Fishing reports
8043 reports across all 50 states — current conditions and what's biting.
Pittsburgh Tailwaters Hit Summer Stride for Smallmouth and Walleye
Fishing the Midwest calls summer rivers 'outstanding' for bass and walleye action, a prescription that fits the Allegheny tailwaters well as late June arrives. With no USGS gauge readings in this update cycle, anglers should pull live flow data before launching. Tactical Bassin adds that summer bass are 'very predictable' once you identify their three core needs: shade, current breaks, and baitfish proximity, all of which these tailwaters deliver. Smallmouth positioned on current seams and around bridge pilings are the primary target heading into late June. PA Sea Grant is hosting a harmful algal bloom awareness webinar on June 25, a useful signal that late-summer heat can push bloom conditions on slower stretches and backwater channels. No Pittsburgh-specific charter or tackle-shop reports were available in this data cycle; seasonal norms and general regional intel fill the gap.
Salt River chain bass stack deep as Arizona's summer heat peaks
Tactical Bassin's summer bass breakdown captures what anglers face right now on Roosevelt Lake and the Salt River chain: as Arizona desert air temperatures push triple digits, bass 'become very predictable,' concentrating on deeper structure where cooler water and shade intersect. No NOAA or USGS readings are available for these waters this cycle, and no local shop or charter reports landed in the current feed, so conditions here reflect typical late-June patterns for the chain. Water temperatures are expected to be in the upper 80s to low 90s°F, driving the deep-summer shift hard. Your best shot at aggressive shallow action is the pre-dawn window before canyon walls shed their radiated heat. Wired 2 Fish recommends the Senko worm as a reliable finesse option when bass turn finicky in warm, pressured water. Night catfishing is a classic summer play on this chain. No fish-specific bite reports from local sources are available to confirm bite quality this week.
Record Blue Catfish at Belton Lake as Texas Bass Push Deep for Summer
A 75-pound, 50-inch blue catfish was caught and released at Belton Lake on June 6, per Wired 2 Fish — a standout result from the 12,400-acre Central Texas reservoir, where angler Michael Padgett was anchored over a bottom hump after dark, soaking cut gizzard shad on 85-pound-test braid. That catch signals a productive overnight catfish bite on large Texas impoundments heading into peak summer heat. On the bass front, Texas Fish & Game Magazine's mid-summer breakdown makes the seasonal shift clear: the shoreline cover patterns that fired through May are fading, and fish are retreating to deeper, cooler water on main-lake structure. Tactical Bassin's early-summer primer reinforces that bass become temperature- and baitfish-driven as the dog days arrive. Lone Star Outdoor News also flags Rio Grande cichlids as a fun light-tackle alternative in Texas river systems now that the rainbow trout program has wound down. No NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings were available for this update; verify current conditions before launching.
Salmon and Smallmouth Set Up as Grand River Mouth Enters Late-June Pattern
The WI DNR Lake Michigan Fishing Report's 2024 harvest tallies — a record-setting coho haul of more than 210,000 fish and over 160,000 Chinook, the strongest showing since 2012 — set an encouraging backdrop for late June at Michigan's Grand River mouth. Strong alewife classes that drove those survival numbers are still in the system, historically a reliable predictor of summer salmon productivity. No active NOAA buoy readings or USGS gauge data were available for this report cycle, and the MI DNR Weekly Fishing Report could not be retrieved at publication time, so current on-water measurements are unconfirmed. Late June typically places Chinook and coho in nearshore staging mode as surface temps begin to stratify. Smallmouth bass should be in their early-summer, post-spawn feeding pattern along rocky points and current seams at the river mouth. Verify conditions with the MI DNR before heading out.
Maine River Smallmouth Enter Summer Prime on Kennebec and Penobscot
On The Water's June 19 striper migration map reported that bigger bass across the Northeast are now concentrating around sand eels, squid, and herring as the spring run transitions to summer structure — a seasonal pivot that reaches into Maine's tidal river corridors as well. No NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came through for the Kennebec and Penobscot drainages this cycle, and no region-specific shop or captain reports surfaced in the intel feeds. With that data gap noted: late June is traditionally the transition to peak smallmouth season on both rivers, with post-spawn bass fully recovered and feeding aggressively on rocky mid-river structure through the first hours of daylight. Landlocked Atlantic salmon in the Penobscot drainage typically seek cooler tailwater zones and deeper runs as surface temperatures climb through June. Brook trout in upper tributaries are retreating to shaded spring seeps and cold-water refugia. Confirm current flows and conditions with local outfitters before heading out — this report is running lean on real-time data.
Smokies Streams Enter Prime Terrestrial Window for Late June
Flylords Mag's current summer tying coverage spotlights foam terrestrials — beetles, ants, and the Chugger — as the defining patterns of the season, a signal that maps directly onto late-June fishing across Western NC's Smokies drainages. No USGS gauge data or region-specific reports arrived for this cycle, so what follows blends that general-source seasonal context with typical conditions for this time of year. Late June in the Smokies marks the pivot away from spring hatches toward terrestrial-driven surface action: ants, beetles, and caddis become the workhorses on the park's wild-trout freestones. Trout Unlimited's summer features reinforce the timing theme — productive windows tighten to early morning and the final hour before dark as afternoon temperatures climb in lower drainages. Hatch Magazine's drought-fishing coverage offers a useful tactical lens: low, clear summer water demands longer leaders, finer tippet, and a stealthy approach. Rainbow, brown, and native brook trout are all in play.
Summer heat sends bass deep on Lake Lanier and Allatoona
GA Sportsman's Joshua Barber reported on June 20 that the bite across Georgia 'was fairly slow this week due to the hot weather and the rains,' with most fish 'congregated in deeper water.' That signal aligns with what Lake Lanier and Allatoona anglers should expect in late June, as both reservoirs settle into full summer stratification. A Georgia-South Carolina Line Team Circuit event on nearby Lake Russell (June 14) reinforced the tough pattern: GA Sportsman noted anglers 'faced a tough summer bite,' though the winning team still managed a five-fish limit working offshore structure. No NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings were available for either reservoir this period. On a First Quarter moon, feeding windows typically sharpen at dawn and dusk. The Georgia Wildlife Blog confirmed active fishing statewide through National Fishing and Boating Week, with their June 12 report noting the summer season well underway. Plan to fish deep and slow, targeting structure during low-light hours.
Summer Chinook Season Building on Columbia as Bass Action Heats Up
WA WDFW Fishing Reports maintains active creel monitoring across Washington waters through angler interviews and access-site surveys, though no specific catch data for the Columbia or Puget Sound river systems appeared in this week's feed. With environmental gauges returning no readings in our current data pull, conditions here are drawn from seasonal norms for late June. The Columbia River typically sees its summer Chinook push build through this period, while mid-river smallmouth bass fishing is historically strong as summer warmth sets in. Puget Sound tributary rivers typically begin hosting sea-run cutthroat and, in select drainages, summer steelhead through this stretch. WA Sea Grant reports active fieldwork in the Salish Sea region this week, including the third annual Salish Sea-wide Molt Blitz on June 26 targeting invasive European green crab — a sign that Washington's coastal ecosystems remain under close scientific watch. Check current WA WDFW emergency rules before retaining any Columbia River salmon, as in-season retention regulations shift frequently.
Brook Trout Seek Cold Lies as UP Streams Enter Midsummer Mode
The MI DNR Weekly Fishing Report returned no extractable conditions data this cycle, and no NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings are available for Lake Superior or UP interior streams — verify conditions locally before heading out. The most substantive Lake Superior signal in this week's feeds comes from WI DNR Lake Superior Fishing, which has been documenting a growing boat-fishing fishery for lake whitefish in the western basin's Chequamegon Bay region. For UP trout streams in late June, this is typically a transitional stretch: surface temperatures are pressing toward midsummer highs and brook trout are retreating to spring-fed headwaters and shaded pools where cold groundwater holds coolest. Larger brown trout on the region's bigger systems tend to shift to deeper lies and adopt low-light feeding windows this time of year. The First Quarter moon this week favors dawn and dusk presentations over midday shoulder-hour sessions.
Santee stripers push deep, catfish peak as SC summer heat sets in
Wired 2 Fish reported this week on a 75-pound blue cat taken on cut gizzard shad during a late-night anchor session at Belton Lake in Texas, and that approach is the same playbook that produces on Santee's blue cat fishery in late June. No real-time gauge data or South Carolina-specific angler reports arrived in this cycle; feeds ran toward academic Sea Grant content and national tournament coverage rather than Santee and Lake Murray conditions. What the seasonal calendar tells us: summer stratification is setting in across SC's major reservoirs, with striped bass pushing to thermocline depth or stacking near the Santee dam tailrace to find cooler water. Tactical Bassin's summer bass breakdown this week captures the dual-population pattern that applies to Lake Murray largemouth as well: a shallower feeding school active at dawn and dusk, and a deeper offshore contingent parked on structure by midday. Catfish are typically at a summer peak. Confirm current slot rules with state regs before keeping stripers.
Susquehanna and Allegheny smallmouth peak as summer heat arrives
PA Sea Grant is flagging harmful algal bloom risk on Pennsylvania waterways this summer, with a public awareness webinar scheduled for June 25, a timely reminder for anglers on the Susquehanna and Allegheny as warming water and slower backwater pools become prime bloom habitat. No gauge or buoy readings are available in the current data feed, so flow stage on both rivers should be verified with the PA Fish & Boat Commission before launching. Late June is historically prime time for smallmouth bass on both drainages: post-spawn fish have fully recovered and are staging on rocky current breaks, mid-channel ledges, and shaded eddy seams. Wired 2 Fish notes that Senko-style stickbaits consistently outperform when bass turn finicky in clear summer water. Tactical Bassin confirms that summer smallmouth become increasingly predictable around structural and temperature variables as the season peaks. Catfish activity typically intensifies after dark through this period as baitfish concentrate near deep channel bends.
Summer bite tightens on Lake Russell as Savannah chain bass push deep
The June 14 Georgia-South Carolina Line Team Circuit event at Lake Russell captured the current mood on the Savannah chain in one phrase: a "tough summer bite," per GA Sportsman / Georgia Outdoor News. Winners Billy Rochester and Brandon Brown still managed a five-fish limit of 12 pounds, 9 ounces — anchored by a 3-pound, 3-ounce Big Bass — earning $580 for the day. Downstream at Clarks Hill Lake, a BFL Phoenix event told a similar story: lower-than-normal water levels across the chain, yet Alpharetta angler William Bates found bass staging on bream beds for a $9,150 payday, also per GA Sportsman / Georgia Outdoor News. Together, these mid-June results confirm that Hartwell and Russell bass have fully transitioned into summer mode — moving to deeper structure and becoming more selective in the heat. No real-time sensor data is available for water temperature or flow this cycle; anglers should confirm current lake levels before launching.
Illinois River catfish hit summer stride as Lake Michigan salmon season opens
Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant has their three Lake Michigan nearshore monitoring buoys deployed and active this season, a marker that open-water conditions are fully established across the southern basin. Fishing the Midwest confirms the 2026 open-water season is in full swing region-wide, with weedline and river-structure presentations producing fish across the Upper Midwest. No specific buoy or gauge readings are available in this reporting cycle for the Illinois River or southern Lake Michigan. Late June traditionally marks the seasonal peak for channel and flathead catfish on the Illinois River, with cut shad and live bait fished on channel edges and wing-dam structure after dark offering the most consistent action. Post-spawn bass are settling into summer patterns, moving to weed edges, deeper timber, and current seams. On Lake Michigan, chinook salmon are expected to be staging near offshore thermocline breaks as surface temperatures climb, with downrigger trolling on spoons the standard approach out of Chicago-area ports. Check local forecast and verify current IDNR regulations before heading out.
Summer bass patterns taking hold across CT inland lakes and rivers
Tactical Bassin's summer bass breakdown confirms what Connecticut inland anglers typically find this week: post-spawn largemouth and smallmouth have left the shallows and sorted into predictable holding zones, with one group dropping to deep structure and another stacking under dock shade and weed mats near baitfish. No buoy or gauge readings are available for this cycle, so water temperature must be assumed warm given the June 23 date. Wired 2 Fish flags the Senko worm as the most reliable all-conditions bait when bass turn finicky mid-morning, and Fishing the Midwest points to weedline edges as the most consistent summer ambush point. Trout fishing grows difficult as inland waters warm; Hatch Magazine's drought-fishing guide recommends early-morning forays to shaded pools and deep runs. Panfish remain active on light tackle and offer the most accessible option for family outings through the rest of June.
Late June catfish bite peaks on the Mississippi and Atchafalaya
Louisiana Sea Grant's Seafood Processing Demonstration Lab in Jeanerette is actively working with buffalo fish and catfish mince sourced from the Atchafalaya drainage, a signal that both species remain plentiful heading into peak summer. No real-time USGS gauge or NOAA buoy readings are available for this cycle, so water temperatures and flow stage are unconfirmed; verify conditions with LDWF or USGS before launching. Late June typically marks the heart of catfish season across the Mississippi and Atchafalaya, with blue and channel cats feeding most aggressively after dark and around the First Quarter moon, which is where we sit tonight. Largemouth bass have shifted into summer mode, moving off the shallows into deeper structure as a dawn-and-dusk target. Crappie (sac-a-lait) have retreated to cooler thermoclines in 12 to 20 feet. Without live charter or tackle-shop reports in this cycle, treat activity estimates here as seasonal-pattern baselines rather than current eyewitness intel.
Central MA bass settle into summer weedline patterns for late June
Tactical Bassin's current summer-bass guide puts it plainly: as temperatures rise, bass become 'very predictable,' driven by temperature, forage, and structure. That pattern is firmly in play across Central MA's warmwater lakes and ponds in late June. Largemouth and smallmouth have pushed out of the post-spawn phase and settled into a dual-use schedule: deep, cool-water refuges during midday heat, and weedline edges at dawn and dusk. Wired 2 Fish's stickbait coverage reinforces the soft-plastic approach for finicky fish, noting that a salt-impregnated Senko worked slowly through shallow cover or parallel to submerged weed edges is a reliable go-to when bass won't chase faster presentations. Fishing the Midwest highlights weedlines as the primary summer focal point, with inside turns and irregular features along the weed edge concentrating the largest fish. No NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings were returned for this report period; check local conditions before heading out. The First Quarter moon supports stable low-light feeding windows worth planning around.
Summer Bass Push Deep as Heat Builds on Lake Okeechobee and St. Johns
Tactical Bassin's early-summer coverage puts the seasonal picture in sharp focus: post-spawn bass have separated into two behavioral groups, with fish working shallow vegetation edges at dawn and dusk, or dropping to deep structure and mat canopies through the heat of the day. No buoy or gauge readings were available this pull, and direct on-the-water reports from Lake Okeechobee or the St. Johns River did not appear in this cycle's feeds. That said, the pattern Tactical Bassin describes fits these waters closely in late June. Wired 2 Fish's current Senko breakdown flags the stickworm as the top option for finicky shallow bass, while the same outlet's piece on urchin-style fuzzy baits makes the case for stationary, heavy-cover presentations targeting larger fish sitting inactive through midday. On the St. Johns, tidal influence on the lower river adds an incoming-tide feeding window that Okeechobee lacks. First Quarter moon supports moderate bite windows around moonrise and moonset.
Wabash River smallmouth and catfish hit summer stride as Lake Michigan salmon go deep
Fishing the Midwest makes the case this week that late June is a standout window for Midwest river fishing, noting that 'rivers can provide some outstanding fishing action throughout the summer, especially the larger rivers' — a point that applies squarely to the Wabash. No NOAA buoy or USGS gauge data returned for Indiana waters this reporting cycle, so specific temperature and flow readings are unavailable, but the seasonal calendar points clearly toward smallmouth bass actively feeding around current seams, rocky ledges, and shaded cutbanks. Tactical Bassin's current summer bass breakdown reinforces the structure: post-spawn fish split by depth and current speed, making main-channel rock the primary address during midday heat and shallow gravel flats the target at first light under this week's First Quarter moon. On Lake Michigan's Indiana shoreline, Chinook salmon are pulling toward thermocline depth as surface temperatures climb, while yellow perch hold over nearshore hard-bottom transitions. Check USGS for live Wabash flow before launching — summer storm cells can shift river conditions overnight.
Shenandoah Smallmouth Peak Window Opens as Potomac Bass Hit Summer Mode
Tactical Bassin (blog) flagged this week that summer bass are now driven by three variables — depth, shade, and forage proximity — a pattern that maps directly onto the Shenandoah's rocky channels and the Potomac's tidal grass flats as both rivers enter the early-summer window. No USGS gauge readings or region-specific charter and shop reports were available for this cycle, so precise water temperatures and flow levels remain unconfirmed. Post-spawn smallmouth on the Shenandoah have had several weeks to recover and are relocating to deeper current seams and mid-channel rock structure; largemouth on the Potomac are working the weedline edges as vegetation reaches full summer height. Fishing the Midwest's "Work the Weedline" column reinforces targeting inside grass edges with slower presentations when bass concentrate in summer heat. Blue catfish on the lower Potomac are entering their seasonal peak. Check local forecasts and Virginia DWR regulations before heading out.
Late June Lake Erie: walleye and bass settle into summer structure
PA Sea Grant is flagging harmful algal blooms (HABs) as a growing concern for Pennsylvania waterways this summer, with a free public webinar scheduled June 25 covering how to identify blooms and their Great Lakes-region impacts (per PA Sea Grant). That's a timely heads-up for Lake Erie anglers: warm, calm conditions can accelerate nearshore bloom development in Presque Isle Bay through July. No NOAA buoy readings or USGS gauge data were captured this cycle, so surface temperatures remain unconfirmed. The PA Fish & Boat Commission biologist reports portal was queried but returned no specific conditions update in this fetch. Based on seasonal timing, late June typically finds walleye well off their shallow post-spawn haunts and pushing toward basin structure in 30–50 feet, while smallmouth bass are active on rocky reefs and breakwaters. Fishing the Midwest notes that weedline and structure edges remain the most reliable summer contact zones for Great Lakes-region gamefish through the back half of June.
New River smallmouth hit summer stride as Ohio River catfishing heats up
Tactical Bassin's summer bass coverage puts the late-June freshwater pattern in sharp focus: post-spawn fish divide between deep structure and shallow feeding zones, with the productive topwater bite compressed to the first two hours of daylight and again at dusk. That playbook applies directly to the New River's rocky smallmouth water and the Ohio River's bass flats. No USGS gauge readings or local tackle-shop reports are available for this cycle, so conditions are read from seasonal benchmarks and general freshwater intel. Fishing the Midwest reinforces the summer river angle, noting that mid-sized rivers can produce outstanding action through warm months when standing lakes slow in the heat. The First Quarter moon this week concentrates feeding at dawn and dusk transitions. Confirm river stage via USGS before launching — no flow data is in hand. Catfish on the Ohio typically enter their summer peak in late June, with cut bait on bottom rigs the standard after-dark approach.
Hatteras surf bluefish running big as spanish mackerel push the beaches
Tom of Hatteras Jack — via Fisherman's Post (NC) — reports some of the strongest surf action of the season at Hatteras and Ocracoke, with oversized bluefish reaching beyond 30 inches responding to casting metals and cut baits. Sea mullet have been steady on the same stretches of beach. The spanish mackerel push is well underway across the broader coastal NC corridor: Rich of Chasin' Tails at Morehead/Atlantic Beach reports mackerel, bonito, and bluefish coming to surf and pier anglers, while Swansboro's Morgan of The Reel Outdoors describes mackerel moving in strong numbers along the nearshore beachfront. Inshore, red drum are scattered but findable — the Morehead report points to deeper holes around structure as the productive play. With the First Quarter moon now in effect, tidal transitions should sharpen feeding windows over the next several days. No real-time buoy readings were available for this report cycle.
Guntersville & Wheeler bass lock into summer offshore patterns
USGS gauge 03575100 recorded 3,400 cfs at 5:30 a.m. on June 23 — the only hard local number available, with no water temperature reading from the sensor. Surface temps on these TVA impoundments in late June typically climb into the low-to-mid 80s°F. Tactical Bassin notes that once summer heat peaks, bass predictably split into two camps: offshore fish stacking on channel bends and structure humps, and shallow fish buried in hydrilla and milfoil. Both populations are most reachable in low-light windows at dawn and dusk. B.A.S.S. News reports that urchin-style spiky-ball baits are dominating the national bass circuit right now, with Mike Iaconelli specifically calling them out for grass-lake settings — a direct fit for Guntersville's legendary vegetation. Wired 2 Fish backs the Yamamoto Senko as a reliable fallback for finicky midday fish fished weightless or on a drop shot. Catfish on cut bait after dark is typically a consistent summer option across both reservoirs.
Yellowstone and Snake cutthroats on prime temps as late-June runoff peaks
USGS gauge 06192500 recorded 57°F and 6,700 cfs on the morning of June 23, placing water temperature squarely in the ideal trout-feeding window even as flows remain at elevated late-runoff levels. High water pushes Yellowstone and Snake River cutthroats out of the main current and into softer edges, boulder seams, and tributary mouths, making precise presentations more critical than usual. Flylab contributor John Juracek notes that the Yellowstone area is especially prone to violent June weather swings: an overnight storm can spike flows and drop water temps dramatically on short notice, so verify conditions the morning you go. On the hatch front, Caddis Fly (OR) identifies Yellow Sallies as a key summer stonefly across the Western US right now, and a dry-dropper rig with a Yellow Sally pattern topside and a jigged nymph below suits the off-current seams these flows are producing.