Fishing Reports

USGS gauge 06440200 logged a near-zero flow reading as of May 23, with no water temperature on record — a data gap that limits gauge reliability this cycle; anglers should verify conditions locally before launching. Regional intel provides the clearest picture available this week: Jason Mitchell Outdoors documents an active "May walleye craziness" phase and productive shallow-trolling windows across upper Great Plains fisheries, patterns that translate directly to South Dakota's Missouri River reservoir chain. AnglingBuzz reinforces that slip-bobber rigs are a high-percentage walleye technique right now. For Black Hills waters, Tactical Bassin highlights late May as a prime window for smallmouth in clear northern fisheries, with paddle-tail swimbaits covering water quickly in the post-spawn transition. Hatch Magazine's spring creek coverage this week points toward selectively feeding trout as flows settle. No South Dakota-specific tackle-shop, charter, or state agency reports arrived this cycle; confidence in on-the-ground conditions is moderate — a local bait-shop call before launch is worth the two minutes.

4d ago

NOAA Buoy 41004 logged 78°F water off the South Carolina coast this weekend, putting Charleston Harbor's inshore drum fishing in peak range. While direct captain reports from Charleston are not in this cycle, Fisherman's Post — Carolinas saltwater documents bull red drum actively pushing onto nearshore structure throughout the Carolinas this month, a movement that typically extends south into SC waters by late May. Salt Strong's current coverage reinforces the pattern, with detailed footage of black drum stacking against bridge pilings and redfish working oyster-bar edges. Both scenarios play out daily around Charleston's harbor structure. Offshore, Sport Fishing Mag reports that South Carolina is part of the expanded 2026 South Atlantic red snapper EFP season. Coastal Angler Magazine flagged a federal court action that created uncertainty just before the opener, so verify current SCDNR and federal regs before making the offshore run. Light winds and 3.3-foot swell keep offshore conditions workable.

4d ago

MLF News confirms the 43rd annual Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American is bound for Lake Murray, putting one of South Carolina's premier largemouth fisheries in the national spotlight at a prime post-spawn juncture. The three-day tournament offers up to $120,000 to the winning boater and a REDCREST 2027 berth, a format that only works when organizers trust the bite. B.A.S.S. News reports the Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series is staging its third stop of 2026 at Santee Cooper Lakes on May 30-31, keeping the broader Santee system in competitive play simultaneously. USGS gauge 02160390 recorded a moderate 1,100 cfs flow on May 23; no water temperature was captured at that station, though late-May levels in this region typically sit in the low-to-mid 70s°F. With the spawn wrapping up across both impoundments, bass are in post-spawn scatter mode. Striped bass, crappie, and catfish assessments below reflect typical late-May seasonal patterns for the region rather than direct on-the-water reports.

4d ago

Water temps of 54 to 55°F, confirmed by NOAA buoys 44085 and 44097 early Sunday, are finally delivering the spring bite Narragansett Bay anglers have been waiting for. Per Saltwater Edge Blog (RI)'s May new moon forecast, big bass are crushing big baits all over the state, the tautog bite has come to life, and weakfish are starting to show in decent numbers. The Fisherman (Rhode Island) adds further detail: the Saltwater Edge shop reports large bluefish moved into the bay last week, many tailing on the surface, while striped bass action is strongest around bunker schools. The Frances Fleet has been picking up a steady run of fluke keepers on the grounds and logged a strong squid trip Friday night. The Fisherman (Northeast) put a broader exclamation point on the season, flagging the spring striper push as one of the strongest in years, with 20-to-30-pound fish the likes of which anglers have not seen in many years.

4d ago

USGS gauge 01540500 logged the Susquehanna River at 12,200 cfs and 64°F just after midnight Sunday — water temperatures firmly in the zone where smallmouth bass wrap up the spawn and begin aggressive post-spawn feeding. No charter or tackle-shop dispatches from central or western PA appeared in this reporting cycle, so specific bite testimony is limited. PA Sea Grant's recent community outreach in Meadville centered on the invasive Round Goby's spread through the Allegheny watershed, a signal worth flagging for northwestern PA river anglers. One member of The Fly Fishing Forum reported returning from Kettle Creek — a Susquehanna tributary — calling the trip a blast with fishing "always great," though that reads as angler chatter without independent corroboration. Based on current temperature and seasonal timing, smallmouth bass, walleye, and channel catfish should all be in active feeding windows across both river systems. For the most current localized bite data, check the PA Fish & Boat Biologist Reports.

4d ago

NOAA buoys 46002 and 46029 are logging 56–57°F off the Oregon Coast this morning, with offshore winds running 7–10 m/s — classic signatures of active late-spring upwelling along the Pacific Northwest shelf. Angler-specific reports from Oregon's coastal waters are limited in this reporting cycle, but Western Outdoor News — Saltwater provides a useful neighboring signal: Chinook salmon fishing off California's Central Coast improved markedly once northwest winds drove a four-to-five-degree water-temperature drop through upwelling, with captains there noting a clear turnaround in bite activity. Those same coastal wind and upwelling dynamics appear to be at play along Oregon's shelf right now. For late May on the Oregon Coast, spring Chinook traditionally headline the agenda, joined by nearshore rockfish and lingcod over deeper rocky structure. Shore anglers should find surfperch active in the wash at these water temperatures. Verify zone-specific season windows with current state regulations before targeting salmon or bottomfish.

4d ago

USGS gauge 14211720 recorded 65°F and 16,000 cfs on the evening of May 23 — readings that frame a classic late-spring transition on Oregon's Columbia and Rogue systems. Water this warm marks the upper edge of spring Chinook comfort, typically signaling the final push of that run through the main stems. The same warmth is a green light for smallmouth bass, which thrive in rocky mid-river structure once temperatures settle into the low-to-mid 60s. Direct bite reports from charter captains or tackle shops on these rivers are absent from this reporting cycle; IFish.net Fishing Reports activity for Oregon this week skewed toward lost-gear notices rather than actual bite news. We're reading conditions primarily off the gauge and well-established late-May benchmarks for this region. At 16,000 cfs, current is strong enough to concentrate fish in back-eddies and slack-water seams, and wading the main stem at this level is not advisable.

4d ago

USGS gauge 07247500 logged 1,410 cfs on the Red River system on May 23, reflecting moderate late-spring flow that positions catfish in channel bends and current seams across the system. No water temperature was available from the gauge, though late-May conditions in eastern Oklahoma typically place impoundments like Lake Eufaula well into the post-spawn recovery window for largemouth bass. Wired 2 Fish highlights that low-light topwater around shallow cover — grass edges, reeds, and dock lines — remains productive during early mornings and evenings, even as midday fish retreat to deeper structure. For anglers working Eufaula's post-spawn flats, Tactical Bassin's recent Lake Chickamauga coverage points to swimbaits and chatterbaits in stained water and finesse presentations in clearer pockets. On the Red River, blue and flathead catfish are stacking in slack-water holes and hard-bottom transitions as late-spring flows hold steady. The First Quarter moon supports building feeding pressure into the coming week.

4d ago

Fishing the Midwest's spring angler coverage highlights slow-trolling for walleyes and shallow-water sessions for crappies and bass as the go-to playbook heading into late May across the Upper Midwest, a pattern that maps directly onto Lake Erie's western basin and Ohio River tributaries. Tactical Bassin's Great Lakes smallmouth content this week zeros in on clear-water bait selection, with paddle tail swimbaits and low-light topwater presentations cited as top producers for big fish on northern fisheries. No live USGS data returned for Ohio River gauge 03271601 this cycle, and no buoy readings are available for Lake Erie, so water temperature and river stage are unconfirmed — verify current conditions locally before launching. No Ohio-specific charter or shop reports are in this week's data feeds. Based on seasonal timing, Erie's walleye and smallmouth are likely in the early post-spawn transition, moving from shallow staging areas toward open-water and mid-depth structure as late-May surface temps climb.

4d ago

Water temperatures at 58°F on the Red River of the North (USGS gauge 05054000, recorded May 23) signal the prime post-spawn walleye feeding window. Jason Mitchell Outdoors is headlining this moment as 'May Walleye Craziness,' with content from North Dakota waters including Devils Lake showing aggressive walleye behavior. Guide Jason Freed of AnglingBuzz is dialing in slip bobber rigs and big-water walleye presentations for exactly this seasonal window. The Red River is flowing at 751 cfs, a moderate fishable level that keeps current seams and wing dam structure within reach. On the Missouri drainage, channel catfish and northern pike round out the opportunity as warming water drives predator feeding. Fishing the Midwest notes that rivers through summer can deliver outstanding action, particularly on shallow flats with a casting approach. With a First Quarter moon building, dawn-to-midmorning and dusk windows should favor active walleye bites through the Memorial Day weekend.

4d ago

A 77°F water temperature at both NOAA buoy 41025 and buoy 41013 has red drum flooding the Outer Banks surf in force. Fisherman's Post (NC) reports that Ryan of Hatteras Jack describes the surf action as alive, with drum making a strong beach push and anglers catching good numbers along the Hatteras stretch. Pamlico Sound is equally active: Donald of Custom Marine Fabrication reports slot-sized drum covering the full length of the Neuse, per Fisherman's Post (NC). Offshore from Morehead/Atlantic Beach, Steve of Chasin' Tails reports bull reds working Cape Lookout shoals alongside plenty of good-sized bluefish, per Fisherman's Post. Surf casters are also picking up sea mullet, black drum, and early big pompano along the Carolina coast. With a First Quarter moon and moderate 3.9-to-4.9-foot swells, conditions favor active daytime surf sessions through the week.

4d ago

USGS gauge 02142900 logged the Catawba at just 2.76 cfs on May 23 — a strikingly lean reading that signals drought-stressed water levels heading into Memorial Day weekend. No water temperature was recorded at this station. Direct on-the-water reports for the Catawba and Roanoke inland systems weren't captured in this update's angler feeds, which skewed heavily toward the NC coast; the conditions picture here draws on gauge data and established late-May patterns. On the Roanoke, late May typically marks the final weeks of the spring striped bass migration — fish that pushed upriver through April are beginning to stage back toward Kerr Lake and Gaston as surface temperatures climb. On Catawba-chain reservoirs, largemouth bass are in post-spawn recovery, trading bed flats for dock shade and adjacent grass lines. The critically low gauge reading on the Catawba proper will concentrate catfish and other species in deeper channel holes, making structure the key variable this weekend.

4d ago

Water temperatures holding at 55°F across both NOAA monitoring stations are keeping the fluke bite measured, but striped bass are the undisputed headliner across Long Island this week. Per The Fisherman — Long Island East End, Montauk is delivering steady action on slot fish and occasional larger bass taking diamond jigs, bucktails, trolling lures, and surface plugs from boat and surf alike. On the South Shore, Chasing Tails Bait & Tackle in Oakdale called this past week 'one for the books,' with solid bass schools working bays and beaches. River Bay Outfitters on the West End confirms big fish are keying on bunker, sand eels, and spearing, with early mornings and moving tides most productive. Fluke are cooperating in spots: Sea Rogue Charters in Freeport drilled nine keepers on Saturday, though cooler-than-average water is still limiting numbers. Porgies are showing well inside Peconic Bay, bluefish have begun trickling into bay systems, and sea bass season opened May 16, per NY DEC.

4d ago

Water temperatures hit 63°F at USGS gauge 01357500 on the Hudson River as of May 23, placing the region in the prime late-May window for multiple freshwater species. NY DEC The Fishing Line (Freshwater) reports that the coolwater sportfish season opened statewide on May 1, putting walleye, northern pike, and related species back in play across the Finger Lakes system. Inland striped bass have been in season since April 1, per NY DEC, and On The Water's May 22 striper migration map notes the spring run tracks through peak-and-valley cycles tied to lunar phases. With First Quarter moon this week, the next stronger bite window may build over the coming days. River bass are showing classic late-May behavior, pushing shallow and entering spawning mode, a pattern Brookdog Fishing Co. documented on western New York rivers through mid-May that mirrors conditions on Hudson Valley tributaries. Spring trout stocking, highlighted in recent NY DEC Fishing Line issues, has been loading accessible streams across the state.

4d ago

USGS gauge 08330000 recorded the Rio Grande at just 33 cfs on the evening of May 23, strikingly lean for late May, when snowmelt and upstream irrigation diversions typically compete to shape the river's mood. No water temperature was logged at the gauge. Flows this compressed concentrate trout in deeper pools and undercut banks; fish will be visible but skittish, and presentation precision outweighs water coverage. No direct on-the-water reports for New Mexico reached our sources this cycle, so confirming conditions locally before the drive out is worth the call. The San Juan tailwater below Navajo Dam runs on its own release schedule and typically holds steadier, more fishable conditions regardless of what the Rio Grande is doing. MidCurrent's recent fly-tying coverage highlights midge-style patterns built for the clear, pressured water of tailraces; a description that fits the San Juan's signature environment heading into the Memorial Day weekend.

4d ago

Largemouth are locked onto spawning beds across Delaware River tributaries and Pine Barrens lakes, with Dow's Boat Rentals reporting fish actively holding despite the season's fluctuating water temperatures. Crappie fishing has been strong all month — JB Kasper cites good reports statewide through the first half of May — with fish now beginning to school toward their summer haunts as Memorial Day approaches. In the tidewater reach of the Delaware, Old School Outdoors in Ewing reports solid striper action from the Trenton area down through Lambertville, while the shad run is expected to wind down by early June. Chain pickerel remain active in the cedar-stained waters of the Pine Barrens, per JB Kasper. Water is running lean: USGS gauge 01408000 logged 29.7 cfs on the evening of May 23, consistent with the dry stretch Tackle World flagged as a concern for trout-stream fishing heading into June.

4d ago

Water temps at 50°F per NOAA buoy 44007 are holding in typical late-May Gulf of Maine range, but they haven't slowed the striper run. The Fisherman — South Shore MA to ME reports the spring bass migration is now fully underway, with fish into the 40-inch class turning up from the Merrimack River all the way out to the front beaches. The most consistent action for bigger stripers is coming from inside the river, where the herring run remains active — herring imitations and live bait are the clear approach per the same source. Offshore, the haddock bite has quietly caught fire: Beauport Fishing Adventures Capt. Tom Lukegord describes limit catches as common over the past 10 days, calling it some of the best groundfishing in years. Mackerel are also beginning to push close to shore just north of the region, a development that should pull additional stripers onto the NH front beaches as those fish arrive.

4d ago

The USGS gauge on the Truckee River (site 10311000) logged 337 cfs on the evening of May 23, a moderate late-spring flow signaling that the bulk of Sierra snowmelt is winding down. No water temperature was recorded at the gauge, but flows at this level typically bring improving clarity to the canyon reaches, a promising transition for rainbow and brown trout. None of the angler intel feeds this cycle carried specific Truckee or Lake Tahoe reports, so the conditions picture here is built from gauge data and seasonal patterns for this corridor. Hatch Magazine's ongoing coverage of spring creek technique is directly applicable: as flows clear and surface pressure eases, precise presentation and fine tippet become the deciding factors over pattern selection. On Lake Tahoe, mackinaw (lake trout) and kokanee should still be reachable at moderate depths before summer thermal stratification pushes them to the deeper layers.

4d ago

Nebraska Game & Parks has the standout call for late May: largemouth bass in Nebraska pits and ponds are aggressively targeting bluegills right now, and the agency flags this as a prime window to take advantage of that forage connection. Bluegill-profile baits, swimbaits, and live bait (check current state regulations before using live bluegill) are the direct play. Channel catfish are also confirmed active in the region's stillwaters, with Nebraska Game & Parks noting a large catfish found inside a vehicle pulled from a Lincoln-area reservoir this week, a clear sign that cats are holding across popular waters. The Platte River is running at 3,420 cfs per USGS gauge 06796000, a moderate late-May volume that keeps river structure reachable for catfish and walleye. The First Quarter moon supports productive low-light feeding windows at dawn and dusk across both still and moving water, making early morning worth the alarm.

4d ago

MT FWP Fishing News has issued new paddlefish tagging rules for 2026. The old colored plastic tags are gone, replaced by big-game-style validation that must be completed before the carcass is tied to shore, stored, or cleaned. Anglers targeting paddlefish on the Yellowstone should read the updated requirements carefully before heading out. The USGS gauge 06043500 recorded 1,030 cfs on the Yellowstone as of the evening of May 23, a manageable spring-runoff reading that leaves drift-boat and wade access workable on many reaches. Grey Bear Fishing Access Site, which had a partial boat-ramp and parking-area closure since March 30, was projected by MT FWP to reopen around May 21; anglers should confirm current status at myfwp.mt.gov before planning a launch. No tackle-shop or charter reports for this specific corridor were available in this reporting cycle, so species outlooks below reflect seasonal norms for the region.

4d ago

The Missouri River is running at 199,000 cfs and 67°F at USGS gauge 06934500 as of May 23, warm enough to fire catfish activity but carrying enough current to push bass out of the main channel and into quieter water. With post-spawn timing and water temps solidly in the mid-60s, channel catfish and flatheads are staging in current seams, eddy pockets, and the downstream tailouts of wing dams. Per Fishing the Midwest, summer rivers like the Missouri reward anglers who find slack-water pockets away from the dominant flow. Bass are completing their post-spawn transition; Wired 2 Fish highlights that early-morning topwater around shallow cover, including grass, reeds, and dock edges, triggers reaction bites when fish stay active near structure. On the spring-fed Ozark streams, which run cleaner and cooler than the Missouri mainstem, smallmouth and goggle-eye should be feeding actively. Check current state regulations before harvesting.

4d ago

MS DMR issued the order this week: the 2026-2027 Mississippi shrimp season opens at 6:00 a.m. on Tuesday, May 26, across all Mississippi waters south of a line beginning one-half mile offshore at the Mississippi-Alabama state line. That announcement is the most concrete fishing news out of the Sound right now, and it sets up what should be a productive Memorial Day weekend on the water. NOAA buoy 42067 recorded 1.6-foot seas and light winds near 6 mph under 79°F air overnight, calm enough for comfortable runs to nearshore structure and back-bay flats. No water temperature was available from the buoy this cycle, but late May typically puts Sound waters into the mid-70s°F range, priming the speckled trout bite on shallow grass flats and pushing redfish against oyster-bar structure. Salt Strong (articles) this week covers how redfish actually position along oyster bars, a tactic directly applicable to back-Sound inshore fishing. Direct captain or shop reports for the Sound were not available in this cycle.

4d ago

USGS gauge 07289000 recorded the Mississippi River at 529,000 cfs on May 23, running elevated and pushing fish out of main-channel haunts into flooded timber, backwater sloughs, and current breaks behind wing dams. Blue catfish and channel cats are the primary draw under high-water conditions like these; the big-fish potential of southern river blue cats was reinforced this week when Wired 2 Fish covered a Florida blue-catfish state record, a reminder that river cats in this region routinely reach trophy size. Bass are in the post-spawn transition: Tactical Bassin's recent coverage of post-spawn fishing on Tennessee's Chickamauga illustrates how fish in analogous lowland river systems are sliding off flats and holding near submerged wood. First-light topwater in calm backwater pockets is worth targeting, consistent with the low-light shallow topwater approach Wired 2 Fish contributor Justin Lucas outlined this week. No water temperature reading was available from the gauge this cycle.

4d ago

The MN DNR North Shore Fishing Report issued its final spring streams update for 2026 this week, signaling that Minnesota's fisheries are turning the page from spawning runs to open-water season, with summer boat creel surveys launching this weekend. On the North Shore, steelhead remain in the system with anglers catching a few harvestable clipped fish on lower-shore rivers (Lester to Stewart), but spawning is winding down and streams have dropped to low, clear conditions. Inland, post-spawn walleye are the story: Jason Mitchell Outdoors flagged "May Walleye Craziness" this week, capturing the feeding binge that makes late May prime on Minnesota lakes. Twin Cities river anglers should note USGS gauge 05331000 puts the Mississippi at 17,500 cfs, elevated flows that tend to push walleye and bass off main-channel structure toward backwaters and tributary mouths. Fishing the Midwest reports that shallow spring flats are producing well with a casting approach for crappie, bass, and walleye alike.

4d ago