This is Artificial Lure, coming to you with your Chesapeake Bay, Virginia fishing report for November 17, 2025.
Out on the Bay this morning, you’re waking to a crisp late-fall scene. According to the National Weather Service’s latest briefing, temps are hovering in the upper 40s to low 50s with light NW winds at 5-10 knots, making for slick seas and a comfortable drift for all you boat anglers out there. The sky’s mostly clear, but a slight increase in clouds is expected later in the day, and you might see a bit of rain by evening.
Sunrise was at 6:51 AM, and sunset rolls in at 4:55 PM, so you’ve got a compact window of daylight to fill those coolers. Tides at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel showed a high tide topping out at 6:11 AM at 2.94 feet and a low at 12:28 PM down to 0.4 feet. That early morning incoming tide lined up perfectly with sunrise, giving you prime conditions for the first bite.
Fish activity this week has been red hot, especially for striped bass. Virginia Saltwater Fishing Report says this is the peak of the migration — big cows are moving into the lower Bay, hanging near classic haunts like the pilings of the CBBT and the rips around Cape Henry. Word is, trophy stripers up to 40 inches have come boat-side the last two days, with the slot-size fish thick in the mix.
If you’re targeting these linesiders, top-producing lures right now include 6- to 9-inch shad-bodied swimbaits rigged on heavy jigheads, as well as big paddle tails and classic bucktail jigs dressed with pork trailers. For those working light tackle along the rocks or from shore, crankbaits that imitate bunker, and suspending jerkbaits like Lucky Craft 110’s in natural shad or chartreuse back, have crushed fish at dawn and dusk. Live eels drifted near the pilings in 20–30 feet of water remain the bait of choice if you’re soaking meat.
Down deep near the wrecks and artificial reefs, Great Days Outdoors reports a great sea bass and triggerfish bite. Anglers are scoring by dropping thumbnail-sized fresh bait — think squid or clam strips — on size 2 J-hooks, especially when the current picks up midway through the tide. And don’t overlook tawny bottom dwellers: blue catfish are still causing chaos in the tidal rivers, with cut gizzard shad or chicken breast pulling big blues from ledges and channels, according to The Fishing Wire.
For those looking for hotspots, two stand out this week:
- The Fourth Island of the CBBT is absolutely loaded with striped bass, especially around the slack-to-flood tide transition. All you need is a stout rod, some bunker-pattern swimbaits, and patience as the schools move in and out with the tide.
- The mouth of the James River, particularly near the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel, continues to be reliable for blue catfish and some lingering specks holding around drop-offs.
Shore action has also picked up at local harbours and headlands around Norfolk — these sheltered zones attract plenty of bait and, in turn, predatory fish on moving tides.
Final tip: keep your gear simple and sharp. Braided main line with a fluorocarbon leader gives you the strength and stealth needed for these clear, cold-water conditions.
That wraps up today’s Chesapeake Bay fishing report from Artificial Lure. Thanks for tuning in — don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a bite! This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.
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