Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report: Stripers, Blues, and More for Perfect Summer Conditions

Good morning y’all, this is Artificial Lure with your Friday, August 29th Chesapeake Bay fishing report. It’s a beauty—sunrise at 6:16 AM and sunset coming at 8:02 PM. We’ve got a full day of summer light, and with mild weather sticking around, expect temps in the 70s and light breezes—a perfect setup for serious time on the water, as noted by the Southern Maryland Chronicle. Tidal movement is solid today, starting with a low around 5:38 AM, high at 10:43 AM, another low at 5:38 PM, and high rolling back in just after 11 PM according to Tide-Forecast. Strong tidal coefficients mean active currents—fish will use ‘em to feed, so dial in on those moving waters.

Let’s talk fish. The striped bass bite is best before the sun’s high or just after it sets. Right now, water temps are holding in the upper 70s, and those stripers are moving into shallows each morning and evening. Reports from Maryland DNR show the most productive tactics are popping plugs and paddletails along grassy shorelines—think Poplar Island, lower Choptank, the mouths of Eastern Bay, and Dorchester County creeks. Early birds or night owls will see the best activity windows.

As for lures, nothing beats a white or chartreuse paddletail on a quarter-ounce jighead, or a classic walk-the-dog topwater for the dusk and dawn rush. If you’ve got spot live bait, try live-lining them for trophy stripers off sharp drop-offs—artificial reef sites and the edges north of Tilghman Island and around Sharps Island Light are holding fish.

For those after a mixed bag, bluefish schools are making regular appearances in the middle and lower Bay. They’re running small—mostly one to two pounds—but they’re smacking silver spoons and surgical tube rigs trolled at a lively clip near channel edges. Spanish mackerel are a solid bonus if you up the speed and swing metal lures through any busting bait balls you see.

Down towards the lower Bay, speckled trout and slot red drum are taking soft plastics and topwaters early in the grass. The Southern Maryland Chronicle points out that bull reds favor cut bait or live mullet in the channels—if you see birds working or bait piling up, drift or anchor and soak some fresh cut spot.

Bottom fishing is steady: plenty of white perch and spot hanging in 15-25 foot holes around oyster bars. Dropper rigs with bloodworms or peeler crab work best. Patuxent and Potomac are particularly fishy right now. For a shot at bigger pulls, blue catfish and Chesapeake channa (that’s snakehead) are piling up in tidal creeks and rivers—fishing grass edges with soft-bodied frogs or paddletails gets those predators charging.

If you’re looking for a couple hot spots:

- The Eastern Bay–Poplar Island triangle remains a prime striper zone, especially at sunrise.
- The mouth of the Patuxent River has been giving up perch and spot, and the deep channel edges right outside are seeing bluefish and some macks.
- Around the Bay Bridge Tunnel, outgoing tides are pushing bait past pilings and rip-rap, and you’ll find stripers, blues, and even a few red drum waiting to ambush.

Lastly, be mindful—regulations for striped bass are tight with slot limits and circle hook requirements in place. And as always, check your local updates before heading out.

Thanks for tuning in with Artificial Lure. Don’t forget to hit subscribe to stay on top of your bite, and tight lines until next time!
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