Fishing reports
16468 reports across all 50 states — current conditions and what's biting.
MS Sound Red Snapper Season Reopens as Fall Bite Builds
Mississippi's recreational red snapper season came back online this month under an MS DMR order that opened territorial waters Friday, September 4, running Friday through Sunday plus a bonus Monday, September 7. That's the headline for Sound anglers this week, since no fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for a hard water-temp or tide read today. Early September in the Sound typically still holds late-summer warmth, keeping speckled trout and redfish workable around structure and marsh edges even as snapper draws boats to nearshore reefs on open days. General Gulf-coast technique notes from Salt Strong point anglers toward skinny, clear-water sight-fishing for redfish and black drum this time of year, while Sport Fishing Mag's Gulf inshore coverage leans on live bait and soft plastics for trout and flounder. Check MS DMR's posted schedule before targeting snapper, since open days are date-specific and territorial waters close in between.
Fall transition nears for Kennebec and Penobscot waters
No NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings and no Kennebec- or Penobscot-specific angler reports came through this cycle — the ME Sea Grant items filed this week covered oyster-reef restoration and marine-economy workforce topics, not river conditions, so nothing here can be pinned to a named source. What we can say is seasonal: early September in central Maine is typically when landlocked salmon and brook trout start responding to cooling surface water, smallmouth bass begin sliding off summer flats toward drop-offs and current seams, and chain pickerel hold steady in weedy backwaters as vegetation starts to thin. A Waning Crescent moon usually means calmer, low-light bite windows around dawn and dusk. Without hard water-temp or flow numbers this week, treat all of the above as general seasonal expectation rather than a confirmed bite — check a local shop or the state's current fishing report before planning a trip.
Squid-Fueled Striper Blitz Puts Cape Cod Bay Anglers on Alert
A massive shortfin squid concentration has turned the Cape Cod Canal into a striped bass feeding frenzy, with 40- and 50-inch fish crashing bait in the current — a blitz On The Water's podcast crew called one of the craziest of 2026. Squid runs like this typically pull big resident bass out of Cape Cod Bay proper, and anglers working soft plastics through the rip are reporting some of the best surface action of the season, outproducing traditional squid-pattern plugs. On The Water also flagged a rare warm-water visitor this week: a barracuda landed in Massachusetts, a species that almost never shows this far north. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came in for this report, so treat water temp as unconfirmed. Regionally, Saltwater Edge in Rhode Island is already seeing baitfish push out of the salt ponds ahead of the fall run, a pattern that typically reaches Cape Cod Bay within a couple of weeks.
Squid-driven striper blitz lights up the Cape Cod Canal
Cape Cod Canal is the story right now: a heavy push of shortfin squid packed the Canal and triggered what On The Water's "Squid Hounds" podcast called one of the craziest striper blitzes of 2026, with 40- and 50-inch bass tearing through squid schools in the current. OTW Surfcasting notes soft plastics have been outfishing traditional squid-pattern plugs as bass key on the smaller profile. Just offshore, OTW Saltwater flagged a rare barracuda landed in Massachusetts waters — a reminder of how warm the water's running this stretch. Down the coast in Rhode Island, Saltwater Edge Blog reports peanut bunker, silversides, and sand eels pushing out of the salt ponds toward open water, with bonito and the first spanish mackerel already showing and albies expected close behind. No live buoy or gauge readings came through this cycle, so lean on local reports and tide tables until fresh data lands.
Fall Chinook Arrive as Olympic Peninsula Rivers Hold Steady Flows
Flow readings from the two Olympic Peninsula gauges we track this morning show moderate, fishable water — 456 cfs and 293 cfs — with no water-temperature data reporting in from either site. No direct captain or shop chatter came in from the Peninsula's salmon rivers this cycle, so the outlook here leans on the calendar: early September is typically when the fall Chinook push starts stacking into these systems, with coho following close behind through the month. For angler-reported creel counts and current stocking activity on specific rivers, WA WDFW Fishing Reports is the place to check before heading out. Expect crowds to build on popular stretches as the run develops. Water levels at both gauges are holding rather than spiking or dropping hard, which is generally favorable for consistent fishing rather than the blown-out or gin-clear extremes a fast rise or crash can bring.
Early-fall cooldown sets up trout and bass shift in Eastern WA
USGS gauge 12484500 logged a steady 1,780 cfs flow early this morning, with no water-temperature reading currently available for the Yakima/Spokane region. That leaves us without a fresh, region-specific bite report this week — the agency and blog feeds pulled for this update lean toward coastal marina programs and national bass/panfish tactics rather than Eastern Washington creel data, so we're working off seasonal patterns rather than confirmed local sightings. WA WDFW Fishing Reports notes the department runs an ongoing creel and stocking program covering lakes and streams statewide, including this region, so check current WDFW numbers before you head out. Early September typically keeps rainbow trout and smallmouth bass active as water starts to cool, with walleye beginning to push toward baitfish concentrations. We'd rather flag the gap than guess — no captain, shop, or forum report specific to Eastern Washington surfaced in this cycle's intel.
Bass turn toward baitfish as CT holds onto summer warmth
USGS gauge 01184000 read 73°F this morning with flow running high near 7,090 cfs, while the smaller gauge at 01193500 sits low at 34.4 cfs — a split picture of a swollen mainstem holding summer warmth against a trickling tributary. Largemouth bass are starting their push toward fall feeding patterns, keying on baitfish near open water, according to this week's coverage from Tactical Bassin and On The Water. Panfish anglers should scale down: Wired 2 Fish notes that as water stays warm and weeds thicken, bluegill and crappie slide off classic shallow cover to suspend deeper or hold tight to structure, rewarding smaller baits over the usual spring-size offerings. Trout activity typically stays subdued through early September until overnight temperatures start pulling water down further. For multi-species trips, Fishing the Midwest points to a bladed swim jig as a reliable pull across weedlines, drawing bass, pike, and walleye on the same retrieve.
Illinois River current stays strong as panfish slide deep
The Illinois River gauge at site 05586100 logged roughly 9,850 cubic feet per second in early Monday readings, a solid push of current for anglers working seams, eddies, and current breaks along the river this week. No water-temperature reading came through with that gauge, so plan around flow rather than a specific number for now. Per Wired 2 Fish, panfish are sliding away from shallow summer cover as the heat lingers, with bluegill and crappie suspending over deeper structure — downsizing baits is the move. Fishing the Midwest's Mike Frisch is still leaning on a bladed swim jig paired with a plastic trailer worked along weed edges for a mixed bag of bass, northern pike, and walleye, a pattern that travels well to Illinois River backwaters and Lake Michigan harbor structure. IL/IN Sea Grant's latest updates are program news — a November Lake Michigan meeting, new seed-grant funding — not bite reports. Check state regs before harvesting anything you keep.
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.