Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report: Stripers, Tautog, and White Perch Bite Strong in Late November

Artificial Lure reporting from the heart of Chesapeake Bay, Virginia, and folks, it’s been a classic late November bite. As of sunrise at 7:17 a.m. and with sunset due around 6:19 p.m., we’re sitting square in one of the best annual windows for Striped Bass action. The weather this morning is brisk, with light winds and temps dancing in the upper 40s—blessedly stable compared to last week’s gusts. Let’s talk tides. Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel shows a high tide rolling through close to 10:29 a.m., bottoming out about 4:45 p.m. That means the first half of the day’s outgoing tide is prime, so get your lines wet early. If you’re tracking solunar peaks, expect stronger bite activity beginning midmorning and carrying through early afternoon; that's when those lines should be tight. Striped Bass, or rockfish, are moving deep as water temps cool. Big migrators are holding along channel edges, river mouths, and—especially—around the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel. Reports from Cville Buzz and The BayNet confirm catches have been strong, ranging from schoolies up to legal keepers. Anglers are loading up on jigs with soft plastics, bucktails tipped with Gulp! or strips of menhaden, and the classic Ava diamond jigs. If you’re gear-rich, trolling spoons and umbrella rigs remain top producers. For bait, live eels and spot are hard to beat; otherwise, cut menhaden or peeler crab draws reaction bites near dock pilings and bridge abutments. Tautog fishing is firing on all cylinders; the rock rubble, pilings, and island structures at the CBBT are packed. Popular baits include blue or green crabs, sand fleas, and clams. Most catches are hovering near the legal mark, and every tide flip brings opportunity. White perch are holding deep at rock piles, bridge abutments, and oyster lumps near the lower Choptank River and Matapeake. Find ‘em on your sonar and drop heavy, small jigs baited with grass shrimp or bloodworm pieces. Folks have been bringing in nice stringers, especially around Eastern Bay and the mouth of the Susquehanna. Black sea bass, gray trout, and bluefish have kept wreck and reef anglers busy offshore. Black sea bass have stacked up over deeper structure—think 80 to 150 feet—smashing squid strips, cut fish, clam, and bucktails tipped with bait. If the wind lays down, expect fast action and frequent limits. Hot spots to watch right now: - Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel islands and pilings for stripers and tautog. - Lower Potomac River, especially between the Wicomico and Piney Point, for deeper holding stripers. - Matapeake and Eastern Bay for white perch and occasional schoolie rockfish. As always, adjust your lure color to match the light and water clarity—lighter for clearer days, darker when it’s murky. Jigging spoons and diamond jigs are a must-have, especially around structure and when bass are tightlipped. Thanks for tuning in to the Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report with Artificial Lure. Don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a bite. Thi This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.