Fishing reports
15898 reports across all 50 states — current conditions and what's biting.
Midday high tides frame the pattern across Hawaii's warm September waters
Water stayed warm across the islands this week: NOAA's Honolulu tide station read 84.2°F Friday morning, with the Kahului gauge off Maui a touch cooler at 81.5°F. Both stations point to the same rhythm right now, a high tide landing right around midday, 11:35 a.m. at Honolulu and 11:29 a.m. off Maui, so the strongest tidal push of the day sits squarely in daylight hours rather than at dawn or dusk.
Warm water holds over Pamlico Sound as fall tide windows take shape
NOAA CO-OPS readings put water temperature at 80.1°F at Oregon Inlet-area station 8652587 and 81.3°F at station 8654467 as of early afternoon, still solidly in late-summer range for Pamlico Sound and Cape Lookout. Both stations show afternoon high tides today, 3:06 PM and 3:50 PM Eastern respectively, giving anglers a clear midday-to-afternoon window to work moving water. Fisherman's Post's regional shop reports out of Hatteras, Morehead City, Topsail and Ocean Isle describe steady surf and nearshore effort this week, consistent with the typical mid-September pattern before the real cool-down arrives. NC Sea Grant's current storm-readiness guidance is also a useful reminder that this transition window still sits inside peak hurricane season.
Presque Isle tributaries hold steady as flows split by drainage
USGS tributary gauges across the Presque Isle drainage are holding at 65-67°F this week: gauge 04212895 and gauge 04213152 both read 65°F, and gauge 03021890 is a touch warmer at 67°F. Flows are running lean — 8.24 cfs and 13.9 cfs on those two cooler gauges — while gauge 04213000 is carrying noticeably more water at 83.2 cfs. That split points to localized rain in one drainage and a dry stretch on the others, the kind of pattern that concentrates fish in the deeper, better-oxygenated pools on the low-flow streams.
UP trout streams settle into steady fall baseflow
USGS gauge 04059000 logged water temperature at 62°F this morning with flow steady at 269 cfs, while the upstream gauge (04059500) is running lean at 39.1 cfs with no temperature reading available. Both readings reflect a typical low, stable September baseflow for Upper Peninsula trout water, with no recent rain bump showing on either gauge. Mid-60s water is comfortable trout territory heading into fall, and the modest flow keeps wading and presentation options open on the reach near 04059000.
Salt River flows steady as fall cool-down begins
USGS gauge 09497830, upstream on the Salt River chain, logged 58°F this morning while gauge 09510000 downstream read 65°F at nearly the same hour — a seven-degree split between the upper and lower stretches as days shorten into fall. Flow held moderate across the system: 122 cfs at 09510000 and 482 cfs at 09498500, both within normal late-summer range for this chain.
Quiet fall flows settle over Finger Lakes tributaries
USGS gauge 04232050, which feeds into the Finger Lakes watershed, logged flow at just 8.06 cfs this morning with water sitting at 61°F. That is thin, low-water conditions on the tributary side of the system, typical of the pre-turnover stretch before bigger rain events start pushing water into the lakes. With inflow running this modest, current-influenced water near creek mouths and drop-offs is the more active water type right now, while the open lake basins stay mostly wind-driven this week.
Morning High Tide Frames the Bite Along the Oregon Coast
Coastal water temperatures are split this week: NOAA CO-OPS station 9435380 off South Beach reads 58.5°F, a typical late-summer number for the open Oregon coast, while the Astoria-area station 9439040 runs warmer at 66.2°F, reflecting river outflow rather than ocean temperature. Both stations show a single well-defined high tide midday, arriving around 8-9 a.m. and dropping toward low by early afternoon, a clean window for anyone planning a morning trip. Anglers posting to IFish.net describe active trolling near the river mouths this week, though that's a single, uncorroborated forum thread rather than a shop or charter report, so treat it as chatter rather than a confirmed pattern.
South Padre snook lean into the fall transition
Water at both CO-OPS stations near South Padre Island is reading warm, 86.9°F at station 8775237 and 87.1°F at station 8779770 as of this morning, still firmly summer-range for the Lower Laguna Madre. Sport Fishing Mag reports Gulf snook are starting to feel the shorter days and push toward their winter holding areas, calling the fall shift "one of the year's best fishing opportunities" for the species, with swimbaits like the Z-Man Mulletron and Diezel MinnowZ working well on aggressive fish. Texas Fish & Game Magazine notes the Lower Laguna Madre remains the established center of Texas snook fishing, which lines up with what's showing on the water this week.
NJ fluke season winds down as blues and albies push through
Delaware Bay's tide gauge is still reading a summery 76.6°F, and the region's fluke anglers are working on borrowed time before the season closes. Capt Ron's Atlantic Highlands NJ called last Friday "the last day of Fluke fishing for 2026" ahead of a rough weather stretch, while OTW's Northern New Jersey report still has fluke "decent on the reefs" with about a week left in the season. Grumpys Tackle NJ says blues are in along the coast, and Fishermans HQ LBI is finding albies mixed in with peanut bunker pushes along the surf and just offshore.
Albies Flood Long Island Sound as Fall Run Ramps Up
False albacore have arrived in force off Long Island. On The Water's September 17 Long Island and NYC report has albies pushing west through Long Island Sound, with big fluke exiting South Shore inlets as they head out of the back bays for the season. That builds on the September 10 report, which already had albies filling in off Montauk. Farther up the coast, Saltwater Edge (RI) describes the broader fall run as having "kicked off in a big way," with albies taking over the oceanfront, the same push now reaching our waters. Water readings across our three NY tide stations this morning ranged from 71.1°F to 73.8°F, still warm enough to keep the albie bite firing. Striped bass are the quieter story for now: Saltwater Edge calls the regional bass bite "lackluster" heading into this week, and NY DEC's latest newsletter leans on a striped-bass conservation reminder rather than a bite report. Fluke remain productive as they funnel out of the bays, per On The Water's coverage from both September 10 and 17.
Gulf snook feed up as Mobile Bay eases toward fall transition
Water in Mobile Bay and the adjacent Gulf is still running warm for mid-September, with NOAA CO-OPS stations reading 85.8°F on the lower bay (station 8735180) and 87.6°F up the estuary (station 8736897) as of this morning. That heat is keeping the Gulf's fall transition on a slow build rather than a fast turn. Sport Fishing Mag's fall-transition coverage this week notes Gulf snook are beginning to feed up as days shorten and fish start working toward winter holding water, with aggressive swimbaits such as Z-Man's Mulletron or Diezel MinnowZ drawing strikes on active fish. Pensacola Fishing Forum members kept the board busy with general chatter this week, trail-camera checks and gear talk, while the seasonal snook pattern comes from Sport Fishing Mag's coverage rather than a local bite report. Both bay stations are riding a falling tide into the afternoon and evening, a stage many Gulf Coast anglers favor for moving current around structure.
Yellowtail push reaches Point Conception as Central Coast tides turn
NOAA CO-OPS readings this morning put water temps at 61.7°F off Monterey (station 9413450) and 62.8°F off Port San Luis (station 9412110), both typical late-summer numbers for the Central Coast. Western Outdoor News — Saltwater reports the yellowtail bite has spread up toward Point Conception this week, with scattered shots on fish working the stretch down to Point Loma — not a full-on bite yet, but present enough to work structure and current lines along the way. Tide is swinging hard through midday: both stations show a morning high near 8:15 a.m. sliding to a low by roughly 11:15 a.m., a solid outgoing push for anyone working the surf or nearshore structure early.
Fall Tide Swing Sets the Clock for SF Bay and Bodega Anglers
SF Bay and the open Bodega coast are running about six degrees apart this week, with our SF Bay station reading 60.8°F against a cooler 54.1°F on the exposed Bodega side, a spread consistent with early-fall coastal upwelling holding onto the open coast while the sheltered bay keeps its late-summer warmth. Both stations are tracking the same tide rhythm: a high near 8 a.m. Pacific sliding down to a midday low by noon, which sets the clearest structure to plan a session around this week.
Charleston Harbor clings to summer warmth ahead of the fall turn
Charleston Harbor's water held at 84°F this morning per NOAA CO-OPS station 8665530, still running summer-warm as the region pushes toward the fall equinox. A second regional tide station, NOAA CO-OPS 8661070, read a similar 82.4°F, confirming the whole stretch of coast is holding its late-summer heat. Low tide falls near 8:18 a.m. local time today, with the next high around 3:05 p.m., giving anglers a full tide swing to work structure and current seams through the afternoon.
Fluke finish strong at Sandy Hook as the season winds down
Water at 74.7°F off Sandy Hook is holding onto summer, and Capt Ron's out of Atlantic Highlands is riding that warmth into a hot close to fluke season, calling Friday's trip a stem-to-stern bite of shorts, keepers and "beautiful" sea bass after a slow midweek stretch. Grumpys Tackle in nearby Point Pleasant confirms blues have moved in, and OTW's Northern New Jersey report backs it up: bluefish and false albacore continue running the beaches while fluke fishing stays decent on the reefs, with only about a week left in the season. The Fisherman's Northern NJ boats add to the picture, Golden Eagle logging a "mad dog" bluefish bite on its hot days and Big Mohawk III pulling an 8-pound fluke for pool. NJ Fish & Wildlife's note on the nearby Shark River WMA lists bluefish, tautog, summer flounder and striped bass as the regulars for this stretch of Monmouth County water, a useful checklist for what's around even on a slower tide.
Fluke closes out strong as blues and albies run Jersey Shore beaches
Fluke are having their best week of the fall push right into the September 25 season close. Surf City Bait and Tackle landed a 27.75-inch, 7.05-pound doormat this week, per The Fisherman's Central New Jersey report, and Capt Ron out of Atlantic Highlands has strung together strong days on the drift, one trip "game on right from the start to finish" with shorts, keepers and Black Sea Bass mixed through the box. Blue Chip Sportfishing reports its Black Sea Bass charters filling limits on most trips this week. Grumpys Tackle confirms Bluefish are in along the beaches, and OTW Northern New Jersey has them running alongside False Albacore and bonito as bait pushes out of the back bays. Fishermans HQ LBI is seeing the same pattern on Long Beach Island, with anglers working live peanut bunker into steady albacore and bonita action after starting on jigs. Fin-Atics in Ocean City reports Weakfish to 18 inches in the surf on squid, bloodworms and soft plastics, per The Fisherman's Southern New Jersey report. The Central New Jersey report also notes the Tautog bite has slowed, with warmer-than-usual water the suspected cause. Water temps are running 74.5°F off Sandy Hook and 76.5°F at Cape May, still summer-warm for late September.
Delaware basin bass and crappie ease into the fall feed
Freshwater action across the Delaware River and Pine Barrens region is easing into its early-fall rhythm. At Bass River, Allen's Dock reports bass holding well in the local lakes now that the campgrounds have emptied out for the school year. Farther upriver on Lake Nockamixon, Dave's Sport Shop notes crappie suspended and feeding, with an evening bite building as the water continues cooling. On Lake Wallenpaupack, Capt. Pete Wagner of Hyper Striper Sportfishing says largemouth fishing is shifting into high gear as falling temperatures push bigger fish onto the feed ahead of winter.
Chincoteague water holds summer warmth as fall push builds up north
NOAA CO-OPS readings this morning put water temperature at 80.6°F at Wachapreague (station 8631044) and 80.2°F at Kiptopeke (8632200), still firmly in late-summer range for Virginia's Eastern Shore. Farther north, The Fisherman (Northeast) and On The Water both describe an active false albacore and striped bass push building from Rhode Island through Long Island as nights cool there. That same seasonal shift is the one to watch for as Chincoteague's own water starts to drop out of the 80s.
Striped bass push north as Gulf of Maine settles into fall pattern
Buoy 44007 off Portland read 61°F this morning while the Jonesport buoy (44027) sat at 56°F, a spread that tracks the seasonal cool-down now setting into the Gulf of Maine. Coastal CO-OPS stations run the same gradient, from 63°F at Portland down to 57.4°F at Bar Harbor and 54.7°F at Eastport. Tides across those three stations crested near 5:30–6:00 a.m. and swing to low around 11:30–11:45 a.m. today. Striped bass are the story along the corridor from Massachusetts' South Shore into Maine: per The Fisherman — South Shore MA to ME, surfcasters working the Refuge after dark are connecting with bass into the 40-inch class, and shops further along that stretch report fish over 40 inches coming on live bait, plugs and soft plastics as baitfish push inshore.
Snook and redfish bite heats up in Sarasota Bay
Water temps remain in typical late-summer Gulf range, with NOAA buoy 42036 reading 86°F and buoy 42013 at 88°F offshore, while CO-OPS station 8726520 in Tampa Bay logged 86.4°F this morning. That warmth is keeping the inshore bite going strong. Capt. Kelly Kurtz of CB's Saltwater Outfitters reports an active inshore bite for snook, redfish, and spotted seatrout in Sarasota Bay this past week, with clients landing redfish before release. Capt. Chuck Cress, fishing the same shop's waters, put a client on several reds using a popping cork and live shrimp on a rising morning tide, along with a few small snook. Snook are also showing well in Capt. Rick Grassett's September forecast for the area, which notes fish holding in the surf and around passes early in the month before starting their move toward docks, bridges, and inside wintering water as the month progresses.
Florida Keys bite stays strong as summer patterns hold into fall
Water temperatures are holding at 87.8°F at the Key West CO-OPS station and 86.7°F at the Lake Worth station up the coast, keeping the Keys locked in a late-summer pattern. ALL IN Key West reports fish "actively feeding in large numbers" across the reef and the Gulf side, calling recent trips some of the best conditions the captain has seen in 16 years running the water. Bud n' Mary's in Islamorada echoes the theme, pointing to warm water, calm seas and abundant bait as the ingredients behind a stretch it calls one of the most productive windows the Keys fishery offers, running from the shallow flats out to the Gulf Stream edge. Live bait presentations are working well per ALL IN Key West, and the read from both the charter and shop side is broad, high-volume action rather than one narrow bite.
Outer Banks Waters Stay Warm as Anglers Watch for the Fall Push
Water off the Outer Banks is still running warm for mid-September, with NOAA CO-OPS stations reading 81.5°F and 81.9°F overnight, a sign the region hasn't tipped into its fall cool-down yet. Rodanthe-area anglers are finding steady bottom-fishing and sight-casting windows in the surf this week, per Fisherman's Post (NC), and the tide is sliding toward a morning low after an overnight high. With First Quarter moon overhead, currents are moderate rather than extreme, giving anglers a workable window without the stronger pull of a full or new moon.
Mississippi Sound holds late-summer warmth as fall tides set up
NOAA CO-OPS readings from Mississippi Sound this morning show water still running warm, 87.1°F at station 8747437 and 86.7°F at station 8741533, more typical of high summer than late September. That holdover heat, paired with the current First Quarter moon, keeps the Sound's baitfish and predator activity locked into a late-summer rhythm even as the wider Gulf coast begins its fall transition. Locally, the Mississippi Advisory Commission on Marine Resources met this week in D'Iberville and MS DMR's oyster spat-on-cultch bid stays open into October, both signs the state's marine-resources calendar stays active heading into fall. With the two gauges only a few miles apart, their combined readings give a workable picture of Sound conditions for planning a trip this week.
Fall run turns on for albies as tautog bite builds in Narragansett Bay
Narragansett Bay water temperatures held near 70°F at the Newport station and 72°F at Conimicut Light this morning, still warm enough to hold onto the late-summer species mix as the fall run gets underway. Saltwater Edge Blog (RI) reports albies and bonito have taken over the oceanfront the last couple weeks, with the tautog bite starting to pick up. Striped bass fishing has been lackluster for most anglers, but the shop expects that to change with the chilly nights and northerly winds forecast this week.