Fishing reports
16412 reports across all 50 states — current conditions and what's biting.
Rangeley brook trout color up as fall push begins
A brook trout landed last week in the Rangeley region was already showing spawning colors, per Mainely Fly Fishing's early-September update — an early tell that the fall push is underway in this drainage. Flow at headwater gauge 01054200 reads a modest 25.3 cfs this morning, typical thin-water conditions for early September, with no water-temperature reading logged at that station today. The same source noted a solid evening hatch with steady rises at dusk on Kennebago Lake back in early August, a dusk-feeding pattern that should carry forward as days shorten and insect activity concentrates around low light. Brook trout are the headline story here as they stage and color up ahead of the spawn; landlocked salmon typically become more active in cooler headwater stretches this time of year too. With flows running low and clear, expect spooky fish — long leaders, downsized tippet, and careful wading will matter more than fly selection this week.
Wabash smallmouth and walleye shift into early fall patterns
The Wabash River is running a healthy 7,600 cfs at USGS gauge 03335500 this morning, current strong enough to keep smallmouth bass and walleye pinned to predictable current breaks as the water starts its early-September cool-down. Wabash and Lake Michigan tributary anglers working the fall transition should lean on moving-bait presentations — Fishing the Midwest notes a bladed swim jig with a plastic trailer is a reliable multi-species option right now, drawing strikes from bass, pike, and walleye alike when worked along weed edges and current seams. That same source flags green, living weed growth as the key structure to locate as summer grass starts dying back. Panfish, meanwhile, are still riding out the tail end of the summer pattern — Wired 2 Fish reports bluegill and crappie sliding deeper and suspending off classic shallow cover as water stays warm, meaning smaller baits and a deeper presentation will out-produce the usual bank tactics for now.
Interior rivers running high as fall flows set the pace
Interior Alaska rivers are running strong this week, with the USGS gauge at station 15266300 reading 8,430 cfs and 51°F as of early Wednesday morning — solid early-fall flow and a temperature band that's on the cooler edge of active feeding for resident trout and char. None of today's angler intel feeds a Kenai-specific bite report; the available blogs and forums this cycle lean Lower 48 (bass, panfish, catfish) with nothing datelined Alaska beyond AK Sea Grant's community and program features, which don't speak to fishing conditions. That's a real gap, not a reason to guess — we're not going to invent a bite report. What the gauge does tell us: flows are elevated and water is cooling into typical September ranges for interior systems, which historically pushes resident fish into slower, deeper holds and can color up faster-moving stretches after any rain. Check current fishing reports and local regs before heading out.
Allegheny Tailwaters Run High as Fall Patterns Kick In
A record-class catfish pulled from the Ohio River system last month — angler Tyler Harmon's fish, reported by Field & Stream, fought for 20 minutes before being certified a new state record — is a reminder that big cats are actively feeding on this river system heading into September. Locally, our USGS reading at gauge 03036500 shows the Allegheny running a strong 11,600 cfs with no water-temperature data available, meaning current is up and clarity is likely reduced after recent rain. That kind of push typically shifts smallmouth bass and walleye off open flats and into current breaks, wing dams, and eddies, where Fishing the Midwest's blended jigging-and-crankbait approach and Tactical Bassin's dock-and-transition tactics both apply well for early-fall multi-species days. Catfish should stay active to hot in the high water; bass and walleye are adjusting, so work slower and target seams rather than open channel until flow settles.
Terrestrial patterns keep limestone browns feeding into September
Flow on the Spring Creek gauge (USGS 01546500) held steady near 101 cfs as of this morning, with no water-temperature reading coming through this station — solid, wadeable water for a limestone system heading into early September. No dedicated Spring Creek or Penns Creek report came through our intel feeds this cycle, so we're leaning on general late-summer trout behavior from the broader trout-fishing press: per Caddis Fly (OR), grasshoppers remain a staple through what shops call "hopper season," with trout often moving several feet to eat one off the surface, and the same shop's notes on sunken ant patterns point to terrestrials working below the film as well as on top late in summer. Flylords Mag's water-temperature primer is a useful reminder that on spring-fed water like this, feeding windows often shift earlier in the day as afternoons stay warm. Expect selective, technical fishing on these clear limestone flows rather than a wide-open bite this week.
Grand River mouth stages for the fall king salmon push
USGS gauge 04119000 on the Grand River read 3,150 cfs this morning, a flow that keeps the river mouth well-connected to Lake Michigan as the fall king salmon migration gets underway. No buoy or water-temp readings came in today, so we're working from flow data and seasonal norms rather than a fresh thermal picture. The WI DNR Lake Michigan Fishing Report notes that 2024 produced a record coho harvest (over 210,000 fish) and the biggest Chinook haul since 2012, underscoring a fishery that's been running strong into this season. Early September is the classic staging window for Chinook and coho as they gather off river mouths like the Grand before pushing upstream, with steelhead typically trailing behind later in fall. Walleye and smallmouth are shifting toward the fall feeding pattern as baitfish move. No shop or charter reports specific to the Grand River mouth came through this cycle, so treat species status below as seasonal expectation rather than confirmed bites.
North Woods lake trout ease off as Twin Cities anglers eye fall weeds
Mississippi River gauges logged 5,110 cfs at the St. Paul station (USGS 05331000) and 1,790 cfs near Anoka (USGS 05288500) this week, with no water temperature readings available at either site. On the North Shore, MN DNR's Lake Superior Summer Fishing report from September 3 described fairly slow fishing for 18- to 33-inch lake trout out of Duluth-area access points, a step down from the steady lake trout and walleye bite the same report series had logged the week before near Duluth. Inland, Fishing the Midwest's fall notes point anglers toward whatever green, living weeds remain as cover thins out, and flag a bladed swim jig with a plastic trailer as a dependable multi-species pick for bass, pike, and walleye worked along shoreline flats. We're reading the North Shore bite as a notch slower than late summer while inland weed-edge fishing should hold up as the fall transition gets underway.
High flows keep Salt, Colorado River anglers adapting for fall
USGS gauge 09380000 logged 67°F water and a strong 6,710 cfs flow early this morning, signaling water still running high and warm for early September. That combination pushes panfish and bass off the immediate shallows — per Wired 2 Fish's recent panfish primer, warm late-summer water typically slides bluegill and crappie down onto deeper suspended structure rather than the skinny cover they held in spring, a pattern worth checking here too. Bass are also entering their fall transition: Tactical Bassin's September notes describe fish keying on baitfish near open water as they shift off summer patterns, a cue local anglers can borrow while working current seams and deeper edges. Trout will likely feel the warmer water more than anything else right now. No AZ-specific reports came through today's angler-intel feeds, so treat species notes below as seasonal expectations rather than confirmed local bites, and check current flow before wading.
Tennessee River bass push into grass as fall pattern begins
On the Tennessee River, an angler spent a September day working grass edges with flipping, topwater, and reaction baits, per Tactical Bassin (blog) — a good snapshot of the transition bass are making across the Tennessee and Coosa system as summer eases toward fall. Our USGS gauge (02339500) reading has flow holding near 725 cfs, a stable stage that should keep grass-line and open-water baitfish patterns productive through the week. Tactical Bassin's broader September roundup echoes the same read: bass are sliding off deep summer haunts and schooling up on baitfish, with topwater, crankbaits, and swimbaits covering water fast enough to locate them. Panfish anglers should note Wired 2 Fish's reminder that warm-water bluegill and crappie often suspend deeper or slide off the shallow cover they favored in spring — smaller baits fished slower tend to out-produce standard summer presentations right now. No water-temperature reading came through with today's gauge data, so check a thermometer or local report before you commit to a depth.
Warm, low Colorado rivers push trout bite to first light
USGS gauge 09095500 logged 869 cfs and 67°F this morning — a degree shy of the 68°F mark Cutthroat Anglers (CO) and Pat Dorsey Fly Fishing (CO) both flag as the point to quit fishing and let stressed trout be. Colorado's drought summer has pushed water temps up earlier in the day, per Cutthroat Anglers, and Pat Dorsey calls 2026 among the driest years on record for the state. The upside: Crystal Fly Shop (CO) reports recent monsoon rain has nudged temps down on tributary stretches, with a decent streamer bite building as water cools, though some reaches remain muddy. Where flows have dropped and cleared, Crystal Fly Shop notes fish are keying on small, sparse patterns — tiny nymphs and 6x/7x tippet. Cutthroat Anglers' low-water advice holds true fleet-wide this year: fish haven't left, they've just grouped up and gone selective, rewarding anglers willing to hike farther and downsize gear.
Montana trout waters cool off as hoot-owl limits lift for fall
Flow on the Missouri drainage is holding steady near 376 cfs at USGS gauge 06043500 as of early Monday morning, a reading that lines up with Montana FWP's announcement that hoot-owl restrictions have lifted on the Smith and Sun Rivers, plus several streams in western and southwest Montana, as water temperatures moderate. That's the clearest signal for Yellowstone and Missouri drainage anglers this week: cooler water means less midday thermal stress on trout and a return to normal-hours fishing after a long, warm, smoky summer. Per Hatch Magazine's Yellowstone terrestrial countdown, hopper season across the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem remains in its window, with grasshoppers still drawing attention from opportunistic trout. We're expecting rainbows, cutthroat, and browns to keep responding to hopper-dropper rigs through midday while terrestrials stay on the menu, with whitefish holding steady on subsurface presentations in deeper runs. Always check current FWP restriction status before heading out, since hoot-owl rules can return fast if temperatures spike again.
Red & Missouri Rivers walleye eye the fall transition
USGS gauge 05054000 is reading 76°F with flow holding steady near 130 cfs as of this morning — warm, stable water typical for early September before the seasonal cooldown kicks in. With flow this modest, current seams and structure edges are doing the work rather than heavy water. Walleye anglers should expect the classic late-summer-to-fall crossover: fish still relating to deeper breaks during the day but starting to push shallower as temperatures ease. Fishing the Midwest's recent notes on locating green, living weeds as summer fades apply directly here — baitfish and gamefish alike are starting to abandon dying vegetation for fresher cover, a pattern worth checking on any backwater or slack-water stretch along these rivers. Channel catfish should still be feeding aggressively in this warm water, and smallmouth bass around rock and current breaks are worth a look as they key on baitfish movement heading into fall.
Highland Lakes bass ease toward docks as early fall nears
The Colorado River gauge at USGS site 08158000 is reading 493 cfs this morning — a steady, moderate release that keeps current pushing through the Highland Lakes chain feeding Travis, Buchanan and LBJ. No live surface-temp reading came through with today's data pull, but early September on these reservoirs typically still runs warm, so expect largemouth to be holding tight to dock pilings and grass edges rather than roaming open water; per Tactical Bassin's early-fall coverage this week, that dock-and-grass pattern is exactly where moving bass are stacking up right now as shad start pushing shallow. Panfish and crappie are the tougher bite: Wired 2 Fish notes summer heat is still pushing bluegill and crappie down onto deeper suspended structure, so smaller baits and more patience pay off. Striper and catfish action on the Highland Lakes typically holds steady into fall as water starts to turn over.
Treasure Coast Snook Bite Heats Up as Mullet Run Approaches
Snook Nook in Stuart says snook fishing has been excellent over the past few weeks, with steady numbers of fish and many in the 40-inch-plus range coming from the St. Lucie Inlet and along the beach on live croakers and threadfins. That's the carryover from their August report, and it lines up with the Atlantic Coast's June 1–September 1 snook closure just having lifted. Their September update flags an early mullet-run signal too — larger mullet have started stacking up inshore with a few pods working down the beaches, though the shop notes the run is trending later than usual after a cooler winter. Offshore, Saltwater Sportsman flags South Florida's second mahi season materializing around mid-September. Atlantic red snapper anglers need to check current status before planning a trip: CCA Florida reports a federal court granted a preliminary injunction against the 2026 South Atlantic red snapper Exempted Fishing Permit pilot programs just hours before Florida's season opened. No buoy or gauge readings were available for this update.
Low, clear water puts Truckee-area trout on alert
The regional USGS gauge (10311000) covering the Truckee & Lake Tahoe watershed logged flow at just 11.6 cfs as of early this morning, a reading that points to skinny, clear late-summer water on the smaller streams feeding this system — water temperature wasn't reported at this site. No charter, shop, or state-agency report came through our feeds for this region this cycle, so we're leaning on typical seasonal patterns rather than fresh on-the-water intel: early September in this watershed usually means trout getting increasingly wary in low, clear flows, with the best windows around dawn and dusk. Stealthy approaches and lighter tippets tend to matter more than fly or lure choice when water is running this thin. Anglers fishing tributary water into Tahoe should also start watching for the early stages of the fall kokanee push, a seasonal pattern typical for this time of year rather than anything reported specifically this week.
San Juan tailwater carries the load as Rio Grande flow bottoms out
The USGS gauge on the Rio Grande (08330000) read 0 cfs on this morning's check, in line with the irrigation-season drawdown this reach commonly sees by early September as upstream diversions pull the channel down to disconnected pools. That leaves the dam-controlled San Juan River tailwater below Navajo Dam as the steadier freshwater option right now, since its releases are managed independently of irrigation demand and don't follow the same seasonal dry-down. No fresh water-temperature reading came through with this update, so plan around the typical early-September pattern of cool mornings warming into the afternoon. Flylords Mag points out that water temperature is one of the most telling variables for how actively trout feed and where they hold this time of year, and Caddis Fly (OR) flags terrestrial patterns — hoppers and sunken ants — as key producers as summer closes out, a technique worth carrying to San Juan runs. Check current flow and access conditions before committing to a full day on the Rio Grande.
Champlain smallmouth eye the fall transition as tributaries hold near 69°F
The Winooski River gauge (USGS 04294500) — a Champlain tributary — read 69°F this morning, still solidly warm-water territory for early September; flow data wasn't reported this cycle. No shop or captain filed a direct Champlain report this week, but the broader early-fall bass pattern showing up across freshwater blog coverage is worth borrowing: Tactical Bassin's September notes have bass pushing onto docks and grass edges as baitfish shift, and On The Water's fall-transition piece flags cooler water and baitfish migrations as the trigger to watch. Wired 2 Fish's panfish coverage notes that in persistent summer-warm water, panfish are still sliding deep and suspending rather than holding shallow — a pattern likely still in play on Champlain's main-lake basin. Landlocked salmon should still be running deep and cool at this temperature; expect them to stage shallower as surface temps drop through the month. Check state regs before harvesting anything this trip.
Ohio River Catfish Steal the Spotlight as WV Bass Shift Toward Fall
A West Virginia angler pulled a state-record channel catfish from the Ohio River near Ravenswood last month after a 20-minute fight, Field & Stream reports — proof the river's cats are still feeding hard heading into September. Our gauge reading at station 03051000 shows a steady 449 cfs, solid wading and bank-access flow for the New River and Ohio system right now. Bass are edging into their fall pattern: On The Water's roundup of go-to fall-transition baits points to cooling water and shifting baitfish as the trigger, and moving baits should start outproducing slow presentations as that shift lands here. Panfish are behaving true to late-summer form — Wired 2 Fish notes bluegill and other panfish are sliding deeper and suspending over structure in the heat, so downsizing baits and working deeper water is paying off. Water temperature wasn't available from today's reading; dress and plan around current late-summer conditions.
Guntersville, Wheeler bass shift into the fall feeding push
Tactical Bassin's latest Tennessee River report this week found bass keying on moving baitfish along grass edges, working the bite with flipping, topwater, and reaction baits as the summer-to-fall transition takes hold — a pattern that lines up well with what Guntersville and Wheeler anglers should expect on the Tennessee River system right now. Our USGS gauge 03575100 reading shows a steady 142 cfs as of early Sept. 8, suggesting stable, unremarkable flow with nothing pushing water levels around abruptly. On The Water's fall-transition roundup echoes the same theme: cooling water and baitfish migrations are starting to reshape where bass sit. Panfish tell a different story for now — per Wired 2 Fish, bluegill and crappie are still sliding deep and suspending over open water in the lingering late-summer heat, so downsized baits worked slower and deeper are the better call there than up shallow. Water temp wasn't directly reported at our gauge this cycle, so treat surface conditions as still warm typical for early September.
Flathead & Bitterroot Trout Ease Into Early Fall Feeding Windows
This morning's USGS gauge reading (site 12372000) put local flow near 4,900 cfs with water temperature at 66°F — solidly in the range where trout stay active but often shift their heaviest feeding to the cooler morning and evening hours. Direct on-the-water intel specific to Flathead Lake and the Bitterroot wasn't available this cycle, so we're leaning on regional seasonal patterns: early September is prime terrestrial season across trout water, with hoppers and ants a late-summer staple as grasshoppers become common streamside forage, per Caddis Fly (OR)'s seasonal fly notes. Flylords Mag's rundown on water temperature and trout behavior is a good general reminder right now — as water warms through the day, expect trout to hold in slightly deeper, cooler seams and feed most aggressively at first and last light. Westslope cutthroat, rainbow, brown trout, and Flathead's lake trout are the region's staples this time of year; fish the temperature windows rather than the clock.
Terrestrial trout bite holds as Salmon River flows ease into fall
USGS gauge 13340000 on the Salmon River logged 62°F and 2,180 cfs early this morning, comfortably below summer stress levels and squarely in the window where cutthroat and rainbows keep feeding aggressively through the day. With no buoy or additional gauge data covering the Snake River corridor this cycle, this report leans on that single reading plus regional context. Late-summer terrestrial patterns are still the play: ants, hoppers, and beetles are drawing looks from technical trout on cooler Pacific Northwest freestones, per Caddis Fly (OR), and the broader Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem — whose headwaters feed into the Snake River system — is in its annual hopper-and-ant countdown as summer winds down, per Hatch Magazine. Cooler water sharpens feeding windows and typically extends them later into the morning. Steelhead numbers on the Salmon are still building this early in the fall run; expect scattered fish rather than a full push just yet.
Des Moines River bass and walleye set up for fall feeding shift
The USGS gauge on the Des Moines River (05465500) read 4,550 cfs early this morning, a solid flow for early September that should keep bass and walleye tucked to structure rather than scattered on flats. Fishing the Midwest reports the fall transition is already setting up — as weed beds start dying back, gamefish are sliding into the last patches of green, living vegetation, and a bladed swim jig with a plastic trailer has been drawing bass, northern pike, and walleye off shoreline flats. On the panfish side, Wired 2 Fish notes summer heat is still pushing bluegill and crappie down and suspending them over open water, so downsized baits are outproducing bigger presentations for now. Tactical Bassin's September playbook — working reaction baits and topwater around baitfish schools as bass shift onto the move — tracks with what river anglers on the Des Moines and Iowa systems should expect heading into the next couple weeks.
VT smallmouth and pike shift as Champlain waters cool toward fall
The Connecticut River gauge at station 01135300 is reading a lean 4.44 cfs this morning, the kind of low, clear late-summer flow typical for early September before fall rains push volumes back up. No reports have come in directly from Champlain or the Connecticut River this week, but the closest regional signal, from The Fisherman — New England Freshwater, points to a broader pattern worth watching: pike are feeding steadily in the Merrimack River above the Essex Dam in Massachusetts, and largemouth activity is picking up in nearby ponds as anglers shift to swimbaits and small soft plastics. Tactical Bassin's early-fall breakdown echoes the same transition, with bass pushing toward baitfish in open water as summer patterns give way to fall ones. Expect Vermont's smallmouth, largemouth, and pike fisheries to follow a similar seasonal arc as surface temperatures ease down over the coming weeks.
Low Flow on the Cumberland Tailwater Favors Fall Bass, Trout
The Cumberland River tailwater below Wolf Creek Dam is reading just 2.8 cfs at USGS gauge 03413200 this morning — a minimal-generation flow that leaves the tailwater clear, stable, and easy to wade. On the lake side, early September marks the fall transition for reservoir bass: Tactical Bassin notes bass pouring back onto docks and shallow grass edges as baitfish move, while On The Water's fall-transition roundup points to baits built around cooling water and baitfish migrations. Panfish are still on a summer pattern for now — Wired 2 Fish notes crappie and bluegill are suspending deep over open water this time of year and responding better to downsized baits than the shallow-cover approach anglers default to. No water-temperature reading came through this morning, so treat tailwater trout activity as typical for the stable-flow window rather than confirmed by direct report.