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This week, host Luke Barton checks in with Capt. Tripp Seed of Baya Roman Charters and Capt. Eric Meyers of Heads~N~Tails Charters. This episode of the Lower Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report features a packed conversation on everything from honoring the Hooked on Hope Foundation and its community impact, to dialing in deep-water wreck tactics for sea bass and triggerfish, and transitioning to inshore tactics for fall speckled trout and redfish. Both captains share practical insights for anglers looking to finish the fall strong before winter weather sets in.
Conditions Recap
Water temperatures remain warm enough to keep summer patterns going, but cooling nights are setting up prime fall conditions. Offshore and nearshore wrecks continue to hold quality black sea bass and triggerfish, while inshore waters around Lynnhaven, Rudee, and the Eastern Shore are clearing up nicely for speckled trout and red drum. The weather has been cooperative recently, with calmer seas and light winds offering good opportunities for wreck and bay anglers alike. Expect another blow this weekend, but conditions should rebound quickly afterward.
Wreck and Offshore Report with Capt. Tripp Seed
Capt. Tripp Seed of Baya Roman Charters shared a heartfelt start to his report, reflecting on his late wife Andrea, namesake of his vessel “Dr. Dre,” and the meaning behind his involvement in the Hooked on Hope Foundation. Beyond the powerful community stories, Capt. Seed’s fishing insight was equally inspiring.
This week, he’s been working the wrecks throughout the Bay, reporting excellent catches of sea bass, triggerfish, and even a few keeper flounder. His largest cobia of the year—measuring 61 inches—came during a Hooked on Hope trip. Sea bass up to 20 inches and triggerfish approaching 4 pounds have been common on recent outings.
Capt. Seed runs a 32’ Topaz Express and has been testing a new Garmin Kraken 110 trolling motor powered by a 36-volt DC House lithium battery, reporting impressive longevity with minimal drawdown after two full days of fishing. His setup has allowed him to precisely hold position over structure, key when targeting smaller wrecks.\
Bait & Tackle Tips:
He favors dropper rigs with three or four 5/0 hooks, using 30–40 lb mono leader and six to ten ounces of weight depending on current. Squid and cobia belly chunks have been top-performing baits. Some anglers are downsizing to 2–3/0 hooks to better target triggers, but Seed notes that larger hooks often tempt the biggest fish. For rods, he runs medium-action 6’6” setups with Penn Squall level-wind reels and lighter spinning outfits for jigging.
When asked about cleaning big hauls of fish, Capt. Seed credits his electric fillet knife for saving hours at the cleaning table. Triggerfish, he notes, “fight like spadefish and clean like armor,” so he’s keeping only larger ones for the fillet table.
Trips aboard the Dr. Dre will continue through November as long as weather allows, with Capt. Seed limiting wreck trips to five anglers for comfort and efficiency.
Inshore Report with Capt. Eric Meyers
Capt. Eric Meyers of Heads~N~Tails Charters recently returned from a unique honeymoon adventure—trailering his 27-foot skiff to Jupiter, Florida, to chase the famous fall mullet run. He and his wife, Jamie, tangled with massive jacks, snook, tarpon, and even goliath grouper around docks and riprap. The highlight was a 150-pound tarpon that put on an aerial show before spitting the hook.
Back home in Virginia, Capt. Meyers reports the inshore bite is shifting toward fall patterns. Cooler mornings and shorter days are sparking strong trout and redfish activity across the Lower Bay’s creeks and flats.
Tactics & Gear:
He recommends swapping summer soft plastics for suspending hard baits like MirrOdines, Rapala X-Raps, and other jerkbaits that cover the middle of the water column. Leader sizes of 20–30 lb fluorocarbon help maintain lure action and prevent line memory issues. For quick lure changes, Capt. Meyers uses stainless “speed clips,” eliminating the need for loop knots.
Side-scan sonar has been a game-changer in finding fish-holding structure such as oyster outcrops, debris, and even the occasional chair or piling on otherwise featureless flats. Water clarity should improve further by mid-November, opening opportunities for sight-casting redfish on clear, calm days.
He also noted that shrimping has yet to peak but expects another good run before Thanksgiving—a fun bonus fishery for anyone with a cast net and patience.
