Fishing reports
15898 reports across all 50 states — current conditions and what's biting.
Early fall transition sets up walleye and muskie shift on the Rainy
No NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came back for Lake of the Woods or the Rainy River this cycle, and none of today's angler-intel feeds filed a direct report from this fishery, so this update leans on typical mid-September patterns for the region rather than fresh eyewitness accounts. Minnesota multispecies guide Mike Frisch of Fishing the Midwest notes that as water cools through early fall, dying weed edges push baitfish and gamefish toward whatever green cover remains — a pattern that generally holds across Minnesota walleye and pike water, this system included. Frisch also flags that forward-facing sonar has changed how many anglers run traditional jig-and-livebait presentations for walleye rather than blind-casting structure. On Lake of the Woods and the Rainy River, mid-September typically has walleye and sauger starting to stage toward current breaks ahead of the fall river push, with muskie activity building as water temps drop. Confirm current conditions with a local shop before you launch.
Tailwaters Carry Colorado Through a Historic Drought
Pat Dorsey Fly Fishing's latest 'Drought Update' says little has changed since midsummer: Colorado's reservoirs remain scary-low and tailwaters are still the most dependable water left in the state, since dam-controlled flows stay cooler and steadier than free-flowing rivers this deep into a drought year. Colorado Trout Hunters backs that read, pointing to the second-worst snowpack on record and singling out tailraces like the South Platte's Dream Stream as the exception to an otherwise brutal season — the same stretch that has produced strong fall runs of migratory brown trout in past years as fish push up from the reservoir. Cutthroat Anglers is flagging the ethical 68°F cutoff for stressed trout and notes fish are grouped tighter than usual, meaning persistence pays off even when the bite is finicky. Anglers Covey, the Colorado Springs shop closest to the Arkansas River, describes water easing into its late-summer rhythm as temperatures moderate. Midges remain the everyday player across both tailwater systems.
Fall Feeding Window Opens on the Christina and Nanticoke
No buoy or gauge readings came back for the Christina and Nanticoke this cycle, so this report leans on seasonal pattern and technique rather than a fresh temp or flow number. Largemouth bass are entering the classic fall transition — moving off deep summer cover toward baitfish schools in open water and along channel edges, a shift Tactical Bassin's fall coverage this week ties to cooling surface temps and shad movement nationwide. Fishing the Midwest likewise notes fish relocating toward "the green" — remaining living weed growth — as summer vegetation dies back, a pattern that applies to Delaware's tidal freshwater stretches as much as it does further north. Expect crappie and bluegill to bunch near the same transitional cover, with channel catfish staying steady on bottom structure. Chain pickerel should hold tight to remaining grass edges. Confirm current DE freshwater regs before harvesting.
South Fork Snake trout dial in on hoppers as fall settles in
Hatch Magazine reports this year's Columbia and Snake River steelhead run is shaping up to be the smallest ever recorded, with fisheries managers tallying just over 52,000 fish above Bonneville Dam since counting began July 1 — sobering news for the anadromous fishery downstream, though it has little bearing on the resident trout program that carries the Snake River & South Fork region through September. No live buoy or gauge telemetry came back for this stretch today, so treat water temp and flow as unknowns until you check a current USGS reading before heading out. The resident fishery here is carried by rainbow, cutthroat, and brown trout, and mid-September typically means grasshoppers are still on the menu — Caddis Fly Shop notes trout will move several feet to eat a hopper off the surface this time of year, a pattern that fits the South Fork's famous grassy banks as well as anywhere. Expect that window to start narrowing as nights cool.
Fall transition sets up feeding shift on Eufaula and Red River
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came in for Lake Eufaula or the Red River this cycle, so the numbers you'd normally see in the conditions panel aren't available today. The calendar still tells part of the story: mid-September marks the start of the fall transition, when largemouth bass push off summer haunts to chase baitfish schooling in open water, a pattern Tactical Bassin has been breaking down all week in its general fall-bass coverage (not specific to these waters, but broadly applicable to this region). Expect largemouth to keep sliding shallower as surface temps ease off summer highs, with striped bass — a signature Eufaula fishery — following the same baitfish movement. Blue and channel catfish, a Red River staple, typically stay reliable through the transition regardless of the bass bite, while crappie tend to lag until water cools further into October. Check current state regs before harvesting, and verify local conditions before you launch.
Delta anglers eye fall striper run as salmon season rebounds
Western Outdoor News — Saltwater reports the fall ocean salmon opener out of San Francisco produced limits to near-limits of hard-fighting Chinook for private and party boats on September 1, marking a return to open salmon fishing after three years of closure. For Delta anglers, that's the signal worth watching: as fall-run kings push out of the bay and up the Sacramento and San Joaquin systems toward spawning grounds, the same fish move through Delta channels on their way upstream. No buoy or gauge readings came back for this cycle, so exact water temp and flow aren't available, but September in the Delta typically means striped bass keying on shad schools as water starts to cool, largemouth settling into fall patterns around tule edges and points, and sturgeon fishing still a few weeks out from its better cold-season bite. Treat species notes below as seasonal expectation rather than a fresh bite report.
Columbia Steelhead Run Hits Historic Low as Fall Chinook Builds
Fisheries managers have tallied just over 52,000 steelhead above Bonneville Dam since counts began July 1, according to Hatch Magazine — putting the 2026 Columbia and Snake river steelhead migration on pace to be the smallest ever recorded. That's the headline number shaping expectations on the Columbia system this month, and it's worth knowing before planning a steelhead-focused trip on the mainstem or into Rogue tributaries. Fall chinook, by contrast, typically build through September on the Columbia as cooler water and shorter days trigger the seasonal push upriver, though we don't have a direct bite report to confirm current pace this week. Smallmouth bass and resident rainbow trout should stay reasonably active as water temperatures ease off summer highs. No live buoy or gauge readings came back for this update, so treat flow and temp as unconfirmed until you check a current gauge before heading out.
Snook stay hot on the Treasure Coast as the mullet run builds
Snook remain the headline act on Florida's Atlantic Coast, with Snook Nook in Stuart reporting excellent fishing through August into a strong September stretch, including plenty of fish in the 40-inch range around the St. Lucie Inlet on live croakers and threadfins. The shop's September report notes early schools of mullet showing up offshore and along the beaches ahead of the full run, though the shop flags that the timing is running a little later than usual after a cooler winter. Offshore, Coastal Angler Magazine logged a red grouper catch out of St. Lucie County and a young angler's first sailfish near Push Button Hill off Stuart, and Snook Nook's own charter team placed first in the small-boat division of a Stuart sailfish tournament. On the regulatory side, CCA Florida continues tracking South Atlantic red snapper season developments after a court injunction disrupted this year's exempted-fishing-permit pilot program.
LA Delta anglers lean on the fall transition as feeds stay quiet
No buoy or gauge readings came back for the Louisiana Gulf Coast and Delta this cycle, and none of today's angler-intel feeds — mostly national outlets like Saltwater Sportsman, Sport Fishing Mag, Anglers Journal, and Field & Stream — carried a direct report from southeast Louisiana waters. The lone Louisiana-tagged item, from Louisiana Sportsman, covered a college bass angler's season rather than marsh or bay conditions, so it isn't usable as biting intel here. With nothing specific to lean on, we're going by typical mid-September patterns for the region: water is usually easing off summer highs, redfish start schooling tighter in the marsh as bait pushes out of the shallows, and speckled trout begin sliding toward deeper guts and drains on falling water. Treat this as a seasonal baseline rather than a live report, and check a local shop or captain report before planning a trip — we'll have firmer numbers once buoy and gauge data or a regional report comes through.
Bonito Bite Fires Up Bight-Wide as Giant Bluefin Keep Landing
The bonito bite is 'on Bight wide' this week — Western Outdoor News reports fish running from Point Conception to Point Loma, with anglers finding shots at yellowtail mixed into the same stretch of coastline as summer eases into fall. Offshore, the giant bluefin push keeps producing: San Diego boats have logged at least three fish over 400 pounds in the past two weeks per Western Outdoor News, including a 449-pound bluefin gaffed aboard the Shearwater on kite-fished dead flying fish and a 441-pound fish reported by the Game Changer. Closer to the Channel Islands, a Western Outdoor News charter report out of Dana Point described cracking roughly 70 tuna by mid-morning on a recent two-day run to Tanner Bank, with yellowtail mixed in. Shore anglers should temper plans — Surf Fishing in So Cal notes this year's surf has run unusually rough under El Niño influence, making beach conditions tougher than a typical fall.
Delaware Bay doormats stack up as NJ's fluke season winds down
Flounder are the story on the New Jersey side of Delaware Bay this week, with Big Dave's Tackle reporting keepers to 20 inches around EP Tower on live minnows, plus steady spot and croaker action and even a few black drum to 12 pounds on clam baits. Hand's Too Bait and Tackle notes the deeper wrecks and reefs, especially the Old Grounds, are producing quick early-morning limits to 6 pounds alongside sea bass and triggerfish. Along the bayshore beaches, Hand's Too also reports weakfish up to 24-25 inches mixing with croakers and kingfish in the surf, while sheepshead to 8 pounds are coming off structure on sand fleas. Timing matters here — per The Fisherman (Northeast), New Jersey's summer flounder season closes September 25, and a 13-pound Delaware Bay doormat is currently topping the region's leaderboard. Fish the tail end of the fluke run before the close.
Fall transition sets up king mackerel, redfish push in Mobile Bay
Sport Fishing Mag's "Four Fall Fishing Destinations" notes that cooling water pushes king mackerel closer to shore to feed on migrating baitfish, a fall pattern that typically reaches Alabama's Mobile Bay and Gulf waters as September wears on. The same outlet's coverage of the Gulf snook fall transition describes how shortening days trigger a feed-up before fish shift toward winter holding areas — the same seasonal cue that typically brings redfish and speckled trout onto Mobile Bay's marshes and grass flats this time of year. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for this report, and no Alabama-specific shop or charter dispatches were available this cycle, so treat the outlook below as seasonal-pattern guidance rather than a confirmed local bite. Redfish and trout remain the safer early-fall bets; king mackerel activity should build as bait pushes inshore over the coming weeks.
Snook Turn On as Gulf Coast Slides Into Fall Transition
Snook feeding up ahead of the winter push is the headline story for Florida's Gulf Coast this week, per Sport Fishing Mag's fall-transition report — as days shorten and water starts cooling off summer highs, Gulf snook shift into one of the most productive stretches of their year, typically firing hardest on baitfish worked along beaches and passes. The same outlet notes king mackerel begin sliding closer to shore this time of year as they track migrating bait, a pattern worth watching over the next few weeks. Naples Offshore Fishing Charters' recent seasonal reports describe steady action on permit, kingfish, cobia, and mangrove snapper working structure and passes through the cooler months — a preview of what typically develops as fall deepens here. No live buoy or gauge readings came through for this update, so treat water temps as seasonal-typical until fresh data lands. On the regulatory side, CCA Florida continues tracking red snapper management changes that could affect access later this year.
Fall Transition Sets Up Typical San Juan Trout Bite
No buoy or gauge telemetry came back for the Rio Grande or San Juan today, and this week's angler-intel feeds carried no reports specific to New Mexico waters — every blog, shop, and forum post pulled ran regional coverage for other states (South Dakota muskie policy, Nevada and Maine fly reports, Midwest bass patterns). Rather than force a citation that doesn't exist, we're grounding this update in typical seasonal behavior: mid-September on the San Juan's tailwater below Navajo Dam usually means steady, cold, dam-regulated flows and trout keyed on midges and small baetis as days shorten, while the upper Rio Grande is transitioning out of summer flows toward more typical fall levels. First Quarter moon this week means moderate low-light feeding windows around dawn and dusk rather than a strong major-feed period. Check current NM Game and Fish regulations and local flow reports before heading out, since we have no live readings to confirm today's actual numbers.
Bull Reds Turn On Along Galveston Beachfront and Jetties
Bull redfish have moved onto the Galveston beachfront and jetties in good numbers this week, per Capt. Shannon LaBauve's reports in the Galveston Daily News Reel Report — typical timing for this stretch of the calendar as big reds stage up along the surf line. Bay anglers found solid action too: despite winds that hampered efforts on the mid-bay wells, groups working the west shoreline of Galveston Bay reported big pulls on redfish, also per the Reel Report. Tournament traffic reflects the pattern — Surfside Marina hosts the Bastrop Bayou Ladies' Classic Saturday, with Capt. Mark's Bastrop Bayou Marina running the next leg of the Sunday Bayou Bash redfish series. One note for anglers heading out: Texas Fish & Game Magazine reports TPWD began fielding red tide reports off Galveston in early September, so check current advisories before planning a trip. No live buoy or gauge readings are available for this update — plan around forecast and local reports.
Salmon opener roars back as bonito runs push up the coast
California's fall ocean salmon opener delivered limits to near-limits of big, hard-fighting Chinook for private and party boats when the San Francisco Management Zone reopened September 1 after a three-year closure, per Western Outdoor News — Saltwater — wild-caught salmon is back on the menu after years of restrictions. Further south the bonito bite has gone "Bight wide," with WON reporting anglers finding it hard to avoid a solid whack of bonito mixed with shots at yellowtail as the summer season faded into fall along the SoCal-to-Central-Coast stretch from Point Conception down. WON also logged multiple 400-pound-plus bluefin tuna landed out of San Diego over the past two weeks, a reminder that big warm-water game fish are still working the coast this month. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came in for this cycle, so plan around changeable early-fall weather and check local tides before running offshore.
Fall Salmon Opener Delivers Best SF Bay Action in Years
San Francisco Bay-area boats are seeing the best ocean salmon fishing in years now that the fall opener has arrived. Per Western Outdoor News — Saltwater, party and private boats fishing the San Francisco Management Zone put together limits to near-limits of big, hard-fighting Chinook salmon when the season reopened September 1, the first fall opener after three consecutive years of closure tied to salmon restoration efforts. That's a strong signal for anyone planning a trip out of the Bay this week. No buoy or gauge readings came in for this report, so treat sea state and water temperature as unknowns until you check a local forecast. Beyond salmon, expect the usual late-summer-into-fall mix in these waters — halibut still working the sandy flats, rockfish and lingcod holding on nearshore structure, and striped bass activity typically building as water cools. Confirm current regulations before keeping fish, especially with a salmon season this dynamic.
Fall run heats up on Long Island as albies and bluefish flood the inlets
False albacore and bonito have taken over Long Island's inlets this week, with White Water Outfitters in Hampton Bays reporting green bonito and albies mixing with Spanish mackerel and bluefish around Shinnecock, action that's held up regardless of tide thanks to heavy bait. Bluefish are the standout everywhere — Captain Dave III in Sheepshead Bay called the bluefishing "amazing," with full boat limits of 3-to-5-pounders, and the Fishfinder II crew says it's the best afternoon bluefish action in years. Striped bass are building too: Tight Lines Tackle on the South Fork reports Montauk's town beaches producing stripers from sunset into dark on tins and bucktails. Fluke remains a mixed bag — solid at Bob's Bait and Tackle in Amity Harbor, softer at Fishfinder II and Laura Lee Fleet. Offshore, Tyalure Professional Tackle in Rye notes strong bluefin and yellowfin as close as five miles off Shinnecock and Montauk. Porgies and sea bass continue as reliable bottom options across every region.
Selective Albies Test Cape Cod Anglers As Bass Fishing Improves
Bonito and false albacore are working the stretch from Falmouth to the Monomoy rips, per Sports Port in Falmouth, though the fish are staying selective and demanding small lures on fine leader. Falmouth Bait and Tackle echoes the pattern along the Elizabeth Islands and inside Woods Hole, where small bass are breaking in the rips and albie sightings continue along the Falmouth shore. Black Rose Fishing Charters reports improving action at Monomoy for stripers, bonito, and albies. Striped bass fishing in Cape Cod Bay is picking up, with school bass showing at harbor mouths and river mouths per Sports Port, while Goose Hummock Shop notes the extended black sea bass season is giving anglers a shot at larger fall fish. Offshore, Falmouth Bait and Tackle says the yellowfin tuna bite has been strong in the canyons, with mahi and a few wahoo mixed in for boats willing to run.
Albies push into Buzzards Bay as Falmouth shore lights up
Falmouth Bait and Tackle is reporting albie sightings running the length of the Falmouth shore this week, though the fish are locked onto fine bait and demanding small, precise lures to draw a strike, per The Fisherman — Cape Cod & Islands. Sports Port confirms the same pattern, with bonito and albies working from Falmouth down to the Monomoy rips, while school-sized striped bass stack at harbor mouths and push into the rivers, with a few bonefish mixed in. Goose Hummock says the bonito-and-albie run stretches from the Falmouth shore to Bass River and out to the ocean beaches near Nauset, with brief surf action reported as forktails moved through. Black sea bass anglers are benefiting from this year's extended season, adding a reliable consolation bite. Inside Woods Hole, small stripers are breaking in the rips on the moving tide. Expect selective fish through the week — go small, go natural, and work the rip lines.
Kenai silvers and interior rainbows carry the September bite
Mid-September puts Southcentral and Interior Alaska into the classic fall handoff: the coho (silver salmon) run is typically at or near its peak on Kenai Peninsula drainages this time of year, while interior rivers turn over to trailing-salmon feeding behavior from resident rainbow trout and Dolly Varden keying on drifting eggs and flesh below spawning fish. No buoy or gauge readings came back for this region today, and none of tonight's angler-intel feeds carried an Alaska-specific "what's biting" report from a shop, charter, or the state agency source we track (AK Sea Grant's items this cycle covered fellowship and mariculture programs, not current conditions) — so treat the species read below as seasonal expectation rather than a confirmed bite report. First-quarter moon and typical mid-September water temps favor low-light and overcast-window fishing. Check a current fish count or in-season regulation update before targeting king salmon, as that fishery is typically closed or heavily restricted by this date.
Lake Trout Stay Tough Off Duluth as Inland Bass, Pike Fire Up
Surface temps ran 60-65°F near Duluth and cooled to 45-50°F up toward Two Harbors this week, per the MN DNR Lake Superior Summer Fishing report (9-17-26), and North Shore stations are still grinding out slow-going 18-29 inch Lake Trout — salmon didn't show at any sample station. Highway 61 construction near the McQuade intersection and on Lighthouse Point Road continues to complicate shoreline access. Inland, the picture is shifting faster: Fishing the Midwest notes that as weeds die back with cooling water, baitfish and gamefish are pulling out of thinning cover toward the greenest remaining growth, a classic fall relocation. A bladed swim jig with a plastic trailer is drawing bass, northern pike, and walleye off shoreline flats, per the same source. Expect the North Shore trout bite to stay stubborn while inland multi-species action keeps building as the fall transition window opens across Twin Cities and North Woods lakes.
Taneycomo trout settle into steady late-summer generation rhythm
Lake Taneycomo's late-summer generation pattern has settled into a predictable rhythm, per Lilleys Landing's September 1 report: minimum flow starting around 7 a.m. and holding into early afternoon, then ramping up to 135 megawatts (about 2.5 units) from mid-afternoon into the evening. Water temperature has climbed to roughly 53 degrees, which the shop calls typical for this point in the season, and falling dissolved oxygen has dam operators injecting liquid oxygen into the outflow to keep trout comfortable. Earlier in the run Lilleys Landing described the bite as aggressive, with guides doing well on the Provo rig in the afternoons and a simple straight-line drift with a drop-shot loop about 18 inches up also producing, fished on Vanish fluorocarbon tippet, a tip credited to guide Blake Wilson. Table Rock's bass fishery is heading into its typical fall feeding transition as water begins to cool.
Wisconsin sturgeon season opens as fall bass bite builds
Wisconsin's hook-and-line lake sturgeon season opened Sept. 5 and runs through Sept. 30 on select waters, per WI DNR Wisconsin Fishing News — anglers need a 2026 general license and a valid sturgeon tag, and this is the marquee move for river and lake anglers right now. On Lake Superior, WI DNR Lake Superior Fishing continues to flag Chequamegon Bay's lake whitefish as a fishery that has "emerged" in popularity in recent seasons, both by boat and eventually through the ice. Inland, Fishing the Midwest's Mike Frisch and Bob Jensen report the fall transition is underway across the region, with bass, pike, and walleye grouping up on baitfish and the last green, living weeds as cooler water pushes fish shallower. No live buoy or gauge readings came through for this update, so pair these patterns with a local check before you launch. Sturgeon tags and fall weed edges are the two moves to plan around this week.