for speckled trout and puppy drum, especially incoming tide early m