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#1 Dec-29-25 12:52PM
- Bryan
- Patagonian Toothfish
- From: Bealeton, VA
- Registered: Mar-18-11
- Posts: 1366
Chesapeake- End of 2025
I had a terrible Fall. Almost every time I went out in October and November the fish were just switched off. I had one 11 fish day in October but other than that I never caught more than 3 trout in a day between those two months. I did make a trip to Delaware on Thanksgiving weekend that was fun. I caught tautog from shore and a bunch of sea bass and porgies on a headboat.
December has been a different story. Water temps have been cold and I've had to deal with a lot of ice, but the fishing has been nothing short of fantastic. In 6 trips this month I tagged 144 trout with 18 citations up to 30", 13 stripers, most slot size with one 30+lbs, and one lonely redfish.
The fish have been shallow so far, I've only caught a couple deeper than 5', with the vast majority coming in 2.5-4. At some point during the winter I expect that to change. 95% have been on my homemade twitchbaits but I've also caught a handful on jerkbaits, jigging plastics, and swimbaits.
tight lines
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#2 Dec-29-25 4:30PM
- hookup
- Patagonian Toothfish
- Registered: Jan-31-12
- Posts: 2741
Re: Chesapeake- End of 2025
Mmmmm fish tacos!
Nice pix, thx for sharing
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#3 Dec-29-25 8:11PM
- drxfish
- Patagonian Toothfish
- From: Sterling
- Registered: Jan-04-14
- Posts: 3503
Re: Chesapeake- End of 2025
That is incredible! The numbers and sizes are crazy. Those things have Nosfaratu teeth! Way to go.
My question: Has there always been trout that size in the bay or is this an evolving situation?
Always wishin' I was fishin'
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#4 Dec-29-25 8:33PM
- Bryan
- Patagonian Toothfish
- From: Bealeton, VA
- Registered: Mar-18-11
- Posts: 1366
Re: Chesapeake- End of 2025
drxfish wrote:
That is incredible! The numbers and sizes are crazy. Those things have Nosfaratu teeth! Way to go.
My question: Has there always been trout that size in the bay or is this an evolving situation?
They've always been here, but we've been seeing larger fish the last several years because there hasn't been a severe winterkill. In 2014 and again in 2018, the trout were practically wiped out and it was tough to get anything over 20" for a while. In 2019 I caught one citation (24+"), this year I've caught 35. I don't know how we dodged a major kill last Winter, January was brutal but I guess the trout figured something out.
tight lines
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#5 Dec-30-25 3:03AM
- Ernie
- Administrator
- From: Ashburn VA
- Registered: Feb-03-06
- Posts: 16383
Re: Chesapeake- End of 2025
Them trayt are beasts! Well done!!
Black fish from shore is impressive…
Time to go fishin' again!
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#6 Dec-30-25 2:27PM
- backtofuturetoyota
- Patagonian Toothfish
- From: Stafford
- Registered: Jan-12-12
- Posts: 1176
Re: Chesapeake- End of 2025
I always look forward to this report! Those are some real beauties you caught. I have had a pretty down year myself when it comes to SH fishing, but getting out was the big goal. I thought about going out on the Chesapeake on the yak, but I'm just not too thrilled to be out in such a small vessel. Appreciate the great catches and good on you to keep it going even with the tough fall season!
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#7 Jan-02-26 8:13PM
- Oubassman
- Northern Snakehead
- From: West Virginia
- Registered: Jan-12-23
- Posts: 250
Re: Chesapeake- End of 2025
That's nice!!!!
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