UTERBlueline tilefish fishing in Chesapeake Bay
In Chesapeake Bay, blueline tilefish peak June–October and are around year-round, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. July: Blueline tile deep-dropping the Norfolk Canyon edges.
No note for October — see the months around it.
Blueline tilefish in Chesapeake Bay, month by month
- JanuaryAround
- FebruaryAround
- MarchAround
- AprilAround
- MayAround
- JunePeak
- JulyPeakBlueline tile deep-dropping the Norfolk Canyon edges.
- AugustPeak
- SeptemberPeak
- OctoberPeak
- NovemberAround
- DecemberAround
Where to fish blueline tilefish 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 blueline tilefish
- 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 50–66°F water, best at 54–62°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch blueline tilefish in Chesapeake Bay?
Peak season is June–October. Blueline tilefish are here year-round. July: Blueline tile deep-dropping the Norfolk Canyon edges.
Where do blueline tilefish hold in Chesapeake Bay?
Look on ledge / hard bottom — around Annapolis, Kent Island, Solomons, Tilghman Island, Crisfield, Deltaville.
What is the best bait for blueline tilefish 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.
Fish it with the tide in your pocket
Fish Scouter scores blueline tilefish for this hour on this water, draws every reef, wreck and access point near you, and keeps your spots. $9.99 a month, 14 days free.
Start 14 free daysMore
All about blueline tilefish · The Chesapeake, the whole year