Fishing reports
17445 reports across all 50 states — current conditions and what's biting.
Full moon bass patterns hold as Okeechobee, St. Johns head toward fall
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for Lake Okeechobee or the St. Johns River this cycle, so this report leans on late-summer seasonal patterns rather than new numbers off the water. On The Water's late-summer largemouth piece this week points shore anglers toward dense cover during low-light hours, a pattern that maps well onto Okeechobee's matted vegetation and the St. Johns' grass lines while the water stays warm into early fall. Field & Stream's roundup on urchin-style soft plastics for bass reinforces the same idea: slow, cover-oriented presentations are outworking anything fished through open water right now. Under this week's full moon, bluegill and shellcracker typically stay active around Florida's warm-water lakes even this late in the season, while black crappie ('specks') tend to stay tough until the water starts cooling toward fall. No FL-specific angler reports landed in our sources this cycle, so treat species status below as seasonal expectation rather than confirmed bites.
Drop Shots and Deep Cats Rule Late-Summer Virginia Reservoirs
A 108-pound blue catfish was caught-and-released on nearby Lake Gaston during last week's heat wave, per Wired 2 Fish, with guide Zakk Royce working the reservoir at night to beat the daytime temperatures — a pattern that tracks for Smith Mountain Lake and Buggs Island right now too, where blue cats are pushing into deeper, cooler water during the day and feeding hard after dark. On the bass side, the Virginia DWR Wildlife Blog is pushing drop shot rigs this month, a finesse technique built for suspending a bait naturally over deep structure that's producing for largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass statewide. DWR's latest report also highlights bluegill and redear sunfish action on Virginia's public lakes, with ultralight spinning gear or a fly rod the go-to for both species right now. Stripers haven't drawn direct reports yet this cycle, but expect them holding deep near thermal breaks through the heat.
Full moon tides set up Chesapeake mouth's early-fall transition
The Fisherman's New England video forecast this week flagged an early fall signal — big striped bass pushing in from Maine to Boston and a strong mackerel push mixing bass and bonito farther south — and that same seasonal clock is starting to turn for the Chesapeake mouth, even though today's buoy and gauge feeds came back empty for this stretch. Without a fresh water-temp reading in hand, we're leaning on typical late-August patterns for this fishery: Spanish mackerel and cobia should still be working the bay mouth and nearshore structure, red drum schooling tighter around the inlets, and resident striped bass holding deep on structure until cooler water pulls them shallow. Anglers Journal's read on the broader Atlantic migration cycle backs the same timeline — the real fall blitz push is still weeks out, but the pieces are starting to move. Tonight's full moon stacks tidal current on top of that, so plan around the peak swings rather than the slack.
Full moon lights up cubera and mutton snapper on the reef
Coastal Angler Magazine's August report flags this week's full moon as prime time for giant Cubera snapper on the reef — nicknamed "El Diablo," these fish are being taken on live lobster and stand-up gear, though they can shred tackle in seconds. Mutton and yellowtail snapper remain the Keys' bread-and-butter: ALL IN Key West describes full-moon periods triggering mutton snapper "chewing like crazy" alongside a strong yellowtail bite, while Bud n' Mary's in Islamorada has been working reef edges and bridge tarpon through the summer stretch. Florida Sea Grant notes permit spawning aggregations in the Keys can gather over a thousand fish at once, making flats sight-fishing worth a look around this moon. On the regulatory side, Saltwater Sportsman reports Florida, Georgia and South Carolina are pushing for a fall Atlantic red snapper season (Oct. 1-31) after a court injunction halted the earlier pilot program — check current federal rules before targeting snapper offshore.
Late-summer transition sets up Chicago's Lake Michigan bite
No buoy or gauge telemetry came through for the Chicago lakefront this cycle, and this week's shop, captain, and blog intel was dominated by other regions — Virginia catfish, Arkansas trout, and Sea Grant program news rather than southern Lake Michigan reports. Absent fresh local sourcing, what follows leans on typical late-August patterns for this fishery rather than specific catch reports, so treat it as a seasonal outlook, not this week's confirmed bite. Under the current Full Moon, expect stronger overnight and low-light feeding windows as gamefish key on bait movement. Late August on Chicago's lakefront is usually a transition stretch: nearshore structure and harbor mouths hold value as baitfish begin grouping up, and anglers typically start watching for the first signs of salmon staging ahead of the fall run. Check back as fresh buoy readings and regional reports populate for a sharper, source-grounded update on this stretch of water.
Big Gulf of Maine stripers arrive as cod season reopens Sept 1
Striped bass are running big along the Gulf of Maine corridor this week, with Beauport Fishing Adventures out of Gloucester reporting "tons of marine life" this week, including heavy squid and pogy schools holding good numbers of large stripers — fish so big none are small enough to keep under the current slot. The Fisherman's New England forecast corroborates the push, noting striper action "caught fire" north of the Cape with big fish mixed in from Maine to Boston amid a strong mackerel influx. Bluefish remain scarce, reported "completely absent" above Salem per Beauport. The bigger story for Maine bottom-fishermen: Gulf of Maine cod reopens September 1 after being closed all of 2026, with a 1-fish limit at a 23-inch minimum, while the Southern New England stock area stays shut through year-end. Whales working inshore near southern Jeffreys Ledge this week are a good sign of how thick the bait has stacked close to shore.
Charleston reds and trout turn as fall pattern approaches
Charleston-area anglers are getting their first taste of the fall turn, with Coastal Angler Magazine's Haddrell's Point and Tackle report calling September the start of the best inshore fishing of the year as summer heat finally breaks. Up the coast at North Myrtle Beach, Dave's Outpost (via Fisherman's Post) reports summertime trout biting steadily on a slip-cork rig fished with live shrimp, with red drum holding in the same water — a pattern Charleston Harbor anglers should expect to see mirrored in the marsh creeks and grass flats as temperatures ease. Red snapper stays off the table for now: Saltwater Sportsman reports South Carolina is pushing NOAA for a fall Oct. 1–31 recreational season after this year's original season was halted by litigation, so confirm the final ruling before targeting that species. Tonight's Full Moon brings stronger-than-average tidal swings, worth building a trip around for current-fed bites in the harbor's creek mouths.
Permit and Kingfish Keep Naples Anglers Busy Through Late Summer
Naples Offshore Fishing Charters' most recent trip logs highlight strong sight-fishing for large permit alongside steady kingfish action on trolled plugs and flies, with cobia and amberjack rounding out the mixed bag on nearshore structure. Their winter and spring reports also flagged some of the best King Mackerel fishing captains have seen in years, a pattern that typically carries into the warmer months as bait schools push along the beaches. Tarpon, which Naples Offshore Fishing Charters tracked moving steadily through the area earlier this year, are typically tapering from their peak spring run by late August, though stragglers often still show for anglers working the passes. With a full moon pushing stronger tidal exchanges this week, expect faster-moving water on the flats and around structure — good news for bait-ambushing predators like permit and snapper. No fresh buoy or gauge data was available for this cycle, so check a local marine forecast before running offshore.
Snapper Season Fight and Full-Moon Marsh Reds Highlight Georgia Coast
Georgia's Atlantic coast enters late August with the biggest headline coming from the regulatory side rather than the water: Florida, South Carolina and Georgia are pushing NOAA Fisheries for a Oct. 1-31 red snapper season after a lawsuit halted the original 2026 opener, per Saltwater Sportsman, with the public-comment window having closed Aug. 25. On the direct fishing side, the Georgia Wildlife Blog — Fishing is mid-transition to a new rotating regional report format and didn't carry specific Southeast Georgia catch detail this cycle, so we're leaning on typical seasonal patterns: this week's full moon should push redfish onto flats and grass edges on the tide swings, spotted seatrout should stay active around structure and dock lights after dark, and flounder tend to slide toward deeper water in the late-summer heat, per general technique notes from Salt Strong. Check current state regs before targeting snapper given the season uncertainty.
Stripers light up Cape Cod Bay around Provincetown, Fishing Ledge
Stripers are showing up all along the Cape Cod Bay shoreline this week, with the Fishing Ledge area and waters off Provincetown holding the thickest concentrations, per the Goose Hummock Shop report carried in The Fisherman — Cape Cod & Islands. Ocean beaches are just starting to give up bass to surf casters, though it remains mostly a bait bite rather than a topwater blitz. Offshore, Goose Hummock also noted canyon runs producing near-record yellowfin tuna and a deep-dropped swordfish, a sign bigger pelagics are still working well outside the bay. Closer to shore, Black Rose Fishing Charters out of Cape Cod is mixing good striper trips with black sea bass and big scup, staying rigged for tuna when timing allows. Elsewhere around the Cape, Sports Port and Falmouth Bait and Tackle report bluefish working the rips near Nobska and Robinsons Hole, plus early albie and bonito sightings worth watching as that action can push into the bay.
Louisiana marsh reds tail up as trout demand bigger baits
Louisiana's inshore bite is leaning on scale-matching right now: Sport Fishing Mag's guide to the Louisiana coast notes that big speckled trout want a big meal, pointing anglers toward larger plugs and live baitfish like mullet, pogies, or croakers, while redfish are eating a wide mix of artificials and live or cut bait worked along the marsh edges. That same guide lists Strike King's Redfish Magic and Thunder Cricket, Rage Swimmer, and Down South Lures soft plastics fished under a Boat Monkey Cork as producers. Salt Strong's tailing-redfish breakdown adds that presentation, not just lure color, is what decides whether a marsh red commits, especially in clear or pressured water. No live buoy or gauge readings came back for the Delta this cycle, so treat water temp and current as a check-the-forecast item. With a full moon pushing bigger tidal swings this week, we're expecting stronger moving water around the marsh drains morning and evening.
Bluefish push fires up Vineyard Sound as early albies scout the gaps
Bluefish are lit up across Vineyard Sound this week, with 4- to 6-pound blues working the north shore of the Vineyard up to Nobska Point and bigger fish coming off Horseshoe Shoal, per Falmouth Bait & Tackle. Sports Port in Hyannis is seeing the same pattern from the Nantucket Sound side, with blues stacked in the rips between Nobska and Hyannis on tins and epoxy jigs. False albacore have shown up around Quicks Hole and Robinsons Hole, though Sports Port notes the bonito and albies off Osterville and Bass River keep moving and aren't holding in one spot yet. Striped bass fishing remains solid per Black Rose Fishing Charters, who are also putting clients on black sea bass and big scup. No live buoy or gauge readings came through for this region on this run, so treat the water as unmeasured and lean on the shop intel below for where to start.
CT Sound fluke bite catches fire as blues work The Race
Fluke fishing is the story in eastern Long Island Sound this week. Black Hawk described a Thursday trip where the first drift alone produced three fish over 7 pounds, followed by a 9-pounder and an 11-pounder, while J&B Tackle reports keeper fluke and sea bass holding steady around Black Point, Niantic Bay and Two Tree Channel, with bigger fish showing from the Montauk side. Striped bass remain mostly a dawn-and-dusk game — J&B notes live-lined eels at night are still producing the biggest fish. Bluefish are working The Race and Plum Gut per AW Marina, though sizes have trended smaller ahead of the area's upcoming bluefish tournament. Tartan II is finding porgies thick, with sea bass and triggerfish mixed in on bottom drops, and calls sea bass fishing much improved after a slow start. With a full moon overhead, expect stronger tidal swings to sharpen bite windows around the moving-water peaks and low-light hours this week.
Salmon push stirs Lake Michigan basin as fall nears
A Michigan Sportsman Forum angler logged seven king salmon up to 21 pounds plus three coho in the 11-13 pound range on a recent multi-day Lake Michigan trip — an early signal that the basin's fall Chinook push is stirring, though the report comes from the lake's Michigan-side tributaries rather than the Indiana shoreline itself. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came back this cycle for the Indiana side, so treat the outlook below as general seasonal guidance rather than measured conditions. A second forum post described a tougher morning on spinners during the same run, a reminder the bite stays patchy this early in the transition. Nearshore and inland, Fishing the Midwest's fall-transition advice applies directly to Indiana's Lake Michigan waters: work remaining green weed edges for smallmouth and panfish as shallower grass starts dying back, and expect walleye to keep sliding off traditional structure toward suspended baitfish as the lake cools toward fall.
Toledo Bend bass settle into a hot, low-light pattern
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came back for Toledo Bend or the Sabine River border this cycle, and none of today's angler-intel feeds carry a direct report from the reservoir itself — so this update leans on seasonal pattern and the technique notes actually available rather than guessing at local numbers. Full moon overhead tonight typically sharpens night and early-morning feeding windows for largemouth bass and catfish on reservoirs like Toledo Bend. Tactical Bassin's hot-August reservoir breakdown points anglers toward shallow points at first light with topwater and a finesse jig, then a slide toward deeper, shaded structure as the sun climbs — a pattern that generally holds for Toledo Bend bass once late-August heat sets in. Field & Stream notes bass have been eating urchin-style soft plastics unusually well this summer, worth trying if largemouth are sluggish on moving baits. Catfish typically stay the more dependable bite through midday heat. Check current Louisiana regs before harvesting anything you plan to keep.
Late-summer bass and walleye patterns take hold across Illinois waters
With no fresh buoy or gauge readings available for the Illinois River or Lake Michigan today, this report leans on seasonal patterns and the available regional angler intel. Late August is a transition window: largemouth bass are pushing into dense shallow cover during low-light hours, with Tactical Bassin pointing anglers toward topwater frogs, compact jigs, and stickbaits worked tight to the bank at dawn and dusk. On the walleye side, Fishing the Midwest notes that forward-facing sonar has changed how anglers locate suspended fish away from the traditional bottom-hugging structure anglers were taught to target, with green, living weed edges still a reliable starting point as waters begin their slow fall cooldown. Illinois River catfish are typically still active on cut bait and stinkbait rigs worked in deeper holes this time of year. Along the Lake Michigan shoreline and tributary mouths, watch for the seasonal salmon push to build as water temperatures ease. Check state regs before harvesting.
Limestone spring creeks settle into classic late-summer terrestrial pattern
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for the Spring Creek/Penns Creek corridor this cycle, and today's angler-intel sweep didn't turn up a single field report specific to central Pennsylvania's limestone water. That's worth saying plainly rather than papering over. What we can say with confidence is seasonal: late August on spring-fed limestone streams like these typically means stable, cool base flows even after a hot stretch, low and clear conditions, and fish keyed on terrestrials — hoppers, ants, beetles — worked on long, fine leaders in low light. A full moon tonight tends to push some feeding activity into overnight hours, which can mean a quieter pre-dawn bite and better action right at last light. Treat brown trout as the default target on both streams; expect technical, spooky fish in skinny, gin-clear water. Check current PA Fish and Boat Commission regulations before keeping anything — much of this water runs catch-and-release or special-regulation sections.
Mille Lacs walleye anglers lean on sonar as summer winds down
No live buoy or gauge readings are in for Mille Lacs this cycle, so today's outlook leans on regional technique intel and late-August norms rather than a fresh catch report. Per Fishing the Midwest, longtime walleye anglers are rethinking old-school approaches now that forward-facing sonar has reshaped how fish get located — jigging live bait, pulling leech and crawler rigs, and crankbait trolling still catch fish, but FFS is increasingly pulling anglers off classic structure like points and weedlines toward suspended fish over open water. Typical for this time of year, Mille Lacs walleye should be holding on mid-lake mud flats and deeper breaks as surface temps stay warm into early fall. Smallmouth bass and northern pike are usually active in the same zones, and perch remain a dependable fallback. With no on-the-water reports specific to Mille Lacs this cycle, treat this as seasonal guidance — call ahead to a local shop before you launch.
Full-moon low-light windows set up late-summer smallmouth and walleye
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came in for the Susquehanna and Allegheny corridor today, so we're leaning on regional technique reports and the calendar: late August under a Full Moon typically pushes smallmouth bass and walleye into low-light feeding windows. Tactical Bassin's late-summer playbook this week highlights morning topwater and finesse presentations over deep structure as fish key on baitfish patterns, a tactic that translates well to Susquehanna and Allegheny smallmouth. On The Water's late-summer largemouth notes point anglers toward dense shoreline cover, frogs, and stickbaits during low-light windows — good advice for the slower, weedier stretches both rivers hold. Muskellunge remain a patient game this time of year, typically most active around dawn and dusk and around moon-phase feeding windows. Walleye anglers should expect a similar low-light pattern, and Fishing the Midwest's structure notes suggest working suspended fish rather than bottom-hugging structure. Check current flow stage before heading out — no live gauge data was available for this report.
Chesapeake stripers turn on in the tidal creeks
Smith's Bait Shop reports striped bass running 20 to 24 inches out of Delaware and Maryland tidal creeks and rivers this week, taking sandworms and shrimp alongside a solid mix of croaker, per The Fisherman — DE/MD/Chesapeake. Flounder remain a dependable target too: Hook 'em and Cook 'em notes fish coming off the Old Grounds along with sea bass and croaker, while the Bowers Beach jetty is giving up both croaker and flounder on live minnows and bucktails tipped with squid strips or Gulp. Eric Burnley's column cautions that many croaker are running short of the legal 9-inch mark, so expect to sort through some throwbacks before filling a stringer. Offshore, canyon boats continue picking at tuna and tilefish. With the full moon pushing extra water through the Bay's creek mouths and jetty rips, the stronger tidal exchange over the next few days should sharpen the bite on current breaks and structure.
King salmon push stirs on Michigan's Great Lakes tributaries
Chatter out of Manistee has anglers buzzing: one angler wrapping up a three-day trip on Great Lakes tributaries reported landing seven King (Chinook) Salmon — the largest going 21 pounds — plus three Coho Salmon in the 11-13 pound range, per posts on Michigan Sportsman Forum. Results elsewhere on the early run have been spottier; another forum post out of a favorite early king tributary described going 0-for-2 on spinners over several hours, calling the fish "damn near impossible" to land in current conditions. We're treating both as unconfirmed forum chatter rather than a settled pattern — no state or charter reports corroborate either account yet, and buoy or river-gauge readings weren't available for this update. With a full moon overhead and water still carrying late-August warmth, walleye and smallmouth bass remain the steadier freshwater options across Great Lakes and Grand River waters while the salmon run gets sorted out.
Topwater Bass and Snakeheads Fire Up on Delaware's Tidal Rivers
No live buoy or gauge readings came through for the Christina and Nanticoke systems this cycle, so what follows leans on regional reports rather than a thermometer. Across nearby Delaware freshwater, The Fisherman — NJ/DE Freshwater relays from Smith's Bait Shop in Leipsic that largemouth are eating well on top early and late around thick vegetation, with snakeheads showing in the same grass. The same report notes perch and panfish already stacking up in spillway areas at Garrisons Lake, Massey Mills, and Silver Lake — a pattern that typically extends through Delaware's tidal freshwater stretches this time of year, Christina and Nanticoke included. Today's full moon should push a stronger tidal exchange through both rivers, which can concentrate baitfish and gamefish around current breaks near the moon phases. Water is still summer-warm and weed-choked, so early and late light with weedless plastics or a walking topwater over grass edges remains the higher-percentage play until overnight temps start trending down into September.
Hopper season keeps Yellowstone trout dialed in through late August
Terrestrial season is in full swing across the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, with Hatch Magazine's annual 'terrestrial countdown' confirming hoppers, ants and beetles are now the go-to summer trout food in this stretch of Montana's blue-ribbon water. It's been a long, hot, smoky summer by regional standards, per that same report — conditions that typically push feeding into the margins during low light. Yellowstone National Park is closing Buffalo Creek, a Slough Creek tributary in the park's north end, from August 31 through September 7 for native cutthroat restoration work, per Flylords Mag — worth noting if that drainage is on your list. Access and public-water conversations remain active in the region too, with Bozeman-based guide Jim Klug highlighting Montana's public fishing access via Flylab this week. No live gauge or buoy readings came through for this cycle, so check current flows before you head out — but with hopper season peaking, foam and rubber-leg patterns fished tight to grassy banks should keep producing through the Full Moon week.
Full moon, late-summer heat push Coosa and Tennessee bass deep
On The Water's late-summer largemouth advice frames this stretch of the calendar: dense shoreline cover fished during dawn and dusk low-light windows with frogs, compact jigs, and stickbaits. No buoy or gauge readings came back for the Tennessee and Coosa system this cycle, and none of today's angler-intel feed named Alabama waters directly, so this report leans on that general seasonal pattern rather than fresh local sightings. A full moon on August 27 typically reinforces the same low-light bite for largemouth and Alabama's signature spotted bass, the Coosa spots. Tactical Bassin's late-summer coverage echoes the shift, warning that fish are already moving off spots that produced earlier in the season as the Fall transition nears. Channel and blue catfish, a mainstay of the Tennessee River, should stay steady through the heat. Crappie tend to go quiet in late-August warmth without a cooling front. Check state regs before harvesting.