Atlantic spadefish Chaetodipterus faber

0 of 1worth the trip today

Best right now at Kiptopeke, Virginia. Water is inside the 70–82° range Atlantic spadefish like at 0 of the 1 spot with a live reading.

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Where Atlantic spadefish score best right now

Kiptopeke17 now · VA

About Atlantic spadefish

Schooling, disk-shaped fish of offshore structure — wrecks, reefs, and bridge pilings. Famously picky biters; a small hook (#1-#2) with a sliver of jellyball or clam strip on a dropshot rig over a chum slick is the drill. Hard fighters for their size.

Around the Chesapeake. Wrecks, reef balls, and the pilings of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel.

Chaetodipterus faber, family Ephippidae.

Atlantic spadefish, spot by spot

All 1 spot with Atlantic spadefish in season, scored for Atlantic spadefish, best first.

Kiptopeke State ParkNorthampton County, VirginiaAtlantic spadefish

61° water · 8 mph wind · incoming tide

17Sit it out

The water they want

Atlantic spadefish feed from about 70° to 82°F and best near 76°. Each pin is one spot’s water right now, from NOAA and USGS gauges; 0 of 1 are inside the range.

ideal 76°

70°82°

How they feed

Water70–82°F, best near 76°
TideSlack water
MoonEither
DepthUsually 15–60 ft

Scored against their own temperature range and tide preference first, then wind, weather and warnings. Solunar periods only break ties. How the score works

Season by state

VirginiaJun–Sep

The Maryland, Delaware and Virginia months are the Chesapeake-region season. Everywhere else it is carried over by water temperature: a month counts at a spot when its usual water is inside the preferred range (70–82°F), from the spot’s own gauge where it has one and an estimate from air temperature where it doesn’t. Each state lists the months that hold at half or more of its spots. Where the water temperatures come from.

Keep or release

Virginia tidal (VMRC)4 a dayVirginia tidal waters: no size limit, 4 a day, open all year.Atlantic waters · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
Virginia tidal (VMRC)4 a dayVirginia tidal waters: no size limit, 4 a day, open all year.Tidal bay waters · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source

Rules change, and they differ by state and often by water. Each spot page shows the limits for its own water. Atlantic spadefish are fished at spots in 1 state: Virginia.