For November 23, 2024, if you're planning to hit the waters of the Chesapeake Bay around the Baltimore and Washington D.C. areas, here's what you can expect:

### Weather and Tidal Conditions
The weather is shaping up to be more seasonal, with cold fronts moving through the area. This has brought cooler temperatures and some rain, which has positively impacted fish activity. Today, expect partly cloudy skies with a high in the mid-50s and a low in the mid-40s. Sunrise is at around 6:55 AM, and sunset will be at approximately 4:45 PM. Tides are crucial; the morning low tide is around 7:30 AM, and the afternoon high tide is about 1:30 PM.

### Fish Activity
The cold fronts have finally gotten the fish into their typical fall feeding pattern. Striped bass (rockfish) are schooling up and becoming more active. In the Upper Chesapeake Bay, particularly around the Patapsco River and the Bay Bridge, anglers have reported decent striped bass action. Trollers are doing well along the edges of the shipping channel and between the pilings of the Bay Bridge. Light tackle anglers are finding success jigging in the eddies on the backside of pilings during running tides[1][2][4].

### Types and Amounts of Fish
Yesterday, anglers reported catching slot rockfish, with some boats catching up to five fish in the 17-20 inch range. White perch are also active, schooling in deeper waters around the mouths of tidal rivers and shoals. Big blue catfish are another target, especially around Pooles Island, where they can be caught using fresh cut bunker, eel, or clam baits[1][2].

### Best Lures and Bait
For striped bass, umbrella rigs with 5-inch sassy shads, metal blade baits, and soft plastics on half-ounce jigheads are working well. Jigging small silver spoons and chartreuse BKDs on half-ounce heads on the bottom in 10-12 feet of water is also effective. For white perch, metal blade baits, especially the firetiger pattern, are a good choice. For blue catfish, chunking up fresh cut bunker or using clam baits is recommended[1][2][4].

### Hot Spots
- **Bay Bridge**: Both the east and west sides of the bridge offer good structure for fish. Trollers should focus along the edges of the shipping channel and between the pilings. Light tackle anglers can jig in the eddies on the backside of pilings during running tides.
- **Patapsco River**: The mouth of the river and areas from Fort McHenry out to the mouth are good spots for both trollers and light tackle anglers.
- **Pooles Island**: This area is popular for big blue catfish, especially in the 20-30 foot range.

With the seasonal weather pattern setting in, now is a great time to get out on the water and take advantage of the improving fish activity. Keep an eye out for bird shows, as they can indicate where the fish are schooling. Good luck on the water