Fishing reports
16013 reports across all 50 states — current conditions and what's biting.
Fall transition takes hold at Quabbin and Wachusett
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came in for Quabbin or Wachusett this week, and this week's angler-intel roundup carried no direct field reports from either reservoir — so this update leans on the seasonal pattern rather than a specific bite report. Mid-September is when New England reservoir fisheries typically flip from summer to fall mode: surface layers start cooling, baitfish schools tighten up, and bass slide off deep summer structure toward main-lake points and remaining green weed edges to follow them, a shift Wired 2 Fish and Fishing the Midwest are both covering in their fall-transition pieces this week. For Quabbin's lake trout and landlocked salmon, this is typically the run-up to turnover, when fish start suspending shallower ahead of the water column mixing. Check current MassWildlife regulations before targeting any species, and treat this as a seasonal outlook rather than a confirmed local bite until on-the-water reports come in.
Rangeley brook trout turn on fall colors as hatches linger
A brook trout showing early spawning colors turned up last week on Rangeley-area water, per Mainely Fly Fishing's Fall Fishing Preview post -- a reliable early signal that Rangeley Lakes and Androscoggin headwaters trout are shifting into their fall pattern. The same source noted a strong hatch with steady dusk rises at Kennebago Lake in early August, and with cooler nights settling in, that surface activity should hold or improve as trout key on evening insect activity before the fall spawning push. We have no fresh buoy or gauge telemetry for this stretch today, so this update leans on angler intel rather than instrument readings -- treat water-temp and flow numbers as unavailable until local sources confirm. Landlocked salmon typically follow a similar fall pattern in this region, chasing baitfish as water cools, though no source specifically reported on salmon activity this week. Smallmouth bass action in the connected river systems is typically winding down as water temperatures drop into fall ranges. Check current regs before harvesting fall-colored brook trout, as some Maine waters carry seasonal protections.
Fall pattern shift takes hold as Wabash and Lake Michigan waters cool
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for the Wabash River or Lake Michigan today, so this update leans on seasonal timing and the wider angler-intel feed rather than a specific temp or flow number. Mid-September in Indiana typically means the fall feeding transition is underway on both fisheries — baitfish schooling up, weeds starting to thin, and predator species keying in on moving bait rather than holding tight to summer cover. Regional coverage this week was thin on direct Wabash/Lake Michigan reports; Fishing the Midwest's general fall-pattern notes on baitfish relocating to healthier weed growth and bass/pike/walleye following them apply broadly across the Midwest this time of year. Tactical Bassin's fall-transition coverage echoes the same theme nationally: bass schooling and feeding aggressively on baitfish as water cools. Treat species activity below as seasonally typical rather than locally confirmed until fresh buoy/gauge data or a Wabash-specific report comes through.
Fall Feed Kicks In Across Allegheny Tailwaters
Fall transition chatter dominates this week's fishing wires, and it's a useful signal for Allegheny-system anglers even without a fresh gauge or buoy reading in hand. Tactical Bassin's rundown on "Where Do Bass Go During The Fall Transition" notes bass are schooling and feeding heavily on baitfish as water cools, a pattern that plays out on Pittsburgh-area river pools just as it does anywhere else smallmouth and largemouth share water. Fishing the Midwest's Bob Jensen adds that dying summer weed growth is pushing baitfish — and the predators chasing them — toward the healthiest remaining green cover, a shift worth checking on any weedy backwater along the river system. We didn't get a direct field report from a Pittsburgh-area shop or charter this cycle, so treat species status below as seasonal expectation rather than a confirmed bite. Tailwater trout below dam releases should also start firming up as flows and temperatures settle into a more typical September rhythm.
Spring Creek and Penns Creek ease into their fall rhythm
No buoy or gauge readings came back for Spring Creek or Penns Creek this cycle, and none of today's angler-intel feeds carried a direct report from either water — worth saying plainly rather than papering over the gap with invented numbers. What we can offer leans on general knowledge of these limestone systems: heavy groundwater input keeps both creeks running cool and stable through September even as freestone streams elsewhere in the state warm and thin out, which is exactly why these two reaches carry a reputation as some of the most dependable trout water in the region this time of year. Standard producers on limestone water in mid-September are late-summer terrestrials — ants, beetles, hoppers — worked tight to grassy banks, plus lingering morning trico spinner falls before the day heats up. Brown and rainbow trout are the primary quarry on both creeks, with wild brook trout holding in the coldest spring-fed feeder sections. Check current PA Fish and Boat Commission regulations before harvesting; Spring Creek carries special-regulation stretches.
Roanoke bass waking up as fall transition takes hold
Lake Gaston, the Roanoke River reservoir near Littleton, is fishing extremely well right now — per MLF News, low water at nearby Kerr Lake forced the Phoenix Bass Fishing League to shift its Sept. 26-27 season-ending Super Tournament to Gaston instead, and word on the water is the switch is paying off. That lines up with what's happening seasonally: as Tactical Bassin notes this week, bass across the region are moving into fall transition mode, schooling up and keying on baitfish, with anglers needing to adjust between shallow flats and deeper schooling fish as the pattern develops. On the Catawba chain, expect largemouth to follow the same script — typical for mid-September, fish push shallow behind baitfish early and late, sliding deeper as afternoons warm. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came in for either river system today, so treat flow and temp as unconfirmed until the next check.
Fall bait exodus signals a building striper push off NH
Per Saltwater Edge Blog (RI)'s September new-moon forecast, peanut bunker, silversides, bay anchovies, sandeels, herring, and squid are already pushing out of salt ponds and estuaries toward the oceanfront — the shift that typically kicks off the Northeast's fall striper run. Anglers Journal frames the same trend on a wider scale, calling the weeks bracketing the fall equinox 'the heartbeat of the Northeast fishery,' when stripers, bluefish, and bait marshal for their southbound push. That migration corridor runs through the Gulf of Maine before it ever reaches Rhode Island, so NH anglers should expect the same bait-driven activity building or already underway along the NH coast. No NOAA buoy or USGS gauge data came through for this stretch this cycle, and no NH-specific catch reports were available, so treat this as a regional seasonal read rather than a confirmed local bite — check a local tide chart or marine forecast before heading out.
Fall salmon push begins along Lake Superior's North Shore
No buoy or gauge readings came back for the North Shore this cycle, and this week's angler-intel sweep turned up no direct on-the-water reports for Minnesota's stretch of Lake Superior. The closest citable item was WI DNR's Lake Superior Fishing update on the growing Chequamegon Bay whitefish fishery, which sits on the lake's south shore — useful as basin-wide context, not a North Shore bite report. Absent fresh regional intel, this outlook leans on typical seasonal pattern: mid-September is usually when the North Shore's fall salmon push gets underway as nearshore water cools, with lake trout holding in deeper water in the meantime. Treat the species status below as a seasonal baseline rather than a confirmed bite, and check with a local shop or the DNR before planning around it. Sharper numbers should follow once buoy, gauge, and regional reports for the area start flowing again.
Platte and Missouri catfish and walleye ease into the fall bite
No NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came through for the Platte and Missouri reaches today, and none of this cycle's angler-intel feeds carried direct reports from Nebraska water — most of what came in was Northeast striper and Southeast/Colorado fly-fishing coverage, plus general bass-fishing technique pieces. Rather than force a false read, we're leaning on what's typical for these rivers in mid-September: channel catfish still feeding heavily on baitfish and dip baits ahead of the fall cooldown, walleye starting to key on shad in current breaks and tailwater eddies as light levels drop earlier, and white bass schooling loosely along the main channel. Fishing the Midwest's notes on the fall transition — fish relocating off dying summer weed growth toward greener cover and baitfish concentrations — track with what typically plays out on Platte and Missouri backwaters this time of year, even without a direct local report to confirm it.
Early fall transition stirs bass activity across LA's river basins
Bass are schooling and feeding heavily on baitfish as the fall transition takes hold, according to Tactical Bassin — though no buoy, gauge, or Louisiana-specific angler reports came through the intel sweep for the Mississippi and Atchafalaya basins this cycle, so this update leans on the broader seasonal pattern. Water temperatures across south Louisiana's rivers and backwaters typically begin easing in mid-September, and that cooling is exactly what pushes fish toward the healthiest remaining green weed growth as summer cover dies back, per Fishing the Midwest. The same mechanics typically play out in Atchafalaya Basin backwaters and Mississippi River oxbows, where largemouth bass, catfish, and crappie usually tighten up on structure and baitfish as water cools. This reads as an early-transition period rather than a full pattern shift. Check state regs before harvesting, and verify current flow conditions locally before launching.
Fall pelagic season holds steady in Hawaiian waters
With a waxing crescent moon over the Islands and no fresh buoy or gauge readings available for Hawaii this cycle, no tracked angler-intel feed carried Hawaii-specific bite reports this week either — the strongest signal available is typical seasonal timing rather than confirmed catches. Mid-September sits inside Hawaii's classic fall pelagic window: yellowfin tuna (ahi) and mahi-mahi (dolphinfish) are typically the bread-and-butter troll targets as offshore surface temperatures ease off summer highs, while wahoo (ono) activity usually picks up as bait schools push toward the banks. Blue marlin action generally tapers from its summer peak but remains a possibility on deep spreads. Bottomfish grounds — onaga, opakapaka, and other deepwater species — are typically a steadier fall fallback for boats working the ledges. Treat all of the above as seasonal expectations rather than confirmed activity, and check current state regulations and bag limits before targeting bottomfish or any species with active management.
Flounder and big weakfish keep Delaware Bay busy as fall nears
Keeper flounder to 20 inches are coming off EP Tower along the Delaware Bay flats, with plenty of spot and croaker mixed in on live minnows, per Big Dave's Tackle (The Fisherman — Southern NJ). Bay-structure fishing around the lighthouses is producing black drum to 12 pounds on clam baits and sheepshead to 8 pounds on sand fleas, with triggerfish stacked around bay pilings. Up in Port Mahon, Smith's Bait Shop (The Fisherman — DE/MD/Chesapeake) reports bluefish, croaker and flounder off structure, while the Bowers Beach jetties are adding trout on yellow bucktails and peeler crab. Larger weakfish to 24-25 inches are working the Delaware Bayshore beaches, per Hands Too Bait and Tackle (The Fisherman — NJ/DE Surf). Offshore, wind and rain have limited open-water trips, but boats reaching the Old Grounds and Fenwick Shoal are finding sea bass, flounder and Spanish mackerel on trolled spoons. Confirm the current DNREC striped bass slot before keeping fish.
Chesapeake stripers stir as the fall bait push builds up the coast
No buoy or gauge readings came back for the Bay this cycle, and today's angler-intel feed carries nothing filed specifically from Maryland or the Chesapeake — the available dispatches are from New England shops and regional blogs. What we can say with confidence is seasonal: mid-September is when the Bay typically starts its autumn turnover, with striped bass sliding out of the tidal rivers to stage along channel edges and drop-offs as water temperatures ease down. Saltwater Edge Blog (RI) reports that farther up the coast, peanut bunker, silversides, and bay anchovies are already emptying out of salt ponds and estuaries as daylight shortens — the same seasonal trigger that, in most years, works its way south and kicks the Bay's own baitfish runs into gear. Treat this as a heads-up on timing rather than a local report: with no Chesapeake-specific testimony this round, confirm water temp and bait presence locally before planning a trip, and check current MD regulations before harvesting.
Spanish Mackerel Hold Off Cape Lookout as Sea Mullet Turn On at Hatteras
Steve of Chasin' Tails in Morehead City/Atlantic Beach reports nearshore anglers trolling up a steady mix of spanish mackerel and bluefish along the beaches this month, per Fisherman's Post (NC), with more surface strikes when fish push bait up top. Up the Outer Banks toward Cape Hatteras and Ocracoke, Eric of Hatteras Jack notes surf anglers bottom fishing the Rodanthe-area beaches are pulling good-sized sea mullet, and sight-casting opportunities have been turning up as well, also via Fisherman's Post. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came back for this update, so treat water temps as seasonal early fall for Pamlico Sound and Cape Lookout, still warm enough to keep the mackerel and bluefish schools working the beachfront. We're watching for that pattern to hold into the weekend as the fall mullet run gets underway along this stretch of coast.
Big Sea Mullet Show Up at Hatteras as Fall Signs Build on NC Coast
Eric at Hatteras Jack reports Rodanthe-area surf anglers are into good-sized sea mullet on bottom rigs this week, with several stretches also offering chances to sight-cast working fish along the beach (per Fisherman's Post (NC)). That's the headline read for the Outer Banks right now, and it lines up with what shops farther down the coast are seeing as summer eases into fall: Spanish mackerel and bluefish are showing consistently off Topsail and Morehead/Atlantic Beach on casting jigs and trolled spoons, per East Coast Sports and Chasin' Tails (Fisherman's Post — Carolinas saltwater), a sign the fall bait-and-gamefish push is underway statewide. No fresh buoy or gauge data came through for this report, so treat water temps and tide timing as approximate and check a local source before running. Red drum should be creeping onto the radar too as water cools, though nothing local has confirmed it yet — worth watching over the next couple weeks.
Charleston marshes hold steady as fall mackerel push builds up the coast
SC Sea Grant's newly published Guide to the Salt Marshes and Tidal Creeks of the Southeastern United States, covering 102 species from oysters to the baitfish redfish key on, is a timely reminder of how much forage Charleston Harbor's marsh complex is holding heading into fall. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for the harbor this cycle, so treat water temp and tide strength as unknowns until the next update. Up the coast, Fisherman's Post's Carolinas saltwater report has spanish mackerel biting well from the beach out to 40 feet around Ocean Isle, with anglers at Sneads Ferry taking spanish mackerel and bluefish on casting jigs worked around bait balls — Sport Fishing Mag's fall-migration outlook backs that up, noting king mackerel push closer to shore as water cools. Expect that pattern to work south toward Charleston over the coming weeks. Inshore, redfish and trout should be settling into their typical early-fall marsh routine as shrimp and mullet start moving with the tide.
Lake Erie & Presque Isle settle into the fall bass-and-walleye shuffle
Fishing the Midwest's "Find the Green, Find the Fish" post this week is the most directly useful read for Lake Erie and Presque Isle anglers: as weeds die back with cooling water, baitfish and the gamefish keyed on them abandon spent grass for whatever green weed edges remain — the same shift that typically repositions September smallmouth bass and walleye along Presque Isle's bay-side flats and rock structure. No fresh NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came in for this stretch today, and no shop, charter, or state-agency source filed a direct Presque Isle bite report this cycle, so treat the species status below as seasonal expectation rather than a confirmed report. Tactical Bassin's fall-transition coverage — bass schooling on open-water baitfish, anglers adapting off failing summer patterns — tracks with what's typical for Erie smallmouth right now. Yellow perch and walleye should be sliding toward structure and deeper basin water as surface temps ease down; a real steelhead push into Presque Isle tributaries is still early.
UP Trout Streams Ease Into Fall as Fresh Reports Run Thin
This cycle's freshest named-source item for the Lake Superior basin is WI DNR Lake Superior Fishing's reminder that its online questionnaire on the Chequamegon Bay lake whitefish fishery — tied to a March 30 public meeting in Ashland — stayed open through spring, alongside an ongoing Michigan Tech burbot-angler survey the agency is helping promote. Neither is a current bite report, and no NOAA buoy or USGS gauge came back for the UP corridor this run, so we have no fresh water-temp or flow reading to anchor conditions on. No shop, charter, or blog source in this week's feed filed a direct UP trout-stream or Lake Superior report either. That leaves us working from typical mid-September patterns: UP streams are cooling into prime brook trout water, and migratory fish begin staging near tributary mouths ahead of the fall run. Check WI DNR's Lake Superior updates and local reports directly until harder intel comes through.
Roosevelt Lake bass eye the shallow fall push
No NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came in for the Roosevelt Lake and Salt River system this cycle, so today's read leans on the broader seasonal signal national bass outlets are tracking right now. Tactical Bassin's "Where Do Bass Go During The Fall Transition?" describes bass sliding off summer structure and schooling on baitfish as days shorten — the same shift typically due to reach Arizona's desert reservoirs as September nights cool. Fishing the Midwest's reminder to "find the green, find the fish" is worth keeping in mind on Salt River grass flats, which often hold color longer than northern lakes. Smallmouth on the river stretches and largemouth around Roosevelt's rocky points and coves should still be catchable on moving baits worked near remaining vegetation and baitfish schools. Channel catfish stay a dependable bottom-bait option through the transition. Check current state regs before harvesting, and watch for local temp and flow updates as they come in.
Cooling Water Signals Early-Fall Trout Bite in NY High Country
Trout Unlimited crews spent recent weeks on the Saranac River's North Branch in Clinton County, part of a broader New York effort — flagged in TU's "Connected Conservation" update — to map where brook trout live statewide and prioritize culvert and habitat fixes that keep cold-water refuges connected. No buoy or gauge readings came through for the Adirondacks or Catskills this cycle, so we don't have hard flow or temperature numbers to hand you today. That said, mid-September is typically when these freestone systems shake off summer lethargy: overnight lows are chilling the water column, terrestrial patterns still deserve a drift before the full shift to smaller nymphs and emergers, and brook trout, browns, and rainbows generally feed more aggressively once August's thermal stress eases. Check a local USGS gauge or your go-to stream thermometer before you head out — we're going in without one this week, and low, clear early-fall flows can make fish spooky on bright days.
Fall transition turns bass and walleye on before the salmon run
A USGS gauge in the Finger Lakes system (04232050) logged 63°F and a modest 17.8 cfs flow early this morning — cool, clear water typical of the early fall shift. Nothing in today's intel speaks directly to Cayuga, Seneca, or Skaneateles, but the regional bass-fishing chatter agrees on timing: per Tactical Bassin, bass are schooling and feeding hard on baitfish as summer patterns break down, and Fishing the Midwest notes fish pulling off dying weed edges toward the season's last green growth as shallow oxygen drops. Wired 2 Fish's walleye-boat gear piece points to trolling season ramping up across the broader region too. We'd expect Finger Lakes smallmouth to follow that same fall-transition script, with lake trout and walleye sliding toward deeper structure and landlocked salmon beginning to stage for their typical fall tributary push — check current NY regs before targeting a salmon run.
Hawaii's Warm Water Keeps Pelagic Season Rolling Into Fall
Buoys ringing the islands are reading 80 to 82°F this week — 51001 at 80°F with 4.3-foot seas, 51002 at 82°F, and 51004 at 82°F with seas building to 5.9 feet — under a steady 12 to 14 knot trade wind. That's solid late-summer warmth for Hawaiian waters, the kind of range pelagic species typically favor as they track temperature breaks well offshore. We didn't get a Hawaii-specific bite report this cycle; the one Hawaii-tagged feed available, HI Sea Grant, covered coastal-adaptation research rather than fishing conditions, so treat the species read below as a seasonal expectation, not a confirmed bite. Mahi mahi, ahi, and ono are the standard fall targets trolling the offshore breaks around the main islands, with bottomfish holding in deeper structure. Check a local shop or captain report before committing to a trip this weekend.
Flounder, drum and sheepshead heat up Delaware Bay structure
Keeper flounder to 20 inches are coming off Delaware Bay's EP Tower on live minnows, per Big Dave's Tackle, with plenty of spot and croaker mixed in and black drum to 12 pounds hitting clam baits in the same water. Sheepshead to 8 pounds and thick schools of triggerfish are holding tight to lighthouse rock and bay structure on sand fleas. Up at Port Mahon, Smith's Bait Shop reports bluefish on cut bait and metal, croaker on bloodworms and Fishbites, and flounder on live minnows or bucktails tipped with Gulp crawfish, while the Bowers Beach jetties are giving up flounder, croaker, and trout — yellow bucktail with a yellow worm or peeler crab is the go-to there. Along the bayshore beaches, The Fisherman's NJ/DE Surf report notes weakfish pushing 24-25 inches mixed with croaker and kingfish. NOAA buoy 44009 shows light-to-moderate wind and warm late-summer air, with no wave or water-temp readings logged this cycle.
Flounder and mackerel keep Chesapeake anglers busy this week
Flounder are turning up steadily along the DE/MD/Chesapeake corridor this week, per The Fisherman — DE/MD/Chesapeake, with boats working reef structure out of Port Mahon putting blues, croaker, and flounder over the rail on live minnows and bucktails tipped with Gulp. The jetties at Bowers Beach are holding a flounder-croaker-trout mix, with trout favoring a yellow bucktail and yellow worm or a peeler crab. Offshore, Spanish mackerel are showing at Fenwick Shoal on trolled Clark and Drone spoons, and nearby wrecks are giving up triggerfish and sheepshead. Rising fuel costs have kept more boats working structure close to home, though a handful running deep are still finding tilefish. Striped bass remain the marquee target as Chesapeake waters begin their seasonal cool-down, though direct reports are thin so far this week. Our buoy read near the bay mouth shows a light breeze and mild air temps — a comfortable window to get out before the fall push builds.