Fishing reports
16791 reports across all 50 states — current conditions and what's biting.
Albies and Blues Push Into the Elizabeth Islands Rips
Blues and albies are stacking up around the Elizabeth Islands rips this week. Falmouth Bait and Tackle reports bonito and albies showing around Quicks Hole and the rips at Robinsons Hole, with 4- to 6-pound bluefish working the north shore of the Vineyard up to Nobska Point and some bigger blues coming off Horseshoe Shoal. Up the coast in Hyannis, Sports Port says blues have been working the rips between Nobska and Hyannis, with occasional bonito and albies off Osterville and Bass River, though those fish keep moving and aren't holding in one spot yet. The Fisherman's regional forecast adds that bonito numbers are building in nearby Rhode Island waters with a few albies already showing in Cape waters, one topping 16 pounds — a sign the fall push is arriving close to schedule. Bottom fishing stays steady too, with short fluke and legal sea bass drifting the Bishops-to-Succonnesset stretch.
Big Fluke, Rising Sea Bass Mark Late-Summer LI Sound Bite
A stacked Thursday fluke drift stood out this week: per The Fisherman — Connecticut, Black Hawk boated three fish over 7 pounds on the first drift, then a 9-pounder and an 11-pounder came aboard shortly after, with porgies, sea bass and triggerfish rounding out the box. J&B Tackle echoes the fluke and sea bass bite as good around Black Point, Niantic Bay and Two Tree Channel, with bigger fish reported near Montauk; striped bass are running best at dawn and dusk, and live-lined eels are producing the biggest bass after dark. AW Marina notes a steady but modest bluefish bite at The Race and Plum Gut, with anglers hoping bigger blues arrive ahead of this weekend's Greatest Bluefish Tournament on Earth, which The Fisherman (Northeast) reports is taking over Long Island Sound. Sea bass fishing continues to improve, per Tartan II, as the summer lull eases into a fall transition.
Late-summer turnover nears for Indiana's Lake Michigan salmon and perch
The clearest hard data point in this cycle's feed isn't from the Indiana shoreline at all — it's the WI DNR Lake Michigan Fishing Report's recap of the 2024 season, which noted a record coho salmon harvest (over 210,000 fish) and the biggest Chinook haul since 2012 lakewide, credited to strong alewife survival feeding the stocked salmon classes. That's basin-wide context, not a fresh bite report, and no NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came through for the Indiana shoreline this cycle, and no charter, shop, or state report specific to Indiana's Lake Michigan waters was available either. So this update leans on typical late-August patterns for the region rather than confirmed local intel: warm surface water still has salmon and steelhead staging offshore and near river mouths, yellow perch working deeper structure, and smallmouth active around rock and pier structure. Check a current buoy reading and a local shop report before planning a trip.
Toledo Bend anglers push deep as late-August heat holds
No direct buoy, gauge, or angler-report data came through for Toledo Bend or the Sabine River border this cycle — this week's intel feed leaned national and saltwater, without a single Toledo Bend-, Sabine-, or Louisiana-freshwater-specific catch report making it through. So this update leans on general seasonal knowledge rather than fresh, attributable intel. Late August on this reservoir system is typically a dog-days stretch: largemouth bass slide off the bank and hold on river-channel ledges, main-lake humps, and standing timber in deeper water where oxygen and temperature stay more stable, often feeding hardest in the first and last hour of daylight. Crappie commonly suspend over brush piles and deeper structure this time of year, while catfish activity tends to hold up well after dark. We'd rather tell you the data gap plainly than guess at a bite nobody actually reported — check current Louisiana fishing regulations before heading out.
Illinois River and Lake Michigan Ease Into the Fall Transition
No fresh buoy or river-gauge readings came through for the Illinois River or Lake Michigan this cycle, so this week's outlook leans on regional technique intel and the late-August calendar instead of live numbers. Fishing the Midwest's Mike Frisch notes that Forward-Facing Sonar has reshaped how Midwest anglers locate walleye, with more fish showing up suspended off structure than a traditional jig-and-crawler approach would find — worth trying on the Illinois River's deeper holes and current breaks. Fishing the Midwest's Bob Jensen also flags multi-tentacled "urchin" style soft plastics drawing strikes this season, a bait worth having on hand for smallmouth around rock and structure. Tactical Bassin's late-summer video warns against camping on spots that produced back in July as fish start shifting toward the Fall transition. Expect the typical late-August pattern to hold: bass and walleye leaning structure-oriented, catfish steady after dark, and perch beginning to tighten up as Lake Michigan starts its seasonal cool-down.
Limestone spring creeks settle into late-summer trout rhythm
No fresh gauge or angler-report data came through for Spring Creek and Penns Creek this cycle, so this update leans on typical late-August patterns for Pennsylvania's limestone fisheries. These spring-fed systems run cooler and more stable than freestone streams through summer, which typically keeps trout active even as regional air temps climb. Late August on limestone water usually means low, clear flows, selective fish, and a shift toward smaller terrestrial patterns and early-morning or evening windows to avoid warming afternoon water. Wild brown trout in these systems are typically wary this time of year given consistent fishing pressure and skinny flows. Until a fresh USGS gauge reading or a PA-specific report comes through, treat this as a general seasonal outlook rather than a live conditions read — check the PA Fish & Boat Biologist Reports page directly for the latest survey notes on these waters before planning a trip.
Smallmouth stay active as PA rivers settle into late-summer pattern
No fresh NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came through for the Susquehanna and Allegheny this cycle, so this week's outlook leans on typical late-August behavior for Pennsylvania's big warmwater rivers rather than a live reading. Smallmouth bass remain the most reliable target, and national technique roundups from Field & Stream and Tactical Bassin this week both emphasize the same late-summer-into-fall transition pattern — working points, ledges, and current breaks with moving baits early and late, sliding to slower presentations through the heat of the day. Walleye typically go quieter as water warms through late August, holding deep and favoring low-light windows. Muskellunge fishing is normally still building toward its better fall stretch. Channel catfish, on the other hand, are usually near their seasonal peak, feeding aggressively after dark on cut bait and stinkbait in slower pools. None of this week's angler-intel feeds carried a direct Susquehanna or Allegheny report, so treat species status below as seasonal expectation rather than confirmed bites.
Stripers Show in Chesapeake Creeks as Flounder Season Winds Down
Striped bass in the 20- to 24-inch range are showing in Delaware Bay and Chesapeake-area tidal creeks and rivers, biting sandworms and shrimp, according to Smith's Bait Shop via this week's The Fisherman — DE/MD/Chesapeake report. Flounder action continues at the Old Grounds, Port Mahon, and Bowers Beach jetty, with live minnows, bucktails tipped with squid strips, or Gulp crawfish producing keepers, while sea bass and croaker round out the bottom bite. Croaker numbers remain plentiful but undersized this stretch — Eric Burnley notes it's been tough finding croaker over the 9-inch minimum. Offshore, canyon boats are still picking at tuna and tilefish. With NJ's Delaware Bay flounder season set to close September 25 (Delaware's four-fish, 17.5-inch rule runs through year-end), anglers eyeing keeper flounder have a closing window before regulations tighten the bite locally.
Great Lakes walleye lead the pack as fall salmon run nears
Michigan's own numbers set the tone this week: the MI DNR Weekly Fishing Report notes walleye has become the most harvested species in the state's Great Lakes waters, a trend playing out as typical late-August patterns hold across the Lower Peninsula. On Lake Michigan, one angler working the Ludington grounds reported trolling 40-60 feet of water with small silver, red-head J-plugs and boating six fish the next morning, per a post on Michigan Sportsman Forum — an encouraging, if single-report, sign for trollers working the deeper thermocline as summer winds down. No fresh NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came through this cycle, so treat water temps and Grand River flow as seasonally typical until the next update. With Labor Day weekend approaching, expect walleye trolling to stay the headline pattern lakewide while Chinook salmon begin staging near river mouths ahead of the fall push. Check current state regulations before harvesting either species.
Cooling Water Lifts Hoot-Owl Limits Across Montana Trout Rivers
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks lifted hoot-owl fishing restrictions on the Smith and Sun Rivers effective Aug. 29, and similar afternoon-closure rules eased across the upper Clark Fork, lower Bitterroot, and other western and southwest Montana streams as stream temperatures dropped, per MT FWP Fishing News. The moves cap a stretch where warm-water stress had triggered restrictions region-wide; FWP had already lifted several hoot-owl rules and river-mouth closures on Aug. 13, though falling flows forced new closures on sections of the Big Hole at the same time. For Yellowstone-area anglers, Hatch Magazine's terrestrial countdown notes the annual hopper-and-ant window is in full swing as the long, smoky summer grinds toward fall. Yellowstone National Park is also closing Buffalo Creek, a Slough Creek tributary, Aug. 31-Sept. 7 for native fish restoration work, per Flylords Mag. We're seeing conditions trend the right direction for full-day access on trout water that's been squeezed by heat most of the summer.
Early Spawning Colors Signal Fall Shift in Rangeley Waters
A trout landed last week already showing spawning colors is the clearest signal yet that fall is closing in on the Rangeley Lakes and Androscoggin headwaters, per Mainely Fly Fishing's season preview. The same report notes a surprise hatch that produced good dusk rises on Kennebago Lake in early August, a sign fish are still keying on low-light surface activity even as days shorten. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through this cycle, so treat flow and temperature as unconfirmed and lean on these visual cues instead: color-changing trout and evening rise windows both point toward the seasonal cool-down anglers watch for heading into September. Landlocked salmon, lake trout (togue), and smallmouth bass round out the region's typical late-summer lineup, though no specific reports on those species came through this week. With a Waning Gibbous moon overhead, dawn and dusk should stay the highest-percentage windows for the next several days.
Savannah chain stripers hold deep as Hartwell keeps pool lowered
Anglers working the Savannah River corridor below Augusta hooked into stripers on bottom-bumped jigs this week, per Wired 2 Fish — a sign that fish on the broader Hartwell-Russell system are holding deep and structure-oriented as late-August heat lingers. At Hartwell itself, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers continues to hold full pool below normal levels while it addresses a seepage-related concern at the Clemson Lower Diversion Dam Saddle Dike, per GA Sportsman / Georgia Outdoor News — a recurring, non-emergency restriction anglers should factor into ramp and shoreline access plans. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for this stretch of the Savannah chain, so treat surface temps as typical late-summer warm-water levels until a direct reading is available. Largemouth and spotted bass are following the seasonal script: tucked tight to deep points and ledges through the heat of the day, with the better windows still at dawn and dusk. Check current lake-level notices before launching.
King salmon trolling turns on near Ludington as fall staging begins
A Michigan Sportsman Forum report out of Ludington describes steady action in 40-60 feet of water on small silver spoons with red heads, six fish boated in a single morning, a pattern consistent with the annual late-August push of Chinook salmon and steelhead staging along Lake Michigan's eastern shore ahead of their fall run into tributaries like the Grand River. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came back for this stretch today, so treat water temp and flow as unconfirmed until you check a local source before launching. Context from the WI DNR Lake Michigan Fishing Report is encouraging for the broader fishery: 2024 delivered a record coho harvest (210,000-plus) and the biggest Chinook catch since 2012 (160,000-plus), with strong recent alewife survival helping stocked salmon and steelhead numbers. Smallmouth bass should still be workable around river-mouth structure and nearshore reefs in typical late-summer fashion, and walleye tend to slide deeper as surface water stays warm this time of year.
Chincoteague sits at the late-summer turn ahead of the fall run
No buoy readings or Eastern Shore-specific angler reports came through for Chincoteague this cycle, so this update leans on typical late-August patterns for the region rather than fresh on-the-water data. Late August is the hinge point on Virginia's seaside — summer flounder are typically still working the inlet channels and grass edges around Chincoteague and Wachapreague, while spot and croaker are usually thick in the surf and back-bay guts. Striped bass activity along this stretch normally stays slow until water temperatures drop into the 60s, which typically doesn't happen until well into October. Cobia, a Virginia Eastern Shore summer staple, is generally winding down by this point in the season. Anglers should check current Virginia saltwater regulations before keeping anything, since seasons and size limits vary species to species. Treat this as a seasonal baseline rather than a live report — check back as fresh buoy readings and angler intel come in for this stretch of coast.
Olympic Peninsula Rivers Enter Early Fall Chinook Window
Olympic Peninsula salmon rivers are sitting in the late-August lull between summer conditions and the fall Chinook push, but today's data pull came up empty on hard numbers — no NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings filed for the region, and none of this week's angler-intel sources carried a specific on-the-water report from Peninsula river anglers. WA WDFW's Fishing and Stocking Reports page remains the best real-time source for creel-check data and stocking updates on these waters and is worth checking before you head out. In the absence of fresh local reports, expect typical late-summer holding patterns: early fall Chinook beginning to stage as flows and temperatures allow, with coho, chum, and winter steelhead still weeks to months off their usual run timing for this region. Anglers should confirm river-specific rules before fishing, since several Peninsula systems carry selective or emergency regulations that can change through the season.
Delaware Bay flounder keepers stack up before the September close
Delaware Bay's flounder bite remains the story on the New Jersey side, with Higbee's Bait and Tackle reporting customers bringing home limits to 23 inches around the EP Tower and areas near the lighthouse. Big Dave's Tackle in Southern New Jersey echoes the pattern, noting flounder running from the beaches out to the shipping channel alongside croakers and spot. Structure fishing keeps producing too: Boulevard Bait & Tackle says tautog action is heating up inshore around back bay bridges and jetties, with fish to 8 pounds on green crabs, while sheepshead push past 10 pounds on the same baits near bridges and bulkheads per Hands Too Bait and Tackle. Anglers are already ranging farther for keeper flounder as the season winds down — Pier 47 Marina notes trips to the Old Grounds and Reef Site 11 are paying off. Per The Fisherman's DE/MD/Chesapeake report, NJ-side Delaware Bay flounder season is slated to close September 25, so this stretch is prime time to fill a cooler.
Raritan Bay fluke and jumbo sea bass carry the bite toward fall
Capt Ron's out of Atlantic Highlands has strung together a strong week right in the heart of Raritan Bay, with action on keeper fluke and "jumbo" sea bass most drifts, though the crew noted sea bass crowding the bottom sometimes beat the fluke to the bait, and a good drift made the difference between a top-ten day and a frustrating one. Just up the shore, Grumpys Tackle (NJ) reports warm water pushing Spanish mackerel and bonito into the area, and On The Water's Northern New Jersey report (Aug. 27) adds that big keeper fluke are stacking on reefs and wrecks while the midshore tuna bite stays inconsistent and mahi remain abundant around the pots. Belmar-area boats covered by The Fisherman — Northern NJ are mixing bluefish with bonito and Spanish mackerel and expect the good run to carry into September. Striped bass are still quiet in the bay, with captains watching for the first signs of a fall push.
North Shore Lake Trout Bite Holds Steady as Fall Nears
Lake trout are the reliable bite along Minnesota's North Shore near Duluth, where anglers are boating 18-to-33-inch fish on a steady pattern, per this week's MN DNR Lake Superior Summer Fishing report (8/27). Walleye in the 17-to-23-inch range are also cooperating close to Duluth, with trolling spoons doing the work. Surface temps ran 60-65°F near Duluth and 55-60°F from McQuade to Two Harbors, continuing a summer-long push-pull between warm nearshore water and the colder stretch toward Two Harbors. Coho and Chinook salmon, which showed up in good numbers earlier in August, cooled off according to the DNR's 8/20 report — we're seeing fewer salmon reports over the past two weeks even as trout hold steady. Inland, Twin Cities-area walleye and bass anglers are leaning on forward-facing sonar and shifting toward emerging weed edges as late-summer patterns set up, per Fishing the Midwest. Highway 61 construction near McQuade and Two Harbors remains worth planning around for shore access.
Presque Isle smallmouth hold steady as Erie eases toward fall
No direct buoy readings or on-the-water reports came through for Lake Erie or Presque Isle this cycle, so this update leans on typical late-August patterns for the fishery. Smallmouth bass are typically holding tight to rocky nearshore structure and breaklines around Presque Isle Bay as the lake starts cooling off summer highs, while walleye scatter into deeper basin water where trolling crankbaits and spinner rigs produce best this time of year. Yellow perch schools are beginning their seasonal push toward deeper, cooler water. Steelhead haven't shown up in the tributaries yet — that run typically waits on cooler nights and rising flows come September. The PA Fish and Boat Commission's Biologist Reports page is the best water-specific resource to check as conditions firm up. With a waning gibbous moon overhead, early-morning and late-evening low-light windows are worth prioritizing over the midday grind. Check current regulations before harvesting anything.
Fall Chinook Push Begins in Columbia & Sound Tributaries
One angler working the mouth of the Columbia near Buoy 10 reported "HOT chinook action trolling solo" this week, per a post on the IFish.net Fishing Reports forum — a single, unconfirmed account, but one that lines up with the calendar for WA's late-summer Chinook push into Columbia and Puget Sound tributaries. We don't have fresh buoy or river-gauge readings for this cycle, so treat flows and water temps as unknowns until you check current gauge data for your stretch. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife's fishing and stocking reports remain the go-to source for actual creel counts and stocked-water specifics river by river. Typical for late August, fall Chinook begin staging at river mouths and pushing upstream ahead of the main September run, with Coho generally following a few weeks behind. Steelhead and resident cutthroat trout should keep producing as a steady secondary option in freshwater stretches through the transition. Confirm current regs and closures before you head out.
Saginaw Bay walleye hold the late-August pattern
Direct buoy and gauge data for Lake Huron and Saginaw Bay didn't come back with any readings this week, and none of this week's angler-intel feeds carried region-specific catch reports for Huron or the Bay, so this update leans on the typical late-August pattern for the fishery. Saginaw Bay's walleye are usually pushed out over deeper mud flats and scattered grass edges once surface water warms through the month, with crawler harnesses and spinner rigs still doing the work anglers expect this time of year. Yellow perch tend to stack over the same mud basins, giving jig-and-minnow or spreader-rig anglers a steady, if unspectacular, bite. Nearshore rock and cobble stretches should keep holding smallmouth bass willing to chase tubes and craws as water temperatures ease off summer highs. Lake trout fishing typically slows as fish scatter deeper. Check the MI DNR weekly fishing report for county-specific counts before heading out.
Deep structure and low-light windows rule Santee, Murray bass right now
No fresh buoy or gauge readings and no direct Santee Cooper or Lake Murray shop reports came through this pull, so this update leans on late-August seasonal patterns and general reservoir-bass technique from this week's national coverage. Tactical Bassin's rundown on beating hot August reservoir bass points to early shallow points giving way to deeper water as the sun climbs, with topwater and a finesse jig working the low-light window before fish slide out. Field & Stream's piece on Carolina rigging notes the technique shines in 10-plus feet of water along flat points and ledges with clean bottoms — a solid starting pattern for largemouth pushed off the banks by late-summer heat. Expect largemouth and blue catfish to stay the most consistent players through this stretch, with crappie typically the toughest bite of the four in this kind of heat. Check state regs before harvesting anything you plan to keep.
Drop Shot Season Arrives for Virginia Bass as Sunfish Stay Steady
No buoy or gauge readings came back for the Potomac & Shenandoah region this cycle, so this update leans on angler-education intel from the Virginia DWR Wildlife Blog rather than fresh flow or temp numbers. Late August is prime time for the drop shot rig, and DWR's Wildlife Blog walks through why the technique is working right now for smallmouth, largemouth, and spotted bass across the Commonwealth's rivers and lakes — the suspended-bait presentation gives a natural look that triggers bites even as fish get sluggish in warm water. On the panfish side, DWR's own Fishing Report segment highlights bluegill and redear sunfish as a reliable late-summer target on Virginia's public lakes and ponds, with ultralight spinning gear or fly tackle doing the work. No specific Potomac or Shenandoah reach was named in this cycle's intel, so treat locations as general Commonwealth-wide guidance until more localized reports come in.
Wachusett Smallmouth Bite Heats Up on Jigs and Topwater
A 12-year-old angler fishing with his grandfather, Bill Alando, boated a 5-pound smallmouth bass on just his third cast at Wachusett Reservoir this week, per Jerry's Bait and Tackle's report carried by The Fisherman — New England Freshwater. Bill followed with a 4-plus-pound smallmouth of his own on a topwater lure, a good sign bronzebacks are actively feeding near the surface as late-August water temperatures hold. No direct reports came in from Quabbin this cycle, so anglers there should lean on general regional patterns rather than confirmed local intel until fresher reports surface. With a waning gibbous moon overhead, dawn and dusk low-light windows should stay the most productive stretch of the day on both reservoirs. Jig-and-plastics combos and walk-the-dog topwater presentations are the techniques worth leading with right now, and largemouth and lake trout anglers can expect typical late-summer patterns to hold until the fall turnover sets in.