Fishing reports
6853 reports across all 50 states — current conditions and what's biting.
Cow Stripers Push Onto Sound Reefs as Squid Draw Fluke In
Striped bass are the headline in Long Island Sound this week. Coverage in The Fisherman — Connecticut describes a solid run of over-the-slot "cow" linesiders pushing onto the reefs as feeding grounds, with water temperatures moving into the 60s and bunker holding fish in the area. A separate captain's report in the same outlet backs that up, with keepers running from slot size to 40 inches and better, squid and bunker keeping fish in place. Fluke are filling in behind the bait too, with one Connecticut shop flagging quality fish in the 6-to-10-pound class stacked around squid-holding structure. Low-light windows are proving key for topwater and soft plastics, while live eels or a bunker on a three-way rig are the better bet once bass get choosy, per that same Connecticut reporting. Black sea bass and scup are rounding out mixed-bag trips over deep structure.
Smallmouth and largemouth settle into summer patterns on the Finger Lakes
No NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came back for Cayuga, Seneca, or Skaneateles this cycle, and this week's angler-intel sweep didn't turn up anything filed specifically out of the Finger Lakes region, so we're grounding this report in typical mid-July freshwater patterns rather than fresh local reports. Smallmouth and largemouth bass are the headline draw here through summer, and general technique notes from this week's intel still translate well: Fishing the Midwest's weedline piece is a good reminder to work emerging weed edges as bass push shallow to feed, while Tactical Bassin's summer jig and finesse-paddletail breakdowns apply nicely to smallmouth holding on deeper rock and gravel as surface temps climb. Lake trout typically slide deep and go quiet once a thermocline sets up in mid-summer, making them the toughest bite of the bunch right now. Yellow perch and panfish remain a steady backup around structure. Check state regs before harvesting, and watch local marina and shop boards for reports filed directly out of the Finger Lakes.
Catskills and Adirondacks Trout Turn to Terrestrials in Summer Heat
Trout Unlimited's latest TROUT Tip is squarely on point for Adirondacks and Catskills freestone streams this week: with summer in full swing, terrestrials crawling and hopping along the banks are becoming a primary food source for trout, especially once wind knocks ants, beetles, and hoppers into the current seams. No fresh USGS gauge or buoy reading came through for this stretch today, so treat flow and water temperature as unknowns until you check a local gauge before heading out. Field & Stream's spin-fishing primer is a solid refresher for this water: a 5.5- to 6.5-foot ultralight rod, light fluorocarbon, and small inline spinners or jigs is the standard small-stream setup here. Early morning and evening windows should outfish midday, a typical mid-July pattern as wild brown, brook, and rainbow trout hold in cooler, shaded water. Gink and Gasoline's notes on trico spinner falls are worth keeping in your box for calm morning water.
Green River tailwater trout lean into summer stonefly rotation
No live buoy or gauge readings came back for Flaming Gorge or the Green River tailwater this cycle, so this report leans on regional trends for the fishery. Caddis Fly (OR) notes that golden stoneflies are "arguably the most important summer stonefly in the Western United States," hatching consistently across much of the West through midsummer — in line with typical July conditions on the Green River's blue-ribbon tailwater below Flaming Gorge Dam. The same source flags yellow sallies as a steady secondary summer bug for dry-dropper rigs. Trout Unlimited's latest TROUT Tip points to terrestrials coming into play as summer peaks, with grasshoppers and ants blown into the current becoming reliable trout targets along the banks. MidCurrent's Tying Tuesday roundup also highlights midge patterns built for "the clear, pressured water of stillwaters and tailraces" — exactly the technical conditions anglers face below the dam. Expect rainbows and browns active on a stonefly-terrestrial rotation.
Ozark trout parks settle into a classic July early-and-late pattern
The clearest signal on the wire this cycle isn't a regional report but Field & Stream's midsummer trout primer: match rod and line to the water, and lean on light fluorocarbon with small-profile spinners and jigs rather than horsing fish in skinny, clear water. No buoy or gauge telemetry came back for the Current or Niangua reaches, and none of today's angler-intel feeds filed a direct Ozark trout-park report, so this update leans on typical July patterns for these spring-fed systems. Both rivers run meaningfully cooler than the surrounding air through summer, which keeps rainbows and browns feeding through the heat rather than shutting down the way warmwater fisheries do. Trout Unlimited's midsummer terrestrial-pattern note is a useful seasonal cue for fly anglers working the margins, since grasshoppers and ants blown into the current become a reliable meal ticket as hatches thin out. Expect the best window to bunch up early and late in the day.
Summer Chinook and steelhead season builds on the Columbia and Rogue
No buoy or gauge readings and no angler intel specific to Oregon's Columbia or Rogue systems came through this cycle, so this report draws on general seasonal knowledge for the region rather than fresh testimony. Mid-July typically finds the Columbia River's summer Chinook run pushing through tidewater and deeper holding water, with steelhead beginning to show in tributary mouths and smallmouth bass staying active in slower side channels and backwater areas as surface temperatures warm. The Rogue River typically carries summer steelhead and holdover spring Chinook this time of year, with fish often stacking in deeper, cooler pools during the hottest afternoon hours. Low, warm water in mid-summer can slow bite windows and occasionally triggers hoot-owl restrictions on some Oregon systems, so anglers should plan around early mornings and evenings. Check current state fishing reports and regulations before heading out, since no direct source data on these two rivers came through this reporting cycle.
Quabbin smallmouth lock into summer structure patterns
Smallmouth bass at Quabbin Reservoir are settling into classic summer structure patterns, with anglers working out of Gate 31 in New Salem targeting bigwater humps and points like Parker Hill, Curtis Hill, and the north end of Mount Pomeroy, per Rod Teehan's report for The Fisherman — New England Freshwater. Conditions were cool and partly cloudy with light, variable wind, not the ideal setup for smallmouth, but fish were still located working the structure back toward the launch. Elsewhere in the region, freshwater fishing has fully flipped into summertime mode: trout action has gone quiet even at popular venues, while largemouth and smallmouth bass in ponds and lakes are keying on topwater frogs, Whopper Ploppers, Senkos, and shiners worked early and late in the day, according to Fishin' Factory 3's regional freshwater report. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through this cycle for Central MA, so treat water levels and temps as seasonal norms until the next data pull.
Wabash smallmouth hold current as summer heat settles over Lake Michigan
Peak summer conditions have taken hold across the Wabash River corridor and the Indiana shore of Lake Michigan this week, with no fresh buoy or gauge readings available for this cycle and no Indiana-specific angler reports in from our regional feeds. That leaves us leaning on typical mid-July patterns for the area rather than fresh eyewitness intel: smallmouth bass on the Wabash generally hold tight to current seams and rock structure through the hottest part of summer, channel catfish turn increasingly nocturnal as surface water warms, and Lake Michigan walleye and yellow perch tend to slide deeper to escape daytime heat, feeding best in low light. Anglers should treat this as a seasonal baseline rather than a live bite report and check state regulations before harvesting. We'll flag it the moment region-specific buoy, gauge, or angler-intel data comes through for Indiana waters.
Quabbin smallmouths hold to structure as summer bass patterns set in
The clearest read we have on Quabbin comes from Rod Teehan's June 16 outing out of Gate 31 in New Salem, reported via The Fisherman — New England Freshwater: he and a partner worked bigwater structure in Fishing Area 3, including Parker Hill, Curtis Hill, and the north end of Mount Pomeroy, targeting smallmouth bass under cool, partly cloudy, light-and-variable-wind conditions that he noted were not ideal for bass activity. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for this region today, so we're leaning on that report plus broader New England freshwater trends. The same publication's Fishin' Factory 3 shop report describes ponds and lakes across the region settling into full warm-weather bass patterns, with topwater frogs, Whopper Ploppers, and Senkos producing best early and late in the day. Expect Quabbin and Wachusett to be following a similar seasonal arc, with smallmouths still the headline draw around deep-water structure.
North Shore lake trout hold deep as summer trolling settles in
No buoy or gauge readings came back for the North Shore itself this cycle, and none of today's angler intel feeds a direct report from Grand Marais, Two Harbors, or the other North Shore launch points. The one Lake Superior-specific signal in today's sweep comes from WI DNR Lake Superior Fishing, which notes a fast-growing lake whitefish fishery over on Chequamegon Bay and an ongoing burbot research survey basin-wide — both Wisconsin-side items, but a reminder that Superior's deepwater species (whitefish, burbot, lake trout) are drawing steady attention across the lake this year. For MN anglers, July on the North Shore typically means lake trout holding in cooler water along the steep drop-offs and reef structure, with the summer coho and chinook salmon program providing surface-to-mid-column action off the river mouths. Steelhead fishing is normally quiet this time of year between spring and fall runs. Check current state regulations before harvesting any Lake Superior trout or salmon species.
Limestone browns lean on terrestrials as summer settles over Penns Creek
No buoy or gauge readings came back for Spring Creek or Penns Creek this cycle, and neither stream showed up directly in today's regional angler-intel sweep, so this update draws on what's typical for Pennsylvania limestone country in mid-July. Expect both streams running low and clear, with wild browns holding tighter to spring seeps and undercut banks as afternoon heat sets in. Trout Unlimited's seasonal note this week flags terrestrials as the go-to summer forage, pointing out that trout treat ants, beetles, and hoppers blown into the current as easy big meals once true hatches thin out - a pattern that lines up well with Spring Creek's wild-trout water. Field & Stream's trout guide backs up scaling tackle down for technical limestone flows: light tippet, small profile flies, and drag-free drifts on 5.5- to 7-foot rods depending on the stretch. With mayfly activity winding down for the season, dawn and dusk are shaping up as the compressed feeding windows worth planning around this week.
Bass push shallow at dawn as summer current drops on KY rivers
Tactical Bassin's Tim reports loading 27 pounds of smallmouth in a single backcountry finesse trip this week, working small paddletails around active cover — a strong early signal that summer bass are locking onto structure as water warms toward peak-heat levels. A companion piece from the same outlet breaks down summer jig fishing start to finish, from trailer choice to color selection, reaffirming the jig as a go-to tool for pulling bass off cover through the hottest stretch of the season. On the deep-water side, B.A.S.S. News reports fish sliding off the bank on the upper Tennessee River as current eases, with big schools — mixed with stripers — stacking on points, ledges and brushpiles, a pattern that typically mirrors conditions on reservoir-fed systems like the Cumberland this time of year. Fishing the Midwest's Bob Jensen is pushing anglers to work weedlines as the 2026 open-water season hits full stride. Catfish should stay active in deep holes and back-eddies as daytime heat builds, typical behavior for mid-July on the Ohio and Cumberland.
Summer heat pushes Kentucky Lake bass and stripers to the ledges
No direct buoy or gauge readings are in for Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley this cycle, but the pattern lines up with what's playing out across the broader Tennessee River system right now. B.A.S.S. News reports fish pushed deep on the upper Tennessee River as summer current slows, with big schools mixing largemouth and stripers on points, ledges, and brushpiles — the same offshore structure Kentucky Lake and Barkley anglers lean on every July. Tactical Bassin's recent summer coverage backs a finesse-first approach when fish get finicky in the heat, favoring paddletails and Neko-rigged worms worked slow through cover, while Fishing the Midwest reminds anglers that versatility (weedlines, deeper brushpiles, mixed species) pays off once the shallow bite fades. Expect largemouth and smallmouth to stay active on structure, with stripers schooling in the same zones. Crappie likely slide deeper and slower as surface temps climb.
Summer pattern settles onto Delaware's Christina and Nanticoke
Catfish are biting well across the broader New Jersey/Delaware Bay freshwater fishery this week, while crappie has slipped into its typical summer lull, per The Fisherman — NJ/DE Freshwater. No buoy or gauge reading came in for the Christina or Nanticoke this cycle, so treat water temp as a calendar-based estimate rather than a hard number. Largemouth bass are holding to an early-morning, late-afternoon bite pattern around remaining vegetation and shade, a rhythm regional freshwater reports describe as typical once summer heat locks in. Striped bass and hybrid stripers in tidal, brackish stretches like the lower Nanticoke tend to follow the same after-dark, drop-off pattern those reports flag for hybrid stripers this time of year. The waning crescent moon favors early and late feeding windows over midday. Bring patience for crappie, but catfish and bass should keep producing through the coming week.
Lake Mead stripers slide deep as midsummer heat sets in
No buoy or gauge readings came through for Lake Mead and the lower Colorado this cycle, so today's read leans on the standard mid-July pattern for this fishery. Surface temps here routinely climb into the mid-80s by this point in summer, pushing striped bass off the flats and down onto creek channels and submerged timber, where they suspend near shad schools through the heat of the day. The early morning window remains the most reliable bet, with fish more willing to chase bait up shallow before the sun gets high and boat traffic builds. None of this cycle's angler-intel feeds specifically covered Lake Mead or lower Colorado striper action, so we can't attribute a fresh bite report today, only the seasonal pattern anglers here typically see. Largemouth and smallmouth bass should track a similar dawn-and-dusk rhythm, sliding to deeper cover and ledges once the sun's up, while channel catfish stay consistently catchable through the warmest stretch of the day.
Mississippi Sound settles into steady midsummer trout and redfish patterns
Mid-July has Mississippi Sound in its typical warm-season rhythm, though this cycle's buoy and gauge feeds returned no fresh temperature or flow readings, and no charter, shop, or state report came in with direct on-the-water intel for the Sound itself. Absent that, anglers should lean on standard summer play: speckled trout and redfish holding tight to grass edges, marsh drains, and shaded structure through the heat of the day, typically most active in the low-light hours around dawn and dusk. MS DMR public notices this week show continued coastal activity around the Sound, including a proposed wetlands fill near Cedar Lake and I-10 in Biloxi and a piling-and-boathouse project on Lake Yazoo in Pascagoula, a reminder that habitat and access along the Sound stay in flux. Check state regulations before harvesting any species, and treat today's report as seasonal guidance rather than a fresh bite report until better source data comes in.
Arkansas smallmouth country settles into a deep, deliberate summer pattern
MLF pro Spencer Shuffield, an Arkansas native, admitted this week in a new MLF News feature to "smallmouth withdrawals," a fitting nod to what White River and Arkansas River regulars already feel this time of year: smallmouth season is here, even as the bite shifts deeper and slower with the summer heat. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through on our environmental feeds this cycle, so this update leans on seasonal patterns and general technique intel rather than live numbers. Tactical Bassin's recent breakdown of summer jig fishing and an underwater neko rig comparison both point to a finesse, bottom-contact approach producing on pressured smallmouth and largemouth right now, while Fishing the Midwest's Bob Jensen is preaching versatility and working weedlines as the open-water season matures. Expect bass to hold tighter to deep rock, ledges, and green weed edges through the heat of the day, with the better windows stacking up at dawn and dusk. Tailwater trout should stay a steady, if unspectacular, option below the dams.
Missouri River cats stack up as summer bass slide to ledges
A 178-pound two-catfish haul out of a Missouri River back-eddy is this week's headline, per Wired 2 Fish: Hazelwood, Missouri angler Brad Hilton anchored his 18-foot boat over a 25-foot-deep hole just before dusk and boated a pair of giants within minutes of dropping baits. That kind of current-broken, deep structure is exactly where Missouri and Ozark river cats are stacking as July heat pushes fish off the shallow flats. On the bass side, Fishing the Midwest and Tactical Bassin both point anglers toward weedlines, jigs, and finesse paddletails as the go-to summer approach, with early and late light producing the best windows before midday heat shuts the bite down. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through this cycle for Missouri/Ozark waters, so treat flow and temp as typical stable-to-low July conditions and check current data before you launch.
Delta stripers and bass settle into early/late bite as summer heat locks in
No fresh on-the-water reports specific to the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta came through this week's roundup, so this update leans on typical July patterns for the system rather than a specific catch report. Mid-July on the Delta usually means water temperatures pushing into the 70s, which pulls striped bass and largemouth bass into a dawn-and-dusk pattern, with fish sliding to deeper tule lines, tule breaks, and river-mouth structure once the sun gets high. Catfish, by contrast, tend to turn on as water warms, with channel and blue cats feeding actively after dark on cut bait near current breaks. Sturgeon action typically slows through the hottest stretch of summer compared to the spring push. Anglers should expect a grind during the heat of the day and better windows early and late. Check current CDFW regulations before harvesting any species, as size and bag limits vary by water and season.
Montauk bass ease off as fluke and tuna fill in around Long Island
Striped bass remain the headline around Montauk, though On The Water — New York / Long Island's July 9 report notes the big bass bite off the Point is beginning to slow, even as keeper fluke show up in better numbers from South Shore reefs and bays into Long Island Sound. East End captains aren't seeing the same fade: Matt Broderick describes outstanding bass fishing around the Point and Southwest Ledge with both slot and trophy fish in play, and the Montauk Anglers Club reports slot-to-overslot fish daily spreading west toward Southwest Ledge. Offshore, yellowfin tuna to 90 pounds are coming from West Atlantis with bigeyes and an occasional swordfish mixed in, per multiple East End reports. Fluke are finally turning on inshore too — Chasing Tails Bait & Tackle in Oakdale calls the season "kicking" as warmer water pushes flatfish into their summer spots, while porgy action stays steady from the North Shore to Peconic Bay and along the Surf reports.
Croaker and spot bite builds through DE/MD/Chesapeake summer push
Croaker, spot, and flounder are leading the summer push through the DE/MD/Chesapeake region, per The Fisherman — DE/MD/Chesapeake, with Eric Burnley reporting June saw "more croaker, spot, sheepshead, bluefin tuna and flounder than we had all year" and no reason for that pace to slow into July. Smith's Bait Shop pegs the Bowers Beach jetty as a solid bet for croaker, spot, and flounder, plus the occasional bluefish, while striped bass are also showing there on bloodworms and cut mullet. At Cape Henlopen, Breakwater Tackle expects spot and croaker to stay the primary catch through July, with sheepshead coming on sand fleas and green crab and an occasional keeper flounder on live minnows. Burnley also flagged the best fishing weather of the year so far, opening up the inland bays, surf, inshore lumps, and canyons, with trout mixing in on clams and yellow bucktails tipped with worm or Fishbites.
Croaker and spot flood Delaware Bay as summer bite settles in
Bowers Beach jetty is producing across the board this week, with Smith's Bait Shop reporting striped bass, trout and flounder all coming off the structure, stripers taking bloodworms and cut mullet while trout favor clams or yellow bucktails tipped with worm or Fishbites. Eric Burnley, writing for The Fisherman — DE/MD/Chesapeake, notes June brought more croaker, spot, sheepshead, bluefin tuna and flounder than the bay had seen all season, and sees no reason that pace slows into July. At Cape Henlopen, Breakwater Tackle has spot and croaker as the bread-and-butter catch with occasional bluefish and a keeper flounder or two on live minnows, plus sheepshead on sand fleas and green crab. Offshore, Fin-Atics and other Wilmington Canyon regulars (The Fisherman — NJ/DE Offshore) are still finding bluefin and golden tilefish for boats willing to make the run. Regulars should note Delaware's revised 20-24 inch striper slot took effect July 1, per Delaware Surf Fishing.
Striper Push Builds Along the Gulf of Maine North of Cape Ann
A strong push of larger striped bass has moved into Maine waters this week, according to a Maine correspondent cited by The Fisherman — South Shore MA to ME, part of a broader northward shift in the bite from Cape Ann up through the Merrimack and into Boston Harbor as bass settle into summer patterns. Mackerel remain thick across the Gulf of Maine, per Beauport Fishing Adventures out of Gloucester, giving both stripers and anglers a reliable forage base to key on. Offshore, haddock fishing has been inconsistent as those fish wind down their spawning period, with Tilly's Basin producing better than most spots, per the same report. For NH anglers sitting between these two zones, the read is a strengthening striper bite pushing up the coast with bait holding fish in place, worth working tide changes and low-light hours while the mackerel schools keep bass fixed nearshore. No live buoy or gauge data was available for this update, so treat water temps as seasonal estimates until confirmed on the water.
Chicago's Lake Michigan salmon fishery holds into midsummer
Wisconsin DNR's Lake Michigan reporting flagged a stellar 2024 season across the lake fishery, with anglers landing more than 210,000 coho salmon (a record) and over 160,000 Chinook salmon, the best Chinook numbers since 2012, fueled by strong alewife survival feeding the stocked salmon runs. That kind of momentum typically carries forward into following open-water seasons and sets the backdrop for Chicago's midsummer 2026 fishery on the lake. No local buoy or gauge readings were available for this report, so treat water temp and wave conditions as unconfirmed until you check dockside before heading out. Chatter on the Michigan Sportsman Forum from the St. Joseph side of the lake describes kings running in 60-80 feet of water on downriggers set 35-45 feet back, a pattern consistent with typical midsummer Chinook behavior, though it's a single uncorroborated report and hasn't been confirmed by a shop or charter source on the Chicago side yet. Nearshore, smallmouth bass and yellow perch remain the steadier midsummer bets around Chicago's harbors, breakwalls, and rocky structure.