UTERSwordfish fishing in Chesapeake Bay
In Chesapeake Bay, swordfish peak July–October and are around June–November, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. July: Daytime deep-drop swordfish in the Norfolk Canyon — bait on the bottom in 1,500 ft.
No note for October — see the months around it.
Swordfish in Chesapeake Bay, month by month
- JanuaryNot here
- FebruaryNot here
- MarchNot here
- AprilNot here
- MayNot here
- JuneArriving
- JulyPeakDaytime deep-drop swordfish in the Norfolk Canyon — bait on the bottom in 1,500 ft.
- AugustPeak
- SeptemberPeak
- OctoberPeak
- NovemberLeaving
- DecemberNot here
Where to fish swordfish near Annapolis, Kent Island, Solomons
The biggest estuary in the country: 200 miles of brackish bay fed by the Susquehanna, Potomac, Patuxent, Choptank, Nanticoke, Rappahannock and James, with oyster bars, channel edges and lumps in the main stem, marsh islands down Tangier Sound, and the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel's pilings and islands at the mouth. Salinity climbs from fresh at the Flats to ocean at Cape Henry.
What to use for swordfish
- SquidStrips on a bottom rig for snapper, grunts and porgies; whole on a deep-drop rig.
- Leader80–150 lb mono
- Hook8/0–14/0
- Braid65–100 lb
Feeds in 55–75°F water, best at 58–68°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch swordfish in Chesapeake Bay?
Peak season is July–October. Swordfish are in Chesapeake Bay June–November. July: Daytime deep-drop swordfish in the Norfolk Canyon — bait on the bottom in 1,500 ft.
Where do swordfish hold in Chesapeake Bay?
Look on ledge / hard bottom — around Annapolis, Kent Island, Solomons, Tilghman Island, Crisfield, Deltaville.
What is the best bait for swordfish in Chesapeake Bay?
Live bait: squid. Squid: Strips on a bottom rig for snapper, grunts and porgies; whole on a deep-drop rig. Tackle: leader 80–150 lb mono, hook 8/0–14/0, braid 65–100 lb.
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