Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report: Sheepshead, Drum, and Cobia Heat Up as Summer Approaches

Good morning, this is Artificial Lure with your Chesapeake Bay, Virginia fishing report for Wednesday, June 11, 2025.

Sunrise came at 5:45 AM, with the sun sticking around until 8:21 PM. Tides at Windmill Point put us on a rising tide by midday, with a 4:21 PM high—the current is moderate, perfect for active fish. Weather’s as good as you can ask for in June—mild temps, light winds, and clear skies, so you don’t need to rush for shelter or throw on a rain slicker today.

Let’s dive right into what’s biting. The lower bay and surrounding creeks are red-hot right now. The star of the show is sheepshead, especially around the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel (CBBT). Kayak and jet ski anglers are putting up solid numbers, with catches of up to seven sheepshead per trip and some nice tautog mixed in. The trick? Frozen or live fiddler crabs fished on bottom sweeper jigs, hugging the pilings. Don’t overlook black drum and red drum either—these are hanging close to the same bridge structure and responding well to crustacean baits.

For boaters targeting bigger game, bull red drum are still cruising the shallow flats but are beginning to move deeper. The rocky islands around the CBBT and Fisherman’s Island are where you want to look. Sidescan sonar helps, but if you spot them, drop a big paddletail or straight tail soft plastic on a two-ounce jighead and hang on.

Cobia action is heating up with the season opening June 15th. Boats scouting the oceanfront and the shoals just inside the Bay have already reported sighting and catching cobia, mostly on live eels, bucktails, and big twitchbaits. Cover water and look for fish cruising near the surface, especially later in the day.

Spadefish are beginning to stack up on inshore structures and the Chesapeake Light Tower. Use small pieces of clam or artificial Fishbites on tiny hooks. If you’re looking for flounder, check the CBBT, HRBT, and the three southside inlets—flounder reports have been trending up, especially around moving water.

Now for the inshore creeks and rivers—Rudee, Lynnhaven, and Elizabeth—speckled trout are firing, with reports of quality fish up to 10 pounds. Early mornings and evenings with soft plastics, MirrOlures, or popping cork rigs have done the most damage. Over in the Potomac, stripers (rockfish) in the 19 to 24 inch slot are active around the 301 Bridge down to St. Clements Island, especially for trollers and light tackle jiggers using live spot or bucktails.

Hot spots for today:
- The CBBT pilings for sheepshead, drum, and flounder.
- Fisherman’s Island for big red drum and early cobia.
- The Chesapeake Light Tower if you want to chase spadefish.
- Elizabeth and Lynnhaven Rivers for trophy speckled trout.

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