chesapeake bay

March 5, 2023
Yes, you will have to time your trip in-between passing fronts, it may be frigid outside, and the potential for a skunk is always there even if you pony up and go on a charter fishing boat. No, March…
February 27, 2023
Fishing reports published in print are generalized and weeks may have passed before the report gets into your hands, so for timely up-to-date reports, visit our Fishing Reports online. Current…
February 25, 2023
Geologically, Chesapeake Bay fishing means navigating above what is a drowned river valley that developed over several million years. There were four major outlets to the ocean that preceded the…
February 7, 2023
The middle portion of the Potomac River offers multiple fishing destinations. In this advance preview of my forthcoming exploration of tidal Potomac River structure, we’ll look at the Virginia side…
December 15, 2022
Like they say on some obscure TV show no one’s ever seen: winter is coming. The good news is that in this neck of the woods that doesn't portend the end of fishing season, much less an invasion of…
November 27, 2022
Dear Governors Moore and Youngkin: All of the tens of thousands of FishTalk readers and I have one thing in common - we love fishing and we love the Chesapeake Bay. And we all share a common problem…
November 25, 2022
You’re looking for a way to catch speckled sea trout when chilly weather has them acting lethargic and slow? Using artificials can get tricky, as there's a fine line between giving them enough action…
November 14, 2022
Recently I was standing on the deck of a good friend’s center console, chasing working birds with a half dozen or so other boats. One school dove but another popped up, and as my friend moved us…
November 6, 2022
Every fall is different and it’s impossible to predict from one to the next where the hottest bite will be, but if you had to pick one location on the entire Chesapeake Bay as the most consistent…
October 29, 2022
It’s early in the morning and I’m heading out for a morning topwater bite. My kayak glides across the surface of the water, and there is a light fog rising off the creek parting as I pass through it…
October 25, 2022
Talk to any old-timer who’s fished the Mid-Atlantic area for anything from striped bass to swordfish his or her entire lifetime, and they can tell you that times have changed. Naturally, each…
October 23, 2022
One of the beautiful things about Chesapeake Bay fishing, and all forms of fishing for that matter, is that there’s rarely a right way or a wrong way to catch a fish, there’s just what works and what…
October 19, 2022
Editor’s note: On rare occasions we may swap out the usual Notes from the Cockpit column for critical communications on topics of concern to Chesapeake Bay fishing fans and Mid-Atlantic anglers. This…
October 11, 2022
You just got a new fishing boat? WOOHOO!! Now, you’ve got to figure out where to keep it. Choosing the best marina for your needs is no small task. Never fear, new boat angler — we’re here to help.…
October 9, 2022
When we presented The Cell in the March 2020 issue of FishTalk, the Bathymetric Attributed Grid (BAG) Color Shaded Relief data layer, essentially side-scan sonar-like imaging, wasn’t available for…
October 1, 2022
Fishing reports published in print are generalized and weeks may have passed before the report gets into your hands, so for timely up-to-date reports, visit our Fishing Reports online. Current…
September 25, 2022
The Choptank River is uniquely situated far enough south to enjoy southern species like speckled trout and Spanish mackerel for much of the season, yet far enough north to enjoy a solid striped bass …
September 12, 2022
Red Drum in skinny water can be some of the most action-packed fishing you can find on the lower Chesapeake Bay during the late summer and early fall months — this month is the perfect time to get…