Fall striper and tog window opens as the nor'easter fades

What's next

Expect the weekend to be the better stretch. As the nor'easter pulls away, seas should lay down and a northwest breeze should help clear water that was stirred up by onshore wind. Cooling nights and northerly air usually push the temperature a few degrees lower, which tends to switch on striped bass and bluefish activity along the beachfront and inlets, and to firm up the tautog bite around hard structure.

Tide timing matters today. Station 8631044 shows the next high at about 7:30 AM local time and the next low near 1:45 PM. Station 8632200 shows the high near 7:34 AM and the low near 2:00 PM. The morning push of incoming water into early high tide is a sensible window, and the first of the falling tide often concentrates bait at inlet mouths. Waxing gibbous moonlight means evening tides should carry decent light too.

If the wind drops on schedule, Sunday morning looks like the best combination of calmer water and a moving tide. Check the marine forecast before launching, since lingering swell can stay up after the wind eases.

Context

Late October is the second phase of the fall run on the Mid-Atlantic coast. Water in the high 50s to low 60s is typical for this point in the season, and the pattern generally runs on schedule: baitfish exit the bays, striped bass and bluefish follow them along the coast, and tautog settle onto structure as the water cools. Northeast reports of strong striper and blackfish action usually show up in Virginia waters in the following weeks as colder air arrives. Check current state regulations before keeping any fish, since seasons and size limits change.