Fishing reports
10999 reports across all 50 states — current conditions and what's biting.
Green Bonito Fire Up Narragansett Bay Ahead of the Fall Run
Green bonito are the story in Rhode Island right now. They're thick around Block Island and the south county beaches, feeding on bigger bait like sand eels and herring, according to Saltwater Edge — and the same push showed up mixing with big stripers and even dolphins in and around Narragansett Bay this week, per The Fisherman (Northeast)'s New England video forecast. False albacore haven't shown yet at Snug Harbor Marina, but Saltwater Edge expects them any day as baitfish shift from the salt ponds and rivers toward open water. Striped bass fishing has lagged, slowed by high water temps and sharks, per The Fisherman — Rhode Island, though captains expect the fall migration to change that soon. Bottom fishing stayed dependable: Frances Fleet logged near-limit fluke and black sea bass with some fluke pushing 10 pounds, and Quonnie Bait and Tackle reported rising sea bass numbers plus excellent scup action from shore and boat.
Hawaii's pelagic season rolls on as islands earn urban-fishery praise
Saltwater Sportsman's recent rundown of the country's top urban fisheries names Honolulu alongside Boston, Baltimore, Tampa and San Diego — a reminder that Hawaii's harbor-adjacent and inshore water draws real attention even with the islands' reputation built on blue-water action. No fresh Hawaii-specific angler or shop reports came through our feeds this cycle, so this update leans on general seasonal knowledge rather than a live bite report: late August typically sits inside Hawaii's strongest pelagic stretch, with ahi (yellowfin tuna), mahimahi, and ono (wahoo) all active around FADs and current edges, while ulua (giant trevally) fishing off rocky points tends to run steady rather than spike this time of year. Hawaii Fishing News's ongoing moon-and-tide calendar remains the standard reference for timing trips around the current waxing gibbous moon. As always, check current state size and bag limits before harvesting any species, since rules vary by area and species across Hawaii waters.
Smallmouth topwater bite holds as Kennebec, Penobscot ease into fall
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for the Kennebec and Penobscot corridor this cycle, so this update leans on the broader New England freshwater picture and typical late-August patterns for Maine's inland fisheries. Per The Fisherman's New England freshwater report, smallmouth bass elsewhere in the region are still keying on early-morning and evening topwater strikes — walking-style baits working well at dawn and dusk — while largemouth action has eased off with the late-summer heat, with soft plastics still drawing bites when worked slow. Those same patterns typically track onto Kennebec and Penobscot smallmouth and largemouth water this time of year. Brook trout and landlocked salmon, the other headline species for this region, generally slide toward deeper, cooler water and low-light feeding windows once late-August heat sets in. Under this week's waxing gibbous moon, a stronger night and dawn bite is plausible across the board — worth planning around rather than midday heat.
Smokies tailwaters settle into late-summer terrestrial season
No live buoy or gauge readings came back for the Hiwassee or Caney Fork this cycle, and none of today's angler-intel feeds filed a direct report from either tailwater, so this update leans on general seasonal knowledge rather than fresh on-the-water testimony. Late August on TVA-controlled tailwaters like these typically means cold, stable release water holding trout through the heat, with terrestrial patterns (hoppers, ants, beetles) carrying weight as summer hatches thin out — a pattern echoed broadly in trout-fishing coverage this week, including Hatch Magazine's note on the seasonal terrestrial window opening across trout country. Generation schedules drive everything on a tailwater fishery: wading access, water clarity, and where fish stack up all shift with dam output, so checking the TVA release schedule before heading out matters more than any single tip here. We'll keep watching for Hiwassee- and Caney Fork-specific reports to ground the next update in real conditions.
Iron Range walleyes shift deep as late-summer patterns take hold
Minnesota's Boundary Waters and Iron Range are settling into classic late-August rhythms, with walleyes sliding off summer flats as forage schools tighten and water starts trending toward the early stages of fall turnover. Fishing the Midwest's Mike Frisch notes that traditional walleye tactics -- jigging live bait, pulling leech-tipped rigs, and trolling crankbaits -- still produce, even as Forward-Facing Sonar has changed where anglers look, with more fish now found suspended off structure rather than glued to bottom. Smallmouth bass remain a strong regional draw this time of year, working rocky points and the last of the summer weed edges as baitfish balls tighten up. No live buoy or streamgauge data is available for this region today, so treat water temps and clarity as seasonally typical rather than measured. Panfish are starting to push toward deeper basin water ahead of the fall transition, and northern pike stay opportunistic around remaining green weedlines. Check regional access points and current MN DNR regulations before heading out.
Terrestrials Take Over as Green River & Uinta Lakes Trout Shift Late-Summer
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for this update, and none of today's angler-intel feeds filed a direct report from the Green River or the Uinta Lakes — so this is a seasonal-pattern read rather than a specific bite report. Late August is squarely terrestrial season on Western tailwaters and high-country lakes: Hatch Magazine's terrestrial countdown piece flags this exact window as when hopper, ant, and beetle patterns start earning their keep on rivers like the Green as grasshoppers move off the banks. Expect the Green's rainbows and browns to key on foam terrestrials and PMD-stage nymphs through midday, with low-light hours favoring streamer swings for bigger browns. Uinta Lakes cutthroat and brookies typically stay aggressive on small dries and spinners as high-elevation water holds cooler than the valley floor. Check current Flaming Gorge Dam release levels before planning a Green River float, since flow shifts change wading access fast this time of year.
Merrimack Smallmouth Keep Biting Through Late Summer Heat
Smallmouth bass fishing along the Merrimack River remains excellent through late August, with anglers finding good numbers from the Lowell-to-Lawrence stretch up into the Hooksett, New Hampshire section, per this week's New England Freshwater roundup from The Fisherman. That's the strongest direct read we have on the Merrimack corridor right now — bronzebacks are holding to a typical late-summer pattern, feeding hardest during low light on baitfish-imitating presentations before easing off as the day warms. Up at Lake Winnipesaukee, no fresh buoy or gauge data came through this cycle, so we're leaning on typical late-August patterns: largemouth working weed edges and morning topwater, while lake trout and landlocked salmon slide deeper as surface temps hold in the mid-70s. With a waxing gibbous moon building toward full, expect stronger low-light bites at dawn and dusk through the weekend. Check current state regulations before harvesting.
Delta bass lean into classic late-August heat patterns
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for the Sacramento-Delta this cycle, and NorCal Fish Reports — the regional outlet that tracks Delta conditions specifically — didn't have a new Delta-specific bite report in this pull, so today's read leans on general late-summer bass behavior rather than a locally confirmed bite. Tactical Bassin's latest hot-August videos describe reservoir bass sliding onto shallow points at first light, working topwater and a finesse jig before the sun pushes fish deeper, then mixing baits in a "junk fishing" approach through the afternoon grind — a pattern that typically tracks with Delta largemouth behavior this time of year. Catfish are usually dependable once slough water holds in the mid-70s, while striped bass and sturgeon tend to stay quieter here until water starts cooling toward the fall migration window. Check NorCal Fish Reports' current Delta listings before heading out for the latest confirmed bite.
Columbia River Chinook Push Builds Near Buoy 10
Anglers trolling near Buoy 10 are reporting hot chinook action this week, according to posts on IFish.net Fishing Reports, as fall kings continue pushing into the Columbia River's famous mouth fishery heading into the Labor Day stretch. Other forum reports place lost gear at the mouth of the Lewis River and near Chinook Landing upriver — both well-known staging points for migrating salmon — suggesting fish are being worked across several stretches of the system rather than concentrated at just one spot. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through this cycle, so treat water temperature and flow as unconfirmed until you check locally. Sturgeon retention windows on the Columbia are tightly managed and frequently closed, so verify current state regulations before planning to keep one. With the moon waxing toward full, working tide changes near the river mouth in low light looks like the higher-percentage play right now.
Carp Steal the Show as Truckee Trout Stick to Dawn Patrol
Water temperatures on the Truckee River are expected to drop over the next few days, which should sharpen the bite after a slow stretch, according to Reno Fly Shop guide Aden Breckner. Bug life is thin right now, but fish are still eating — crayfish patterns and mayfly imitations have been working early in the day on both the California and Nevada sides of the river. The bigger story this week is carp: late-summer carp fishing has been very good, with anglers working urban stretches of the Truckee Meadows successfully on the fly. Trout are still there and still catchable, just concentrated into a shorter dawn-to-mid-morning window as afternoon heat pushes their feeding earlier. Anglers hitting the CA side upstream of town should find slightly cooler water and more consistent activity than the lower river.
Driftless browns key on streamers as summer terrestrial bite holds
Root River Rod Co's go-to Driftless streamer—a pine squirrel jig built to bounce the rocky bottom without hanging up—headlines this week's fly-tying roundup from MidCurrent, a solid signal that streamer tactics are working the tight, technical runs typical of these spring-creek-fed trout streams. No NOAA or USGS readings came through for this region this cycle, so treat water levels as an on-the-water call until fresh gauge data lands. Elsewhere in the state, Hatch Magazine's dispatch from Langlade County (northeastern Wisconsin, outside the Driftless proper) describes healthy wild trout populations holding in under-fished water, a reminder that Wisconsin's trout fisheries broadly are drawing angler attention this late-August stretch. With terrestrial season in full swing across this latitude, hoppers and ants alongside streamers should both be in play. Wading conditions and hatch timing are best confirmed locally before you head out, since direct Driftless-specific reports were thin this week.
Northwoods muskies key into early September transition
Northwoods water temps have eased into the low 70s after a stretch of cooler nights in the 40s and 50s, according to Rollie & Helen's Musky Shop, and that cooldown is triggering a broader bite shift across species. The shop's late-August report calls this one of the better windows for topwater musky action, with the classic September Transition getting underway as muskies key on dropping temperatures. The shop also flags a downsizing trend on rubber lures as late-season forage shrinks, and notes water levels running low amid a regional drought. For walleye anglers, Fishing the Midwest continues to emphasize Forward-Facing Sonar for locating suspended fish that no longer sit tight to bottom or classic structure, a shift from traditional jig-and-livebait tactics. Expect a transitional week overall: cooling water, shrinking baitfish, and predators keying on the change.
Late-summer bass patterns settle over the Finger Lakes
Late August has Cayuga, Seneca, and Skaneateles settling into a classic seasonal pattern, with smallmouth bass keying on baitfish schools over deep structure and lake trout holding near the thermocline. No buoy or gauge readings came through for this update, so treat conditions as typical for the season until a fresh reading lands. Technique coverage circulating this week leans toward late-summer bass tactics — Tactical Bassin's junk-fishing approach of covering water fast and rotating baits until something gets bit translates well to Finger Lakes smallmouth right now. Fishing the Midwest's notes on Forward-Facing Sonar changing where walleye actually hold, not always tight to bottom or classic structure, are worth testing on the open basin. No Finger-Lakes-specific shop or captain reports came through this cycle, so treat the above as seasonal-pattern guidance rather than confirmed local intel.
Walleyes settle into late-summer patterns on Lake of the Woods
Forward-facing sonar continues to rewrite where anglers find walleyes here, and it's worth remembering on Lake of the Woods and the Rainy River as we head into the last week of August. Fishing the Midwest's Mike Frisch notes that decades-old assumptions - walleyes are bottom-huggers, walleyes stick to points, turns and weedlines - don't always hold anymore, with FFS increasingly showing suspended fish holding well off traditional structure. Traditional presentations still produce, though: jigging live bait, pulling leech- or crawler-tipped rigs, and crankbait trolling remain staples per the same report. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for this stretch today, so treat water levels and clarity as unconfirmed until you're on the water. Smallmouth bass are typically active in current areas of the Rainy this time of year, and sauger should be following walleye patterns closely. Waxing gibbous moon and typical late-August warmth favor low-light bite windows.
Ozark trout and bass settle into late-summer, low-light rhythm
Late-August bass are settling into classic transition patterns across Missouri and Ozark river systems, and the clearest signal in this week's reports comes from just south of the state line: a Mountain Home, Arkansas guide working the White River near its junction with the Norfork finally connected with a trophy rainbow trout he'd been tracking for weeks, landing it after dark, per Wired 2 Fish. That low-light pattern lines up with what's typical for Ozark tailwaters as afternoon heat pushes trout activity into dawn, dusk, and night windows. On the bass side, Tactical Bassin notes late-summer largemouth respond to 'junk fishing' — cycling through moving baits, topwater, and finesse jigs around shallow points as fish group up in the heat — while Fishing the Midwest reports forward-facing sonar continues reshaping where anglers find suspended fish, often well off traditional bottom structure. No fresh buoy or gauge readings were logged for this region this cycle.
Drought-thinned CO tailwaters reward small flies and early starts
Pat Dorsey Fly Fishing calls 2026 the worst Colorado drought on record, worse than the notable low-water years of 1975-78, 2002, 2012, 2018 and 2020 — and that scarcity is shaping how South Platte and Arkansas tailwater trout are behaving right now. Cutthroat Anglers reports fish pushed into deeper, cooler holding water as flows thin, and specifically advises anglers to stop fishing once water hits 68°F to protect stressed trout; the same shop notes fish that remain are grouped up and still willing to eat for anglers ready to hike a little farther. On the tying bench, AvidMax's midge emergers (Chocolate Foam Back, Titan Tube Midge) and jigged tungsten nymphs reflect what's working in low, clear water, while leech imitations like AvidMax's ABC Leech and the worm patterns highlighted by Gink and Gasoline give browns something substantial in deeper runs. Cutthroat anglers should look to high-country options tracked by Trout Unlimited's Colorado HALO Project.
North Shore anglers eye the fall salmon push on Lake Superior
Minnesota's Lake Superior North Shore is settling into its late-August pattern: lake trout holding tight to deep structure while the first coho and chinook salmon begin staging near river mouths ahead of the fall run. Direct on-the-water reports for this exact stretch were thin this cycle, so we're grounding this update in typical late-summer patterns for the basin rather than a fresh bite report. One regional signal worth flagging: the Wisconsin DNR's Lake Superior fisheries program notes a lake whitefish fishery that has grown substantially in the Chequamegon Bay area in recent seasons, drawing both ice and open-water anglers — a basin-wide trend worth watching even where whitefish see comparatively light pressure. No buoy or gauge readings came through for this update, so treat nearshore water temps as seasonal-typical until a fresh reading lands. Check current Minnesota fishing regulations before harvesting anything as species schedules shift into fall.
Trophy snook still firing on the Treasure Coast ahead of Sept. 1 reopener
Snook fishing remains excellent on Florida's Treasure Coast heading into the final week of the summer harvest closure, per Snook Nook's August report out of Stuart — anglers working the St. Lucie Inlet and adjacent beach are putting up steady numbers of quality snook, including plenty in the 40-inch-plus range, on live croakers and threadfins, with a dead threadfin on bottom drawing bycatch when the bite slows. Snook season stays closed to harvest until it reopens September 1, per Snook Nook. Offshore, Team Snook Nook capped a strong summer by taking first in the small-boat division of the One More Bite Sailfish Challenge, going 7-for-9 on sailfish bites. Meanwhile the South Atlantic red snapper season remains in legal limbo — CCA Florida reports a federal court injunction blocked the 2026 pilot season, and Saltwater Sportsman notes states are pushing for a fallback October 1-31 window, with public comment closing today.
Late-summer heat keeps Basin bass deep, catfish steady
Louisiana Sportsman's latest Field Notes highlights Tickfaw State Park as the go-to basin-adjacent access point this week, and it's a fair proxy for what's driving Mississippi & Atchafalaya freshwater trips right now: late-August heat pushing anglers toward dawn and dusk windows. No fresh "what's biting" reports came in from Louisiana Sea Grant, area shops, or charter captains this cycle, so we're leaning on typical seasonal patterns for this system rather than fresh testimony. Largemouth bass are following the classic summer script — tucked into deep cover and grass edges through the heat of the day, with topwater windows tightening to first and last light. Catfish stay the most heat-tolerant option, working cut bait on bottom through the afternoon. Bream and sac-a-lait (crappie) typically slow under a waxing gibbous moon and high water temps, moving deeper off structure. Check current water levels before launching — Atchafalaya Basin access varies fast with flow.
Okeechobee and St. Johns bass slide shallow at first light
No fresh NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came in for Lake Okeechobee or the St. Johns this cycle, so this update leans on what's moving in national bass-fishing coverage this week rather than a local temp or flow reading. Late-August heat typically has Florida largemouth keying on shallow points and emerging weed edges at first light before sliding deeper as the sun climbs — a pattern Tactical Bassin's hot-August-heat report describes as topwater and finesse jig combos working the morning shallows, then junk-fishing moving baits as temperatures build midday. Wired2Fish also flags that "urchin" style soft-plastics continue dominating bass tackle boxes nationally this season, a trend worth trying on Okeechobee's mats and St. Johns grass lines. Treat panfish and crappie as steady producers this time of year around structure and deeper channel edges. Check state regs before harvesting, and confirm current water levels locally before launching.
Late-summer patterns take hold for bass and bluegill on VA lakes
Smith Mountain Lake and Buggs Island are settling into the classic late-August pattern familiar to Virginia lake anglers: bass sliding shallow early and pulling deeper as the sun climbs, with panfish stepping into the spotlight. The Virginia DWR Wildlife Blog's latest fishing report flags late summer as prime time for bluegill and redear sunfish on the state's public lakes, recommending ultralight spinning gear for consistent action. On the bass side, DWR's drop shot primer is timely — the finesse rig is built to suspend a bait just off bottom for largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass, exactly the presentation late-summer fish favor once they pull off cover. Nationally, Tactical Bassin's latest outings describe a similar day-part split: shallow points and topwater at first light giving way to finesse jigs and "junk fishing" — rotating baits through cover — as the water warms through midday. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came in for this update, so treat conditions as typical for the season until the next check.
Chesapeake mouth holds in the late-summer lull as fall signs build up north
Buoy and gauge telemetry came back empty this cycle, so today's picture leans on regional angler intel and typical late-August patterns for VA's saltwater mouth. The Fisherman's NJ/DE Bay Region forecast, filed August 20, describes a stretch of showery, unsettled Mid-Atlantic weather moving through this week — the kind of front that often nudges the fall transition a little further south toward Virginia. Cobia and Spanish mackerel remain the more dependable bay-mouth action through late summer, while striped bass typically go quiet once water stays warm this long, a 'dog days' lull regional shops elsewhere on the coast are describing too. Blue crabbing stays a strong sideline regardless — On The Water's recent piece on night crabbing is a good reminder the bay's crab run doesn't slow down even when finned action does. Expect the overall picture to sharpen as water temperatures ease into September.
Buoy 10 chinook buzz builds as Puget Sound eyes the fall run
An angler report from the IFish.net Buoy 10 thread this week described 'HOT chinook action trolling solo' just north of the green line off Skippanon, near the mouth of the Columbia — welcome, if unconfirmed, chatter as Washington's fall king run starts to build. That's a single forum account, not a verified trend, so treat it as early buzz rather than a green light. Elsewhere on the coast, Washington Sea Grant is highlighting the state's Dungeness crab fishery ahead of a commercial Skills and Drills course in South Bend this September, a reminder that crab remains one of the region's most reliable late-summer draws. No fresh buoy or gauge telemetry came through this cycle, so we don't have a hard water-temp or swell reading to report — check WDFW's Fishing and Stocking Reports page for site-specific creel data before you head out. Coho should start mixing into the chinook push as August turns to September.
Yellowtail and mutton snapper keep the Keys bite rolling
Yellowtail snapper are 'practically jumping in the boat' and mutton snapper have been chewing non-stop on recent trips, per ALL IN Key West, whose captain called this stretch of snapper action among the best he's seen in 16 years fishing out of Key West. Bud n' Mary's Islamorada marina reported tarpon working the bridges and mahi mahi offshore as early-summer standouts, with yellowtail stacked up on the reef. Florida Sea Grant notes permit spawning aggregations in the Keys can hold well over a thousand fish at a time, underscoring how active the flats scene remains. Offshore, ALL IN Key West also flagged solid grouper, cobia, and king mackerel on Gulf-side runs, plus an early sailfish push. No fresh NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came through for this cycle, so treat sea state and water temp as unconfirmed until you check a current local forecast.