Blues and fluke hold on as Chesapeake water cools into fall

What's biting

What's next

With the full moon pushing bigger tide swings and the nor'easter working through the region, the next high near 9:33 AM and next low near 3:40 PM local should set up the better windows into the weekend, particularly as water keeps sliding toward the low 60s.

Hook 'em and Cook'em reports boats working area structure are still finding a fluke bite mixed with occasional bluefish, and Smith's Bait Shop expects that combination to hold, if not improve, at Port Mahon's reef sites as the water continues to cool into October.

Context

A 61.7°F reading this late in September is right on the seasonal clock for the Chesapeake's shift out of summer patterns, with striped bass typically beginning to push back into the bay's upper reaches as water settles into this range, while fluke and bluefish stay catchable in the lower bay and inlet approaches before the fall migration accelerates further.

Wind events like this week's nor'easter are a normal fixture of the transition, and anglers should expect brief weather layoffs to alternate with productive windows as fronts move through into October.