Fishing reports
16501 reports across all 50 states — current conditions and what's biting.
Tennessee River bass dial into grass and docks for fall feed
With NOAA buoy and USGS gauge data unavailable for this cycle, angler reports from the water are the best guide to conditions on Alabama's Tennessee and Coosa Rivers system. Tactical Bassin (blog) put a camera on the Tennessee River this week, with the crew targeting active bass pushing baitfish near grass edges — a mix of flipping, topwater, and reaction baits worked as fish shifted from summer holding areas. The same outlet's early-fall dock report notes bass "pouring into the docks" as surrounding grass dies back and baitfish relocate, a pattern that typically holds through September on Tennessee River impoundments. Their broader September bait roundup leans on topwater, crankbaits, and swimbaits to cover water quickly as schooling fish move. Spotted bass, catfish, and crappie are typical this time of year on the Tennessee/Coosa system, though no direct reports in this cycle confirm their activity level yet. Expect grass lines and dock pilings to be the go-to starting points.
Muddy Colorado River holds a streamer bite amid drought watch
The Colorado River through Glenwood Springs to Rifle remains under a full-day voluntary fishing closure, per Crystal Fly Shop, running near 1,310 cfs and muddy again after monsoonal rain — though the shop notes the rain helped drop water temps and the closure could lift in the coming days. Once it clears, the shop expects the streamer bite to be pretty decent as the river eases toward fall conditions. Statewide, this remains a drought year: Pat Dorsey Fly Fishing calls 2026 among the worst droughts on record for Colorado, and Cutthroat Anglers (CO) is urging anglers to carry a thermometer and quit fishing once water hits 68°F to protect stressed trout. Tailwaters are holding up better than freestone stretches right now. No fresh reports came in on the Arkansas River this cycle, so treat conditions there as unconfirmed — check current flows and any voluntary closures locally before you go, especially given the low-water year across the state.
Cooling Water Lifts Restrictions as Yellowstone Hopper Season Peaks
Montana FWP lifted hoot-owl fishing restrictions on the Smith and Sun Rivers effective Aug. 29 after water temperatures dropped below the threshold that triggers afternoon closures — a clear sign cooler nights are settling into the region (per MT FWP Fishing News). The agency also lifted restrictions on several western and southwest Montana streams, including the upper Clark Fork and lower Bitterroot, citing the same cooling trend. For Yellowstone-area anglers, that lines up with what Hatch Magazine's terrestrial countdown has been tracking since early August: hopper season is now hitting its stride across the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, and fish that pushed into thermal refuges during the hot, smoky stretch of summer should be spreading back into faster runs and riffles as afternoons cool. FWP also flagged Bear Aware Month this week — worth a reminder to carry spray and stay alert on dawn-and-dusk river corridors this month.
Hopper season peaks as Wind River and North Platte trout key on terrestrials
With no fresh buoy or gauge readings available for the Wind River and North Platte corridor this week, the clearest read on Wyoming trout water comes from the calendar. Hatch Magazine's early-September dispatch from the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem notes that anglers there "count the days" once hopper season arrives, and that terrestrial window is exactly what's in play on Wind River and North Platte freshwater right now. Late-summer grasshoppers, ants, and beetles blown onto the water remain the go-to trigger for rainbows, browns, and cutthroat keying tight to grassy banks and undercuts. General technique notes from Flylords Mag on mouse-pattern presentations are worth carrying into low-light hours too, since top-water trout aggression typically climbs as days shorten heading into fall. Expect fish to stay active through the warm midday stretch for now, with mornings cooling as September wears on — check current local conditions before heading out, since no direct instrument data was available for this report.
Devils Lake walleye buzz signals a fall turn for ND rivers
North Dakota's walleye scene is stirring: AnglingBuzz just released fresh "Best Baits for Devils Lake Walleyes" and a Johnnie Candle tactics video, a sign the state's marquee walleye fishery is dialing in as water cools toward fall norms — a pattern that typically extends to the Red and Missouri River systems on similar timing. No live buoy or USGS gauge readings came back for either river this week, so treat flow and temperature as typical for early September until fresh readings land. Fishing the Midwest notes that as weeds die back into fall, gamefish relocate to the greenest remaining growth, a solid starting point on Missouri River backwaters and Red River flats, and that multi-species presentations like a bladed swim jig continue drawing walleye, pike, and bass off shoreline structure. Channel catfish typically stay active on cut bait through September here as water eases toward the mid-60s. Smallmouth are in the early stages of their fall transition.
Lake Mead stripers stage for the early fall transition
No buoy readings, gauge data, or angler-intel reports came in this cycle specifically for Lake Mead or the lower Colorado River corridor, so this update runs on typical early-September patterns for the fishery rather than a fresh bite report. At this point in the calendar, Lake Mead striped bass are usually still suspended over deep main-lake structure during daylight, pushing shad schools toward the surface at dawn and dusk as water temperatures begin their slow seasonal slide. Largemouth and smallmouth bass typically tighten up on rock piles, points, and drop-offs as the transition sets in, while channel catfish stay steady on cut bait along channel edges and flats. Treat this as a seasonal baseline, not a live-conditions call — none of this week's angler-intel feeds covered Nevada or the lower Colorado, so confirm current water conditions locally and check state regs before harvesting anything.
Fall transition takes hold on the Tennessee/Cumberland system
The Tennessee River, the same system that forms Kentucky Lake, is producing tricky but catchable September bass right now, per Tactical Bassin, which reports fish keying on baitfish near open water and pushing anglers to mix flipping, topwater, and reaction baits to stay on the move with them. On The Water's fall-transition roundup echoes the same shift, pointing to cooling water and baitfish migrations as the trigger reshaping where bass sit through the day. No fresh buoy or gauge telemetry came back for Kentucky Lake or Lake Barkley this cycle, so treat water temperature as a seasonal estimate rather than a hard number until local readings refresh. Historically, early September on this system means largemouth and smallmouth sliding onto secondary points and grass edges chasing shad, crappie starting to stack near creek-channel breaks, and catfish holding steady on cut bait in current. Check current Kentucky and Tennessee regs before harvesting anything you keep.
Ohio River Catfish Record Turns Heads as Fall Bass Bite Builds
A 72.75-pound blue catfish pulled from the Ohio River near Ravenswood, West Virginia in late August — covered by both Wired 2 Fish and Field & Stream — set a new state weight record and put a spotlight on the river's big-cat potential heading into September, with a possible $20,000 payout riding on the catch. It's a good reminder that channel and blue catfish stay active on the Ohio River well into early fall as flows stabilize. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for the Lake Erie/Ohio River corridor this cycle, so treat water temp and flow as unknowns until you check a local source before launching. On the bass side, On The Water's rundown of fall-transition baits is timely — as baitfish start migrating and water cools, smallmouth and largemouth around Erie's tributaries and Ohio River backwaters typically shift onto reaction baits and moving presentations. Walleye and yellow perch remain the region's bread-and-butter fall targets as the water starts its seasonal cooldown.
Truckee-area trout keying on cooler mornings as fall nears
Reno Fly Shop's most recent on-the-water reports describe Truckee River trout easing into a late-summer pattern: water temperatures pulling back after a hot stretch, bug life still thin, but fish responding well to crayfish patterns and mayfly imitations fished early in the day on both the California and Nevada sides. The shop also flagged a strong late-summer carp bite in nearby urban waters as a fun sight-fishing option when trout windows are short. Separately, Reno Fly Shop's Heenan Lake primer highlights the 130-acre still-water off Highway 89 past Markleeville as a standout Lahontan cutthroat fishery, stocked annually and often compared to Pyramid Lake. With Labor Day past and days shortening, expect the early-morning bite window that shops described in August to keep tightening as trout push feeding activity toward dawn ahead of the fall transition.
Rogers City anglers watch for first fall salmon push
Early-September chatter on the Michigan Sportsman Forum has anglers asking whether Chinook salmon have started showing near Rogers City — a sign the Lake Huron nearshore transition is underway, though no confirmed catches have circulated yet. No fresh NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came through for Lake Huron or Saginaw Bay this cycle, so treat water temp and clarity as unknowns until you're on the water. That timing tracks typical patterns for the region: staging kings usually start drifting toward river mouths as summer stratification breaks down heading into fall. Saginaw Bay's walleye fishery, one of Michigan's most reliable, should stay productive as fish key on baitfish pushing shallower with cooling water. Smallmouth bass around Huron's rocky structure and Saginaw Bay perch both remain solid bets through the late-summer-to-fall transition. Confirm current reports locally before planning a dedicated salmon trip.
Second Mahi Season Arrives in the Florida Keys
South Florida's second mahi season is arriving right on schedule this week — Saltwater Sportsman notes the fall push typically materializes around mid-September and holds into early fall, so schools should start stacking along the Gulf Stream edge in the coming days. Down in the Keys, the summer snapper bite hasn't fully shut off: ALL IN Key West described yellowtail and mutton snapper as 'practically jumping in the boat' around the recent full-moon spawn, with muttons chewing hard on the reef edges. Bud n' Mary's early-summer report also flagged tarpon on the bridges and yellowtail on the reef as steady producers through June and early July, though that inshore action typically eases as we move deeper into the shoulder season. No live buoy or gauge readings came through for this cycle, so treat water temp and sea state as unconfirmed and check a local marine forecast before running offshore.
Maine Stripers Surge as Gulf of Maine Cod Reopens
Striped bass fishing off Maine has been running hot enough that anglers to the south are taking notice — a Surfland report filed with The Fisherman — South Shore MA to ME describes "insane fishing taking place in Maine" as those fish begin moving south along the coast. At the same time, bottom fishermen finally have a keeper again: the Gulf of Maine cod stock area reopened September 1 after being closed for all of 2026, with a one-fish limit at a 23-inch minimum, per the same source (the Southern New England stock area stays closed through year-end). Offshore, OTW Saltwater reported a 529-pound swordfish landed off Maine that's poised to set a new state record — a sign of how active deep water has been this season. No live buoy or gauge readings are available for the Gulf of Maine right now, so treat conditions as seasonal-typical until fresh data comes in.
Hill Country bass shift into early-fall feeding mode
No buoy or gauge readings came back for Travis, LBJ, or Buchanan this cycle, and no shop or charter filed a direct report on these three lakes this week, so this outlook leans on regional seasonal patterns rather than a bite-by-bite account. Texas Fish & Game Magazine's note on nearby Lake Conroe frames the moment well: fall "doesn't arrive with one big cold front" — it comes in stages, and September in Central Texas still fishes close to a late-summer pattern. Expect largemouth holding on deeper structure and grass edges through the warmest part of the day, with white bass and striped bass tracking shad schools that begin bunching up as mornings cool. Tactical Bassin's September notes (general technique, not lake-specific) point anglers toward topwater at first light, crankbaits along breaklines, and swimbaits for suspended schooling fish — all reasonable starting points on the Highland Lakes chain right now. Catfish should stay consistent on cut bait and stink bait through the transition. Check state regs before harvesting.
Deschutes and Klamath trout settle into typical early-fall rhythm
Early September on the Deschutes and Upper Klamath systems marks the classic late-summer-to-fall handoff: warm afternoons still linger, but shortening days and cooler overnight temperatures are beginning to push trout into deeper runs and edge cover during the brightest hours. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for this drainage this cycle, and no shop, charter, or agency report specific to the Deschutes or Upper Klamath appeared in this week's angler intel, so this update leans on typical seasonal patterns rather than a confirmed bite report. Redside rainbows and resident browns on the Deschutes typically respond well to nymphs and early October caddis imitations as the hatch calendar shifts toward fall, while Upper Klamath basin kokanee are usually still catchable trolling small dodger-and-fly rigs before the pre-spawn push toward tributary mouths later in the month. Check current state fishing regulations and local conditions before heading out.
Fall Salmon Push Building Along Door County And Sheboygan Shorelines
No live buoy or gauge readings came back for the Door County/Sheboygan stretch this week, and current angler-intel feeds carried no direct boat-side bite reports for this shoreline either. Early September along Wisconsin's Lake Michigan waters is normally when Chinook and coho salmon start staging toward harbor mouths and river outlets ahead of the fall spawning run, a pattern coming off a strong 2024 season that the WI DNR Lake Michigan Fishing Report highlighted, with anglers landing a record 210,000-plus coho and the most Chinook since 2012. The DNR has also gathered public input on lake whitefish catch limits for Lake Michigan and Green Bay and on smallmouth bass management in Green Bay and northern Lake Michigan, both signs of active attention on this fishery. Door County boaters should note the Rowley's Bay launch near Newport State Park went through a DNR-scheduled closure earlier this year. Check with local shops for current boat positions before heading out.
White River trout hold steady as bass shift into fall feeding mode
On The Water's fall-transition roundup, '4 Baits Every Bass Angler Needs for the Fall Transition,' captures a pattern shift already underway across bass country this week, and it applies to Arkansas's White River system reservoirs as cooling water pushes baitfish — and the bass chasing them — toward docks and thinning grass edges. Fishing the Midwest's 'Find the Green, Find the Fish' echoes the same cue: dying weed beds push baitfish and gamefish toward the last stands of living cover, a pattern regional anglers should watch for as water continues cooling. Tactical Bassin's early-fall dock reports reinforce that docks are worth prioritizing right now. No buoy or gauge readings came back for this stretch today, so treat flow and temperature as unconfirmed — check current USGS data before you launch. The White River system's dam-controlled tailwater stretches typically keep trout fishing consistent regardless of the surface bass transition happening elsewhere.
Sight-casters find redfish, black drum on LA's skinny flats
Redfish and chunky black drum are stacking up in Louisiana's shallow backwater flats, per Salt Strong's early-September sight-fishing trip through the state's marshes, which also produced one angler-described "absolutely massive" bycatch. Sight-casting sunny, skinny water is putting anglers on consistent shots at both species right now. For trout, Sport Fishing Mag's Guide to Inshore Fishing the Louisiana Coast advises going big — trophy specks want a full meal, so working larger plugs or live mullet, pogies, and croakers beats downsizing. Deeper, moving-water structure is also worth a look: Louisiana Sportsman notes the Matrix Shrimp lure, which debuted in July, has become a go-to for anglers working current-swept channels. With marsh systems holding fish shallow and structure-oriented presentations working the deeper cuts, anglers have multiple productive patterns to choose from heading into the weekend.
Warm SSTs Push Yellowfin and Dorado Into SoCal Kelps
Sea-surface temperatures hit 80°F off San Clemente Island and held in the high 70s from Oceanside to Newport this week, and the warm water is stacking pelagics tight to the kelp, according to Western Outdoor News — Saltwater. Boats found fishable numbers of dorado and yellowtail on kelp paddies as far north as Santa Cruz Island, and the Sum Fun out of Dana Wharf Sportfishing landed 43 yellowfin tuna in the 30- to 40-pound class for 26 anglers under Captain Brian Woolley — a strong showing for early September. Meanwhile the surf scene is finally turning a corner: Surf Fishing in So Cal calls August the best opportunity of the year after the roughest, most persistently elevated surf its author has seen in over a decade, driven by a disruptive El Niño pattern through spring and summer. Sand bass researchers with PIER continue tagging fish at and below the Mexican border, tracking how far the region's summer schools range this year.
Smokies tailwaters ease into early fall trout rhythm
No live buoy or gauge readings came through for the Hiwassee or Caney Fork this cycle, and this week's angler-intel feeds carried nothing dam-specific for either tailwater, so this report leans on typical early-September patterns for these fisheries. Both rivers are dam-controlled trout fisheries, and generation schedules — not the calendar — usually decide the bite window: the coldest, most oxygenated water comes right after generators kick on, and fish typically feed hardest in the first hour of rising flow. Rainbow trout are the bread-and-butter species on both rivers this time of year, with brown trout more active in low light as water starts to cool. Smallmouth bass in the lower, warmer stretches are typically still active on baitfish patterns into September. Anglers should check TVA generation schedules before heading out, since wading safety and bite timing both hinge on release timing rather than weather alone.
Delaware Bay flounder run heats up as weakfish finally return
Flounder limits to 22 inches — with a Delaware Bay pool winner to 25 — mark the strongest flatfish week of the season, per Higbee's Bait and Tackle (The Fisherman — Southern NJ), where private boaters, party boats, and the charter fleet stacked up on croaker, bluefish, weakfish, tog, triggerfish, and the occasional blowfish at the EP Tower. Weakfish, largely absent since spring, have finally shown along the Bay coastline: Hands Too Bait and Tackle (Southern NJ) reports fish to 24 inches on bloodworms and jigs worked into the evening hours. Farther up the bay, Smith's Bait Shop (DE/MD/Chesapeake) has boats out of Port Mahon working reef structure for flounder, trout, croaker, and spot, while Woodland Beach pier anglers pick at croaker and small stripers on bloodworms, per Eric Burnley. Offshore, Hook 'em and Cook'em notes the Old Grounds turning out sea bass and flounder as September arrives — traditionally one of the better months for all three.
Croaker and flounder keep Chesapeake Bay busy ahead of fall run
Croaker, spot, and flounder continue crowding Chesapeake Bay tackle boxes this week, with bay-structure reports via The Fisherman's DE/MD/Chesapeake desk describing flounder taking live minnows or a jig tipped with a squid strip, while trout key on yellow bucktails paired with a yellow worm. Anglers working spot and croaker are doing well on bloodworms, sand fleas, or Fishbites, though the 9-inch minimum size limit on croaker is worth checking before keeping fish — check current state regs before harvesting. No buoy or gauge readings came through for this stretch of the bay today, so an exact water temperature isn't available, but that same source noted 'this fishing will only improve in September,' a seasonal read consistent with cooling water pushing more bait activity into the bay. Farther north, The Fisherman (Northeast) reports striped bass blitz action already active in Boston Harbor, a signal of the fall transition working down the coast.
Gulf of Maine cod reopens as stripers stage a fall push
The Gulf of Maine cod fishery reopened September 1 with a one-fish limit at a 23-inch minimum, per Dave Anderson's report for The Fisherman — South Shore MA to ME — the first legal cod opportunity of 2026 for anglers working north of the closed Southern New England stock area, which stays shut through year-end. The same regional column notes striped bass are "coming down the coast in waves" as the strong Maine bite slides slowly south, while Boston Harbor is still holding wild blitz action on bass and bluefish, per The Fisherman (Northeast)'s New England forecast. One Massachusetts shop adds that Boston's blitzing stripers "have had no reason to push south, yet," so the timing of a Gulf of Maine push toward NH remains fluid. No live buoy or gauge readings were available for the NH coast this cycle, so treat conditions as regionally inferred until fresh data comes in.
Fluke stays hot on the South Shore as Montauk bluefin keep firing
Fluke fishing is holding rock-solid across Long Island's South Shore this week — Kevin Dehler put together a limit to 21 inches near Montauk per Tight Lines Tackle, while Bob's Bait and Tackle reports keepers still coming from the Fire Island Reef area with bluefish over 7 pounds mixed in. Offshore, bluefin tuna remain the headline story: Double D Charters says the bite is staying strong heading into September, and The Fisherman's Long Island Video Fishing Forecast calls the inshore jig bite "red-hot," with fish as close as 2 to 3 miles outside Shinnecock Inlet per White Water Outfitters. Bonito and Spanish mackerel are pushing into the surf and inlets (Tight Lines Tackle, White Water Outfitters), and striped bass are settling into an early fall pattern, with schoolies working eels after dark around Huntington per Cow Harbor Bait and Tackle. Porgy action stays dependable on the North Shore and East End.
Bluefish take over from stripers as CT's fall shift builds
A 13.73-pound fish topped the scale at AW Marina's weekend bluefish tournament, per The Fisherman — Connecticut, with blues having taken over from stripers at The Race as the bite shifts into early-fall mode. J&B Tackle reports bluefish showing throughout eastern Long Island Sound structure — The Race, Sluiceway, Black Point, Rocky Neck, and Plum Gut — while striped bass fishing stays best at dawn and dusk, with live-lined eels at night still producing the biggest fish. Bottom fishing remains the region's bread and butter: Tartan II is pounding porgies with jumbos in the mix and reports sea bass sizes improving after a slow start, a pattern Black Hawk echoes with a strong week of porgies, triggerfish, sea bass and fluke. Fluke and sea bass have shown late-season gains per J&B. Bonito are hit-or-miss, with scattered reports near Watch Hill. The Fisherman (Northeast) notes gator blues mixing into Long Island Sound this week as the fall transition builds.