Artificial Lure here with your Chesapeake Bay report for Sunday, November 2, 2025, checking in from the waters around Baltimore and the Washington D.C. corridor.

Sunrise hit at 6:29 AM and we’ll see sunset at 5:05 PM. Tidal predictions at the Bay Bridge Tunnel call for high at 4:55 AM, low at 11:05 AM, and another high at 5:16 PM—a pretty classic setup for moving bait[2]. Above average tidal currents are rolling in through Tuesday thanks to the full moon coming up on November 6, so expect faster water and more concentrated fish[9].

Weather’s coming in colder, riding steady westerly winds this morning and lingering clouds by midday—classic November conditions. That northwest bite in the wind may push fish down a bit deeper, but don’t let the chill keep you off the water; the cooler temps are driving bait out of the rivers and onto the main channel edges[9]. Take it from local sources: when the tide’s moving, fish turn on. Slow water? You’re likely picking through slackers.

Here’s what’s hot on the catch sheet this week:
- **Striped bass (rockfish)** are the main ticket, holding under the Bay Bridge piers, around rock piles, and cruising the deeper edges of every main channel. Folks have been jigging soft plastics and metal jigs right up against the pilings, and trolling umbrella rigs deep with heavy inline weights. Top spots: Eastern Bay, Poplar Island, Choptank River mouth, and Thomas Point[9][10]. The Potomac’s loaded too, with lower tide pulling bass tight to cover. A few tournament angles have reported 25 bass per day isn’t out of reach on a good run[4].
- **White perch** are still on the move—schooling over oyster reefs, hitting dropper rigs with small shad darts, or chewing on grass shrimp and bloodworm bits. You’ll find them grouping up lower in the rivers, then out of the mouths as temps drop[9].
- The **Chesapeake Channa**, or snakehead, continues to flood the system, especially in Maryland tributaries. There’s no limit—bring them home if you hook one[3]. They’ve got a mild flavor and firm texture if you’re into a fish fry, and knocking down their numbers helps every other species.

If you’re chasing numbers, umbrella rigs behind heavy weights are still one of your best bets for big striped bass off the deeper channel edges. For lure choice, paddletails and soft plastics in white or chartreuse remain the fall staple. Live spot are harder to come by, but live eels or small white perch make a solid plan B near bridge structure[9]. Jigging metal or plastic is your top move near river mouths—especially as baitfish flush out under this moon-driven tide.

For bait, grass shrimp and bloodworm pieces work great for perch. Those after speckled trout should focus on Eastern shorelines, near Hooper’s Island and Tangier Sound, casting paddletails when the wind lets up[9].

A couple of legit hot spots:
- **Bay Bridge piers and rock piles**—drift live bait or pitch jigs; you’ll usually find rockfish stacked.
- **Choptank River mouth and Eastern Bay**—tide runs hard here and brings the big bass.
- **Lower Potomac near Piney Point or St. Marys River**—great for jigging deeper water, especially on dropping tides.

Menhaden bait is getting talked up in the news, as catch quotas will be coming down next year. This may mean less easy bait for folks using live stuff, so plan on plastic and metal for consistent action[7].

Quick shout for anyone hunting crabs: jumbo blue crabs are still being found in deeper pockets of the Chester River, so keep that net handy if you’re bottom-fishing[9].

That’s your rundown for today from Artificial Lure—thanks for tuning in! Don’t forget to subscribe for more reports and local tips. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

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