Fishing reports
16681 reports across all 50 states — current conditions and what's biting.
Redfish Turn On Along Florida's Gulf Coast as September Arrives
Redfish are "fantastic" right now around New Port Richey, per Capt. Bill Rutherford's report in Coastal Angler Magazine, and that bite should hold as water starts to cool into September. Further south, Capt. Sergio, also writing for Coastal Angler Magazine, calls this his change-up month, shifting away from the usual mackerel-and-trout pattern to chase big redfish in cooler water. Offshore, Sport Fishing Mag notes gag grouper are stacking on nearshore structure along Florida's west coast during the short September season, a good window for trolling close-in rock piles. No live buoy or gauge readings came through for this report, so treat water temps and wind as approximate, and check a local forecast before you run. Salt Strong's Insider weekend game plan has been tracking the Gulf Coast region specifically in recent weeks, another sign the redfish bite here is worth chasing as the month opens.
Coho push arrives on the Kenai as interior rivers turn to fall patterns
Coho salmon are pushing into the Kenai River system and its tributaries as the calendar turns to September, historically the heart of Southcentral Alaska's silver-salmon run, with rainbow trout and Dolly Varden expected to trail behind feeding on drifting eggs — a pattern typical for interior AK freshwater this time of year. This week's angler-intel sweep turned up no on-the-water reports specific to the Kenai or interior river systems: the Alaska Sea Grant items in our feed covered community programs (a Kasaan skiff-safety workshop, a Goodnews Bay recycling initiative, staff profiles) rather than catch conditions, and no charter, shop, or forum source filed anything for this region. We're grounding today's species outlook in typical late-season patterns rather than fresh reports, so check with a local shop or the state agency directly before heading out for current bite conditions.
Sea mullet, sight-casting reds liven up Hatteras surf
Eric at Hatteras Jack reports bottom anglers working the Rodanthe-area beaches are turning up good-sized sea mullet, with surf regulars also finding steady sight-casting opportunities along the same stretch. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for the Outer Banks this cycle, so today's report leans on what shops and captains up and down the NC coast are seeing on the water. Further south, Fisherman's Post correspondents in Topsail, Morehead City, and Ocean Isle all describe spanish mackerel and bluefish holding tight to the beachfront and pushing bait balls within casting range — a pattern that typically works its way toward Hatteras and Ocracoke as September rolls on. Redfish should be settling into their usual early-fall pattern on the sound-side flats and sloughs, though we don't have a direct Outer Banks report on them yet. Check state regs before harvesting sea mullet or drum this week.
Chicago's Lake Michigan waters ease into the early fall salmon build-up
No buoy or gauge readings came back for the Chicago stretch of Lake Michigan this cycle, and no shop, charter, or state report specific to these waters landed in today's intel sweep, so this update leans on general seasonal pattern rather than a fresh bite report. For broader lake-wide context, the WI DNR's Lake Michigan Fishing Report noted 2024 was a standout year, with a record 210,000-plus coho salmon and over 160,000 Chinook harvested lakewide — the strongest Chinook numbers since 2012 — helped by stronger alewife survival feeding the stocked salmon classes. Early September is typically when Chicago-area anglers start watching for Chinook, coho, and steelhead to begin staging as nearshore temps ease down from summer highs, with yellow perch remaining a steady inshore option through the transition. Check a local marina, charter, or the DNR site for current conditions before heading out, since none of today's sources spoke directly to what's happening in Chicago's nearshore waters right now.
Smallmouth and walleye set up for the early-fall bait push on the Allegheny
Wired 2 Fish's September lure roundup captures where the calendar sits right now: mornings finally carry an edge, baitfish are pushing toward staging areas, and moving baits are earning more looks than they did in August. No fresh NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came through for the Allegheny and Pittsburgh tailwaters this cycle, so treat water temperature and flow as unknowns rather than assumed numbers. Smallmouth bass should be sliding onto current breaks and rocky structure behind migrating baitfish, with crankbaits and swimbaits earning looks per Tactical Bassin's September bait rundown. Walleye fishing benefits from the clearer late-summer water many tailwater pools carry this time of year, especially where anglers run forward-facing sonar to mark suspended fish, a shift Fishing the Midwest has been tracking. Stocked trout holdovers stay a tougher target while water sits on the warmer side. Check current PA Fish and Boat Commission regulations before keeping anything.
Late-summer bass shift signals Georgia's fall bite building
Georgia Outdoor News's Fall Bass Tournament Preview reports the state's tournament trails are gearing up as summer heat starts to break, with several premier schedules already dropped for the season. That timing lines up with what Tactical Bassin is seeing nationally for September: bass transitioning onto baitfish and feeding more actively, with topwater, crankbaits, and swimbaits all producing around schooling fish. Wired 2 Fish's September lure roundup echoes the same shift, pointing to dropping water temps and migrating baitfish as the trigger anglers should watch for. We don't have a fresh buoy or gauge reading for the Chattahoochee or Savannah systems this week, and no source in our feeds filed a specific on-the-water report from either river, so treat the species notes below as seasonal expectation rather than a confirmed local bite. The Georgia Wildlife Blog continues steering families toward public fishing areas and local ponds as an easy, low-pressure option while the bigger fall transition sets up around the state.
UP trout streams shift into early-fall patterns as Superior stays quiet on data
No NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came back for the Upper Peninsula this cycle, and this week's angler-intel sweep didn't surface direct trout-stream or open-water reports for the UP specifically. The one useful signal from the region comes from across the state line: per the WI DNR Lake Superior Fishing feed, lake whitefish have become a genuinely popular target on Chequamegon Bay, both from a boat and through the ice, popular enough that the DNR ran a public meeting and angler questionnaire on the fishery this spring. For UP brook trout streams, early September typically means cooling flows and fish keying on terrestrial patterns as summer insect activity tapers off, while Lake Superior's nearshore areas are approaching the seasonal window when coho and steelhead start staging. Check the MI DNR Weekly Fishing Report for stream-specific numbers before you head out, since our feed didn't return granular UP detail this week.
Yellowtail and mutton snapper keep the Keys bite rolling into fall
Yellowtail and mutton snapper have been the headline out of Key West, with ALL IN Key West describing "huge yellow tails, tons and tons of mutton snappers" and heavy, actively feeding schools through the recent full-moon push. Bud n' Mary's echoes the pattern from Islamorada, reporting tarpon on the bridges, mahi offshore, and yellowtail thick on the reef through early summer. No fresh buoy or tide-gauge readings came through this cycle, so treat water temp as seasonal-typical for the Keys heading into September — warm and stable both bayside and offshore. Florida Sea Grant notes permit spawning aggregations that can gather over a thousand fish at a time around the Keys, a strong sight-fishing target on the flats. Regulatory backdrop is unsettled: CCA Florida flags ongoing litigation over the 2026 South Atlantic red snapper pilot season, so confirm current state rules before targeting that species. Most reports on hand describe June–July conditions rather than this exact week, so verify locally before running long.
Snook Season Reopens on the Treasure Coast as Mullet Run Builds
Snook season reopens today along Florida's Treasure Coast, and Snook Nook in Stuart reports the pre-closure bite carried real momentum — steady numbers through August with many fish pushing 40 inches, best around the St. Lucie Inlet on live croakers and threadfins, with a dead threadfin on bottom as the go-to when the inlet bite slows. The shop's September report flags the early stages of the mullet run, with schools of larger mullet showing inshore and a few pods working down the beaches, though the run itself is trending later than usual after a cooler winter. Separately, Atlantic red snapper season is in limbo — CCA Florida reports a federal court injunction blocked the 2026 South Atlantic red snapper Exempted Fishing Permit pilot programs just hours before Florida's season was set to open, so harvest plans there remain unsettled. Check current state regs before targeting snapper.
Largemouth patterns shift as Florida's summer heat begins to fade
Wired 2 Fish's early-September lures roundup captures where Southeastern freshwater fishing sits right now: "the sweltering summer heat finally starts to break," with water temps beginning to ease and baitfish starting to migrate — the exact cue Okeechobee and St. Johns largemouth watch for heading into fall. No NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came back for this freshwater stretch today, so treat water-temp and flow figures as unavailable rather than assumed. Tactical Bassin's September bass report backs the same seasonal read, noting bass are "transitioning to Fall patterns and actively feeding on baitfish" and rewarding anglers who cover water quickly with topwater, crankbaits, and swimbaits around schooling fish. Panfish and catfish don't have direct reports in today's feed, so expect typical early-fall holding behavior rather than a confirmed bite change. We're keeping species status conservative until on-the-water Okeechobee/St. Johns reports come in directly.
Drop-Shot Bass Bite Builds at Smith Mountain Lake and Buggs Island
Virginia DWR's Wildlife Blog is pushing the drop shot rig this week as its go-to bass presentation, a finesse setup built to hold a bait just above bottom for largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass — a rig that suits the rock points and submerged timber found on both Smith Mountain Lake and Buggs Island (Kerr Reservoir). Panfish anglers have an easier read: the same DWR feed's late-summer bluegill and redear sunfish report, filmed at Powhatan WMA, shows both species still willing on ultralight gear and small poppers, a pattern that typically holds statewide into September. Nationally, Wired 2 Fish's September lure roundup and Tactical Bassin both flag the early-fall shift already underway, with baitfish starting to migrate and bass sliding onto moving baits like swimbaits, crankbaits, and topwater. No fresh striper reports have come in from either lake this cycle, but the seasonal cool-down should start nudging stripers shallower off their late-summer thermocline holds.
Chesapeake mouth angling holds steady ahead of the fall push
No buoy or gauge readings came in for the Chesapeake mouth this week, and neither Virginia DWR nor VA Sea Grant published saltwater-specific reports — DWR's latest posts covered drop-shot bass tactics and bluegill on inland lakes, not open-water conditions. That leaves us leaning on typical early-September patterns for the lower Bay: spot and croaker action holding steady around structure and bridge pilings, red drum working the flats on cut bait, and striped bass still generally slow ahead of the fall push that Anglers Journal's coverage of the Northeast fishery describes intensifying as water temps drop later in the month. Cobia action is typically winding down for the season by now. Further north, Saltwater Edge in Rhode Island is already seeing bonito and the first false albacore of the fall run — a preview of what tends to arrive off Virginia weeks later. Treat today's picture as seasonal baseline, not confirmed local intel.
Record Maine Swordfish Steals the Show Ahead of Fall Run
A 529-pound swordfish landed off the Maine coast this week and is pending recognition as the state's first-ever record for the species, according to On The Water — a headline catch that underscores how much offshore water is warming enough to pull big pelagics into range. Aside from that outlier catch, direct buoy and gauge readings for the Gulf of Maine weren't available this cycle, and shop/charter chatter specific to Maine saltwater was thin in this week's feeds. Seasonally, early September is when striped bass begin staging for the fall run along the Maine coast, bluefish typically remain active in nearshore waters, and mackerel schools are common close to shore and piers. Maine Sea Grant's ongoing native oyster reef restoration work is a reminder that coastal habitat conditions continue shifting even in quieter fishing weeks. Anglers should treat today's species read as seasonal expectation rather than confirmed reports, and check regional shops before heading out.
Charleston Harbor reds settle in as South Atlantic snapper plan advances
Direct on-the-water reports for Charleston Harbor are thin this week, but one development matters for South Carolina anglers: Saltwater Sportsman reports that Florida, South Carolina and Georgia are pushing NOAA Fisheries for a month-long red snapper season this fall, tentatively Oct. 1-31, after a lawsuit halted the original 2026 season — worth tracking if you run nearshore structure out of Charleston. Inshore, early September typically marks the summer-to-fall transition: redfish and spotted seatrout begin working onto grass flats and around oyster rakes as water starts to cool, while black drum hold tight to dock pilings and deep structure. SC Sea Grant's Salt Marshes and Tidal Creeks guide is a solid refresher on the estuarine base — oysters, crabs, shrimp — that Charleston's tidal-creek fishery keys on this time of year. Check state regs before harvesting anything as season structures shift through the fall.
Georgia coast eyes fall red snapper reopening as summer fades
Georgia's Atlantic coast anglers have real news to plan around: after a lawsuit halted the main 2026 red snapper season, Georgia, South Carolina, and Florida are pushing for a fallback October 1-31 recreational window, per Saltwater Sportsman. That's the headline heading into September. On the reports side, the Georgia Wildlife Blog — Fishing is shifting its weekly report to a rotating regional format (North, Central, Southeast, Southwest) starting this month, so expect more focused Southeast coastal detail in the weeks ahead. We don't have fresh buoy or gauge readings this cycle, so treat water temps as seasonal-typical for early September — still warm, with the first hints of a cooling trend. Redfish and spotted seatrout remain the dependable inshore targets this time of year, with flounder action typically building as water eases off summer highs. Check regs before targeting red snapper — the fall window isn't finalized yet.
Cape Cod Bay stripers stage as fall run builds to the south
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came in for Cape Cod Bay this cycle, so we're leaning on regional angler intel to frame the picture. To the south in Rhode Island, Saltwater Edge reports the fall run is kicking off, with bonito and even a few Spanish mackerel already showing over the past couple weeks and false albacore expected close behind. Anglers Journal's recent look at the fall striper blitz notes the Northeast fishery's heartbeat strengthens through September as migrations get underway and daylight shortens — exactly the window Cape Cod Bay is entering now. OTW Surfcasting's advice to lean on soft plastics for big stripers in the surf is a solid starting technique as bass begin staging. We're calling stripers Active on seasonal timing; expect albies and blues to follow the same southern-New-England pattern in the coming weeks. Check state regs before harvesting.
Cubera snapper surprise hints at fall run building in the Sound
A 14-year-old angler landed a Caribbean cubera snapper off a Nantucket beach this week — a catch On The Water notes researchers see as more than luck, likely tied to lingering warm water carrying tropical strays into Southern New England surf. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came in for Buzzards Bay or Vineyard Sound this cycle, so treat water temps as seasonally warm until local readings firm up. One bay over, Saltwater Edge (RI) reports bonito and even a few Spanish mackerel already in the mix, with albies "not far behind" as the fall run kicks off there — a solid regional signal for our waters too. Anglers Journal frames the weeks before the equinox as when striper migrations and blitz activity really start marshaling, so bass should keep building through the month. We're watching for that RI push to reach the Sound over the next couple of weeks.
Fall run stirs as bonito and albies push toward Long Island Sound
Saltwater Edge's late-August forecast out of Rhode Island reports the fall run is underway in southern New England, with bonito and even a few Spanish mackerel already showing and false albacore expected close behind — a signal Long Island Sound anglers should watch, since the same bait and predator movements typically reach CT waters within days to a couple weeks of the RI reports. No Connecticut-specific buoy readings or local bite reports came in this cycle, so species status below leans on seasonal expectation rather than confirmed local action. Striped bass are entering their classic fall build as migrating fish key on baitfish pushes; OTW Surfcasting notes soft plastics are currently outproducing hard plugs from the beach for bass. Two tiger sharks were also landed on eastern Long Island on back-to-back nights recently, a reminder that big predators are actively working bait along the Sound's approaches. Fluke action typically starts tapering as water cools into September.
Lake Michigan's Indiana shoreline eases into early-fall transition
Lake Michigan's Indiana shoreline is easing into the early-fall transition, and direct reports for the Indiana coast were thin this cycle — no fresh buoy or gauge readings came in, and no charter or tackle-shop dispatches specific to the Indiana shoreline surfaced in this week's intel sweep. What we do have: the WI DNR Lake Michigan Fishing Report notes 2024 stood out as a banner year lakewide, with anglers landing a record 210,000-plus coho salmon and the most Chinook salmon (160,000-plus) since 2012 — a reminder of how strong this fishery has been running basin-wide. Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant is also gearing up for its 2026 State of Lake Michigan meeting this November in Michigan City, Indiana, underscoring active basin-wide research into the fishery's health. Absent fresh Indiana-specific bite reports, anglers should lean on typical early-September patterns here: salmon and trout beginning to stage as surface water cools, smallmouth bass working rocky structure, and perch schooling tighter to bait nearshore.
Terrestrial patterns take over on Penns and Spring Creek
Hatch Magazine's early-September terrestrial countdown flags a seasonal cue that applies directly to Pennsylvania's limestone water: ant and hopper patterns are entering their prime window as summer winds down. On Spring Creek and Penns Creek, that typically means selective wild browns keying on ants, beetles, and hoppers blown onto the water through midday, with the reliable pre-dawn trico spinner falls still worth an early start. Caddis Fly's late-summer note on fishing sunken ant patterns for trout keyed in on terrestrials offers a useful technique cue here too — a jigged, sub-surface ant can out-produce a dry once fish get educated on top. No fresh flow or temperature readings came through for these streams today, so treat water conditions as typical for early fall on spring-fed limestone water: cool, clear, and stable. Regulations on both fisheries carry special catch-and-release sections — always confirm current rules before keeping fish.
Susquehanna smallmouth key in as fall patterns take hold
Water temps across the Susquehanna and Allegheny systems are beginning their seasonal slide, and Wired 2 Fish's September lure roundup pegs exactly why that matters: as the sweltering summer heat finally breaks, baitfish start migrating and smallmouth bass shift how and where they feed. Tactical Bassin's early-fall breakdown backs that up, noting bass are transitioning into fall mode and keying on baitfish schools, with topwater, crankbaits, and swimbaits all in play once fish group up and start schooling. For multi-species days on the Allegheny, Fishing the Midwest still likes a bladed swim jig with a plastic trailer for bass, pike, and walleye alike, and their look at 'old versus new' walleye tactics notes that traditional jigging with live bait still produces even with forward-facing sonar now common in boats. No live NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came through for this region this cycle, so confirm current flow and clarity locally before you launch.
Walleye still leads while early coho trickle into Lake Huron
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came back for the Great Lakes/Grand River corridor this cycle, so anglers should lean on their own thermometer and gauge checks before launching. The Michigan DNR's August 26 Weekly Fishing Report flags walleye as now the most-harvested species in Michigan's Great Lakes waters, a trend that lines up with steady late-summer jigging and crankbait-trolling action typical for this stretch of the calendar. Chatter along the Thumb has anglers watching for the first cohos of the season to show near piers as water starts its seasonal cool-down, though that's early and unconfirmed by any agency source yet. Smallmouth bass are shifting into their fall pattern, with green, living weed edges the go-to starting point as summer weed beds begin to die back. Perch effort has been inconsistent on inland waters per scattered angler reports. Overall: a transitional week, walleye still the safest bet, salmon anticipation building.
Fall transition bass bite building on Hartwell and Russell
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came in for Hartwell/Russell this cycle, but the seasonal signal is loud across Georgia's fishing media: bass are shifting out of the summer doldrums. Georgia Outdoor News' Fall Bass Tournament Preview (GA Sportsman / Georgia Outdoor News) notes the state's tournament trails are "about to ignite" as cooler temperatures approach — a pattern that plays out on the Savannah chain as much as anywhere in Georgia. Tactical Bassin's September rundown flags bass "transitioning to Fall patterns and actively feeding on baitfish," pointing anglers toward topwater, crankbaits, and swimbaits around schooling fish. Wired 2 Fish's September lure preview echoes the same shift, with cooling mornings triggering baitfish migration and more aggressive feeding windows. Georgia Wildlife Blog's weekly report keeps encouraging family trips to public water before the fall push gets serious. Expect largemouth and spotted bass to key on shad as the transition deepens, with stripers and hybrids following bait toward deeper breaks.
King and coho salmon start staging as Grand River fishery turns toward fall
Direct buoy and gauge readings for the Grand River mouth stretch weren't available this cycle, and on-the-water reports specific to this piece of Lake Michigan were thin in this week's feed. The Wisconsin DNR's Lake Michigan Fishing Report notes 2024 was a standout year basin-wide, with anglers landing over 210,000 coho salmon — a state record — and more than 160,000 Chinook, the strongest king numbers since 2012, evidence the fishery has carried real momentum into recent seasons. Early September is typically when Chinook and coho begin staging closer to river mouths and pier heads ahead of the fall run, while smallmouth bass and yellow perch remain the steadier local targets as nearshore water starts its seasonal cooldown. We're leaning on that seasonal pattern here since fresh, location-specific intel for the Grand River area didn't come through this week — treat the species status below as a seasonal baseline rather than a confirmed bite report.