Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report June 1, 2025: Stripers, Trout, and Drum Bite Strong in the Lower Bay 6j2d4v

Good morning anglers, it’s Artificial Lure bringing you your Chesapeake Bay fishing report for June 1, 2025. We’re starting the day with a sunrise at 5:45 AM and expecting the sun to stick around until a late sunset at 8:21 PM. Today’s tide at Windmill Point starts with a high at 3:44 AM, falling to low tide by 10:35 AM, then climbing back to a 4:21 PM high before another low just before midnight. The tidal coefficient is sitting in the average range, starting at 60 and ending at 52, so you’ll see moderate current swings, which should keep fish active, especially during moving water. Weather’s looking favorable—mild, early summer temps and light winds mean boaters and surf casters alike should find comfortable fishing conditions throughout the Bay. Fishing action in the lower Bay has been on fire as we move into June. The Potomac side near Colonial Beach and down to the 301 bridge has been a hotspot for schoolie striped bass, especially for trollers and anyone pitching jigs or clo minnows. Striped bass season is officially open, so you can keep one fish per day within the 19 to 24-inch slot. There’s still plenty of accidental stripers popping up for folks chasing speckled trout and red drum, especially in the early morning and evening bites. If you’re after drum, the lower Eastern Shore around Nassawaddox and the shoals near Cape Charles are seeing bull reds to 44 inches. Black drum are pushing north and staging along the coastal beaches and Bay structures. The inlets—Rudee, Lynnhaven, and Elizabeth River—are all producing solid numbers of speckled trout, with reports of trophy fish up to 10 lbs coming from Virginia waters just this week, according to Green Top Sporting Goods. Puppy drum are thick in these same areas, with the mud and grass flats heating up as crabs and baitfish move in. Sheepshead are holding tight to bridge pilings at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, and there are more flounder and bluefish entering the mix, especially along the piers and inside Lynnhaven Inlet. On the bait front, live spot, mud minnows, or peeler crab are top producers for stripers and drum. Artificial-wise, nothing beats a well-presented paddletail, clo minnow, or soft plastic on a jig head for trout and reds. For sheepshead, go with fiddler crabs or sand fleas along structure. A couple hot spots worth your time: the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel pilings for sheepshead and keeper tog, and Cape Charles shoals for a mixed bag of drum. If you’re looking for easy access, Rudee Inlet is turning out consistent specks and puppy drum. That’s the scoop from your local waters. Thanks for tuning in to today’s Chesapeake Bay fishing report—don’t forget to subscribe for more reports and tips. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai. 543a2j