Fishing Reports

The Grand River is flowing at 3,380 cfs (USGS gauge 04119000) as of May 23 — a moderately elevated spring level pushing fish toward current seams and deeper structure. The MI DNR Weekly Fishing Report for May 20 encourages Great Lakes charter outings, while the May 13 edition flags active commercial netting gear with orange-flagged buoys near several ports — a heads-up for open-water boaters. Direct bite reports in the available intel are limited this week, but AnglingBuzz's coverage of big-water walleye tactics with guide Jason Freed speaks to conditions broadly relevant across Michigan's open-water fisheries. Tactical Bassin notes Great Lakes clear-water smallmouth responding well to paddle-tail swimbaits — a tactic worth loading up for as bass approach the spawn. Steelhead runs across Michigan tributaries are typically winding down by late May. A First Quarter moon this weekend creates moderate lunar pressure; morning and evening windows should produce the most consistent action.

4d ago

Water temps registering 53°F at NOAA buoy 44013 and 58°F at buoy 44020 signal a Cape Cod Bay that is finally waking up after a sluggish spring start. Charley Soares, writing for The Fisherman — Cape Cod & Islands, reports stripers making 'impressive appearances' along the Cape Cod Bay shoreline and in Buzzards Bay, with the Canal delivering at both ends. The Fisherman (Northeast) frames this as a spring push of 20- to 30-pound fish 'the likes of which we haven't seen in many years.' Red Top Sporting Goods, covered in The Fisherman — Cape Cod & Islands, confirms bass schools working bait all over Buzzards Bay, bluefish turning up off Mattapoisett and Wareham, and mackerel showing in the east end of the canal. Black sea bass action is just beginning on the Cape per The Fisherman (Northeast), while tautog are still producing — though green crab bait supply may tighten as demand builds.

4d ago

Brook and rainbow trout remained catchable at Hampton (Pequot) Pond in Westfield on May 13, per The Fisherman — New England Freshwater, with fish holding over deep water on the north side of the island and responding to trolled presentations. That stocked-trout window is narrowing, but cooler, spring-fed pockets should hold fish through the long weekend. The bigger story right now is largemouth bass: The Fisherman — New England Freshwater reports that across New England, 'many are now spawning and proving trickier to entice than they were in prespawn.' USGS gauge 01105500 recorded 13.1 cfs and gauge 01111500 read 49.2 cfs as of May 23 evening, pointing to low, likely clear flows on area waterways: ideal conditions for spotting bass on beds in the shallows. No water temperature readings were logged at either gauge, but late-May norms in this region typically place surface temps in the low-to-mid 60s, solidly within largemouth spawning range.

4d ago

The USGS Patapsco gauge logged 309 cfs on the evening of May 23 — a moderate, fishable flow heading into the Memorial Day weekend. No water temperature was recorded at this gauge during this cycle, though regional reporting from The Fisherman — DE/MD/Chesapeake placed mid-May Chesapeake corridor conditions on the cool and rough side, with a warming trend building through the holiday weekend. On the Potomac and Patapsco freshwater stretches, late May is the post-spawn transition: largemouth that were locked on beds through mid-month are scattering to summer structure, and blue catfish — the tidal Potomac's most consistent year-round species — remain actively feeding on channel edges and tributary mouths. Direct angler intel from local Maryland freshwater sources is thin this report cycle; the picture below is grounded in gauge data, regional context, and seasonal patterns. Cross-check current bite conditions with your local tackle shop before heading out.

4d ago

Striped bass have arrived in Maine waters, with 30-inch-class fish confirmed as far north as the Saco River and 40-inch class fish at the Merrimack, per The Fisherman — South Shore MA to ME. OTW Saltwater's May 19 migration update confirms fresh stripers have reached New Hampshire and Maine, declaring the spring run fully underway. NOAA buoy 44007 puts inshore water temperature at 51°F — enough to keep bass active and feeding. The bigger surprise this week is the groundfish bite: Capt. Tom Lukegord of Beauport Fishing Adventures calls the haddock action over the past 10 days "some of the best they've seen in years," with limit catches common. Atlantic mackerel are also pushing close to shore per Belsan's Bait and Tackle, a development that should further fire up striper feeding windows. With the herring run still strong in tidal rivers, any herring imitation is a reliable choice for bass through the Memorial Day weekend.

4d ago

The Kennebec River registered 3,820 cfs at USGS gauge 01046500 on the evening of May 23 — an elevated spring flow that scatters fish from mid-channel and concentrates them along bank edges, behind boulders, and at tributary confluences. The Fisherman — South Shore MA to ME declared the striper run "fully underway" this week, with fish confirmed in the 30-inch class reaching at least as far north as the Saco River in Maine. Herring runs across the New England corridor remain "very much on," per the same source — a forage pulse that draws predators deep into river systems. Inland, landlocked salmon and brook trout, the Kennebec and Penobscot watersheds' marquee cold-water species, are likely pulling into deeper, thermally stable water as late-May surface temperatures climb. No water temperature data was captured at the gauge on this cycle. The First Quarter moon on May 24 sets up moderate tidal exchanges along the lower river.

4d ago

NOAA buoy 42001 recorded 83°F Gulf water on May 24, firmly establishing late-spring conditions across Louisiana's inshore grounds. Light winds at 2–5 m/s and modest wave heights of 1.6 feet per buoy 42067 kept coastal access comfortable heading into Memorial Day weekend. Direct Louisiana-specific catch reports are limited this cycle, but Salt Strong's current breakdown of redfish behavior around oyster bars translates directly to the state's back-bay marsh edges — reds tend to stage downcurrent of shell structure rather than on top, and small bait-placement adjustments make the difference. That same source's analysis of black drum around bridge pilings and dock structure applies equally along Louisiana's coastal crossings and bayou canal systems. Louisiana Sportsman confirmed that LDWF and NOAA Fisheries ran joint enforcement patrols on the Gulf on May 23, signaling active fishing pressure across the region heading into the holiday weekend. A First Quarter moon should produce moderate tidal movement through the weekend, favoring transition-tide feeding windows.

4d ago

USGS gauge 07374000 at Baton Rouge logged 74°F water temperature and 424,000 cfs on the evening of May 23, placing the Mississippi and Atchafalaya squarely in late-spring fishing mode heading into Memorial Day weekend. At 74°F, conditions fall inside the preferred feeding range for blue and flathead catfish, and the elevated flow is pushing forage into tributary mouths, inside bends, and backwater cuts where big-river fish stack up. Hatch Magazine's recent feature on Southern river gar, tracing the species through warm, slow, muddy-water haunts much like the lower Mississippi corridor, underscores that late May is a prime window for targeting gar in backwater sloughs and Atchafalaya Basin oxbows. Direct on-the-water reports from captains or tackle shops serving this specific drainage did not surface in this week's feeds, so conditions below reflect gauge data combined with established late-May seasonal patterns. Confirm current bite locally before heading out.

4d ago

B.A.S.S. News reports that Kentucky Lake native Clint Knight claimed the Turtlebox Bassmaster Open at Kentucky Lake/Lake Barkley with a three-day total of 62 pounds, 2 ounces, while Day 2 leader Tristan McCormick posted a single-day event-best of 25-4 — numbers pointing to a fully activated post-spawn bass pattern across the regional Kentucky watershed. That same momentum should carry into the Ohio and Cumberland river corridors, where largemouth and smallmouth are pushing off spawning flats and orienting to current seams and deeper secondary structure. USGS gauge 03301500 recorded 3,260 cfs on May 23, confirming moderate, fishable flows. No water temperature was available from the gauge, but late May in Kentucky typically pushes river temps through the upper 60s and into the low 70s°F — favorable territory for active bass and building catfish activity. Per Fishing the Midwest, larger river systems often deliver reliable early-summer action that anglers overlook; the Ohio and Cumberland are exactly that kind of fishery as Memorial Day weekend arrives.

4d ago

USGS gauge 06892350 recorded 71 degrees and 5,950 cfs on the Kansas River as of May 23, placing conditions squarely in the sweet spot for channel and flathead catfish entering their pre-spawn feeding surge. At 71 degrees, catfish are stacking near current seams ahead of the late-spring spawn, and the moderate flow keeps presentations productive without blowing fish out of their feeding lanes. For bass, Tactical Bassin's recent post-spawn coverage from comparable warm-water river systems shows largemouth and smallmouth vacating beds and staging along deeper structure, a pattern that fits the Kansas and Arkansas rivers well right now. Wired 2 Fish highlights topwater presentations during low-light windows as a reliable post-spawn trigger, and calm backwater coves off the main channel are the right address for that approach at dawn and dusk. Per Fishing the Midwest, current breaks and river structure are the consistent producers as water climbs through late May.

4d ago

The Iowa River is registering 13,200 cfs at USGS gauge 05465500 (observed May 23), indicating significantly elevated flows for late May. No water temperature was captured at the gauge during this read. High-water conditions like these push fish out of the main channel and into slack zones: wing dams, inside bends, and structure-heavy eddies become the priority targets. Walleye are a seasonal highlight right now; Jason Mitchell Outdoors (YT) is flagging "May Walleye Craziness" as an active pattern across northern-tier river systems, and AnglingBuzz (YT) recently covered big-water walleye tactics that apply directly to elevated-flow conditions like these. Fishing the Midwest advises targeting current breaks and slack flats throughout the warmer months, noting that rivers consistently produce when anglers stop fighting the flow and start reading it. Channel catfish typically respond well to rising water, moving into current seams to intercept displaced baitfish. This may be the most reliable bite available on the system right now.

4d ago

The Wabash River at USGS gauge 03335500 was pushing 5,730 cfs as of May 23 — elevated late-spring runoff that shoves fish out of the main current and into slack-water eddies and bankside pockets. Fishing the Midwest notes that rivers can be outstanding spring destinations when anglers target those slower margins rather than fighting the flow. On Lake Michigan's Indiana shoreline, late May marks the seasonal ramp-up for nearshore coho salmon and the prime shallow-water window for bass nearing or just clearing their spawns. Field & Stream points out that bass stage in the shallows as water temperatures climb, making beds and gorging ahead of post-spawn recovery — calling it one of the best windows of the year for a personal best. Tactical Bassin backs this up, reporting that bass in northern lakes are pushing shallow and biting even through unsettled late-spring conditions, with natural-presentation swimbaits accounting for fish. No water temperature reading was available from the gauge this period.

4d ago

USGS gauge 13340000 recorded 54°F and 14,400 cfs on the Snake system as of May 23 — a combination that puts the drainage squarely in the productive spring Chinook salmon window. Elevated snowmelt flows are running high but fishable, and 54°F sits in the mid-range that keeps Chinook actively moving through deeper holding lies without pushing into slow-water refuges. None of this week's regional intel feeds carried direct reports from the Snake or Salmon drainages specifically, so bite detail relies on gauge data and late-May seasonal timing. Flylords Mag covered deep-water smallmouth techniques this week that translate directly to the Snake's lower canyon sections, where bass push toward their summer patterns as water temps climb. Drift-boat anglers should target early-morning windows when light is low and pressure is minimal; bank access improves as flows recede into June.

4d ago

NOAA buoy 51001 is reading 76°F at the surface while buoy 51004 clocks 79°F — temperatures solidly in the productive range for Hawaiian pelagic gamefish as the season shifts into high gear. Hawaii Fishing News, the state's official record-keeper for big-game catches, tracks moon and tide windows that align with the current First Quarter phase, a period many veteran offshore captains favor for trolling the deep blue. Specific bite reports are limited in this feed cycle, but late May marks the traditional ramp-up of Hawaii's premier blue marlin season. Yellowfin tuna and mahi-mahi typically run alongside the marlin grounds at these depths and temperatures. Trade winds are holding at 9-10 m/s across all three NOAA buoys, with a 9.5-foot swell logged at buoy 51001 — manageable for experienced offshore vessels, though anglers should confirm conditions before committing to long runs to the offshore canyons.

4d ago

Sport Fishing Mag reports expanded red snapper seasons for South Atlantic states, including Georgia, via exempted fishing permits for 2026. Coastal Angler Magazine then flagged that a federal court halted the Atlantic red snapper season just one day before launch, leaving offshore plans uncertain heading into Memorial Day weekend. Conditions at NOAA buoy 41008 show calm 2 m/s winds and warm 79°F air, a comfortable setup for inshore work along Georgia's barrier island creeks and marsh edges. With the Altamaha River holding at a manageable 4.1 feet and falling per GA Sportsman/Georgia Outdoor News, cleaner water should be pushing into nearshore zones, a favorable sign for redfish on moving tides. Salt Strong notes that redfish concentrate along the shaded edges of oyster bars during tidal movement, while sheepshead and black drum around bridge pilings remain productive picks when offshore trips are sidelined. Verify red snapper regulations before heading out; the legal picture is still evolving.

4d ago

GA Sportsman / Georgia Outdoor News reporter Joshua Barber's May 23 Southern Waters Fishing Report leads with an encouraging note: panfish and bass have been biting well across the region this week. On the Savannah drainage, the Clyo gauge held at 3.0 feet and steady as of May 21, offering stable, fishable conditions throughout the lower river. Shellcracker are stealing the spotlight: Clarkesville angler Phil Black set a new Lake Tugalo record on May 20 with a 2-lb., 3.26-oz. fish taken on a worm and spinning rod, per GA Sportsman. Georgia Wildlife Blog's May 22 weekly report echoed broad optimism, calling this another great week of fishing statewide and flagging the Georgia Bass Slam challenge as a timely goal for anglers pursuing multiple black bass species. With the USGS Savannah gauge (site 02197000) reading 4,590 cfs and rivers holding steady, conditions look favorable heading into the Memorial Day weekend.

4d ago

USGS gauge 02232000 recorded a modest 117 cfs on the St. Johns River as of May 23 — consistent with the late-spring dry period before Florida's rainy season arrives. No direct water temperature reading was available from the gauge, but typical late-May conditions for this region place surface temps in the low 80s°F, signaling full exit from the bass spawn window. Largemouth bass across both Lake Okeechobee and the St. Johns are moving through the post-spawn transition: males that held near beds are abandoning them, and larger females have retreated toward offshore grass edges and deeper structure. Florida Sea Grant's recent coverage of the Southwest Florida Invasive Fish Roundup serves as a seasonal reminder that anglers working Okeechobee's southern and eastern rim canals may encounter exotic species — oscars, clown knifefish, and others — alongside native gamefish. The clearest opportunity this week belongs to panfish: bluegill and shellcracker (redear sunfish) are at or near peak spawn on both waters in late May, with beds forming on shallow, hard-bottom flats near vegetation edges. Verify current Florida regulations before harvesting.

4d ago

Snook Nook's May 2026 Stuart report calls this "the best time of the year for Snook fishing" as fish ramp up for the spawn, with consistent quality slot and over-slot fish showing across the Indian and St. Lucie Rivers. Offshore, Sport Fishing Mag reports blackfin tuna flooding South Florida Atlantic waters from the Keys to Palm Beach throughout May — one of the season's premier pelagic windows. Charter trips out of Fort Lauderdale, per Tidal Fish, have been delivering sailfish action along with wahoo on natural reefs and offshore structure. NOAA buoys 41009 and 41008 registered air temps of 78–82°F with light-to-moderate winds, though neither buoy returned water temperature or wave-height data. One major regulatory note: a federal court preliminary injunction halted Florida's expanded 39-day Atlantic red snapper season under the state EFP program just hours before it was set to open, per CCA Florida and Coastal Angler Magazine. Verify current snapper regulations before heading out.

4d ago

Water temperatures have climbed to 81°F at NOAA buoy 42036, and Naples Offshore Fishing Charters reports the tarpon migration is fully underway along the Gulf Coast. Captains are intercepting fish as they push through the area, jumping and landing quality tarpon during morning sessions before switching to afternoon permit. Sight fishing for large permit has been steady, and kingfish are responding well to plugs and flies thrown offshore. Cobia and amberjacks have also entered the mix, according to Naples Offshore Fishing Charters, making this one of the most species-diverse windows of the year. Light winds of 2–3 m/s (per buoys 42036 and 42039) are keeping surface conditions favorable for flat-water sight fishing. Coastal Angler Magazine notes grouper season reopened May 1st for Keys and Gulf anglers, adding reef and wreck options to an already loaded menu. Late May is delivering exactly what Gulf Coast regulars expect: a premium multi-species window before summer heat fully sets in.

4d ago

USGS gauge 01493500 recorded just 6.89 cfs on the evening of May 23 — decidedly lean flow heading into the Memorial Day weekend. The Fisherman — NJ/DE Freshwater reports largemouth bass spread across spawning beds through the first half of May across Delaware-area waters, with fish beginning the post-spawn pull toward deeper structure. Crappie have been a regional bright spot: the same source notes good action throughout the period, with schools beginning to consolidate near bridges, pilings, and submerged wood as they shift toward summer staging areas. Catfishing has been fair across the region per the same reports, while pickerel in cedar-tinted stretches remain a consistent option. Low flows concentrate fish into pools and current seams — finesse plastics and live minnows will outperform power presentations under these conditions. Check local regulations before keeping anything, as slot limits on bass vary by water body in Delaware.

4d ago

Water temperatures have climbed to 55°F across Long Island Sound, per NOAA buoys 44025 and 44065, and the timing couldn't be better — multiple Connecticut tackle shops are reporting the best striper bite in years. Fisherman's World described this week as simply "bass, bass, bass," with fish caught on virtually every method across inshore and deep water alike. The Fisherman's Connecticut roundup, drawing on reports from Aaron Swanson and area shops, confirms the May new moon supercharged bass activity throughout LIS and its tributaries, with fish feeding on squid, bunker, mackerel, herring, and silversides. Captain Morgan's Bait and Tackle reported that artificials, including flies, are easily keeping pace with live bait, and noted tide rather than time of day is the primary variable right now. OTW Saltwater's May 19 striper migration report confirmed Long Island Sound is "loaded with big bass on bunker." Bluefish have just arrived in southern New England and are beginning to filter into the region.

4d ago

The Salmon River's Trout Management Area and Trophy Trout Area were stocked May 13, and per The Fisherman — New England Freshwater, at least one angler fishing the river since has caught 'as many trout as he wanted.' Water temps on the Connecticut River have reached 62°F (USGS gauge 01184000), putting inland Connecticut squarely in its late-spring transition. Largemouths across local ponds are deep into the spawn and proving 'trickier to entice than they were in prespawn,' according to Fishin' Factory 3 in Middletown. Fisherman's World in Norwalk hears from Saugatuck Reservoir regulars that both largemouth and smallmouth bass action 'keeps steadily improving,' with shiners the clear top producer and Keitech swim baits and Lunker City paddletails also working well. The Connecticut River continues to draw interest for shad and carp. Verify current bass season dates with state regulations before harvesting; catch-and-release is the standard during the spawn window.

4d ago

USGS gauge 09095500 clocked the Colorado River at 62°F and 2,130 cfs on May 23 — a notably modest late-May flow that reflects Colorado's historically low snowpack season. Cutthroat Anglers (CO) called it plainly in their May update: "This winter has been historic for all the wrong reasons," but the trout fishing silver lining is real. Lower runoff has kept clarity high well into late spring, opening wade-fishing windows that in high-snowpack years would be blown out through June. Cutthroat Anglers (CO) guide Matt Campanella notes that fish are "active, grouped up, and ready to bite for the angler willing to hike a little further or cast a little lighter." Midge and BWO hatches are firmly underway per Pat Dorsey Fly Fishing (CO), with a caddis transition building as water temperatures climb. Colorado Trout Hunters reports one of the best spring runs of migratory fish on the Dream Stream in recent memory.

4d ago

Water temperatures off Monterey have pulled down to 54°F (NOAA buoy 46042), and that cold-water shift is already paying off for Central Coast salmon anglers. Captain Jared Davis of the Salty Lady, working out of Half Moon Bay Sport Fishing, reported that temps fell from 58°F to 54°F below Pigeon Point — and per Western Outdoor News — Saltwater, the bonita cleared out with that temperature drop while salmon conditions reached their best point of the season. A separate Monterey-dateline report in Western Outdoor News — Saltwater echoes this, noting that an increase in northwest winds has triggered productive upwelling along the Central Coast, drawing cold, nutrient-rich water to the surface — the exact setup Chinook need to stage and feed. Buoy 46028 at Cape San Martin reads warmer at 60°F with waves near 5.6 feet, suggesting a thermal gradient worth exploring between those stations. Rockfish and halibut remain seasonally present but drew no direct field reports this cycle.

4d ago