Chesapeake Bay Spring Fishing Frenzy: Shad, Cats, and Perch Dominate the Bite

Chesapeake Bay anglers got treated to another action-packed weekend. The morning started with a brisk chill, temps hovering in the mid-50s, and a light westerly breeze coming off a weather front that moved through late last night. Expect partly cloudy skies today, with highs reaching the low 60s by midday. Sunrise was right before 6:20 am and expect a sunset around 7:45 pm. Tides are running close to the new moon, so expect strong moving water with high tide mid-morning and low tide pushing late afternoon. Fishing remains hot this week across both the main Bay and the rivers. The shad run is in full swing up the Potomac, Rappahannock, and James Rivers. Reports out of Mattawoman and Fletcher’s Cove have anglers hooking up with double digits of American and hickory shad, with dart and spoon tandems getting the most bites. Fly anglers tossing flashy streamers are also doing well, so bring your fly rod if you’re itching for some topwater action. River sections near Fredericksburg and Richmond are packed with shad, and plenty of folks are pulling in a mixed bag with the occasional big catfish and even a few carp on hair rigs and pack bait. Down toward the Lower Bay, Cape Charles and the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel are holding a mix of big blue catfish and steady numbers of white perch. The blue cats are getting active as the water warms, and soaking fresh cut bunker or chicken livers off deeper ledges is the ticket. White perch are hitting best on grass shrimp or bloodworms fished on darts under a bobber, especially on the outgoing tide. Striped bass season is closed in Maryland and most Virginia Bay areas until mid-May, but you can still catch plenty of action with shad, cats, and perch. If you’re looking for a couple of hot spots, try the mouth of the Rappahannock for shad, the upper Potomac near Chain Bridge, and the deep holes off Cape Charles for trophy blue cats. Best lures this week have been chartreuse and pink shad darts, small silver spoons for shad, and cut bait for the catfish. For perch, stick to live bloodworms or grass shrimp worked slowly along the bottom. The action is good—get out there while the spring bite is on, and remember to check your regs before targeting any species with closed seasons. Good luck and tight lines from your pal, Artificial Lure. This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.