Fishing reports
16190 reports across all 50 states — current conditions and what's biting.
Fluke Stay Hot at the Jersey Shore as Albies Push Into the Surf
Fluke fishing out of Atlantic Highlands has been about as good as it gets this week — anglers aboard Capt Ron's Atlantic Highlands NJ boats filled limits on a good drift, with pool fish running 5 to 5.5 pounds despite tricky current. Sea bass are stacked thick enough around the boats that Capt Ron's crew has had to move off them just to keep fluke baits down, and Blue Chip Sportfishing (NJ) reports sea bass charters filling the box for everyone aboard. Down the coast, Fishermans HQ LBI (NJ) has bonito, albacore, and bluefin tuna in the 27-to-30-inch range hammering light spinning gear, with albies now mixing with bonito and Spanish mackerel on the reefs per OTW Northern New Jersey. Striped bass haven't shown up locally yet, but Coastal Angler Magazine and On The Water both flag the fall migration as building along the coast. Water is still holding onto summer warmth with plenty of bait around.
Early fall transition nears Delaware Bay as NJ shore reports heat up
Direct reports from the Delaware Bay side are thin in this week's intel, but the broader New Jersey coastal scene is buzzing — Grumpys Tackle (NJ) is logging bonito, albies, fluke, and bluefish along the reefs, while Fishermans HQ LBI reports bonita, albacore, and 27-to-30-inch bluefin tuna on light spinning tackle out of Long Beach Island. Capt Ron's out of Atlantic Highlands has had strong fluke drifts recently, with pool fish running 5 pounds-plus. OTW Northern New Jersey confirms albies now mixing with bonito and Spanish mackerel on the reefs as the bluefin bite stays spotty. For Delaware Bay itself, expect the typical early-fall handoff: fluke action beginning to taper, striped bass starting to stage for the fall run, and blue crabbing still worthwhile. Check current NJ Saltwater Fisherman size and possession limits before keeping anything, especially bluefin tuna under the adjusted 2026 retention schedule.
Fall Striper Push Signals Building Around Narragansett Bay
On The Water reports anglers off Cape Cod landed a 753-pound bluefin tuna in just 27 minutes this week — a sign the season's biggest predators are still pushing bait hard just north of Narragansett Bay. Closer to home, the early signals point toward the fall run building: Coastal Angler Magazine notes the fall striped bass migration is arriving from New England down to the Mid-Atlantic as water cools, and Anglers Journal describes the late-season blitzes intensifying as daylight shortens. OTW Saltwater's podcast crew documented a squid-driven striper blitz tearing through the Cape Cod Canal, with 40- and 50-inch bass crushing shortfin squid on soft plastics — worth watching for as squid schools push into Rhode Island's bay waters. No local buoy or gauge readings came back this cycle, so treat water temps as seasonal-typical until fresh data lands. Today's new moon should sharpen current and bite windows around the tide changes.
Snook Bite Heats Up on Florida's Atlantic Coast as Mullet Run Builds
Snook fishing remains excellent along Florida's Atlantic Coast heading into mid-September, per Snook Nook in Stuart, with quality fish in the 40-inch-plus range still coming from the St. Lucie Inlet on live croakers and threadfins. The shop reports the annual mullet run is approaching — larger mullet schools are showing inshore and a few pods are working down the beaches, though the push is running later than usual after a cooler winter, with more expected in the coming weeks. Offshore, Martin County crews are boxing wahoo and other pelagics, according to Coastal Angler Magazine's local report. Saltwater Sportsman notes South Florida's "second" mahi season is kicking in around mid-September and should run into fall. Meanwhile, CCA Florida flags fresh turbulence for South Atlantic red snapper anglers after a federal court injunction blocked this year's state-run pilot season just before it opened — worth checking current regs before targeting that species.
Redfish and trophy trout keep Louisiana's inshore bite going
Redfish and speckled trout continue to headline Louisiana's inshore action heading into mid-September, with Sport Fishing Mag's coastal guide pointing anglers toward soft plastics and shrimp imitations — Strike King's Redfish Magic and Thunder Cricket, Down South Lures' Stanley Ribbit Frogs, and Berkley's Rattle Shrimp among the go-to picks working marsh edges and flats. Trophy-class trout are reportedly keying on bigger meals, with captains favoring larger plugs or live mullet, pogies, and croakers over small offerings. Separately, Louisiana Sportsman reports the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission has advanced a notice of intent to revise commercial menhaden reporting rules under Act 444 — a forage-fish management story worth watching since pogies remain a staple bait for trout and redfish across the Delta. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came in for this update, so treat water temp and tide timing as approximate and check local sources before running out. New moon tides should push good current through the passes this week.
Bonito Bite Runs Bight-Wide While Offshore Tuna Stays Hot
A strong bonito bite is running the length of the Southern California Bight this week, with Western Outdoor News — Saltwater reporting solid action from Point Conception down to Point Loma along with scattered shots at yellowtail mixed in along the coast. Offshore, the Tanner Bank and Cherry Banks grounds are still holding fish — a Dana Point overnighter covered by Western Outdoor News — Saltwater cracked roughly 70 tuna by mid-morning on one trip, and the same outlet reported a potential state-record bluefin taped out at 441 pounds off San Diego. Closer to the beach, conditions have been tougher: Surf Fishing in So Cal has been chronicling an unusually persistent stretch of elevated surf running from spring through midsummer, though its August report called the recent window the best surf fishing opportunity of the year. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through today, so check local surf and swell forecasts before heading out.
Moosehead region gears up for the early fall turnover bite
The only hard number in from the upper Penobscot drainage this week is a steady reading at USGS gauge 01030500, sitting at typical late-summer baseflow with no spike or drop to suggest a weather system has moved through. No shop, charter, or state-agency report specific to Moosehead Lake or the upper Penobscot came through our feeds this cycle — the available intel skewed to coastal Maine aquaculture notes and out-of-region bass and muskie content, none of which we're stretching to apply here. That leaves the calendar as our best guide: mid-September on Moosehead typically means landlocked salmon and lake trout (togue) starting to push toward cooler, oxygenated water as surface temps ease off summer highs, with brook trout picking up around tributary mouths and inlets. Smallmouth bass should still be catchable shallow before the fall slowdown sets in. Treat the species read below as seasonal expectation, not a confirmed bite, and check conditions locally before planning a trip around it.
Low North Shore stream flows keep Superior cohos staged offshore
A USGS stream gauge feeding Lake Superior's North Shore is reading just 6.92 cfs this afternoon — a notably thin flow for mid-September — with no paired water-temperature reading available this cycle. Flows that low give migrating coho and steelhead little pull to stack up at river mouths yet, so the better early-fall action right now leans toward open-water lake trout and coho working points and current seams rather than river mouths themselves. Elsewhere on the lake, WI DNR's Lake Superior Fishing team continues tracking a fast-growing lake whitefish fishery centered on Chequamegon Bay, a sign whitefish are drawing more lake-wide attention as anglers dial in near-shore presentations both by boat and, later, through the ice. We didn't pull direct North Shore bite reports this cycle, so treat the species rundown below as seasonal expectation grounded in the available data rather than confirmed action — check current conditions before committing to a spot.
Texas lakes hold onto summer patterns as fall transition nears
Gauge 08211200 is reading 89°F with flow holding near 91 cfs, confirming Texas lakes and rivers are still running summer-warm heading into mid-September. Texas Fish & Game Magazine's look at Lake Conroe frames this as normal for the region — the fall transition for bass and crappie rarely flips on one cold front, and September often still fishes like the tail end of summer before structure and baitfish positioning shift over the coming weeks. Up in North Texas, North Texas Catfish Guide's reports on Eagle Mountain Lake describe blue and channel catfish as consistent producers whenever the lake is full and water is actively moving, a pattern that typically extends into early fall. Largemouth are likely still keying on shad around docks and grass lines rather than committing to true fall staging. With a New Moon overhead, dawn and dusk should be the highest-percentage windows until surface temps start easing off summer highs.
Presque Isle waits on rain as Erie's fall walleye bite builds
USGS gauge 04213000 logged a steady 71.3 cfs late this week, a low, stable read typical of a Presque Isle-area tributary sitting well ahead of any fall rain push. This week's angler-intel sweep didn't turn up fresh, region-specific catch reports for Lake Erie or Presque Isle Bay — the feeds that came back this cycle covered Pennsylvania Sea Grant program news and national outdoor-media stories from other regions rather than local bite notes, and that gap is worth naming rather than papering over. With a new moon overhead and early September water still holding late-summer character, the main lake's walleye and perch fishing should be running on typical seasonal rhythm, while the steelhead crowd watches tributary levels for the first real bump. Low, clear flow like this keeps any early arrivals staged tight to structure rather than pushing upstream. Check the PA Fish & Boat Commission's Biologist Reports directly for the latest Erie-specific creel data until sharper regional intel comes through next cycle.
Early fall transition takes hold on Lake Okeechobee and the St. Johns
St. Johns River flow is running near 1,010 cfs at USGS gauge 02232000 as of Thursday, a moderate reading for early September that keeps grass edges and current breaks in play for largemouth bass. Direct bite reports for Lake Okeechobee and the St. Johns didn't come through in this week's regional feeds, so we're leaning on the seasonal pattern: as Florida eases out of peak summer heat, bass typically start pushing toward dock structure and grass-flat edges chasing baitfish, a shift Tactical Bassin's national fall coverage flags as the driving pattern right now. Bream and black crappie (speckled perch) stay the steadier bet through this stretch, usually holding tight to cover until water cools further into fall. A new moon this week can mean stronger low-light bites at dawn and dusk. Check current Florida freshwater regs before harvesting, and verify conditions before you launch.
Snook Push Toward Winter Haunts as Gulf Grouper Window Opens
Florida's short Gulf gag grouper season is underway, and Sport Fishing Mag reports captains trolling relatively shallow structure to intercept fish before this narrow September window closes. On the snook front, the same source notes fish are beginning their fall shift toward winter holding areas as days shorten, with swimbaits like Mulletron and Diezel MinnowZ producing on aggressive fish. Kingfish remain a dependable player too — captains out of Naples Offshore Fishing Charters have posted steady action on kings worked with plugs and flies near structure in recent reports, a pattern that typically carries into fall on the Gulf side. Regulatory attention stays fixed on red snapper, with CCA Florida flagging a new stock assessment and allocation debate heading into the Gulf Council's review. No live buoy or gauge readings came through for this update, so water temps aren't available — check your own thermometer and local tide tables before running.
Fall mahi push arrives as Keys reef bite carries into fall
Saltwater Sportsman notes South Florida's second mahi season typically fires up in mid-September and runs through fall as fish push south along the Gulf Stream — timing that lines up with today's date. In the Keys, ALL IN Key West's captains ran a hot reef bite through the summer, with yellowtail snapper "practically jumping in the boat" and mutton snappers stacking up hard, though that mutton push was tied to the full moon; with tonight's new moon, expect the spawning-aggregation bite to ease before rebuilding at the next full moon. Bud n' Mary's Islamorada crew flagged tarpon on the bridges and mahi offshore as the summer's headline bite, a pattern that typically tapers into early fall as tarpon move off the bridges. No live buoy or gauge readings came through for this update, so treat water temps and sea state as unconfirmed until you check a local source before running offshore.
Kennebec smallmouth settle into a steady early-fall pattern
USGS gauge 01046500 has the Kennebec running near 1,490 cfs as of this morning, a stable, unremarkable flow for mid-September with no temperature reading currently available from that station. This week's angler-intel sweep didn't turn up any Kennebec- or Penobscot-specific bite reports from shops, charters, or the Maine state-agency feeds we monitor — Maine Sea Grant's recent items cover oyster restoration and marine-economy programming rather than river conditions, so we're not able to attribute a specific bite pattern to a named source this cycle. What follows leans on general seasonal knowledge for these rivers rather than fresh testimony. Early-to-mid September on the Kennebec and Penobscot typically means smallmouth bass sliding onto current breaks and ledges as water cools, landlocked salmon starting to stage ahead of the fall run, and brook trout becoming more willing to chase as overnight temps drop. A new moon this week should mean quieter, clearer conditions for low-light presentations. Verify current regs before keeping anything, especially around salmon and trout closures that vary by water.
Panhandle anglers eye fall kingfish push as gag season winds down
Direct on-the-water reports out of Destin and Pensacola were thin this cycle, but the regional trade press is flagging the seasonal turn anglers watch for every September. Coastal Angler Magazine's early note on the fall run — "October is coming. The kings are coming with it" — points to the king mackerel migration that typically builds along the Gulf as water starts to cool, and Panhandle trollers should see more consistent action on planers and live bait over the next few weeks. Sport Fishing Mag's rundown on Gulf gag grouper trolling is a reminder that the short fall grouper window is active on Florida's Gulf side right now, best worked over nearshore structure. Redfish typically move onto grass flats and into passes as temperatures ease this time of year — a normal seasonal pattern rather than anything reported locally this week. Red snapper stays a check-the-regs fish; no Panhandle-specific bite reports came through this cycle, so treat species notes below as seasonal expectation, not confirmed local action.
Tarpon shift inside as Sarasota snook bite turns on
Sarasota's adult migratory tarpon are thinning out of the coastal Gulf this month, per Capt. Rick Grassett's September forecast from CB's Saltwater Outfitters — fish are sliding into inside waters to rest and feed before their fall migration, holding around bridges and over deep grass flats and responding to DOA Baitbusters, Shrimp and TerrorEyz or live bait. Snook fishing should be good through September per the same report, with fish still working the surf in the coastal Gulf and around ICW docks and bridges close to passes. Closer to shore, CB's captains are putting clients on fish too: Capt. Chuck Cress reported redfish eating a popping cork with live shrimp on a rising morning tide, and Capt. Brandon Naeve's trip boated a 27-inch spotted seatrout, a reminder that Sarasota Bay remains one of the region's better trout grounds when anglers target the sunrise and sunset feeding windows.
Smokies Trout Bite Shifts to Dawn and Dusk as Late-Summer Heat Lingers
Our only hard read today comes from USGS gauge 03512000, showing 175 cfs and a warm 74°F at 7pm — on the high side for a healthy trout stream and a sign that afternoon water is still carrying summer heat into September. That kind of reading typically pushes the bite to the margins of the day: early morning and last light, when water cools a few degrees and trout feed more actively. Caddis Fly (OR) notes that grasshoppers are a late-summer staple in trout diets right now, so a hopper pattern worked along undercut banks and grassy edges is a reasonable starting point. Gink and Gasoline's stealth-and-presentation tips are worth leaning on too — warm, low-stress water tends to make trout spookier and pickier, especially in clearer Smokies freestone streams. Flow at 175 cfs is moderate and wadable, not blown out, so access shouldn't be the limiting factor this week — timing and temperature will be.
Taneycomo trout hold steady through the daily generation swing
Lake Taneycomo's trout fishing remains consistent heading into September, per Lilleys Landing's latest report: Table Rock Dam has been running minimum flow from around 7 a.m. into the afternoon before ramping up to roughly two and a half units (135 megawatts) through the evening. Water temperature has climbed to about 53 degrees, which the shop calls normal for this time of year, though dissolved oxygen has dropped enough that dam operators are now injecting liquid oxygen into the outflow to protect the fishery. Earlier reports from the same shop described trout hitting aggressively with no pecking around, the trophy release program picking back up after a slow spring, guides favoring the Provo rig in the afternoons, and a simple drift presentation — weight on bottom, drop-shot loop about 18 inches up, tied on Vanish fluorocarbon per guide Blake Wilson's tip. With flows swinging daily, the morning minimum-flow window is the one to plan around.
High Water Tests Susquehanna Smallmouth as Summer Lingers
USGS gauge 01540500 on the West Branch Susquehanna logged 6,580 cfs and 76°F as of Thursday afternoon — well above typical late-summer base flow for that stretch, the kind of push that usually follows recent rain. Expect stained water and faster current seams, with fish tucking tighter to breaks and eddies rather than roaming open flats. We don't have a fresh shop, charter, or state-agency report specific to the Susquehanna or Allegheny this week, so treat the species notes below as seasonal expectations rather than confirmed bites. Smallmouth bass remain the headline species on both rivers into September and typically stay aggressive right up until the fall cooldown. Muskellunge activity traditionally builds as water eases out of the mid-70s. Walleye tend to shift toward dusk and night feeding when flows run high and murky like this. Check current PA Fish and Boat Commission regulations before keeping anything, and expect visibility to be the deciding factor over the next few days.
National Spotlight Returns to Santee Cooper as Fall Bite Builds
The one hard number in today's read is a low one: USGS gauge 02160390 shows just 67 cfs as of Wednesday evening, signaling thin, settled flow into the Santee-Cooper system heading into the second week of September. No water-temperature reading came through, so surface temps should still be tracking late-summer warm until a real cool-down arrives. The standout item from the intel feeds is national rather than hyper-local: MLF News reports the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit's Santee Cooper Lakes stop, filmed earlier this year in Clarendon County, premieres this Sunday on VICE TV — a reminder of how much big-bass and big-blue-catfish attention this fishery draws on the national stage. Locally, conditions line up with the classic early-fall transition: bass sliding onto docks and grass edges as baitfish move shallow, per general season guidance from Tactical Bassin and Fishing the Midwest, while stripers and blue cats remain Santee Cooper's marquee draw as water cools.
Early fall transition takes shape at Smith Mountain Lake and Buggs Island
Flows at USGS gauge 02075045 hold at a moderate, steady 542 cfs as of Thursday evening, with no fresh water-temp reading logged for the Smith Mountain Lake and Buggs Island system this cycle. No captain, shop, or state-agency report came in specifically for this stretch of Virginia water this week, so what follows leans on typical early-September patterns for these reservoirs plus general fall-transition technique notes from national outlets. Tactical Bassin's latest fall breakdown points anglers toward baitfish-holding docks and grass-line edges as largemouth shift off summer structure — a pattern that tends to translate well to SML and Buggs Island. Fishing the Midwest's seasonal notes on dying summer weed growth pushing fish toward healthier green cover echo the same early-fall shakeup happening on lakes everywhere right now. The well-known SML/Buggs Island striper wake-up usually needs surface temps sliding into the mid-70s and below, which — going by typical late-summer holdover for the region — is likely still a few weeks out.
Potomac holds steady flow as smallmouth eye the fall shift
USGS gauge 01646500 on the Potomac read 2,120 cfs as of Thursday afternoon, a stable late-summer base flow with no rain-driven spike pushing through — good news for water clarity on the river's shoal stretches and up into Shenandoah feeder creeks. We don't have a fresh 'what's biting' report specific to this stretch this week; Virginia DWR's blog output was hunting-season focused rather than fishing-specific, and none of this week's regional shop or charter feeds cover the Potomac-Shenandoah system directly. So this update leans on seasonal pattern: early September typically has Potomac smallmouth sliding into a fall feeding transition, largemouth working current seams and shaded backwater edges, and channel catfish holding steady in deeper runs regardless of the calendar. Stable, moderate flow like this is generally considered fishable water rather than blown-out water. Expect the picture to sharpen as cooler nights arrive and more local reports come in over the next few weeks.
Wisconsin's Sturgeon Season Opens as Fall Bite Builds
The WI DNR's hook-and-line lake sturgeon season opened September 5 and runs through September 30, per WI DNR Wisconsin Fishing News — anglers targeting the Wisconsin River need a valid 2026 fishing license plus a hook-and-line sturgeon tag before wetting a line. On the flow side, the USGS gauge at site 05391000 is reading 365 cfs as of this afternoon, a steady stage that should keep water clarity workable for finesse presentations. No buoy or temperature readings came through this cycle, so we're working without a hard number on water temp. Up north, WI DNR Lake Superior Fishing notes the Chequamegon Bay lake whitefish fishery has grown into a genuinely popular pursuit in recent seasons, drawing both boat and eventual ice anglers. With no fresh bite reports on walleye, smallmouth, or muskie this week, expect typical early-September patterns: fish easing off summer haunts as days shorten, though nothing here confirms a hot bite yet.
Skein Curing Begins as UP Anglers Eye Early Fall King Run
A local UP gauge is reading a modest 44.2 cfs this morning — low, clear late-summer flow that favors light presentations on trout water, though no water-temperature reading came through with it. On Lake Superior, the WI DNR Lake Superior Fishing office highlights lake whitefish as a growing fishery in the Chequamegon Bay area, worth a look on the Wisconsin side of the lake. Closer to Marquette, Michigan Sportsman Forum members were watching a round of northwest wind push waves into the 2-4 foot range before easing, and a few were already curing skein in anticipation of kings — early prep that hints the fall Chinook push into Lake Superior tributaries may be building, though we're not seeing confirmed numbers yet. Treat that as a lead to watch rather than a settled bite report this week.