UTERWhite marlin fishing in Chesapeake Bay
In Chesapeake Bay, white marlin peak July–September and are around June–October, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. August: White marlin in the Norfolk Canyon on ballyhoo; release them.
No note for October — see the months around it.
White marlin in Chesapeake Bay, month by month
- JanuaryNot here
- FebruaryNot here
- MarchNot here
- AprilNot here
- MayNot here
- JuneArriving
- JulyPeak
- AugustPeakWhite marlin in the Norfolk Canyon on ballyhoo; release them.
- SeptemberPeak
- OctoberLeaving
- NovemberNot here
- DecemberNot here
Where to fish white marlin 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 white marlin
- BallyhooRigged on a wire or mono trolling rig, skipping or swimming, behind a skirt or naked.
- Pilchards (whitebait)Free-lined or under a cork, hooked through the nose on a #1 to 2/0 circle hook. The one bait that catches everything inshore.
- Leader40–60 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook4/0–8/0
- Braid50–100 lb
Feeds in 72–86°F water, best at 76–82°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch white marlin in Chesapeake Bay?
Peak season is July–September. White marlin are in Chesapeake Bay June–October. August: White marlin in the Norfolk Canyon on ballyhoo; release them.
Where do white marlin hold in Chesapeake Bay?
Look on ledge / hard bottom — around Annapolis, Kent Island, Solomons, Tilghman Island, Crisfield, Deltaville.
What is the best bait for white marlin in Chesapeake Bay?
Live bait: ballyhoo, pilchards (whitebait). Ballyhoo: Rigged on a wire or mono trolling rig, skipping or swimming, behind a skirt or naked. Tackle: leader 40–60 lb fluorocarbon, hook 4/0–8/0, braid 50–100 lb.
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All about white marlin · The Chesapeake, the whole year