Fishing Reports

Water temperature at USGS gauge 03512000 hits 64°F on May 26 with flows running at 698 cfs — a combination that puts Western NC's Smokies streams at the upper edge of an ideal late-spring feeding window for all three trout species. At 64°F, fish remain comfortable and feeding rather than pushed into the coldest, most shaded runs, and current flows are wading-friendly throughout the main drainage. Gink and Gasoline has noted that warm spring weather tends to advance sulphur and light cahill hatches ahead of their typical calendar dates, meaning anglers who show up without a dry-fly box loaded for late May may be caught off guard. MidCurrent's recent hatch-season tying coverage emphasizes surface-film and open-water emerging patterns as the key toolkit "as hatches begin to fire and predatory fish start pushing into the shallows." With the waxing gibbous moon brightening the evening sky, the best dry-fly windows this week will fall in the final two hours of light, when caddis and mayfly spinner falls concentrate rising fish in pools and tailouts.

20h ago

The Virginia DWR Wildlife Blog is spotlighting spring striped bass action across Virginia's coastal systems, noting fish schooling along channel edges, sandy flats, grass beds, and hugging hard structure in coastal areas — exactly the habitat defining Chincoteague's barrier island inlets and back bays. Backing that up regionally, The Fisherman (Northeast) is reporting a spring push of 20- to 30-pound stripers, "the likes of which we haven't seen in many years," with the migration corridor running squarely through mid-Atlantic waters right now. NOAA buoy 44014 logged an air temperature near 70°F on the evening of May 26, though water temperature and sea-state data were unavailable from this station. With a waxing gibbous moon driving strong tidal movement, current edges and rip lines are the priority target areas at dawn and dusk. Summer flounder are expected in coastal inlets as the season builds, and bluefish are tracking southward toward Virginia waters.

21h ago

At USGS gauge 02075045, the Roanoke River system is running at 2,800 cfs as of May 26, with no temperature reading available from this gauge. The Virginia DWR Wildlife Blog is reporting a historic drought across the southeastern U.S. that has been drawing down aquatic habitats statewide, a development that concentrates fish around deeper structure and diminishing shoreline cover at both Smith Mountain Lake and Buggs Island. The same source's spring striped bass report, focused on Virginia's tidal rivers, notes fish holding on channel edges, sandy flats, and hard structure this season, behavioral cues that landlocked striper anglers at Smith Mountain Lake can expect to mirror during this same late-May window. Wired 2 Fish reports post-spawn bass across the region are split: aggressive fish gorging on shad spawns and bream beds in the shallows, while others have retreated deeper and require finesse. Neko rigs and finesse swimbaits on structure breaks are the largemouth call; main-lake points and deep channel ledges for stripers.

21h ago

Blue Chip Sportfishing (NJ) is calling the striper bite "the best Striper Fishing possible," with fish coming on every trip. At Sandy Hook, per The Fisherman — NJ/DE Surf, the Tackle Box in Hazlet confirmed consistent bass at the Hook tip and Parking Lot areas on bunker chunks, NLBNs, and clams ahead of last week's storm blow. Capt Ron's Atlantic Highlands NJ reported 56°F water mid-week alongside a solid sea bass bite, noting beautiful blue water and good morning action. OTW Northern New Jersey's May 21 report places stripers, bluefish, and black drum on the beaches simultaneously, with backwater fluking beginning to pick up. Small 2- to 3-pound bluefish have pushed into bay waters per Grumpys Tackle (NJ). The Northern NJ party boat fleet — Big Mohawk III, Skylarker, and Lady K Fishing Charters — found improving sea bass and ling counts early in the week, per The Fisherman — Northern NJ, before the Memorial Day weather system put fishing on hold.

21h ago

Black drum are the headline story on the New Jersey side of Delaware Bay heading into late May. Hands Too Bait and Tackle reports the Jersey side is producing notably larger fish than the Delaware side, with several fish in the 60-pound class landed off the Villas Beaches on fresh clams — the week's top weigh-in was a 75-pound boomer caught by Tom Lynan. Big Dave's Tackle calls the overall bite 'excellent,' with fish to nearly 80 pounds taken on clams, shedder crabs, and she-crabs. Stripers are winding down at Fortescue Beach, per Higbee's Bait and Tackle — fish to 44 inches remain on bloodworms, but the horseshoe crab spawn is stealing baits aggressively. Flounder action in the back bays is patchy but inching forward, with a few keepers reported alongside gator bluefish to 10 pounds. A rough Memorial Day run-up of rain, wind, and fog kept boaters largely dockside through the holiday stretch, with conditions appearing to calm as of May 26.

21h ago

Jeff Sullivan, filing his weekly freshwater report to The Fisherman — New England Freshwater, logged largemouth bass and chain pickerel at multiple central New England waters this week — including Cook Pond in Fall River, MA — with a 10-inch Berkley Power Worm and a Berkley wakebait leading for bass, and spinnerbaits and inline spinners working well for pickerel. No reports specifically naming Quabbin or Wachusett surfaced this cycle, but the timing and species behavior fit the late-May post-spawn window across central Massachusetts. USGS gauge 01174500 on the East Branch Swift River recorded 85.4 cfs on May 26, indicating moderate, stable inflow to the Quabbin watershed. The waxing gibbous moon sharpens feeding windows toward first and last light. Landlocked Atlantic salmon and lake trout at Quabbin are likely pushing into deeper, cooler water as late-May surface conditions warm — with no thermal reading available from the current gauge cycle, confirming precise depth requires on-the-water probing.

21h ago

Water at 58°F off Buzzards Bay (NOAA buoy 44085) has the spring bite firing on multiple fronts. Capt. Carl of Westport River Outfitters has been running limit trips of legal sea bass alongside multiple stripers from 34 to 42 inches, described as right on the fish daily through the Memorial Day week, per The Fisherman (Cape Cod and Islands). The Cape Cod Canal is reportedly fishing like its best historical seasons: Red Top Sporting Goods relayed reports of anglers hooked up in every direction, with mackerel-colored plugs and Wally white pencils as the standout baits. Bluefish are trickling into the picture. Charley Soares, writing for The Fisherman (Cape Cod and Islands), documented teen-sized fish on top at Middle Ground and Quicks Hole, plus a 15-to-17-pound fish off the Vineyard, though the expected large-scale push to the island has not materialized yet. The waxing gibbous moon and stable conditions set up an active window through the week.

21h ago

NOAA buoys 42039 and 42012 posted light 4 m/s (~8 knot) winds and air temperatures near 80°F on May 26, pointing to workable conditions over the northern Gulf off Destin and Pensacola. Anglers on the Pensacola Fishing Forum described an offshore bottom trip the weekend of May 22–23 that produced six keeper red snapper and one large red grouper on a natural reef, though a stormy Friday earlier that weekend had kept crews dockside. Water temperature readings were unavailable from both buoys; historically, this stretch of the northern Gulf climbs into the mid-to-upper 70s°F by late May. The waxing gibbous moon building toward full over the coming days should extend the evening feeding window for bottom-oriented species on structure. King mackerel, cobia, and Spanish mackerel round out the Panhandle's late-spring target list. Federal Gulf red snapper season dates are subject to annual announcement; confirm current regulations before planning a dedicated snapper trip.

21h ago

Water temps of 81-82°F at NOAA buoys 42036 and 42013 signal peak conditions across the Tampa Bay and Sarasota inshore fishery. Capt. Rick Grassett, forecasting for June at CB's Saltwater Outfitters (Sarasota), calls this the strongest stretch of the year for tarpon, with schools growing in size and number along the gulf beaches. The snook bite has already delivered a standout result: Capt. Brandon Naeve at CB's Saltwater Outfitters reports a 34-pound, 4-ounce snook landed at Boca Grande on May 9th, a new boat record, confirming that late May is prime time for big fish in the passes. Capt. Chuck Cress adds redfish up to 25 inches alongside trout in his recent Sarasota Bay report. Jack crevalle are schooling near the surface in the bay, per Capt. Naeve, with fast-stripped topwater lures producing well around oyster bars and inlets. Nearshore swells of 4.3 feet at buoy 42036 favor inshore sessions over open-gulf runs.

21h ago

ALL IN Key West reports the mutton snapper spawn is firing with the full moon approaching, calling conditions "chewing like crazy" across Key West reef and wreck grounds — including a productive deep-wreck session in 220-foot water that produced five quality fish. Yellowtail snappers are nearly as prolific, with the same captains describing fish "practically jumping in the boat." A recent Gulf-side run from ALL IN Key West turned up hauls of grouper, cobia, barracuda, and kingfish, confirming the broad offshore bite. Sport Fishing Mag notes blackfin tuna are flooding offshore waters from the Keys northward through Palm Beach in their typical May arrival, a run that holds through July. NOAA buoys SMKF1 and SANF1 recorded sustained winds near 19–22 mph with air temperatures in the low 80s on May 26, pointing to some sea chop for longer offshore runs. On the flats, late May historically puts tarpon and permit at peak season, and conditions this week appear right on schedule.

21h ago

Water temperature at NOAA buoy 46026 has dropped to 51°F, a reading that lines up with the Chinook salmon improvement playing out along the NorCal coast right now. Per Western Outdoor News — Saltwater, Captain Jared Davis of the Salty Lady out of Half Moon Bay Sport Fishing reports water temps falling to 54°F below Pigeon Point, down four degrees from the 58°F recorded at the season's start on April 11, saying it 'makes a huge difference on the water.' From Monterey, Allen Bushnell (Western Outdoor News — Saltwater) adds that northwest winds have intensified upwelling, pulling cool, nutrient-rich water to the surface and concentrating baitfish that draw Chinook into feeding position. The timing looks right for late May. For now, seas are running 9.8-11.2 feet across both offshore buoys, so offshore access is on hold until the wind backs off.

21h ago

Water temps holding at 64-65°F across the LA Bight per NOAA buoys 46025 and 46221, with 3.6-foot swells at the outer buoy. A Memorial Day half-day trip report on BD Outdoors Forums from the Victory on May 25 put five sculpin, whitefish limits, and five miscellaneous rockfish on the board, working the sculpin grounds before wind built to sporty levels in the afternoon. Overnight charter trips to San Clemente Island targeting white seabass and rockfish are booking into June and July per AllCoast Forum, consistent with late May sitting inside the traditional peak window for WSB along the Channel Islands. Forum discussion on BD Outdoors is generating buzz around local bluefin: anglers are rigging tungsten jigs ahead of June trips on the Searcher, though that bite has not been corroborated by a charter or shop report as of this update. Light westerlies and a waxing gibbous moon favor evening windows through the weekend.

21h ago

NOAA buoy 45005 recorded lake surface water at 58°F on the evening of May 26, placing Lake Erie's Western Basin squarely in the post-spawn window for walleye, which typically complete their spawning runs well before temperatures reach this level. The Maumee River, a primary walleye spawning tributary draining into the Western Basin, was running at 8,330 cfs with an in-river reading of 69°F per USGS gauge 04193500, signaling elevated tributary inflow that may be pushing warmer, turbid water into nearshore areas and nudging fish toward cleaner mid-basin structure. Light winds of roughly 4-5 mph and mild air in the mid-60s (buoy 45005) are making for workable open-water conditions. Direct angler-intel reports specific to the Western Basin were limited in this reporting cycle, so the conditions picture here is drawn primarily from environmental readings and seasonal context. Fishing the Midwest notes that jigs and slip-sinker live bait rigs remain reliable core presentations for walleye at this stage of the season.

21h ago

USGS gauge 01546500 recorded 121 cfs on the local watershed as of the afternoon of May 26 — a moderate, wadeable flow entering Pennsylvania's most-anticipated hatch window of the year. Water temperature returned null this cycle, but late May on these spring-fed limestone creeks typically places readings in the mid-50s to low-60s F, ideal range for trout on the feed. Hatch Magazine's current piece on essential spring creek skills arrives at exactly the right moment: this is a technically demanding fishery that rewards precise drifts and well-matched patterns above all else. Gink and Gasoline recently flagged that warm spring weather has been advancing Sulphur and Light Cahill emergences ahead of schedule across mid-Atlantic trout streams, a signal directly applicable here. No direct on-the-water reports for Spring Creek or Penns Creek were available in this intelligence cycle; species status draws on gauge data, seasonal norms, and regional hatch context.

21h ago

NOAA buoy 45005 recorded Lake Erie water temperature at 58°F on May 26, squarely in the walleye comfort zone and nudging smallmouth toward the tail end of their spawn cycle. A report on the Michigan Sportsman Forum (unconfirmed forum chatter) described productive walleye action this past weekend off the south shore: anglers trolling 3–4 miles out in 18–20 feet of water, running Bandits and Deadeyes in perch colors, with a Monday session producing 28–30 fish and a top fish over 7 pounds. Tactical Bassin highlights Great Lakes smallmouth in clear water during this period as responsive to faster, covering presentations through the spawn transition. Tributary flow at USGS gauge 04213000 holds at 581 cfs. Moderate late-spring runoff keeps smaller streams off-color, but Presque Isle Bay and the main lake remain in good shape. Light winds near 4 mph and air temperatures around 66°F made for comfortable conditions Tuesday evening.

22h ago

Light winds at NOAA buoy 46041 (5 m/s, offshore Washington coast) and buoy 46087 (3 m/s, near the Strait of Juan de Fuca entrance) indicate manageable offshore conditions heading into the Memorial Day week. Water temperature data was unavailable from both stations at observation time, with air temps of roughly 52-54°F consistent with typical late-May Pacific Northwest conditions. WA WDFW Fishing Reports tracks creel surveys and stocking activity across state waters but returned no specific catch data in the current feed — the seasonal picture here draws on established late-May patterns for this region. Spring Chinook are the headline target in Puget Sound and along the Pacific coast right now, with the marine halibut season typically open through this period. Lingcod and rockfish round out the bottom-fishing picture on nearshore structure. Verify current WA WDFW emergency closures and area-specific openings before heading out, especially for salmon, where regulations can shift week to week.

22h ago

USGS gauge 14113000 on a Columbia River tributary logged water at 54°F and 1,090 cfs at noon on May 26 — a reading that falls squarely in the late-spring transition window between the closing of the spring Chinook push and the opening of summer steelhead action. WA WDFW Fishing Reports confirms the department is actively running creel interviews and stocking surveys statewide, though specific bite detail for Columbia and Puget Sound river corridors was not captured in today's pull. With spring Chinook runs typically tapering through the final week of May, angler focus is shifting toward summer-run steelhead beginning to enter tributary systems and Columbia River smallmouth bass, which feed aggressively once water temps settle in the low-to-mid 50s. On Puget Sound drainage rivers, resident rainbow and cutthroat trout are well within their active temperature range at 54°F. Check current WA WDFW regulations before targeting salmon — river-specific closures and retention rules vary widely and can change week to week.

22h ago

With water sitting at 59°F per NOAA buoy 44009 and winds barely registering at 1 m/s on May 26, conditions at the Chesapeake mouth are as calm as a late-May day gets. The Virginia DWR Wildlife Blog's spring striped bass report is the week's standout: biologists are observing rockfish schooling along channel edges, sandy flats, grass beds, and rocky shorelines throughout Virginia's tidal waters, with fish sticking tight to hard structure in coastal zones. That intel aligns with The Fisherman (Northeast) reporting a spring push of 20- to 30-pound stripers along the coast that observers are calling exceptional compared to recent seasons. On The Water's Striper Migration Map from May 22 confirms the run is still rolling. The waxing gibbous moon builds tidal amplitude, extending productive feeding windows around dawn and dusk. Summer flounder and bluefish are expected to be staging at the mouth on seasonal timing, though no direct VA reports came through this cycle for those species.

22h ago

The Virginia DWR Wildlife Blog's spring striped bass report puts rockfish schooling along channel edges, sandy flats, and rocky structures in the tidal rivers of the region this week, and current gauge data backs up the urgency of that pattern. USGS gauge 01646500 clocked the Potomac at 29,300 cfs on May 26, well above typical late-May levels, pushing baitfish into slack-water pockets and concentrating fish behind hard structure. With a waxing gibbous moon building toward full, On The Water's striper migration update from May 22 notes the spring run peaks around lunar phases, pointing to a productive window in the tidal reach through the weekend. Further upstream, the Virginia DWR separately flags a historic spring drought stressing smaller aquatic habitats, which likely has Shenandoah smallmouth holding tighter to the deepest available pools and slow current seams rather than spreading across their typical post-spawn range.

22h ago

The Connecticut River's spring shad run is in full stride. The Fisherman — New England Freshwater reports the river is 'the most popular fishing destination at this time,' with shad filling stretches from Middletown north through Holyoke, Massachusetts, a push that historically carries well into Vermont by late May. USGS gauge 01135300 shows the upper watershed flowing at a moderate 99.4 cfs this afternoon, with water temperature data unavailable from automated sensors. On the lake side, Lake Champlain's smallmouth bass are transitioning through the post-spawn window typical for this week of the season. Per Wired 2 Fish's post-spawn bass breakdown, some fish are gorging aggressively while others are holding spooky and shallow near fry. No direct Lake Champlain charter or shop reports came through our feeds this cycle, but the waxing gibbous moon favors active evening feeds across the region's shallow flats and boulder fields.

22h ago

Water temps touching 81°F at NOAA buoy 42035 signal prime late-May conditions along the Texas Gulf Coast. The Galveston Daily News Reel Report puts it in concrete terms: Duain Cagle and his son Chris loaded up on quality black drum and speckled trout in upper Galveston Bay this Memorial Day weekend, working live shrimp under popping corks. Further south, Capt. Reanna Yaklin has been keeping a full schedule on Baffin Bay, per the same outlet. Lone Star Outdoor News is calling whiting a standout species right now, dubbing it an ideal time for a beach fish fry, and also confirms the federal red snapper season opened May 22 for anglers ready to run offshore. Texas Fish & Game Magazine highlights productive marsh edge action for redfish, flounder, and specks for those willing to work the spartina shorelines at first light. The waxing gibbous moon and warming coastal waters stack multiple strong inshore bites heading into the week.

22h ago

Smallmouth bass on Kentucky Lake are at a record high, and the largemouth recovery is gaining ground. Wired 2 Fish's current deep-dive on the Tennessee-Kentucky border reservoir reports huge bass being caught and major tournament circuits returning to the fishery. That energy extends to Lake Chickamauga, where Tactical Bassin's recent on-water session shows swimbaits, chatterbaits, and finesse rigs all producing fish across the lake's split personality: clear and pressured at one end, turbid and power-friendly at the other. The USGS gauge on the Cumberland (site 03434500) registered 2,190 cfs on May 26, a moderate and fishable flow that won't push bass far off established holding water. Late May puts Tennessee and Cumberland basin bass squarely in post-spawn transition: females recovering in mid-depth cover, males still tight to fry, and both responding hard to shad and bream concentrations wherever those baitfish push shallow.

22h ago

Water temps at 60-61°F, measured by NOAA buoys 44085 and 44097 on May 26, have primed Narragansett Bay for one of the stronger late-May fishing windows in recent years. Cyril at The Saltwater Edge, reporting to The Fisherman (Rhode Island), notes striped bass producing consistently inside the bay on glide baits, topwater plugs, and flutter spoons, with bunker holding deep despite no visible surface sign. Bluefish arrived in force over the past week per the same report, and Charley Soares in The Fisherman (Cape Cod and Islands) confirms trickles of blues already working through mid-Narragansett Bay. On the squid front, Booked Off Charters tallied roughly 80 pounds in a few hours on a recent Friday night, and the Frances Fleet is running squid trips as frequently as possible, noting the window can close fast. The Saltwater Edge Blog reports the tautog bite also came to life this week, with weakfish beginning to appear in the bay in decent numbers.

22h ago

USGS gauge 01540500 logged 63°F water temp and 19,800 cfs on the West Branch Susquehanna as of May 26. Two data points, two different stories for anglers. The temperature is right in the post-spawn sweet spot for smallmouth bass, which typically wrap their spawn in the mid-60s and begin moving off beds to recover in deeper current breaks. The flow, however, is running well above seasonal norms, meaning main-channel flats are likely blown out and fish are stacked in slack-water pockets: tributary mouths, eddy lines behind bridge pilings, and protected bays. Wired 2 Fish's post-spawn breakdown notes that recovering bass split between aggressive shad-chasing feeders and spooky, slow-presentation fish. Both profiles are likely on the Susquehanna right now, depending on recovery stage. Work slow finesse rigs in calmer water first, then probe current seams with swimbait once fish reveal themselves.

22h ago