Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report: Stripers, Blues, Trout & More Biting in Mid-October

Good morning anglers, this is Artificial Lure with your Chesapeake Bay Virginia fishing report for October 10, 2025. First light hit at 7:07AM, and you’ll be fishing till sunset at 6:34PM, with a cool morning rolling into a mild fall day. The Bay waters are sitting in the low 70s, river temps trailing just behind in the mid-60s. Expect partly cloudy skies, a light NE breeze 5-10 knots, and wave action about 1-2 feet. That’s quality weather for working the shoreline—just know a small craft advisory is looming through Saturday, so stay smart and watch for stiffening winds come weekend. With high pressure and the moon setting at 11:26AM, you’ll catch major tidal swings: first low tide’s just passed at 7:26AM, high at 1:01PM, with ebb hitting again at 8:27PM. Big coefficients today mean current’s running fast and the bite’s likely to hit on the move according to Tides4Fishing and Tide-Forecast. Striped bass are strong this week, running all throughout the Bay from the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel up through York and Poquoson Flats. Reports from OnTheWater and Maryland DNR say anglers are scoring stripers live-lining spot or eels, especially along the Bay Bridge-Tunnel and pilings. Don’t ignore the shallow water bite either—early risers tossing poppers, jerkbaits, and white/chartreuse paddletails right up on the grasslines have been getting good action. Eastern Shore creeks and the mouths of tidal rivers are also holding rockfish, with some pushing slot and keeper size. Bluefish remain thick mid and lower Bay, especially trolling surgical tubes and shiny spoons along channel edges, like the stretch from Cape Henry south to the CBBT islands, and east side of the Bay Bridge. Cast metal jigs into breaking birds for blues pushing bait—the pockets around Lynnhaven Inlet and near the mouth of the York are prime. Speckled trout are firing up in skinny water; 3-4 inch paddletails on light jigheads, MirrOLures, or mud minnow under a popping cork bring the best results. Try Mobjack Bay, Back River, or the marsh cuts behind Fisherman Island. The fall flounder bite’s still hot on the Eastern Shore; videos and local charters are reporting doormat catches near Oyster, Metompkin Inlet, and along channel drop-offs—jigs tipped with gulp or strip baits are choice. If you’re after white perch, bottom rigs baited with bloodworm or grass shrimp are working off docks and creek mouths, especially up toward Poquoson and the Severn River. Spot are biting on hard bottoms around the mouths of regional rivers, still eager for bloodworms. Word from VIMS: bay scallops on the Eastern Shore are booming thanks to ongoing restoration work. While you can’t harvest them yet, keep your eyes peeled—future seasons could be game-changing for local seafood fans. Best baits and lures this time: live spot, eels, 3-5 inch paddletails, topwater plugs for dawn and dusk, and classic bucktails. For blues, nothing beats a hammered spoon or surgical tube. Cut bunker draws in catfish on the upper This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.