UTERWeakfish fishing in Chesapeake Bay
In Chesapeake Bay, weakfish peak May–June and September–October and are around April–November, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. May: Gray trout on the lower-bay channel edges and the Bridge-Tunnel; stocks are low — keep few.
Fall grays on the Cell and the deep lower-bay holes; jigs and squid strips.
Weakfish in Chesapeake Bay, month by month
- JanuaryNot here
- FebruaryNot here
- MarchNot here
- AprilArriving
- MayPeakGray trout on the lower-bay channel edges and the Bridge-Tunnel; stocks are low — keep few.
- JunePeak
- JulyAround
- AugustAround
- SeptemberPeak
- OctoberPeakFall grays on the Cell and the deep lower-bay holes; jigs and squid strips.
- NovemberLeaving
- DecemberNot here
Where to fish weakfish 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 weakfish
- Live shrimpUnder a popping cork or free-lined, hooked under the horn on a #1 to 2/0 circle hook; on a jig head for the bottom. The universal inshore bait.
- Mud minnows (killifish)Lip-hooked on a jig head or a 1/0 hook dragged along the bottom — the flounder bait.
- 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.
- Sand eelsFree-lined or on a light jig head for stripers, fluke and bluefish; strips teased on a fluke rig.
- Leader20–40 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook#1–4/0
- Jig head1/8–1/2 oz
- Braid10–30 lb
Feeds in 55–80°F water, best at 60–74°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch weakfish in Chesapeake Bay?
Peak season is May–June and September–October. Weakfish are in Chesapeake Bay April–November. May: Gray trout on the lower-bay channel edges and the Bridge-Tunnel; stocks are low — keep few.
Where do weakfish hold in Chesapeake Bay?
Look on channel edge, bridge, fishing pier — around Annapolis, Kent Island, Solomons, Tilghman Island, Crisfield, Deltaville.
What is the best bait for weakfish in Chesapeake Bay?
Live bait: live shrimp, mud minnows (killifish), bloodworms, sand eels. Live shrimp: Under a popping cork or free-lined, hooked under the horn on a #1 to 2/0 circle hook; on a jig head for the bottom. The universal inshore bait. 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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