Chesapeake Bay Fishing Heats Up with Stripers, Reds, and Bluefish in the Fall

As of October 17, 2024, the Chesapeake Bay in Virginia is offering some exciting fishing opportunities as the fall season kicks into high gear. ### Weather and Tides The mornings are starting to show signs of the approaching colder weather, but daytime temperatures remain pleasant and sunny. Today, expect a full moon, which will result in above-average tidal currents. Northwest winds are making the back bay areas a bit bouncy, but this is predicted to switch to northeast winds by the weekend. ### Sunrise and Sunset Sunrise is at around 7:15 AM, and sunset will be at approximately 6:15 PM, giving anglers a good window to hit the water. ### Fish Activity The shallow water bite is getting better as water temperatures cool, making fish more aggressive. Striped bass, which are now in their fall season, are active along with red drum, speckled trout, and bluefish. Large bluefish are still abundant in the lower Bay, and schools can be found in depths of 20 to 40 feet, particularly around the Target Ship area. ### Recent Catches Yesterday, anglers reported catching a mix of redfish up to 25 inches, speckled trout, stripers, and bluefish near Point Lookout. In the Rappahannock, deeper water jigging yielded slot reds and a notable 50-inch bull red. The Whitestone area saw catches of puppy drum up to 25 inches, under-slot striped bass, and speckled trout up to 19 inches. ### Best Lures and Bait For shallow water fishing, five-inch chartreuse Jerk Shad and four-inch Gulp paddletails in purple tiger on 3/8th ounce jigheads are proving effective. For those targeting bluefish, trolling surgical tubes or using soft plastic jigs and paddletails are good options. Fresh shrimp, bloodworms, fishbites, and shrimp lures on popping corks or fish finder rigs are also working well, especially for speckled trout and red drum. ### Hot Spots The area around the Target Ship is a hotspot for bluefish and other species. The Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel (CBBT) pilings and shipping channel are great spots for cobia and red drum. Lynnhaven Inlet is also active with speckled trout and puppy drum biting inside the inlet. With the fall fishing season in full swing, now is an excellent time to get out on the water and take advantage of the abundant fish activity in the Chesapeake Bay. This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.