Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report: Trout, Stripers, and Bulls Abound Despite Cooling Temps

As of November 15, 2024, the Chesapeake Bay in Virginia is offering some exciting fishing opportunities despite the cooling weather. Here’s what you need to know for a successful day on the water. ### Conditions - **Tidal Report**: Expect a high tide around 10:30 AM and a low tide at 4:30 PM. The changing tides, especially the incoming tide, have been favorable for catching various species. - **Weather**: The day is expected to be partly cloudy with a high of around 58°F and a low of 45°F. The recent cold weather has slightly slowed down the speckled trout bite, but it's still active. - **Sunrise and Sunset**: Sunrise is at 6:43 AM, and sunset is at 4:53 PM. Low light hours, especially during sunrise and sunset, are ideal for topwater lures. ### Fish Activity - **Speckled Trout**: These fish are still very active, particularly in the inlets such as Rudee, Lynnhaven, and Little Creek. They are hitting soft plastic jigs in white, pink, and chartreuse, as well as Gulp baits rigged on one-quarter ounce jigheads[2][5]. - **Striped Bass**: School-sized striped bass are abundant in the northern areas, especially around the mouths of the Potomac and Rappahannock rivers. Trolling near deep channel edges and chasing birds working over bait balls have been effective strategies[1][5]. - **Red Drum**: Bull red drum are still present near the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, particularly around the third island. Surf fishing at Sandbridge and other beaches is also yielding results, with cut mullet on fish finder rigs being a successful bait[5]. - **Sheepshead and Flounder**: These species are still available at the CBBT and various bridges in the Virginia Beach area. Sheepshead are biting on sand fleas and crab chunks[1][5]. ### Best Lures and Bait - For speckled trout, use soft plastic jigs, Gulp baits, and topwater lures during low light hours. - For striped bass, topwater plugs and jigs are effective, especially when targeting the outskirts of schools. - For red drum, cut mullet on fish finder rigs is working well. - For sheepshead, sand fleas and crab chunks are the top baits. ### Hot Spots - **Lynnhaven Inlet**: This area has been a standout for speckled trout, with many anglers reporting good catches. - **Mouth of the Potomac and Rappahannock Rivers**: These areas are flush with reports of striped bass activity, especially around the deep channel edges. - **Third Island of the CBBT**: This spot is producing the best results for bull red drum. - **Rudee and Little Creek Inlets**: These inlets are also productive for speckled trout and other species. With the right gear and knowledge of these hot spots, you should have a productive and enjoyable day fishing in the Chesapeake Bay. This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.