Fishing reports
16966 reports across all 50 states — current conditions and what's biting.
Yellowfin and dorado stack up off San Clemente as surf rebounds
The Sum Fun out of Dana Wharf Sportfishing put 43 yellowfin tuna in the 30- to 40-pound class in the boat for 26 anglers this past week, per Western Outdoor News — Saltwater, with captain Brian Woolley working schools found on kelp paddies near San Clemente Island. Warm water is the driver — Western Outdoor News reports sea-surface readings pushing toward 80 degrees off San Clemente and 78-79 along the coast from Oceanside to Newport — and that warmth has also pulled dorado and yellowtail onto kelps as far north as Santa Cruz Island. Closer to the beach, the sand bass tagging project run by PIER out of the Tijuana border zone has now marked over 1,000 fish this season, a sign the summer sand bass push is in full swing. Surf anglers are finally catching a break too: after a brutal stretch of elevated surf blamed on El Niño, Surf Fishing in So Cal calls August the best surf-fishing window of the year so far on the San Diego coast.
NorCal Bluefin Bite Exploding Off Half Moon Bay
Bluefin tuna up to 170 pounds are stacking up off Half Moon Bay this week, with Captain John Marfia of Tanker City Sport Fishing boating six fish in that range on a single trip, per Western Outdoor News — Saltwater. What was described last issue as an unheard-of five-fish day has already been blown past, with party and commercial boats reporting increasingly common multi-fish scores. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for the SF Bay/Bodega corridor today, so treat water temp and swell as unconfirmed until you check a local forecast before running offshore. Inshore, expect the usual late-summer mix of striped bass, halibut, and rockfish to hold steady in the bay and along the coast, though none of today's intel specifically flagged their bite. With a full moon overhead, tidal swings will be strong — plan around slack water for bay structure fishing and be ready for stronger currents on the troll grounds offshore.
Late-summer bass and walleye patterns hold across Finger Lakes, Hudson Valley waters
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came in for the Hudson Valley/Finger Lakes corridor this cycle, so this report leans on regional angler intel and typical late-August patterns. The clearest signal in NY water right now comes from Brookdog Fishing Co., running out of Buffalo/Niagara on Lake Ontario, where the walleye bite has stayed "ridiculous" through mid-August with limits coming easily despite crowded launches and dead-calm conditions — a pattern that tends to track with Finger Lakes walleye behavior this time of year as fish hold on deeper structure. For largemouth around Hudson Valley lakes and reservoirs, On The Water's late-summer guidance points anglers toward dense shoreline cover during low-light hours, working frogs, compact jigs, and stickbaits. With a full moon overhead, expect stronger low-light feeding windows at dawn, dusk, and overnight. Smallmouth and lake trout should stay active on deeper structure as surface temps hold near seasonal highs; check local forecasts before heading out since no direct weather data was available.
Triggerfish bite holds as Panhandle mornings hint at fall
Offshore anglers running out through the pass near Pensacola are still connecting on trigger fish over deep-water structure and drop-offs, per a recent trip report on the Pensacola Fishing Forum — the same session dodged a waterspout and a band of downpours before the captain pushed on to troll and deep-drop successfully. Inshore, another Pensacola Fishing Forum post described a pre-dawn topwater session on a bait caster that produced quick hookups, with the angler noting 'a hint of fall in the air' even as afternoon heat holds on. Gulf-wide, Sport Fishing Mag notes gag grouper trolling on Florida's west coast is running against a short September closing window, worth factoring in if grouper is the target this trip. No live buoy or gauge readings are in for the Panhandle right now, so plan around dawn light and the Full Moon's stronger tide push rather than a specific temperature number.
Late-summer weed shift puts walleye, bass on the move
Late August has these pools sliding into their fall transition, and Fishing the Midwest's Mike Frisch notes that as shallow weeds start dying off, walleye and bass push toward whatever green, oxygen-holding growth remains — a pattern typical for early-fall on Upper Mississippi pool structure. No live buoy or gauge data came through for this stretch today, so verify current flow and water temperature at a nearby USGS gauge before you launch. Smallmouth bass should still be active through the coming weeks, though Tactical Bassin's late-summer notes warn against camping on spots that worked all summer — moving until you find committed fish matters more right now than it did in July. Channel catfish remain a dependable option through the lingering heat, typically feeding hardest after dark and around current breaks below wing dams and lock-and-dam structure this time of year. Sauger activity stays generally slower until water cools further into September.
Late-summer bass bite holds as Finger Lakes eye fall walleye shift
No buoy or gauge readings came back for Cayuga, Seneca, or Skaneateles this cycle, so today's read leans on the broader freshwater pattern anglers elsewhere are working right now. On The Water's "Beat the Bank" piece notes shore largemouth keying on dense cover during low-light windows, working frogs, compact jigs, and stickbaits — a pattern that should translate directly to Finger Lakes weed edges, docks, and rock piles at dawn and dusk. On the deeper bite, Fishing the Midwest's ongoing coverage of Forward-Facing Sonar notes walleye aren't the strict bottom-huggers anglers once assumed, with suspended fish showing up well off traditional structure; worth testing on Cayuga's and Seneca's open basins. Smallmouth should stay active around rock and gravel in the same low-light windows. Lake trout remain the deepwater question mark until nights cool and the thermocline starts to break down heading into fall.
Puget Sound salmon push builds as crab season hums along
Washington Sea Grant's late-September Skills and Drills course for new commercial fishermen is putting a spotlight on Dungeness crab this week, noting it as one of the state's largest commercial fisheries — a reminder that crab traps are working hard across Puget Sound and coastal waters even though this week's angler-report feeds ran unusually thin on specific WA catch details. WDFW's statewide Fishing and Stocking Reports page remains the primary creel-check resource anglers should lean on for area-specific numbers, since no fresh buoy or gauge readings came through this cycle. With late August underway and a full moon overhead, this is typically prime window for coho moving into Puget Sound alongside resident and migrating chinook, and Dungeness crabbers should be finding decent pulls in deeper channels. Absent hard local intel this week, treat species notes below as seasonal expectations rather than confirmed bite reports, and check WDFW's page directly before planning a trip.
Seatrout Bite Peaks in Sarasota Bay as Tarpon Push Inshore
Spotted seatrout are "aggressively biting" across Sarasota Bay's grass flats, mangrove shorelines, and passes right now, according to Capt. Brandon Naeve of CB's Saltwater Outfitters, who points anglers toward sunrise and sunset feeding windows during what he calls the peak summer bite. On the redfish side, Capt. Chuck Cress reports reds eating well on a popping cork tipped with live shrimp during a rising morning tide, with juvenile snook mixed in as incidental catches on the same drifts. Looking ahead, Capt. Rick Grassett's August forecast for CB's Saltwater Outfitters calls for tarpon to hold along the coastal Gulf early in the month before thinning out and sliding into bridges, deep grass flats, and ladyfish schools as they push toward inside waters. With a full moon overhead and grass-flat structure producing consistently, Tampa Bay and Sarasota anglers have several species worth targeting this week.
Highland Lakes bass push deep as late-summer heat holds over Hill Country
Direct reports out of Lake Travis, LBJ, and Buchanan are thin this week, but the regional picture from nearby Hill Country water gives a useful read: My Canyon Lake Fishing's recent posts describe area lake levels still running well above last year's mark even as summer draws them down, with boat ramps and lake access holding up under heavy late-August recreational traffic. That kind of pressure typically pushes Highland Lakes largemouth off the bank and onto secondary points and deeper timber during daylight, with the bite compressing into the first and last hour of light. Tactical Bassin's late-summer notes back that pattern, pointing anglers toward baitfish schools and reaction baits worked faster as shad start grouping up ahead of the fall transition. Striped and white bass on Buchanan and LBJ should still be following shad schools suspended over old river channels and humps, a pattern that typically holds through early September before cooling water breaks it open.
Surf bite holds strong on the Outer Banks as summer species stack up
Water at NOAA buoy 41025 off the Outer Banks is running warm at 86°F, with light winds under 10 mph keeping the surf line fishable into this week's Full Moon. On the Northern Beaches, Hugh at TW's Bait and Tackle reports surf-zone anglers doing well on sea mullet, bluefish, and croakers on bottom rigs, and notes inshore action has finally picked up, per Fisherman's Post (NC). Down the coast at Cape Lookout and Swansboro/Emerald Isle, Spanish mackerel and king mackerel are showing on casting jigs and Gotcha plugs from the pier, per The Reel Outdoors in Fisherman's Post — Carolinas saltwater, suggesting the coastwide baitfish push is building toward the Banks. Red drum typically stay active through early fall in this warm water. With the Full Moon driving stronger tidal swings, the bottom bite in the surf remains the most consistent play this week.
Wabash smallmouth hold deep as Midwest walleye chase suspended fish
No fresh NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came in for the Wabash River or Lake Michigan this cycle, so today's outlook leans on typical late-August patterns and the broader regional angler intel that did post. Fishing the Midwest's Mike Frisch notes that Forward-Facing Sonar has changed how Midwest walleye anglers work this time of year, with more fish found suspended away from traditional bottom structure rather than pinned to points and weedlines — worth testing on Lake Michigan's deeper water. On the Wabash, smallmouth bass typically slide to deeper current breaks as late-summer flows stay warm, and channel catfish feeding tends to shift toward after-dark hours. The Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant program is gearing up for its 2026 State of Lake Michigan Meeting this November, a reminder of the ongoing research attention the lake draws. With a full moon overhead this week, expect some added low-light feeding activity for catfish and walleye alike.
Full moon and late-summer heat set the pattern on Potomac, Patapsco
Direct reports from the Potomac and Patapsco weren't in today's feed, so this update leans on the broader late-summer pattern anglers across the mid-Atlantic are describing right now. Largemouth bass are running the typical August script — feeding shallow around grass edges at first and last light, then sliding to deeper cover once the sun climbs — and Tactical Bassin's recent breakdown of late-summer mistakes specifically warns against camping on last month's spots instead of following that shift. Blue and channel catfish should stay a reliable after-dark option; Wired 2 Fish just profiled a guide working Lake Gaston well into the evening during this same heat wave, a pattern that typically holds on Potomac tidal water too. Snakeheads remain a wildcard around thick vegetation on topwater frogs. Tonight's full moon should sharpen the overnight catfish bite and nudge bass activity earlier into the dawn window.
Light chop on Lake Superior as UP trout streams settle into late summer
NOAA buoy 45004 on Lake Superior clocked light 2 m/s winds, waves holding near 1.6 feet, and a cool 57°F air reading late this afternoon — calm, fishable water for anyone running the open lake off the Upper Peninsula. Water temperature wasn't reported at the buoy this cycle, so plan around morning coolness and afternoon warmth rather than a hard number. Direct UP-specific catch reports were thin heading into this update; the clearest regional signal comes from WI DNR Lake Superior Fishing, which notes lake whitefish has become a genuinely popular target in the neighboring Chequamegon Bay area — a trend worth watching as it can mirror activity across the basin. For UP trout streams, late-August flows typically favor early and late light, when brook trout and resident rainbows feed most actively before the seasonal shift toward fall staging. Under this week's full moon, expect stronger low-light bites and quieter midday water.
Ozark trout parks settle into a steady late-summer rhythm
No captains, shops, or state feeds filed direct reports from the Current or Niangua this cycle, so today's read leans on seasonal baseline rather than a live bite. Missouri's spring-fed trout parks — Bennett Spring on the Niangua and Montauk on the upper Current — typically hold cold, stable flows through late August even as much of the interior stays locked in a long, hot stretch this summer. That spring buffering keeps stocked rainbows feeding, but activity usually tightens into the cooler early-morning and dusk windows as surface water warms through midday. Expect standard park producers to keep working: small inline spinners, PowerBait fished off bottom, and nymphs under an indicator in the deeper spring runs. Naturally reproducing browns, where present, tend to go quiet and defensive this time of year and respond best to low-light presentations. Tonight's full moon may nudge some of that feeding window earlier before dawn and later after dark. Verify current stocking and dam-generation schedules before you go.
CT bass bite holds strong through the summer-to-fall transition
Connecticut's inland lakes and rivers are sliding through the classic late-August lull, and neighboring New England freshwater reports give the clearest read on what's likely happening here too. Per The Fisherman — New England Freshwater this week, smallmouth bass in nearby waters are still eating topwater like Jitterbugs in the early morning and late evening, while largemouth are holding on Senkos and soft plastics around cover — patterns that typically translate across CT's lakes and ponds this time of year. Tactical Bassin's late-summer coverage warns this is exactly the stretch where anglers who slow down and lean on "spots that worked before" start missing fish, and recommends tracking bait movement and structure instead. We don't have a direct in-state CT report or gauge reading for this cycle, so treat today's outlook as regionally-informed rather than confirmed on Connecticut water. Tonight's full moon should sharpen low-light feeding windows at dawn and dusk.
Taneycomo trout turn aggressive as guides dial in the afternoon bite
Trout on Lake Taneycomo have turned notably aggressive, hitting hard with "no pecking around," according to Lilleys Landing's most recent report. The Taneycomo shop notes its trophy release program has picked back up after a slow spring, with guides finding their best action in the afternoons on the Provo rig. A simpler approach has also been producing: a straight-line drift with a weight on bottom and a drop-shot loop set about 18 inches up, tied with Vanish fluorocarbon tippet — a trick the shop credits to guide Blake Wilson. That's a real turnaround from July, when Lilleys Landing described heavy generation and afternoon/evening flows making fishing tough, especially from the bank or dock, after a genuinely fickle June driven by an inconsistent power-release schedule. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for this update, so confirm today's generation schedule and flow stage locally, and lean toward trout tactics over bass patterns on Taneycomo this time of year.
Chickamauga and Watts Bar bass slide into fall-transition mode
No fresh NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came in for the Chickamauga-Watts Bar stretch of the Tennessee River this cycle, so today's outlook leans on seasonal late-August patterns rather than a live number. No charter, shop, or state-agency reports specific to this stretch surfaced in today's intel sweep either, so the species status below reflects typical late-summer behavior rather than a direct local report — worth knowing before you plan around it. Elsewhere, bass anglers are already working a fall-transition playbook: Tactical Bassin's late-summer notes point anglers toward deep ledges and points holding fish that have slid off summer haunts, with buzzbaits starting to produce as the season turns toward early fall. Catfish tend to stay most active after dark through the tail end of summer heat, a pattern Wired 2 Fish's anglers elsewhere have leaned on this month. With tonight's full moon, expect a stronger overnight bite for both species as baitfish activity peaks.
Late-summer heat pushes catfish bite after dark on the Platte and Missouri
With no fresh buoy or gauge readings feeding this update, we're leaning on national angler trends and typical late-August patterns for the Platte and Missouri systems. Wired 2 Fish's report on a 108-pound blue catfish caught after dark during a regional heat wave underscores what's playing out broadly this month: catfish are sliding into a nocturnal pattern as daytime water temperatures stay elevated, and that shift typically holds for channel and blue cats here too. On the walleye side, Fishing the Midwest notes anglers increasingly leaning on Forward-Facing Sonar to find fish suspended off bottom rather than assuming they're glued to structure — worth trying if standard bottom rigs have gone quiet. White bass should still be schooling on baitfish in open water through early fall, typical for this stretch of the calendar. No angler reports specific to the Platte or Missouri came through this cycle, so treat the species rundown below as seasonal expectation rather than a confirmed local bite.
Lanier and Allatoona bass slide deep as August heat holds
Georgia Outdoor News' recent recap calls this stretch "one of the most brutal heatwave summers" the state has seen, and that heat is exactly what's dictating patterns on Lake Lanier and Allatoona right now. No NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came back for either reservoir this cycle, so treat water temps as typical late-August highs until hard numbers are in. Tactical Bassin's late-summer tips point to working shallow points early with topwater and a finesse jig before the sun climbs, then sliding to deeper structure as the day heats up — advice that tracks well for both Lanier's spotted bass and Allatoona's largemouth. Field & Stream's recent gear coverage also flags urchin-style soft plastics as a strong producer for bass right now, worth trying on either lake. Lanier's striper population is likely holding deep on the thermocline in this heat, though no local report confirmed activity this week. Crappie typically go quiet in peak late-August warmth.
Blue cats feed hard after dark as August heat holds on the Roanoke
A 108-pound blue catfish came aboard guide Zakk Royce's boat on Lake Gaston after dark on August 19th, per Wired 2 Fish — a sign the Roanoke system's big cats are still feeding hard even with this month's heat wave keeping water warm and sluggish. Royce ran up-lake to intercept water being released from the dam and connected with the giant well after sunset before releasing it. On the Catawba side, largemouth are settling into a classic late-summer pattern: Tactical Bassin points anglers toward shallow points and topwater at first light, sliding to finesse jigs and deeper cover once the sun climbs. Striped bass and crappie on these NC reservoirs typically pull deep and go quiet through late-August heat, holding near structure until nights cool and the first real front stirs them back into feeding mode. No live gauge or buoy readings came through for Catawba or Roanoke this cycle, so check your own temp and flow before running far.
Central Mass Bass Fire Up at Wachusett and Local Ponds
Bill Alando's 12-year-old grandson landed a 5-pound smallmouth bass on his third cast with a jig at Wachusett Reservoir this week, and Bill followed up with a 4-plus-pound bass of his own on a topwater lure — per Jerry's Bait and Tackle in Milford, reporting through The Fisherman — New England Freshwater. The same report had a youngster named Logan popping a 5-pound largemouth on a shiner from shore, likely at Louisa Lake, while other local anglers picked up panfish and bullheads at area ponds. Central Mass bass are clearly still eating well into late August, with jigs and topwater both drawing solid strikes from morning into evening. Farther north, the same feed notes Merrimack River smallmouth action remains excellent from Lowell to Lawrence, suggesting the aggressive bite extends across reservoir and river systems in the wider region right now. No fresh water-temp or flow readings came through for this cycle — check conditions locally before heading out, and plan around dawn and dusk with tonight's Full Moon likely sharpening those low-light feeding windows.
Late-summer heat pushes Eastern WA trout deep, bass hold steady
No fresh buoy or stream-gauge readings came through for the Yakima and Spokane-area waters this cycle, so this update leans on general late-August patterns for Eastern Washington rather than a specific numeric reading. WDFW's statewide creel and catch reporting program, referenced via WA WDFW Fishing Reports, tracks angler success and fish-stocking activity across the state's lakes and rivers, though no region-specific figures were available today. Typical for this point in summer, shallow water warms through the afternoon and fish tend to slide toward deeper holes, current seams, or shaded structure during the heat of the day. Rainbow trout on Yakima-system water generally fish best in low-light morning and evening windows once surface temps climb this high. Smallmouth bass in Columbia Basin impoundments usually stay aggressive through the heat. Kokanee typically slow down as reservoirs stratify late in the season. With a full moon tonight, expect a livelier overnight bite and a quieter midday than usual — verify current regulations and access before heading out.
Missouri River Walleye and Black Hills Trout Settle Into Late-Summer Patterns
A full moon lit the sky over the Missouri River and Black Hills on August 26, marking the seasonal hinge point when late-summer patterns start giving way to the early fall bite. No NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came through for this stretch today, and this week's regional intel pull didn't turn up any direct reports from South Dakota guides, shops, or the state agency, so this update draws on general seasonal knowledge rather than fresh field accounts. Typical for this window, Missouri River walleye should be sliding off summer humps toward deeper current breaks and main-lake structure as surface water stays warm through the day. Black Hills stream and reservoir trout tend to fish tougher through late-summer heat, with the best windows concentrated at dawn and dusk when water is coolest. We'll keep watching for fresh regional reports as the transition into September accelerates.
Catfish action holds strong on Texas reservoirs into late August
Blue and channel catfish remain the most reliable bite across North Texas reservoirs, with North Texas Catfish Guide reporting steady limits — including multiple fish over 30 pounds in past trips — on Eagle Mountain Lake whenever fresh water pushes into the system and lake levels rise, conditions the guide consistently ties to active, feeding fish. White bass have also shown up in numbers on the main lake in the same outfit's summer reports, running alongside the catfish bite. Largemouth bass are tougher this time of year: per Tactical Bassin's hot-August guidance, the pattern is shallow points early on topwater before the sun climbs, then a switch to a finesse jig as the day heats up. With a full moon overhead and late summer sliding toward fall, Tactical Bassin also warns against leaning on spots that worked earlier in the season instead of adjusting with the transition. Inflow and lake level remain the biggest swing factors on catfish activity across Texas reservoirs right now.