Fishing reports
16911 reports across all 50 states — current conditions and what's biting.
Delaware Bay Flounder Stay Hot on NJ Side Before Season Closes
Full-moon saltwater conditions find Delaware Bay's New Jersey side still delivering limit-worthy flounder. Higbee's Bait and Tackle reports customers bringing home fish to 23 inches around the EP Tower and areas near the lighthouse, while Big Dave's Tackle notes flounder spread from the beaches out to the shipping channel, with tog and sheepshead working structure on green crabs and sand fleas. Along the Cape May surf and back bays, Hands Too Bait and Tackle reports kingfish and snapper blues showing on the oceanfront, hardheaded croaker crushing squid and clam baits bayside, and weakfish in the 18-24 inch range hitting floated bloodworms around bayshore structure piles. Tog and sheepshead are also working the inlet rockpile areas and the Anglesea rocks. Anglers should watch the calendar: per The Fisherman's Eric Burnley, New Jersey's Delaware Bay flounder season is slated to close September 25, while Delaware's side keeps its four-fish, 17.5-inch limit running through year's end.
Sea bass stack up thick as fluke sort short from keeper in Raritan Bay
Sea bass are stacking up thick in Sandy Hook Bay and the surrounding Raritan Bay grounds — Capt. Ron out of Atlantic Highlands reports every drop loaded with sea bass on recent trips, with customers sorting through big numbers of shorts to find keepers and some jumbo bass mixed in. Fluke fishing has been more inconsistent: one midweek trip produced limits early and a 6-pound, 10-ounce pool fish, while other days described a stubborn bite with mostly short fluke and only the occasional keeper, especially when the drift died. Meanwhile Spanish mackerel and bonito have pushed into the surf and inshore waters per Grumpys Tackle and this week's Northern New Jersey report from On The Water, giving light-tackle anglers a warm-water bonus target on epoxy jigs. Striped bass remain a background player for now — NJ Fish & Wildlife notes the species around nearby Shark River structure, but no fresh striper reports have surfaced yet for this stretch of coast.
Late-summer transition puts Allegheny bass and walleye on the move
No NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came through for the Allegheny and Pittsburgh tailwaters this cycle, so this report leans on seasonal pattern rather than a hard temperature or flow number. The PA Fish & Boat Commission's Biologist Reports feed is normally the best stop for stream-specific stocking and condition notes, though this week's pull didn't surface a fresh regional writeup. What is available lines up with the late-August playbook national bass coverage is pushing right now: Tactical Bassin's latest roundup flags low-light topwater and finesse presentations as bass shift ahead of the fall transition, and Field & Stream's current bass coverage notes soft-plastic urchin baits working across depths and rigs. Walleye and channel cats should still be following typical late-summer deep-structure and after-dark patterns. Full moon tonight is worth factoring into dawn and dusk timing.
Green weeds and sonar tactics steer late-summer MN walleye bite
Green weeds remain the number-one signal to watch across Twin Cities and North Woods lakes this week. Per Fishing the Midwest, walleye anglers are leaning harder on forward-facing sonar to locate fish that no longer sit strictly on classic bottom structure like points and turns, a shift that's reshaped how a lot of local anglers approach late-summer walleye. Largemouth bass are still keying on shallow, living weed growth and baitfish concentrations, with green weeds outproducing weed clumps already showing die-off as water cools off its summer peak. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for this cycle, so treat water temp as unconfirmed and check a local source before you launch. With the full moon overhead, expect stronger low-light bites at dawn and dusk. Panfish and muskie remain typically active for the region this time of year, though we don't have a specific local report on either yet.
Lake Erie's multi-species bite holds strong into late August
Lake Erie continues to earn its reputation this week — Wired2Fish highlighted an angler fighting a stubborn fish through 38 feet of water off Erie, the kind of battle fueling talk of the lake as one of North America's top multi-species fisheries. No fresh NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came through for the Presque Isle area today, so this update leans on angler intel and typical late-August patterns rather than hard numbers. Expect walleye and smallmouth bass to remain the most consistent producers working deeper structure and drop-offs as the full moon pushes bait activity overnight, with yellow perch still catchable over rock and gravel bottom. Steelhead anglers will want to be patient — Presque Isle's tributary run typically doesn't kick in until cooler water arrives in a few weeks. Check current PA Fish & Boat regulations before harvesting.
Early fall Chinook stir on Columbia tributaries as summer winds down
On the Columbia River near Buoy 10, one solo troller reported chinook action hot enough to yank his rod overboard mid-fight this week — an IFish.net account that's chatter rather than confirmed fact until a shop or agency source backs it up, but it lines up with steady late-August pressure at classic access points like the mouth of the Lewis River and Chinook Landing. No fresh NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came through for this report, so exact Columbia and Puget Sound water temperatures and flows aren't available today; check current gauge data before heading out. WDFW's ongoing creel-survey and stocking program, described in its Fishing and Stocking Reports, remains the most dependable read on statewide freshwater catch trends. For Puget Sound river tributaries, expect typical late-August patterns: low, clear flows with fish holding in deeper runs through the warmest afternoon stretch, moving more as mornings start to cool.
Late-Summer Transition Sets Up Fall Walleye Push on Saginaw Bay
No fresh NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came back for Lake Huron and Saginaw Bay this cycle, and none of today's angler-intel feeds carried a direct report from the bay itself, so this update leans on seasonal pattern and general technique intel rather than a specific bite report. Late August on Saginaw Bay is typically transition season: warm-water patterns are still in play, but per Fishing the Midwest, weed beds begin thinning as water starts to cool, pushing baitfish — and the walleye, perch, and bass that follow them — toward the healthiest remaining green weed edges. The same source notes forward-facing sonar has shifted how anglers find walleye, with fish increasingly holding suspended off structure rather than pinned to bottom. Under this week's full moon, expect stronger low-light and overnight feeding windows. Always check current Michigan DNR regulations before harvesting.
Late-Summer Transition Sets Up a Shifting Bite at Lake Murray and Santee
No fresh buoy or streamgauge readings came through for Santee Cooper or Lake Murray this cycle, so today's read leans on seasonal pattern and technique intel rather than a hard number. Tactical Bassin's current late-summer coverage warns anglers against camping on the same shallow spots that produced back in July, noting that as the Fall transition nears, bass positioning shifts and reaction baits like buzzbaits and finesse jigs start outproducing static presentations in low light. That tracks with what's typical for South Carolina reservoirs heading into September — largemouth pushing shallower during dawn and dusk while midday heat still holds fish deep. Striped bass and hybrids at Santee tend to stack on deeper, cooler structure through late August, and blue catfish stay the more dependable after-dark option. Tonight's full moon should help push a stronger overnight catfish bite. Check current state regulations before harvesting.
Drop-shot smallmouth and night-bite catfish highlight late-summer VA action
Virginia's DWR Wildlife Blog is pushing drop-shot tactics for smallmouth, largemouth, and spotted bass this week, a rig built to suspend a bait naturally over structure — a solid full-moon-week play for Potomac and Shenandoah smallmouth holding tight to rock and ledge. Sunfish are also getting agency attention: the DWR Fishing Report highlights bluegill and redear sunfish biting well on ultralight spinning gear or fly tackle around cover, a pattern that should be running region-wide as late-summer temperatures ease bream into skinnier water. Elsewhere in Virginia, Wired 2 Fish reports a guide on Lake Gaston still finding giant blue catfish on hot summer nights, a reminder that after-dark cats remain a viable target statewide even as daytime heat slows other bites. On The Water's late-summer largemouth advice — working dense shore cover during low light with frogs, jigs, and stickbaits — applies directly to Potomac backwaters and Shenandoah pools right now. No live buoy or gauge readings are available for this write-up, so treat flow and temp as unconfirmed until you check a local source.
Wachusett smallmouth heat up as late-summer bass bite holds
A 12-year-old angler's 5-pound smallmouth bass — hooked on a jig on just his third cast at Wachusett Reservoir — headlines this week's freshwater intel, per Jerry's Bait and Tackle in Milford. His grandfather, Bill Alando, followed with a 4-plus-pound largemouth on a topwater lure, a sign that both species are actively feeding as late summer eases toward fall. The same report notes smaller largemouth and panfish action at nearby Louisa Lake, suggesting the pattern isn't limited to trophy fish. Elsewhere in Massachusetts, Red Top Sporting Goods in Buzzards Bay reports smallmouth still hitting Jitterbugs at Cape Cod-area ponds, while largemouth action has slowed a touch but keeps responding to Senkos — a broadly similar late-summer pattern to what's showing at Wachusett. No fresh water-temperature or flow data came through for Quabbin or Wachusett specifically this cycle, so anglers should read stream/lake conditions on arrival. Lake trout, a Quabbin staple, weren't mentioned in this week's reports — worth checking locally before planning a deep-water troll.
Silver salmon push into Kenai system as summer light fades
Alaska's Kenai River drainage and Interior tributaries are entering the late-August window when coho (silver) salmon typically arrive in their heaviest numbers of the season, with sockeye and pink runs winding down and king salmon fishing largely closed in most local reaches by this point. No buoy or gauge telemetry came through for this region this cycle, and none of today's Alaska Sea Grant items covered fishing conditions — coverage this week centered on a Bering Sea village trash-reduction program, staff profiles, and the 2026 State Fellows announcement — so this report leans on general seasonal patterns rather than fresh eyewitness reports. Rainbow trout and Dolly Varden in the Kenai drainage typically key on drifting salmon eggs and flesh behind spawning fish this time of year. Interior grayling tend to stay steadier on dries and small spinners into early fall. Check current Alaska regulations before targeting any species, since in-season restrictions can shift quickly on Kenai Peninsula waters.
Smokies trout anglers eye early mornings as summer heat lingers
Hatch Magazine's late-August terrestrial-countdown dispatch is the clearest read we have on regional trout behavior right now: as water levels drop and warm through late summer, trout increasingly key on hoppers, ants, and beetles blown onto the water, especially during low-light morning and evening windows. No fresh NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came through for Western North Carolina's Smokies-region streams this cycle, so we're leaning on that seasonal pattern plus this week's broader trout chatter rather than hard numbers. Wired 2 Fish also flags a useful late-summer-heat tactic from an Arkansas tailwater guide who found a stubborn big rainbow only bit after dark — worth trying on Smokies tailwaters and deeper pools if daytime action stays sluggish. Expect typical late-August conditions for the region: low, clear, warming flows that push trout toward shade, deeper runs, and cooler feeder creeks, with the bite concentrated in the first and last hour of daylight. Check current NC regulations before keeping any wild trout this time of year.
Lake Erie deep-water bite stays strong as summer winds down
A guided trip this week landed a quality fish in 38 feet of water over what guide Joe Fonzi called 'really productive bottom' on Lake Erie, according to Wired 2 Fish's feature arguing the lake may be the best multi-species fishery in North America — angler Kazutomo Nakamura worked that deep structure alongside Fonzi to find the bite. We don't have fresh NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings for the Western NY stretch this cycle, so treat water temperature and flow as unconfirmed until you check a local source before launching. Late August on Lake Erie typically has smallmouth bass holding tight to deep rock and gravel, walleye still working summer structure, and yellow perch schooling over open bottom; steelhead activity usually stays slow until fall tributary runs get closer. This week's Full Moon is worth factoring into low-light feeding windows. No other regional sources filed Western NY-specific reports this cycle.
Kings and Browns Stack Up Off Lake Ontario as Fall Run Builds
Salmon fishing has been very good this past week on Lake Ontario, with browns and lake trout mixed in alongside kings, according to Strike Zone Charters (Lake Ontario). The charter reports fish holding in 100 to 160 feet of water, though preferred depth has shifted day to day as wind pushes the thermocline around. Mag Dipsey Divers are producing when fish sit deep, with green, white, and chartreuse E-Chip flies paired with Atomic-style attractors getting bit. For anglers working the Salmon River and Oswego corridor, this is the leading edge of the classic late-August staging pattern, as mature kings and browns hold off the river mouths before pushing upstream. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through this cycle, so treat river flow and lake temperature as unconfirmed until you check current conditions before launching.
San Juan tailwater, Rio Grande trout favor early light as heat holds
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for the Rio Grande or San Juan corridor this cycle, and this week's angler-intel feed carried no reports specific to northern New Mexico, so this update leans on typical late-August patterns for the region's trout water. The San Juan below Navajo Dam runs on a cold, dam-controlled release that keeps it fishable through summer heat, while freestone and warmwater stretches of the Rio Grande warm enough by midday that fish push into faster, more oxygenated runs or deeper holes. As Flylab (Substack) notes of Rockies trout more broadly this time of year, when the heat turns up fish respond by seeking cooler, higher-elevation or tailwater flows — a pattern that tracks for both watersheds right now. Expect the best window early and late in the day, with midday action slowing as surface temps climb under the current full moon. Check current NMDGF regulations and real-time flows before heading out, since no live gauge data confirmed today's actual conditions.
Delta stripers and cats settle into late-summer patterns
No fresh USGS flow readings or NOAA buoy data came through for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta this cycle, and this week's regional-intel pull didn't surface any specific current Delta bite reports from our tracked outlets. Rather than guess, we're leaning on what's typical for the Delta heading into late August under a Full Moon: water temperatures usually sit in the upper 60s to low 70s, afternoon tule winds build on the main channels, and tidal exchange through the sloughs strengthens noticeably around the full-moon cycle. That stronger push tends to concentrate bait — and the stripers and catfish following it — around confluences, dead-end sloughs, and other current-break structure. Largemouth bass typically stay shallow and feed hardest in the low-light hours before afternoon heat and boat traffic push them tight to tule cover. Sturgeon activity usually slows in these low-flow, warm-water conditions. We'll swap in sourced specifics as soon as fresh Delta reports land in our feeds.
Hopper season peaks on Idaho's South Fork as trout key on terrestrials
Hatch Magazine's regional roundup this week flags the start of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem's peak terrestrial window — the late-summer stretch when heat pushes hoppers, ants, and beetles onto the water and trout key hard on them. The South Fork of the Snake sits inside that same ecosystem, and its Yellowstone cutthroat, rainbow, and brown trout typically respond the same way: fish tucking tight to grassy banks and undercuts to ambush terrestrials kicked in by afternoon wind. No live buoy or gauge feed came through for this stretch today, so treat any specific flow or temperature claim with caution and check the nearest USGS gauge before you launch. With a full moon overhead, expect a stronger low-light bite at dawn and dusk and a slower, more technical midday window — the kind of stretch where a hopper-dropper rig earns its keep. This reads as prime-season water on the calendar alone; plan around it and confirm current regs before keeping anything.
Champlain smallmouth hold deep as summer's last full moon peaks
No buoy or gauge readings came back for Lake Champlain this cycle, and none of today's angler-intel feeds filed a direct report from the lake itself, so this update leans on typical late-August patterns for this fishery rather than fresh, water-specific testimony. Smallmouth bass on big northeastern lakes are typically holding on deep rock piles, humps, and drop-offs by this point in summer, working drop-shot and tube presentations as the shallows warm past their comfort zone. Landlocked salmon tend to slide below the thermocline in late August, making them a tougher, deeper target than in spring or fall trolling windows. Regionally, The Fisherman — New England Freshwater notes smallmouth remaining active on similar deep-structure, jig-and-swimbait patterns in nearby Massachusetts and New Hampshire waters this week, a reasonable proxy for what Champlain anglers should expect right now. Tonight's full moon may extend low-light feeding windows for both species. Check Vermont regs before harvesting, and confirm local conditions before heading out.
Terrestrial season creeps onto Wind River and North Platte trout water
No Wind River or North Platte-specific dispatches came through this week's intel pull, but Hatch Magazine's "Yellowstone terrestrial countdown" flags late August as the annual go-time for hopper, ant, and beetle activity across the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem — a pattern that typically extends into Wyoming's high-elevation trout water on a similar schedule. Expect that shift to show up on Wind River and North Platte stretches as summer hatches thin out and terrestrials take over as the primary food source. With no fresh buoy or gauge readings available this cycle, treat flow and temperature as unknowns and check a local gauge before heading out. Under this week's full moon, dawn and dusk should remain the most productive windows as trout key on hoppers and beetles along grassy banks and undercuts, with midday likely to slow as warm-water stress sets in on shallower stretches.
Wisconsin River walleye anglers lean on sonar as summer holds
Walleye anglers on Wisconsin waters are increasingly finding fish suspended off the bottom rather than glued to classic structure, per Fishing the Midwest's Mike Frisch, who notes forward-facing sonar has changed where anglers even look this time of year — a real shift from the old bottom-and-weedline rulebook. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for this update, so treat flow and water temp as unconfirmed until you check a local gauge before launching. Elsewhere in the state, Hatch Magazine flagged a healthy stream population turning up in Langlade County, a sign the smaller tributaries are still producing even as the bigger water gets more technical. Smallmouth bass should still be active around current breaks and rock on the Wisconsin River this week, and Lake Superior's lake trout typically hold deep through late August. Tonight's full moon may push a stronger low-light and overnight bite for both.
Red and Missouri Rivers walleye eye the fall transition
Weeds are dying back as Midwest waters cool through late August, a shift Fishing the Midwest's Bob Jensen and Mike Frisch flag as the trigger that pushes baitfish and gamefish out of summer weed beds and onto transitional structure — the same pattern anglers on the Red and Missouri Rivers should watch for this week. No fresh NOAA or USGS readings came through for this stretch, so treat flow and temperature as typical for the season: warm, stable, and still favoring an early or late bite. Walleye and sauger should be sliding toward current breaks and deeper holes as the transition sets up, channel catfish remain steady in warm water, and smallmouth bass continue working rock and current seams. With a full moon overhead, expect feeding windows to concentrate around dawn, dusk, and overnight hours rather than midday. Check local forecasts and gauge readings before heading out.
Lake Mead stripers settle into late-summer deep-water pattern
Lake Mead and the lower Colorado are moving through their classic late-August stretch: surface water typically runs into the low-80s this time of year, which pushes striped bass off the banks and onto deep humps, river-channel bends, and drop-offs, with the shad-driven schooling bite concentrated in the low-light hours around this week's Full Moon. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for this cycle, and none of this week's regional angler-intel feeds covered Lake Mead or the lower Colorado directly, so this report leans on typical seasonal behavior rather than fresh, source-attributed reports. Expect stripers to suspend deep once the sun gets high, with the best windows at first light and after dark. Smallmouth bass typically hold tight to rocky points and deeper structure in this heat, largemouth slide to shaded cover and deeper flats, and channel catfish stay consistently active on bottom baits overnight. Treat today's status calls as seasonal defaults, not confirmed on-the-water reports, until fresh regional intel comes in.
Yellowstone terrestrial countdown hits full swing as hoppers take over
Terrestrial season is arriving across the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, with Hatch Magazine's annual "terrestrial countdown" piece noting anglers throughout the region have been marking the calendar since the first week of August for hopper, ant, and beetle patterns to take over as summer winds down. It's been a long, hot, smoky season by that account, and dry meadows loaded with grasshoppers are exactly the setup that makes terrestrial dries fire on freestone water. One access note to plan around: Flylords Mag reports Yellowstone National Park is closing Buffalo Creek, a Slough Creek tributary in the park's northern end, from August 31 through September 7 while biologists continue native fish restoration work there, so steer clear of that stretch if you're fishing the Lamar/Slough drainage that week. Expect cutthroat, brown, and rainbow trout to be looking up for foam and hair patterns on the freestone reaches, with brook trout a solid backup for anglers willing to hike into the high alpine lakes.
Late-summer heat pushes WV smallmouth to shade and current seams
Wired2Fish's report this week of a 108-pound blue catfish released after dark on a heat-stressed reservoir, alongside On The Water's late-summer largemouth playbook, both point to the seasonal pattern now settling over the New River and Ohio: fish sliding into shade, current breaks, and low-light windows as water stays warm through the back half of August. No buoy or gauge readings came through for this cycle, so treat flow and temp as typical late-summer levels — warm and stable — until fresh data lands. New River smallmouth should still respond to current-seam presentations at dawn and dusk, and Ohio River catfish typically turn on hardest after dark in this kind of heat. Muskie tend to sulk through peak-heat stretches and usually won't fire up in earnest until temperatures ease toward fall.