Chesapeake Bay Charter Fishing In Chesapeake Beach

Chesapeake Beach, Maryland is a quaint community that's located on the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay. Chesapeake Beach is a tourist center dotted with yacht clubs, marinas, and sailing charters. One of the biggest draws to Chesapeake Beach, however, is its fantastic fishing. If you're an experienced angler you know what the Bay means for fishermen and how important this vast water basin is. And of all the fish species in the Bay, the striped bass is king.

The Chesapeake is one of the best places on earth to fish for striped bass - or as they're usually called here - rockfish. It's estimated that about 75% of the all the stripers in the world were spawned in one of the Bay's tributaries. Since striped bass must have fresh water in which to lay their eggs, the Chesapeake is very inviting to the mature fish. More than 150 streams and rivers feed into the Bay, so stripers have plenty of places to spawn.

Chesapeake Bay Spring Trophy Striper Fishing

If you want to experience the thrill of doing battle with a real trophy fish, check out the Chesapeake Bay's spring trophy season for rockfish. These fish have spent the winter feeding up for the spring spawn, and the ones in the Bay are fresh from the Atlantic Ocean and they're strong, healthy, and looking for a fight! Many of these fish measure over 30 inches in length.

Fall Striper Season In The Chesapeake Bay

During the summer months, as the water in the Chesapeake heats up, most of the striper population heads north to cooler waters. In the autumn, New England waters get a little too chilly for the rockfish, so they head back south. This migration is usually timed well - the big predators can take advantage of all the smaller fish leaving the Bay to winter elsewhere. If you're in the right spot, you can make numerous striper hook-ups on the same day.

Chesapeake Bay Fishing Guides and Chesapeake Bay Charters

To take full advantage of striper fishing in the Chesapeake Bay, you'll need a fishing guide or fishing charter, and there's no shortage of either. You need to be careful when choosing one, however. Because the rockfishing is so famous in the Bay, anglers from all over come to enjoy it, and unfortunately, a few unscrupulous charter boat captains take advantage of the situation. Some of the boats aren't even from the Chesapeake, so they're not familiar with the local waters or with the feeding habits of the fish. This means you could be throwing your money away on nothing more than a boat ride.

There are, however, several great captains and crews on the Bay that can help you land the fish of your dreams. One is Captain Stacey Witherow, a lifetime native with years of experience. Captain Stacey can take you aboard aboard the Mary Ellen for some great striper fishing action. Whether you're an old pro or this is your first striper fishing experience, the captain and crew will see to it that your trip is enjoyable.

1. The Chesapeake Bay is the largest of 130 estuaries in the United States.
2. The Bay supports more than 3,600 species of plants, fish and animals, including 348 species of finfish, 173 species of shellfish and over 2,700 plant species.
3. The Chesapeake is a commercial and recreational resource for the more than 15 million people who live in its basin.
4. The Bay produces 500 million pounds of seafood per year.