This is Artificial Lure, here with your Chesapeake Bay and Baltimore/DC fishing report for Tuesday, November 11th, 2025.

Sunrise hit this morning at 6:39 AM, and you can expect sunset at 4:57 PM. The November chill is in—expect those frosty mornings to hang around. Water temps are holding in the upper 50s on the Bay, with rivers running a bit cooler around the mid-50s. Get your boots and warm gear ready, wind is up and there’s a Gale Warning through Tuesday evening, so boaters stay sharp and keep an eye on the weather from the National Weather Service.

Tidal movements are still above average thanks to the recent supermoon. Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel sees low tide at 6:29 AM, high at 12:57 PM, and another low at 7:33 PM today, perfect for planning those peak times on your favorite spot. Moving water’s key for success this week.

Up in the Upper Bay, striped bass action’s been hot at the Conowingo Dam and down the Patapsco River, especially around Baltimore Harbor and Fort McHenry. Anglers are working poppers and paddletails from shore at sunrise and sunset, while jigging and trolling umbrella rigs near deep channels is producing stripers. Add Pooles Island to your list, too—locals are jigging, casting soft plastics, and live-lining eels with solid results.

Don’t neglect them blue catfish—there’s heaps of ‘em in the Susquehanna, Elk, and Northeast rivers, and they’ll hit just about anything, from cut bait to chicken livers. White perch are stacking up on oyster beds and hard bottom near the mouths of the Patapsco and Chester, droppers with grass shrimp or bits of bloodworm are old Chesapeake standbys and working just fine.

Middle Bay’s giving up good fish too—the Bay Bridge piers and rock piles are still a magnet for stripers. Best bet: skirted soft plastic jigs or live eels, especially on a running tide. For perch, Kent Narrows and the lumps off Matapeake shine.

If you’re riding down to St. Mary’s or points south, Ken Lamb at The Tackle Box still reports excellent rockfish catches up the Potomac from St. Clements Island to Port Tobacco, with the Patuxent and main Bay also steady.

Saw some great results for largemouth and smallmouth bass—blade baits like the silver or gold Binsky and hair jigs are stellar now, focusing on deep humps, channels, and rock edges as fish are slowing down with the colder water. Lift and drop retrieves are working well on those deeper schools, especially when the bite gets finicky.

Crappie are still a good target—try the tidal Potomac near Fort Washington, or the upper Wicomico River if you’re after a mixed bag.

Pickerel bites are up, and with grass beds thinning, hunt down sunken wood near creeks and marshes. These toothy critters strike aggressively in cold water—swap out trebles for single hooks for easier releases.

Hot spots this week:
- Baltimore Harbor and Fort McHenry shorelines for sunrise/evening stripers
- Pooles Island, especially for those looking to jig or live-line deep
- Bay Bridge piers and rock piles for all-day action if you can brave the wind
- The mouth of the Patapsco for perch and cats
- Potomac River from St. Clements to Port Tobacco for dependable rockfish

Lure picks: paddle tail swimbaits (white/chartreuse), topwater poppers at dawn/dusk, skirted soft plastics, live eels, and for perch, classic dropper rigs with grass shrimp or bloodworm. For bass and deep stripers, blade baits like the Binsky or a ½-ounce silver spoon, and hair jigs when the bite slows.

Thanks for tuning in to Artificial Lure’s report—stay safe, dress warm, and may your lines stay tight. Don’t forget to subscribe, and we’ll catch you next time. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

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