Fishing reports
7510 reports across all 50 states — current conditions and what's biting.
Columbia & Puget Sound summer runs build into late June
USGS gauge 14113000 recorded 56°F and 848 cfs on the Columbia system the morning of June 29: conditions that sit squarely in the productive window for summer salmon and steelhead migration. Dedicated angler intel for Washington's freshwater rivers is thin in this cycle's feeds; WA WDFW Fishing Reports confirms the department actively monitors fishing through angler interviews and maintains stocking programs statewide, but no specific catch reports came through. Hatch Magazine raised the ethics of bull trout targeting in Northwest waters this week, a timely reminder that this protected char is off-limits across most of the system. Keep any incidental catch in the water. With water temps in the mid-50s and a full moon on June 29, expect the best bite windows at first and last light. Smallmouth bass in the Columbia's warmer, slower canyon reaches provide a reliable summer alternative when salmon and steelhead cooperate on their own schedule.
East Texas Bass Dial Into Summer Depths at Toledo Bend and Sam Rayburn
Texas Fish & Game Magazine recently profiled Toledo Bend as one of America's premier freshwater fisheries, and the bass action is living up to that reputation as fish lock into full summer patterns. Per Lake Fork Trophy Bass's June 2026 report — drawn from conditions across the East Texas Piney Woods — bass are "hungry, aggressive, and fight hard" post-spawn, with fish moving from shallow cover to offshore structure. Texas Fish & Game's mid-summer feature confirms the shift: shoreline presentations that produced in May have largely faded as heat pushes bass to follow shad schools into deeper water. A full moon tonight opens a productive nighttime topwater window before daytime sun forces fish back down. USGS gauge 08030500 recorded 4,020 cfs on June 29, indicating steady flow into the Toledo Bend system. Wired 2 Fish notes that across the South right now, bass are grouping offshore on shad — a pattern that aligns squarely with what seasoned East Texas guides expect this time of year.
Ohio River bass keyed on current as summer offshore patterns build
Dan Moran's five-bass bag of 12 pounds, 7 ounces won the Phoenix Bass Fishing League event at Ohio River–Tanners Creek last week, with MLF News reporting he dialed in by reading current-driven structure the day of the tournament rather than relying on practice patterns. USGS gauge 03301500 logged 34,800 cfs on the Ohio as of midday June 29, indicating meaningful river push that continues to concentrate fish around wing dams, current seams, and transition flats. Wired 2 Fish notes the broader July picture has bass split between offshore shad balls and current-adjacent shallow cover — both scenarios appear live along the Ohio corridor right now. On the Cumberland, no specific reports came in this cycle, but the post-spawn summer shift is well underway: expect fish moving deeper through the heat of day and responding to topwater during early-morning windows, per Tactical Bassin's July bass breakdown.
Flathead & Bitterroot cutthroats pushed to edges as peak runoff surges
USGS gauge 12372000 clocked 28,100 cfs at 61°F this morning, confirming the Flathead drainage is deep in peak-runoff territory. At that volume, the main-stem river is high and likely carrying off-color water; trout and whitefish have tucked into side channels, bankside eddies, and sloughs where they can hold without fighting the current wall-to-wall. The 61°F reading is actually encouraging: that is solid trout-feeding temperature, so fish are active once you locate them in sheltered lies. Flathead Lake is relatively insulated from the runoff surge and is trending into summer stratification; lake trout will begin sliding toward the thermocline as surface temps push up through July. Hatch Magazine's current discussion of bull trout ethics is a fitting backdrop for the Flathead system, where this native char is present. Check current Montana FWP regulations before targeting them, as protections vary by water. No direct regional shop or charter intel arrived this cycle; the report below is grounded in the gauge and established late-June patterns.
Full-moon bass bite heats up as Toledo Bend enters peak summer mode
With the Sabine River delivering just 28.9 cfs into the reservoir system (USGS gauge 08025500), Toledo Bend is settling into its characteristically stable summer posture: low inflow, clearer water over the submerged timber flats, and bass pushing deeper to find temperature refuge. Tonight's full moon opens one of the most anticipated windows on the lake, when largemouth slide up from their daytime haunts to feed aggressively after dark. Wired 2 Fish's July roundup describes South bass as splitting between deep shad-chasing fish and a remnant shallow population still working bream, a pattern that fits Toledo Bend's mid-summer structure closely. Tactical Bassin confirms July bass metabolisms are at an all-time seasonal high, with the most consistent bites coming before first light and in the two hours after sunset. B.A.S.S. News this week noted the passing of Harold Allen, the legendary bass guide who built his career on Toledo Bend in the 1970s, a fitting tribute to what this reservoir means to American bass fishing history.
Bull reds showing at Saint Simons as trout and flounder bite picks up
Bull redfish are showing up along the Georgia coast just in time for the full moon. GA Sportsman / Georgia Outdoor News columnist Joshua Barber's June 27 report notes that Mike Sapp landed a bull redfish last Saturday in the Saint Simons area, and signals broader saltwater improvement: 'the trout and flounder bite has been picking up.' With full moon tides peaking this weekend and summer heat pressing in, Barber also cautions anglers to stay hydrated. The Georgia Wildlife Blog confirms summer fishing is in full swing, directing anglers to the state's online angler resources for species-specific forecasts. No offshore buoy readings are available for precise water temperatures, but late-June conditions along Georgia's barrier island coast typically push nearshore water well into the low 80s. Expect bull reds to work tidal creeks and nearshore structure through the full moon window, while seatrout and flounder action should remain accessible across estuaries and inlets from the Golden Isles south toward the Altamaha delta.
Five-Fish Red Snapper Limit for July 4th Weekend; Bull Reds Running Strong
LDWF Secretary Tyler Bosworth signed an emergency declaration raising the red snapper bag limit to five fish per person for July 2–5, per Louisiana Sportsman — a well-timed holiday bump for anyone planning an offshore run this Independence Day. No real-time buoy data is available for the immediate coast today, so anglers should verify conditions at the ramp before departing. Inshore, bull redfish remain a year-round staple along the Louisiana Delta; Sport Fishing Mag highlights Venice as a prime bull red destination, noting that Capt. Mike Frenette of The Redfish Lodge of Louisiana relies on brightly colored popping-cork rigs to draw aggressive strikes over shallow grass flats. The full moon on June 29 is driving strong tidal movement through the passes, typically concentrating speckled trout and flounder near current edges. Plan for early-morning or late-evening windows when tidal flow peaks and midsummer heat is most manageable.
Late-June Delta Flows Drive Bass and Stripers to Structure
Flow through the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta was clocking 107,000 cfs at USGS gauge 11455420 on the morning of June 29, pushing current through the labyrinth of channels and tidal sloughs that define this fishery. No buoy-reported water temperatures were available, but late-June conditions here historically drive surface readings into the mid-to-upper 70s. Dedicated California Delta reports were thin in this week's intel round-up — NorCal Fish Reports carries the Delta as an active reporting zone, though specific bite details weren't published in the current pull. Tactical Bassin's California bass coverage this week notes that drop shotting and power-fishing presentations are unlocking fish on pressured California waters, a mix worth carrying onto the Delta's tidal channels. The Full Moon tonight typically stirs catfish and striped bass into shallower, structure-adjacent zones after dark. Anglers targeting striped bass should confirm current size and bag limits with state regulations before keeping fish.
Sacramento-Delta shifts to summer mode under full moon
Water temperatures logged at 69°F by USGS gauge 11447650 early Monday morning, with Delta flows running at 12,100 cfs — conditions that mark the arrival of established summer patterns in the Sacramento-Delta. Striped bass typically push into deeper tidal channels and current seams as water climbs past the mid-60s, though the full moon this week can extend productive windows into the pre-dawn and post-sunset hours. Largemouth bass are well into their post-spawn summer mode; look for them holding near shaded structure, tule edges, and cooler creek mouths during midday heat. Per Tactical Bassin's summer bass breakdown, Neko rigs shine in clear, pressured water while swimbaits over deeper structure earn bites when fish go lethargic in the heat. Specific Delta catch dispatches from NorCal Fish Reports were not available in this cycle; the bite picture below draws on gauge readings and established late-June seasonal patterns for this system.
Roosevelt Lake largemouth dial into dawn windows as June heat peaks
Tactical Bassin's July bass guide calls this the month when bass metabolisms are 'at an all time high,' and USGS gauge 09498500 put the Salt River at 42.3 cfs this morning, confirming the low-flow, high-heat summer conditions that push Roosevelt Lake's fishery into defined feeding windows. Water temperature data was not available from the gauge this cycle, but late June on this Sonoran Desert impoundment typically means surface temps well into the 80s°F, compressing most bass activity to the first 90 minutes of daylight and the two hours after sunset. Wired 2 Fish's mid-July lure roundup notes fish are 'out deep on shad' and 'relating strongly to current' across warm-water fisheries nationally, and both patterns apply on the main basin here. Tonight's full moon extends the night bite window; bass, stripers, and catfish all push shallower under bright moon conditions when baitfish concentrate on open points and rocky flats.
New River smallmouth peaks as late-June flows settle into summer range
USGS gauge 03051000 logged 1400 cfs on WV's Cheat River drainage this morning — moderate late-June flows that put the New River corridor in ideal wading and float territory for smallmouth bass. No WV-specific charter or shop reports surfaced in this cycle, but national sources paint a promising picture. Wired 2 Fish reports that fish across the country are relating strongly to current heading into July, a profile that fits the New River's rock-ledge runs and boulder gardens precisely. Tactical Bassin confirms that summer bass metabolisms are running hot right now, with fish aggressive around current seams and mid-depth structure. Tonight's full moon should push the best feeding windows hard toward dawn and dusk — plan arrivals before sunrise if possible. Fly-rod anglers should note that Wired 2 Fish is highlighting strong bluegill and largemouth action on dice and urchin-style bug patterns, a technique that maps cleanly to New River panfish in slower pocket water.
Moosehead togue retreat deep while smallmouth hit peak summer form
USGS gauge 01030500 on the upper Penobscot drainage logged 2,010 cfs this morning — a healthy mid-summer flow keeping river reaches fishable as the last days of June wind down. With a Full Moon tonight and surface temperatures warming across Moosehead Lake's shallows, lake trout (locally called togue) have retreated toward the thermocline, where anglers will need to target the 40–60-foot depth band. Landlocked salmon are tracking the same cold layer. Smallmouth bass, however, are near their seasonal peak: Fishing the Midwest notes that weedline edges are prime mid-summer structure, and late June typically marks one of the year's strongest topwater windows for bass before July heat settles in. Upper Penobscot tributaries remain a reliable option for brook trout, with shaded canyon sections holding cold water longer than main-stem flows. No local charter or shop intel was available for this area at press time — reach out to Greenville-area outfitters before making the run.
Salmon season builds on southern Lake Michigan heading into July
The WI DNR Lake Michigan Fishing Report documented a record coho salmon harvest of more than 210,000 fish in 2024 — alongside over 160,000 Chinook, the highest since 2012 — providing a strong population backdrop for the 2026 summer season on southern Lake Michigan. No NOAA buoy readings for the Chicago area are available at time of publication. Late June is historically the heart of the salmon trolling season on the Chicago lakefront, with fish moving deeper as surface temperatures warm through summer. The full moon peaking this week typically pushes daytime fish lower in the water column, making early-morning runs more productive than midday outings. IL/IN Sea Grant maintains nearshore buoys in southern Lake Michigan — noted by the program as a widely used public resource — and their real-time data portal is the best available source for current surface temperatures and wave conditions before departing.
Late-June salmon and smallmouth action building along Indiana's Lake Michigan shoreline
The WI DNR Lake Michigan Fishing Report's standout 2024 lake-wide recap, which tallied more than 210,000 coho (a record) and over 160,000 Chinook harvested, the strongest Chinook count since 2012, sets the context for Indiana's southern basin as summer gains traction. No real-time buoy data is available for the Indiana shoreline today, so conditions here are pieced together from lake-wide intel and seasonal patterns. Those alewife-driven stocked-fish classes from 2024 are now aging into larger fish available to Indiana trollers in 2026. Late June typically means Chinook staging deep in the thermocline while coho work the mid-column; yellow perch hold on offshore humps and hard-bottom structure; and smallmouth bass are in prime summer feeding mode on rocky nearshore breaks. Tonight's Full Moon sharpens feeding windows at dawn and dusk across all species. IL/IN Sea Grant maintains nearshore buoys in southern Lake Michigan; check their real-time portal before launching to confirm surface temps and wave conditions.
Saginaw Bay walleye and Lake Huron smallmouth shift into summer patterns
Fishing the Midwest reports the 2026 open water season is in full swing across the upper Midwest, a pattern that holds for Lake Huron and Saginaw Bay as late June pushes resident fish to their summer haunts. No USGS gauge readings or NOAA buoy data are available for this cycle, so anglers should verify local conditions before launching. AnglingBuzz has been spotlighting slip-bobber walleye setups and forward-facing sonar for suspended fish, techniques that map directly to Saginaw Bay's mid-depth structure. Jason Mitchell Outdoors recently documented packs of smallmouth active across the Great Lakes basin, consistent with Lake Huron's early-summer smallmouth window. Wired 2 Fish notes that in northern bass land, the brief spring is giving way to summer heat and fish are settling into predictable depth transitions. Tonight's full moon can compress prime feeding into first and last light; plan to be on key structure at those windows.
Western Basin walleye shift to summer depths as late-June heat peaks
Water at USGS gauge 04193500 clocked 76°F and 2,310 cfs on June 29, reflecting warm tributary conditions now fanning into the Western Basin's shallows. No direct charter or tackle-shop intel came through this cycle's feeds for the Western Basin, so this report leans on environmental readings and regional sources. Fishing the Midwest's Bob Jensen calls out weedlines as a go-to summer structure for mixed bags that include walleye, noting that angler flexibility is critical when temperatures climb. Great Lakes Now's ongoing coverage spotlights the Western Basin's quagga mussel story as a persistent backdrop — the dramatic prey-base shift these mussels drove continues to shape where and how deep walleye feed. With water this warm, walleye typically push offshore to deeper, cooler water during midday and stack up near structure at dawn, dusk, and overnight. The full moon this week sharpens those low-light feeding windows further.
Texas blue catfish bite peaks on Eagle Mountain Lake as summer settles in
Water temperature reached 87°F as of June 29 at USGS gauge 08211200, confirming that Texas inland lakes are deep into summer mode. Eagle Mountain Lake near Fort Worth is the standout this week: the North Texas Catfish Guide reports outstanding blue and channel catfish action, with limits coming readily and multiple fish over 30 pounds on recent trips. High lake levels and fresh water moving into the system are keeping fish feeding aggressively, per the guide. White bass are also on the move in open main-lake water, providing a secondary target for anglers. For bass, Texas Fish & Game Magazine signals that the mid-summer transition is underway, with quality fish abandoning spring shoreline cover and moving to deeper structure as temperatures peak. The full moon on June 29 creates favorable low-light catfish windows through the night and into early morning hours.
Bass locked into Florida's summer grass as full moon feeding windows open
A Wired 2 Fish product review this week placed bass 'scattered throughout the grass during the hottest months' on Central Florida's shallow vegetation lakes — and that picture holds for both Lake Okeechobee and the St. Johns system right now. The St. Johns at USGS gauge 02232000 was running 157 cfs Monday morning, a moderate and fishable late-June flow; water temperature was not recorded at the gauge, but mid-summer warmth is pushing bass tight to vegetation across both systems. Tactical Bassin reinforces the picture, noting that July heat drives fish metabolisms high, with bass 'aggressively feeding on a variety of prey species.' Per Wired 2 Fish, bigger fish are sliding toward deeper grass edges and open-water transitions six to ten feet down, making the outer weed line the priority target. Tonight's full moon adds a meaningful window: plan for aggressive bites at first and last light, with midday fish retreating to shaded mats and deeper cover.
Long Island Sound Stripers Shift to Summer Haunts Under the June Full Moon
Per On The Water's June 26 striper migration map, bigger bass across the Northeast are concentrating around sand eels, squid, bunker, and herring as the spring run transitions into summer patterns. Rhode Island-based Saltwater Edge Blog reports that cool water temperatures have held through late June, a condition that has kept both striper action and squid fishing strong — the squid bite described as 'fantastic and not showing signs of slowing.' For stripers, Saltwater Edge's June Full Moon forecast notes the characteristic summer shift: fish moving out to deeper, cooler oceanfront water. Long Island Sound anglers should target rip edges and current seams during the strong tidal windows that accompany the June 29 full moon. Bottom species are also in good position: scup, black sea bass, and fluke are reported by Saltwater Edge as settling into their typical summer stations on reef structure and sand flats.
Chinook hold deep as late-June heat settles across Columbia and Rogue
Water temperature hit 71°F at USGS gauge 14211720 on the morning of June 29, with flows logged at 20,500 cfs — readings that mark the late-June thermal crossover on Oregon's Columbia and Rogue drainages. At 71°F, summer Chinook salmon face thermal stress and will gravitate toward deeper, cooler holding lies rather than pushing actively through open mid-river water. No regional charter or tackle-shop reports arrived this cycle, but Tactical Bassin notes that elevated summer temperatures push fish onto predictable patterns, with bass metabolisms running high and feeding aggressively through morning windows. Smallmouth bass on the Columbia should be in peak summer form at these temperatures, keying on rocky current seams and structure edges. Tonight's full moon adds a condensed pre-dawn light window worth planning around. Verify current Chinook and summer steelhead retention rules with state regulations before heading out — summer-run seasons vary by zone on both drainages.
Allegheny tailwaters: smallmouth and walleye on full-moon summer pattern
The Allegheny River is flowing at 5,460 cfs per USGS gauge 03036500 as of the June 29 morning reading — a healthy mid-summer pulse that concentrates fish near current seams, eddy pockets, and structure below the navigation dams. No site-specific PA Fish & Boat biologist report data landed in this cycle's feeds. Drawing on broader national signals, Wired 2 Fish observes that July bass metabolism is running at its annual peak, with fish feeding aggressively on a range of prey; Tactical Bassin similarly reports that current-oriented presentations and topwater bites are producing summer bass across the country. With the full moon arriving June 29, walleye and sauger should push into tailrace current seams after dark, and channel catfish typically intensify nocturnal feeding during full-moon windows. Smallmouth bass, the Allegheny's signature species, remain the top daytime target in mid-depth current breaks and eddy lines. PA Sea Grant flagged harmful algal bloom awareness for Pennsylvania waterways this week — check conditions before launching.
Summer transition arrives on the Kennebec as stripers settle into river holds
The Kennebec River gauge (USGS 01046500) was recording 4,910 cfs on the morning of June 29, a moderate-to-elevated late-June flow with no water temperature reading available this cycle. Per On The Water's June 26 striper migration map, bigger bass from New York to Maine are now shifting into summer patterns, concentrating around sand eels, squid, bunker, and herring as the spring push winds down. On The Water also notes that surfcasters across Maine have been finding stripers staging along shallow beaches, a signal that fish are pushing into tidal river mouths including the lower Kennebec and Penobscot. The Full Moon arrives June 29, historically a reliable trigger for aggressive feeding at dawn and dusk. Landlocked salmon and smallmouth bass hold the upper drainages this time of year, though no direct tackle reports from those specific waters reached our sources in this reporting cycle.
Western NC Trout Active in Shaded Runs as Summer Pattern Takes Hold
USGS gauge 03512000 on the Little Tennessee drainage logged 64°F and 614 cfs at 9 a.m. on June 29 — water temperatures still within the productive zone for Smokies trout but firmly announcing summer-pattern fishing. No Smokies-specific guide or shop intel appeared in this cycle's feeds, so conditions below draw on gauge data and typical late-June Southern Appalachian rhythms. Fish remain active at this temperature but will compress toward shaded, oxygenated water during midday, making morning and evening the priority windows. Tonight's full moon may push the evening rise later than usual — look for it to develop closer to 7:30 or 8 p.m. rather than at dusk. As Flylab (Substack) notes in a recent piece on reading riseforms, splashy surface activity points to caddis or stoneflies while subtle sips signal mayflies or midges — a practical field diagnostic for matching the hatch on pressured Smokies streams.
UP brook trout and smallmouth prime as late June flows ease toward summer
USGS gauge 04059500 logged 321 cfs on the morning of June 29, a moderate and wadeable flow consistent with Upper Peninsula streams settling into late-June rhythms after the spring melt is well past. Direct current angler intel for the MI UP was sparse this cycle — the MI DNR Weekly Fishing Report feed returned no usable conditions data. Drawing on seasonal patterns and adjacent reporting, UP brook trout should be entering their classic summer low-light window, with dawn and dusk presentations on small attractor dry flies and elk hair caddis outperforming the midday heat. The full moon falling on June 29 may stretch the active feeding window into after-dark hours on slower pools. WI DNR Lake Superior Fishing has documented a growing and popular lake whitefish fishery along the Lake Superior south shore in the Chequamegon Bay region — conditions that trend eastward toward the Michigan border. Smallmouth bass in UP river mouths and inland bays should be approaching peak summer activity.