Chesapeake Bay Fish Species

I have true passion for inshore Salt water fishing and I trailer my boat to the best fishing the Chesapeake Bay has to offer year round. You read that right, year round! The Chesapeake offers excellent fishing all year round. To help you pick a trip with me let me take you through my year as well as the species and location I'm targeting them.

Late April-July

Near the end of April the Bull Red fish show up in the southern part of the bay near Cape Charles Va. We also have the large migratory breeder Striped Bass leaving to make their way north. Mid May Striped Bass open for targeting and we are also fishing them up around Rock Hall Md. These are our resident fish in the 18-35" range. Top water fishing is excellent this time of the year as well as open water jigging. Around the end of May beginning of June the Cobia also start coming in to the bay around Cape Charles and I will also make trips back and forth between there and Rock Hall targeting all three species.

July through September

Around the week of July 4th I stop targeting Striped Bass in Rock Hall and turn all of my attention to Bull Red fish and Cobia. While Cobia and Drum fishing we will also encounter Bluefish and Spanish Mackerel if that peaks your intrest as well. I am almost exclusevely fishing out of Va. waters at this point. For these trips I do ask you call me to schedule. I also usually have lodging avalible if you would like to fish multiple days or just stay over due to the drive.

September through November

I head back north to Rock Hall around the middle of September and turn my focus back to resident Striped Bass. This is a fun time of year to fish as the fish are congreated at the mouths of rivers feeding the bay intercepting the bait flushing out of those rivers. We also see blitzes of fish feeding on top with birds working over the water. Its a very visual, fast paced and exciting time to fish. For those who like top water we often have great top water fishing this time of the year also.

November though March

Novemeber I move my boat to the middle bay, Chesapeake Beach to be exact and focus on the area of the Chesapeake from there to Point Look out following the fish and bait and they move down the bay. The last few years we have had a good run of the large migratory Stripers come in the bay making for some absolute world class fishing. Some days we catch 20-40 fish over 40". January that bite will continue and if the winter is warm enough into February as well. These fish are gorging in preperation to head up the rivers to spawn in March/ April. March tends to heat up really good as the days are getting longer again and the water is warming. The biological clock in these fish have them feeding up for the spawn near or even inside the rivers. April is closed for any targeting of Striped Bass and I generally take a few weeks off here and then start back fishing in late April/ early May when the Bull Red fish show up in the southern bay.

If you have any questions or would just like to chat about how we can make your dream trip become reality please give me a call.

Captain Ron Buffington

717-446-4218