UTERWhite perch fishing in Chesapeake Bay
In Chesapeake Bay, white perch peak March–November and are around year-round, spawning in March–April, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. March: The white perch spawning run up the tidal rivers — the Choptank, the Patuxent, the Nanticoke; shad darts and grass shrimp.
No note for October — see the months around it.
White perch in Chesapeake Bay, month by month
- JanuaryAroundCatch-and-release stripers deep; tog on the Bridge-Tunnel. Slow soft plastics on the deep channel edges and the warm discharges for released stripers; crabs tight to the Bridge-Tunnel islands for tog; specks in the Elizabeth River; winter bluefin off Virginia Beach.
- FebruaryAroundColdest water of the year — tog, perch and released stripers. Tog on the lower-bay wrecks on calm days; white perch deep in the tributaries; slow jigs for stripers where it's legal to target them.
- MarchSpawningThe white perch spawning run up the tidal rivers — the Choptank, the Patuxent, the Nanticoke; shad darts and grass shrimp.
- AprilSpawningStriper spawn in the rivers; the first big blues and drum at the mouth. Main-bay stripers catch-and-release in Maryland (spawning reaches closed); tog on the Bridge-Tunnel; black drum and bull reds start on the Eastern Shore shoals. Virginia closed speckled trout April–June in 2026.
- MayPeak
- JunePeak
- JulyPeakPerch on every shoreline point and oyster bar; small spinners and grass shrimp.
- AugustPeak
- SeptemberPeak
- OctoberPeak
- NovemberPeak
- DecemberAroundWintering perch deep in the tributaries.
Where to fish white perch 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 perch
- Grass shrimpTwo or three on a #6 hook under a small cork — the bream, crappie, sheepshead and mangrove snapper bait nobody sells.
- BloodwormsA piece threaded on a #2 to 2/0 hook on a hi-lo or fish-finder rig — the striper, spot, croaker and white perch bait of the Chesapeake and the surf.
- Minnows (fatheads, shiners)Hooked lightly through the lips or behind the dorsal on a #6 to #2 hook under a slip bobber for crappie, perch and walleye; a big golden shiner on a 2/0 to 4/0 for largemouth, pike and stripers.
- Leader20–40 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook#1–4/0
- Jig head1/8–1/2 oz
- Braid10–30 lb
Feeds in 44–84°F water, best at 56–76°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch white perch in Chesapeake Bay?
Peak season is March–November, with fish spawning in March–April (often a closed or catch-and-release window — check the rule). White perch are here year-round. March: The white perch spawning run up the tidal rivers — the Choptank, the Patuxent, the Nanticoke; shad darts and grass shrimp.
Where do white perch hold in Chesapeake Bay?
Look on channel edge, dock / pilings, fishing pier, oyster bar, bridge — around Annapolis, Kent Island, Solomons, Tilghman Island, Crisfield, Deltaville.
What is the best bait for white perch in Chesapeake Bay?
Live bait: grass shrimp, bloodworms, minnows (fatheads, shiners). Grass shrimp: Two or three on a #6 hook under a small cork — the bream, crappie, sheepshead and mangrove snapper bait nobody sells. Tackle: leader 20–40 lb fluorocarbon, hook #1–4/0, jig head 1/8–1/2 oz, braid 10–30 lb.
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