Fishing reports
16791 reports across all 50 states — current conditions and what's biting.
Low, warm flows push Catawba and Roanoke bass deep, catfish active
The USGS gauge on the Catawba (site 02142900) logged just 5.8 cfs at 1:50 a.m. Wednesday, a low, clear-water reading typical of a Piedmont river deep into a dry late-summer stretch. No captain, shop, or agency report in this week's feed comes from the Catawba or Roanoke specifically, so we're leaning on general seasonal patterns and technique guidance rather than fresh bite reports. Field & Stream's current Carolina-rig breakdown is a useful playbook for these conditions — working weighted rigs slowly along deep points and ledges once bass slide off the skinny-water spawn haunts. Tactical Bassin's late-summer coverage this week echoes that shift, warning anglers not to keep working the same shallow spots that produced in spring and early summer. Catfish typically hold up best through low, warm flows like this, feeding actively in early morning and after dark, while crappie tend to go quiet until water starts cooling toward fall turnover.
Wachusett Reservoir bass keep biting as Central Mass flows hold low
A 12-year-old angler's third cast at Wachusett Reservoir turned into a 5-pound smallmouth on a jig, and his grandfather Bill Alando followed with a 4-plus-pound largemouth on a topwater lure, per Jerry's Bait and Tackle in Milford. The same report notes a young angler named Logan boating a 5-pound largemouth on a shiner from shore, likely at Louisa Lake. Central Massachusetts freshwater is fishing true to the late-August pattern: bass are still eating aggressively in the low-light hours before the day heats up, with jigs and topwater baits both drawing strikes. USGS stream gauges at sites 01105500 and 01111500 both show modest, stable late-summer flow, so wading and shoreline access should stay comfortable this week. No water-temperature readings came through on this cycle, so plan around dawn and dusk and check conditions before heading out. The waning gibbous moon overhead favors low-light activity.
Yakima-Spokane trout and bass hold steady through late-summer flows
The clearest signal this cycle comes from the gauge, not the grapevine: site 12484500 logged 2,690 cfs on the evening of Aug. 29, a steady reading consistent with the tail end of irrigation-season releases typical for Eastern Washington rivers this time of year. No shop, charter, or forum post specific to the Yakima or Spokane systems came through our feeds this week, so this update leans on seasonal pattern and general technique guidance rather than fresh catch counts — check WDFW's statewide creel and stocking reporting program directly for the latest regional numbers before you head out. Field & Stream's late-summer smallmouth guide notes fish turn cagey in low, warm flows and reward dawn/dusk presentations with slower retrieves, which tracks for regional smallmouth water right now. Rainbow trout and mountain whitefish should still be working faster runs and riffles while flows hold at current levels.
Shallow-Weed Walleyes Fire Up on the Missouri River System
Jason Mitchell Outdoors is flagging a shallow-weed walleye bite developing on South Dakota water this week, a pattern that tracks with how Missouri River reservoir fish typically stage before the Labor Day weekend crowd thins out. On the data side, USGS gauge 06440200 logged essentially flat flow late Friday night (Aug 29) with no water-temperature reading available, so we're leaning on angler reports rather than hard numbers for this update. Fishing the Midwest's recent notes on forward-facing sonar changing how walleye anglers key on suspended fish over structure are worth keeping in mind on reservoir water, even as plenty of traditional jig-and-livebait presentations still produce. Smallmouth should still be working main-lake points and drop-offs as late-summer flows taper, while Black Hills trout streams are best fished early before afternoon warmth slows the bite. Channel cats remain a solid backup in current seams.
Blue cats hold deep as gar-draw season nears on Texas lakes
Texas lake and river conditions remain deep in summer mode, with the USGS gauge at site 08211200 reading 88°F and a steady flow near 143 cfs — warm, stable water that pushes most gamefish toward deeper, current-influenced structure through the heat of the day. Texas Fish & Game Magazine reports TPWD opens its annual Trinity River alligator gar harvest-authorization drawing on September 1, worth circling for anyone chasing a trophy gar this fall. Fresh, dated bite reports for Texas freshwater lakes are thin in the current feed; the most detailed testimony on file comes from North Texas Catfish Guide's past-season notes on Eagle Mountain Lake, where rising, fresh water has historically triggered an active blue and channel catfish bite. With water this warm right now, expect catfish to hold deeper and feed most aggressively in low light, while bass activity typically slows until temperatures ease.
Gag grouper reopener hits Mississippi Sound as trout bite holds
Mississippi anglers are gearing up for a big shift on the Sound and nearby reefs: the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources has ordered gag grouper and greater amberjack open in state territorial waters starting September 1, with gag closing again October 1. Both species have been off-limits through the summer, so this week's action inshore is centered on the Sound's usual late-August staples, speckled trout and redfish, while boats stage for the reopener. Sport Fishing Mag's Gulf-wide grouper piece notes trolling past nearshore structure is the go-to approach once gag season is live, and its companion guide to Gulf inshore fishing points to working soft plastics and cut bait for redfish along grass edges and channels. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through this cycle, so treat water conditions as typical for late summer until the next update. We're watching the reopener closely, it's the headline event for MS anglers this week.
Western Basin walleye settle into deep summer pattern as Maumee holds steady
The Maumee River gauge (USGS 04193500) read 77°F with flow holding near 859 cfs in the early hours of August 30 — a typical late-summer signature for the Western Basin's main tributary. With surface temps this warm, walleye are settling into the classic late-August pattern: schools pulling off reef complexes and structure into deeper, cooler water through the heat of the day, then sliding shallower to feed as light fades. Fishing the Midwest's recent walleye breakdown notes that both traditional live-bait rigs and forward-facing sonar approaches continue to produce this time of year — FFS has changed how anglers locate suspended fish, but it hasn't retired crawler harnesses or crankbait trolling. Yellow perch and smallmouth bass typically share the same reef structure into early fall. Expect a bite that rewards early and late outings over the midday grind, with trolling speed and depth control mattering more right now than lure color.
Smallmouth improving on the Delaware as Pine Barrens bass hold steady
The regional USGS gauge (01408000) is reading a lean 22.2 cfs overnight into Sunday, the kind of low, warm late-August flow that pushes Delaware River and Pine Barrens gamefish tight to structure and shade rather than open current. Freshwater shop reports back that up: Allen's Dock says local ponds and cedar-water pickerel are still eating killies, though the recent heat has kept some anglers off the water, while Dave's Sport Shop notes largemouth coming on weedless plastics worked through vegetation at Lake Nockamixon, plus bass and panfish on topwater at Galena and Towhee lakes. On the main river, Dave's Sport Shop also reports smallmouth fishing has been improving, with livelining baits expected to get better as September approaches. Smith's Bait Shop adds early-morning and late-day topwater largemouth (and snakeheads) around vegetation, with perch and panfish starting to show in area spillways. Overall a patience bite — work the green, shaded, and vegetated water until temperatures ease.
Bait Buildup Signals Big September as Sea Bass Rule the Jersey Shore
Black sea bass are stealing the show along the Jersey Shore this week, with Capt Ron's out of Atlantic Highlands reporting fish crushing bait on every bit of bottom before fluke can get to it, mixed with a scattering of keeper flounder. Grumpys Tackle notes warm water has pushed Spanish mackerel and bonito into the mix, with epoxy jigs the go-to producer, while Surf City Bait and Tackle (via The Fisherman — Central NJ) says the same species are hitting Deadly Dick jigs as September bait movement builds. Offshore, Fishermans HQ LBI's Hi Flier has been running 25-to-40-pound bluefin within 30 miles of Barnegat Inlet on trolled ballyhoo and live squid, with bonito mixed in. Fishermans HQ LBI also flagged spearing, peanut bunker, and mullet stacking up in the surf and bay — an early fall signal — and Northern New Jersey captains (per The Fisherman — Northern NJ) expect a strong September once stripers push through behind the bait.
Low water keeps upper Penobscot trout and togue tucked deep
The USGS gauge on the upper Penobscot watershed (site 01030500) read a lean 52.7 cfs as of early this morning, consistent with the typical late-August low-water stretch this region sees heading toward Labor Day. No direct angler reports came in from the Moosehead Lake area this cycle, so we're leaning on seasonal patterns here: landlocked salmon and lake trout (togue) typically slide deeper and go quieter as surface temps hold in the upper 60s to low 70s this time of year, while smallmouth bass stay the most dependable player in low, clear water, especially wherever there's moving current. Native brook trout fishing is usually best worked early and late in cooler feeder streams and inlets. Elsewhere in New England, per The Fisherman — New England Freshwater, river smallmouth action has stayed strong on flowing water even as still-water bites slowed — a pattern that tends to hold on the Penobscot's moving stretches too. Check current Maine regs before harvesting.
Bonito flood Rhode Island beaches as the fall run kicks off
Green bonito are thick along Rhode Island's south county beaches right now, feeding on larger baits like sand eels and herring that make them easier to fool, per The Fisherman — Rhode Island. Striped bass fishing has been a bit slow due to high water temperatures and sharks, per the same report, but should pick up as the fall migration gets underway. Saltwater Edge Blog (RI)'s own August Full Moon forecast confirms the pattern, noting bonito and a few spanish mackerel over the past couple weeks with albies hopefully not far behind, and The Fisherman (Northeast)'s New England forecast has RI waters holding good numbers of bonito this week, many of the larger variety, plus a few albies already showing off the Cape (one over 16 pounds). Bottom fishing stays reliable: Frances Fleet and Quonnie Bait and Tackle, via The Fisherman — Rhode Island, both report solid fluke and black sea bass action, with keeper-sized sea bass numbers rising.
Hawaii's summer pelagic bite carries into late August
No fresh buoy readings, gauge data, or on-the-water catch reports came through for the Hawaiian Islands this cycle — Hawaii Fishing News, the state's official record-keeper for big fish and tide/moon calendars, had no new conditions posted at fetch time, and HI Sea Grant's recent items covered coastal research and fellowships rather than the bite. In the absence of fresh reporting, this update leans on typical late-August patterns for the islands: offshore trolling for ahi, mahimahi, and Pacific blue marlin is normally in full swing as summer pelagic migrations continue, while shoreline anglers work papio along rocky points at dawn and dusk. Treat these as seasonal expectations, not confirmed local reports, until a buoy reading or a fresh catch report comes through. Check Hawaii Fishing News' tide and moon calendar directly before planning a trip, and always verify state bag limits and closures before harvesting anything.
Kennebec-Penobscot bass and salmon eye a late-summer turn
The Kennebec and Penobscot watershed's USGS gauge (01046500) logged a flow of 1,450 cfs early this morning, with no fresh water-temperature reading available and the moon sitting at waning gibbous. No Maine-specific catch reports came through our sources this cycle, so this outlook leans on regional patterns and season-typical behavior. Elsewhere in New England, The Fisherman's freshwater column describes smallmouth bass still hitting topwater at dawn and dusk and largemouth holding on senko-style plastics as summer winds down — a pattern that typically extends onto Maine's warmwater stretches too. Landlocked salmon should become more catchable on trolled streamers as surface water cools into fall, while brook trout activity typically stays slow through the tail end of summer heat before picking back up. Check current Maine fishing regs before harvesting, and expect the bite to firm up as nights cool.
Terrestrial Bite Keeps Smokies Tailwater Trout Locked In
USGS gauge 03565000 wasn't reporting flow or temperature at this writing, so treat generation schedules as the wildcard for both the Hiwassee and Caney Fork this week. Regionally, though, the seasonal signal is loud and clear: late-August terrestrials are the story on trout water everywhere. Caddis Fly (OR) just ran a feature on the "Sloshed Ant," a jigged sunken ant pattern built for trout keyed in on terrestrials as summer winds down — a searching-fly approach that translates directly to tailwater riffles and seams here. Hatch Magazine's terrestrial countdown out of Yellowstone confirms the same calendar cue: hopper-and-ant season typically holds through early September before cooling nights shut it off. On the subsurface side, Gink and Gasoline's reminder that San Juan worms produce consistently after high water and generation pulses is worth carrying in the box for whenever generation flows spike. No direct Hiwassee or Caney Fork reports came through this cycle — fish the moon phase and the terrestrial window until local intel firms up.
Iron Range muskies steal the spotlight as summer patterns shift
A 50-inch muskie landed on Vermilion Lake headlines this week's Iron Range report, per Wired 2 Fish — a pair of Northeast Minnesota anglers hooked the fish while chartering a guide to learn the lake's deep, clear-water structure, a solid sign that late-August muskie fishing remains strong across the region. USGS gauge 05129115 shows flow holding near 58 cfs, a stable read heading into the weekend. Walleye anglers are turning to forward-facing sonar to relocate fish that have moved off traditional bottom structure, per Fishing the Midwest's Mike Frisch, who notes anglers are finding walleyes suspending in places "we didn't used to look." Expect smallmouth bass to stay active on rocky points and panfish to hold typical late-summer patterns — deeper by day, shallower at dawn and dusk — across Boundary Waters lakes. We're seeing conditions favor mobile, search-based approaches over anchoring on old spots.
Merrimack Smallmouth Stay Red-Hot Into Labor Day Weekend
Smallmouth bass action remains excellent along the Merrimack River's Lowell-to-Lawrence stretch and into the Hooksett, New Hampshire, section, according to Roger Aziz Jr.'s latest roundup via The Fisherman — New England Freshwater. That's a strong signal for the Merrimack corridor heading into the holiday weekend. Direct Lake Winnipesaukee reports weren't part of this cycle's intel, so anglers there should lean on typical late-August patterns: smallmouth still active around rocky points and ledges, largemouth bass tightening up to weed edges as the post-spawn pattern fully settles in, and lake trout and landlocked salmon beginning to push deeper toward the thermocline as afternoon surface temps hold warm. A regional USGS gauge (01073500) shows a stable, low late-summer base flow near 9 cfs; no water-temperature reading came through this cycle, and no buoy data applies to freshwater NH. Expect the Merrimack smallmouth bite to hold steady through the week, with the best windows around dawn and dusk.
Sacramento Delta stripers and cats hold steady into early fall transition
The USGS gauge at Freeport (11447650) logged the Sacramento River at 69°F and roughly 17,900 cfs Saturday evening, conditions that are fairly typical for the lower Delta heading into early fall. Direct Delta-specific angler reports weren't available in today's source pull, so this update leans on seasonal patterns for the system rather than fresh testimony: late August into early September on the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta typically keeps striped bass, largemouth bass, and channel catfish feeding through warm afternoons and pushing into shallower water at low light, while white sturgeon activity tends to be slower through the warmest stretch of summer and usually builds as water continues to cool. Flows in the high-teens-thousands cfs range keep the main channels well-oxygenated with decent current for drift presentations. Expect a typical late-summer pattern of shade-and-structure fishing through the heat of the day, and check current California fishing regulations before harvesting any species, since Delta rules vary by water and season.
Buoy 10 chatter hints at hot Chinook action on the Columbia
USGS gauge 14105700 on the Columbia River logged 108,000 cfs and a 71°F water temperature as of Friday evening (Aug. 29), conditions on the warm side heading into the heart of fall Chinook season. Angler chatter is thin this cycle, but one report via IFish.net Fishing Reports out near Buoy 10 described "HOT chinook action trolling solo," a promising early signal for the stretch where the river meets the ocean — though it's a single account, not yet corroborated elsewhere, so treat it as one boat's good day rather than a confirmed pattern. Sturgeon anglers should note the elevated flow, which typically redistributes fish along deeper holes and can make bank presentations less consistent than normal. With water still sitting in the low 70s, expect salmon to hold tighter to cooler current seams and deeper water through the warmest part of the day.
Truckee Trout Turn to Crayfish and Mayflies as Cooling Sets In
Guide Aden Breckner's latest On-the-Water Report from Reno Fly Shop calls for Truckee River water temperatures to drop over the next several days, a shift expected to sharpen the bite after a slow bug hatch. Fish are keying on crayfish patterns and mayfly imitations early in the day on both the California and Nevada sides, per the shop. Carp fishing has also been strong for shop clients working urban water near Reno, though that's on the Nevada side of the drainage. In the high country, Reno Fly Shop's season primer on Heenan Lake off Highway 89 near Markleeville flags California Department of Fish and Wildlife's annual Lahontan cutthroat trout stocking at the gated, no-frills lake — a low-pressure alternative to Pyramid Lake water. Live USGS flow and temperature telemetry for gauge 10265200 wasn't reporting this cycle, so treat the cooling trend as directional rather than exact.
High water pushes Driftless browns toward streamer bites
USGS gauge 05407000 is reading 3,650 cfs today, a notably high flow for these Driftless Area limestone spring creeks, with no live water-temp reading available yet. High, often off-color water is streamer water, and that lines up with what Root River Rod Co. is running right now — per MidCurrent's Tying Tuesday roundup, their go-to Driftless pattern is a pine-squirrel jig streamer built to bounce the rocky bottom of the region's tight, technical spring creeks without hanging up. Terrestrials still have a role once flows settle: Caddis Fly Shop notes sunken ant and other subsurface terrestrial patterns remain a strong searching option late in the summer as surface hatches taper off. We're watching for flow to ease back toward a more typical wading stage before the dry-fly window fully reopens. Under a waning gibbous moon, low-light hours are the higher-percentage window for pressured, spooky Driftless browns right now.
Rainy River walleyes settle into late-summer current pattern
USGS gauge 05133500 logged 74°F water and 4,420 cfs of flow on the Rainy River late Saturday night, conditions consistent with a normal late-summer stretch on this system. Fishing the Midwest's recent technique coverage still favors live-bait rigs — leeches and crawlers worked slow along current seams — alongside controlled crankbait trolling and forward-facing sonar for locating walleyes that have moved off the classic bottom-and-structure spots anglers used to count on. Smallmouth bass remain a solid target on rock and current breaks as water begins its slow late-summer cool-down, and muskie anglers statewide have reason for optimism — Wired 2 Fish reported a 50-inch fish out of northeastern Minnesota's Vermillion Lake this month, a sign big fish are actively feeding. We're not seeing Lake of the Woods- or Rainy River-specific bite reports in this intel cycle, so treat the species notes below as seasonally grounded rather than confirmed on-the-water testimony.
High water keeps Missouri River cats feeding as Ozark bass slide deep
The USGS gauge on the Missouri River near Hermann is running hot and full — 82°F and roughly 51,000 cfs as of Saturday night, more late-July than late-August. That kind of warm, high water pushes smallmouth bass in the clearer Ozark tributaries off the banks and onto deeper points and ledges, the exact structure Field & Stream's rundown of Carolina-rig fishing calls out as the go-to pattern once bass slide past 10 feet. Catfish, by contrast, tend to feed harder when current picks up, working seams and eddies the high flow creates. Largemouth are still riding a summer pattern too: Tactical Bassin's late-summer video warns anglers not to keep fishing yesterday's spots as the fall transition nears, pointing toward low-light buzzbait and topwater windows instead. No Missouri-specific angler reports came through this week's feeds, so treat species behavior here as seasonal generalization rather than an on-the-water account.
Low, clear South Platte and Arkansas tailwaters reward small flies
USGS gauge 06701900 is holding at a lean 110 cfs this week, consistent with the drought Pat Dorsey Fly Fishing described in its "Drought Update," which ranks 2026 among Colorado's worst water years on record. Cutthroat Anglers echoes that theme, noting historic-low snowpack has concentrated fish into fewer holding lies — a workable edge for anglers willing to fish carefully around spooky, skinny water. On the South Platte's Dream Stream, Colorado Trout Hunters reports one of the better recent runs of reservoir-origin browns and rainbows, best approached with a stealthy presentation given the reduced flows. AvidMax's Fly Tying Tuesday lineup — the Titan Tube Midge, Jigged CDC PT Tungsten, and Chocolate Foam Back — points toward small, natural profiles as the standard under clear tailwater conditions, with an ABC Leech pattern worth a swing through slower runs. Browns and rainbows remain the primary targets, with whitefish rounding out the catch.
Late-summer walleye transition sets up on Mille Lacs
Conditions data for Mille Lacs Lake is thin this cycle — the available gauge reading (USGS 05227530) is a flow station showing 0 cfs and no water temperature, and none of today's angler-intel feeds carry a Mille Lacs-specific or Minnesota walleye report. We're not able to confirm a specific bite pattern from today's sources, so anglers should lean on local bearings and recent personal experience rather than this feed for today's exact pattern. Late August into early September on Mille Lacs is typically a transition window: walleyes begin sliding off summer mud and deep structure toward classic fall staging areas as surface temps ease down, with jigging and live-bait rigging techniques regaining favor as forward-facing sonar era anglers relearn structure-based basics, a shift touched on generally by Fishing the Midwest this season regarding walleye technique trends. Check current Mille Lacs-specific reports before heading out.