Posted Thursday, April 14, 2011
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Chesapeake Bay Fishing
 The Chesapeake Bay provides rich and varied fishing grounds, and this is a huge body of water. In fact, before white Europeans began exploring and settling the area, many of the Native Americans living near the Chesapeake found it difficult to believe that an even larger body of water lay just to the east of the Bay. Within this expanse of water are several different types of fish habitats, along with a wide range of fish species that anglers find attractive.
Bottom fishing in the Chesapeake Bay
Perhaps the most popular type of fishing in the Chesapeake is bottom fishing, where baits are placed right on the bottom. This angling method is relatively simple and straightforward, and it can prove very productive. Depending on the time of year you’re fishing and on your selection of bait, you might catch seatrout, flounder, croaker, or spot – all excellent table fare. You’re also likely to hook some larger fish, including black drum, cobia, and the Bay’s most famous occupants, stripers, also called “rockfish.”
Deep drop fishing in the Chesapeake
 The Chesapeake has numerous deep holes, wrecks, and artificial reefs that both fish and fishermen love. For this type of angling, the deep spots must first be located, of course. Because some of these “holes” can be over 200 feet deep, drop fishing can be pretty demanding, but it’s usually very productive, as well. Catches for deep drop fishing in the Bay include sea bass, grouper, tautog, and tilefish.
Surf fishing and shallow water fishing.
Although the Bay contains some deep pockets and channels, most of the Chesapeake is relatively shallow. The average depth is 21 feet, and some 700,000 acres are six feet deep or less. That’s an immense amount of water to cover! Some of the species you might catch with this type of Chesapeake Bay fishing include red drum, weakfish, croaker, cobia, blues, Spanish mackerel, black drum, and stripers.
Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel
Fishing the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, or the CBBT, as it’s often referred to locally, provides some of the best angling in the entire region. Fish are attracted to the bridge and tunnel structure, along with the small islands nearby. And you don’t have to own a boat to take advantage of this type of Chesapeake Bay fishing, either, thanks to a fishing pier. What can you hope to catch here? Trout, Spanish mackerel, sharks, flounder, reds, black drum, blues, spots, spadefish, sheepshead, tautog, and croaker are common catches.
Boat anglers also take advantage of the CBBT. Stripers can often be found around the bridge pilings, along with some large bluefish and the occasional amberjack.
Bay trolling
Bay fishermen with their own boat and those who hire the services of Chesapeake Bay fishing guides or Chesapeake Bay fishing charters often use trolling as a way to locate and catch fish, especially stripers and blues. Trolling artificial baits behind a boat is a way to cover a lot of water in a short period of time. Sometimes chumming is used in conjunction with trolling.
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