UTERKing mackerel fishing in Chesapeake Bay
In Chesapeake Bay, king mackerel are around July–September but never at the peak of their run, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. August: King mackerel off Virginia Beach and the Chesapeake Light Tower in warm summers; live bunker slow-trolled.
Not in Chesapeake Bay this month.
King mackerel in Chesapeake Bay, month by month
- JanuaryNot here
- FebruaryNot here
- MarchNot here
- AprilNot here
- MayNot here
- JuneNot here
- JulyAround
- AugustAroundKing mackerel off Virginia Beach and the Chesapeake Light Tower in warm summers; live bunker slow-trolled.
- SeptemberAround
- OctoberNot here
- NovemberNot here
- DecemberNot here
Where to fish king mackerel 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.
Fish Scouter charts 850 wreck, 42 artificial reef spots in the The Chesapeake map area — the kinds king mackerel hold on.
What to use for king mackerel
- Blue runners (hardtails)Nose-hooked and slow-trolled on a wire stinger rig for kings; bridled for sailfish and cobia.
- Threadfin herring (greenbacks)Nose-hooked on a circle hook and free-lined, or slow-trolled. Fragile — handle them wet and fast.
- Cigar minnowsNose-hooked on a stinger rig for kings, or a 4/0 circle hook dropped to the bottom for grouper.
- Menhaden (pogies)Nose-hooked on a circle hook and free-lined or slow-trolled; cut in chunks for the bottom.
- Spanish sardinesNose-hooked and free-lined in a chum slick, or slow-trolled on a stinger rig.
- Speedos (redtail scad)Bridled through the nose on a kite or slow-trolled for sailfish, kingfish and blackfin.
- Leader40–60 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook4/0–6/0
- Braid30–50 lb
Feeds in 66–82°F water, best at 68–76°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch king mackerel in Chesapeake Bay?
King mackerel are in Chesapeake Bay July–September, but the calendar never marks a peak here. August: King mackerel off Virginia Beach and the Chesapeake Light Tower in warm summers; live bunker slow-trolled.
Where do king mackerel hold in Chesapeake Bay?
Look on artificial reef, wreck — around Annapolis, Kent Island, Solomons, Tilghman Island, Crisfield, Deltaville.
What is the best bait for king mackerel in Chesapeake Bay?
Live bait: blue runners (hardtails), threadfin herring (greenbacks), cigar minnows, menhaden (pogies). Blue runners (hardtails): Nose-hooked and slow-trolled on a wire stinger rig for kings; bridled for sailfish and cobia. Tackle: leader 40–60 lb fluorocarbon, hook 4/0–6/0, braid 30–50 lb.
Fish it with the tide in your pocket
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