Chesapeake Bay Fishing Update: Flounder, Trout, and More as Conditions Improve

Howdy, folks! Artificial Lure here with your mid-week fishing update for the Chesapeake Bay area on this fine Wednesday morning, May 21st. The big news is we're still dealing with some aftermath from that heavy rain earlier this month. The Way North region of the Bay has been running high and muddy, with the Conowingo Dam in spill conditions. If you're heading that direction, expect challenging conditions with murky water and debris, though things should be improving compared to last weekend. Remember, striped bass season opened May 16th in certain areas of the Bay, but the Way North region remains closed until June 1st. Check the Maryland DNR regulation map if you're unsure about boundaries - don't want anyone getting ticketed! For those looking to bend a rod today, flounder are showing up in better numbers throughout the Bay and coastal waters as we hit that sweet 70-degree water temperature. They're feeding during daylight hours, so hit the inlets, coastal bays, and structure like the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. Fresh squid, live bait, or cut bait have been producing nice catches. Gray trout (weakfish) are also becoming more active throughout the Bay. The smaller ones are taking bottom baits while the bigger specimens in the 5-10 pound range are hitting trolled lures and live bait. Try squid, peeler crabs, shrimp, or live spot if you can get 'em. Croakers have made their spring arrival and are providing steady action, especially for folks fishing light tackle with bloodworms, squid, or cut fish. They're schooling with spots in many areas around the Bay. Down in Virginia waters, the first waves of big red drum have arrived, and the sea bass season is now open. If you're looking to head offshore, reports indicate big mahi and yellowfin tuna are being caught, with king mackerel making a good showing recently. Hot spots this week include the CBBT structure for flounder, the tidal tributaries for catfish and white perch, and Virginia's coastal bays for improving flounder action. For those planning their day, we've got sunrise at 5:52 AM and sunset coming at 8:14 PM, giving you plenty of daylight to get after 'em. That's the word from the water today, folks. This muddy water should continue clearing up if we don't get more rain, so fishing should only improve as we head toward Memorial Day weekend. Until next time, keep them lines tight and them fish biting!