Chesapeake Bay Charter Fishing

There are many sport fishing hot spots throughout the US coastal regions that saltwater fishing charters concentrate on but from an anglers point of view there aren't many regions that quite compare to the charter boat fishing in the Chesapeake Bay. This includes the Chesapeake Bay fishing guides that work out of a small boat up to the head boat or party boats that carry large parties of 20 anglers or more. With a large population of anglers around the bay and with the major tourist draw that the Chesapeake Bay creates there are literally a thousand Chesapeake Bay fishing charter services along the shores of the Bay.

The massive Chesapeake Bay saltwater basin is at its widest point is near 35 miles wide at the mouth of the Potomac River in Maryland and is over 200 miles long extending all the way from Virginia Beach, VA. to Baltimore, MD. In between are some salty charter fishing hotspots like Solomons Islands, Chesapeake Beach, and Deltaville which is just south in Virginia.

All these locales have fertile fishing grounds and are frequent stops for anglers on a Chesapeake Bay charter fishing vacation. In fact the Maryland fishing charters and the Chesapeake Bay are a major tourist draw for the state. The area of Solomon's Island, the Potomac River, and Patuxent River are all quite popular fishing grounds and this is where Captain Ron has all his charter fishing success.

Chesapeake Bay Fishing

More than 350 different species of finfish can be found in the Chesapeake Bay. Some of the more well known species are permanent residents, while others migrate seasonally. Depending on their feeding habits and spawning requirements, many fish move between shallow and deep water or between freshwater and saltwater throughout the year. Not all of these species are ever targeted by the fishing charters of the region though. In fact only a handfull of species are sought out by anglers fishing the Chesapeake Bay, whether they be a private angler or on a local fishing boat charter.

Chesapeake Bay Charter Fishing - What can I catch?

While you will mainly be fishing for nice sized striper around 10 plus pounds and certain bottom fish like croaker, perch, and spot there is also the possibility your Chesapeake Bay fishing trip might catch on of these fish listed below.

A Few Chesapeake Bay Facts

1. The Chesapeake is a commercial and recreational resource for the more than 15 million people who live in its basin.
2. The Bay produces 500 million pounds of seafood per year.
3. The Chesapeake Bay is the largest of 130 estuaries in the United States.
4. 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.

Chesapeake Bay Striper Fishing

With a large population of marine life which has made a dramatic comeback over the past decade the Chesapeake Bay is known as a seafood lovers and saltwater angler's paradise. Even though there are many fun and exciting species to fish for in the Bay you will find that the Maryland fishing charters like to go after the most famous inshore sportfish of all, the Chesapeake Bay Striper. Years ago the Bay was teeming with striper, also called rockfish, and with no restrictions or regulations the striper population quickly declined from over-fishing. Rockfish were almost non existent in the Chesapeake Bay many years ago. For a time the Virgina and Maryland fishing charters didn't even list striper as an available species, at least any that were fishing the mid and lower Bay areas.

But Chesapeake Bay striper fishing did return sometime in the 1980's. Through the extreme efforts of federal and state fisheries, along with other agencies, farm hatched striped bass were re-introduced into the Chesapeake Bay where they now flourish. Of course this time around the powers that be imposed restrictions on seasons and limits on rockfish which are now flourishing more than any other fish in the Chesapeake Bay. From the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel to the upper Bay area in Marland an angler can now catch striper almost year round, except for the restricted months of course.

Maryland Charter Boats

The middle Bay area, around Solomon's Island, Chesapeake Beach, and the Potomac River is known for great fishing, delicious seafood, and numerous professional fishing charters and guides. Maryland Chesapeake Bay charter boats in this region offer fishing trips for just about any species you would like to catch. Some like Captain Ron and the Fishing C's offer crabbing charters too where you can go out and relax with family and friends while catching a bushel or more of those GREAT tasting Chesapeake Bay Blue Carbs. Obviously the season will determine what species Captain Ron will target but as we have said, striper fishing will probably be first on the list if the season is open and the fish are available. If striper isn't your favorite type of fish to catch then there's also plenty of bottom fishing for croaker and flounder during the summer months.

If you have experienced a Chesapeake Bay charter fishing trip before then you already know how much fun it is. If you have never fished on a Maryland fishing charter in the Bay and you get the chance to you should certainly go, it's something you will never forget. They are fun, exciting, adventurous, and you get to spend valuable leisure time with friends and family on the water, nothing could be better. Book your Chesapeake Bay and Solomon's Island fishing trip with Captain Ron today.