Fishing reports
17517 reports across all 50 states — current conditions and what's biting.
Sea Bass Stays Hot Off Sandy Hook as Bonito Push Into Raritan Bay
Sea bass are bailing out anglers even when fluke get stingy — Capt Ron's Atlantic Highlands NJ describes bottom that was "loaded with Sea Bass" on recent trips, with Pete from the Bronx topping the pool on a 4-pound 6-ounce fluke and Garry Karcer boating a 5-pounder mid-week, both against a backdrop of mostly short fluke and inconsistent drift. Just up the coast, Grumpys Tackle (NJ) and OTW Northern New Jersey both flag Spanish mackerel and bonito now mixing into the surf and inshore grounds, a sign the late-summer bait push has arrived. Fluking itself reads mixed: OTW Northern New Jersey calls it "a steady pick of keepers," while The Fisherman — Northern NJ notes area captains are already looking ahead to a strong September as sand eels stack up along the beach. Bluefin tuna remain a midshore coin-flip, hit or miss on the jig.
Late-summer transition play sets up smallmouth and walleye bite
Late-summer bass are shifting patterns fast, per this week's advisory from Tactical Bassin (blog), and that same fall-transition play applies to smallmouth working the Allegheny and Monongahela tailwaters below Pittsburgh's lock-and-dam system. No fresh buoy or gauge telemetry came through for this update, so today's read leans on seasonal pattern and current technique trends rather than an on-the-water PA report. Fishing the Midwest notes that forward-facing sonar has upended old assumptions about walleye sitting tight to bottom structure — fish are increasingly found suspended, a pattern that applies directly to tailwater walleye holding off current breaks. Smallmouth should still respond to moving baits worked over emerging weed edges and points early and late in the day, with a buzzbait or topwater presentation drawing reaction strikes as water cools toward fall. Catfish activity typically holds steady through this stretch. Check current PA Fish and Boat Commission regulations before harvesting anything.
North Shore Lake Trout Hold a Steady Bite as Summer Winds Down
Anglers working Lake Superior's Lower Shore near Duluth are still connecting with 18- to 33-inch Lake Trout on a steady bite, according to the MN DNR's August 20 Lake Superior Summer Fishing report — the same pattern DNR creel clerks have logged for a month straight from Duluth to Two Harbors. Salmon have thinned out some this week per that same report, though Coho and a few Chinook are still turning up at the access sites. Surface temps are running warmer near Duluth (65-70°F) and noticeably cooler toward Two Harbors (50-55°F), so working the temperature breaks matters. Inland, walleye anglers are leaning on forward-facing sonar to find suspended fish rather than pinning them to bottom structure, a shift Fishing the Midwest has been tracking all season. Bass are in their late-summer transition, with topwater and buzzbaits producing as fish key on baitfish before the fall turnover. Under this week's full moon, expect low-light windows to fish best.
Lake Erie's multi-species bite holds strong into late August
Lake Erie's reputation as one of North America's top multi-species fisheries held up this week — Wired 2 Fish highlighted an angler working roughly 38 feet of water on the lake and connecting with a quality fish while running with a veteran guide who "put them over some really productive bottom," a reminder that Erie's deeper structure keeps producing through late summer. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for Presque Isle Bay this cycle, so specific water-temperature and clarity numbers aren't available — check a local forecast before heading out. For PA anglers working Presque Isle and the near-shore reef complex, late August typically means smallmouth bass holding tight to deeper rock and drop-offs, walleye sitting near the thermocline, and yellow perch beginning to school tighter as the season pivots toward fall. With a full moon overhead, we're expecting a stronger low-light bite at dawn and dusk this week. Steelhead activity remains minimal until cooler water triggers the fall run.
Fall Chinook Buzz Builds on the Columbia as WA Rivers Turn Toward Salmon Season
Anglers on the IFish.net forum this week described "HOT chinook action trolling solo" just north of the marked boundary near Buoy 10, alongside separate posts detailing salmon trolling below Chinook Landing and at the mouth of the Lewis River — consistent Columbia system chatter for late August, though these are forum reports and should be treated as early signal rather than confirmed bite data until an agency creel check corroborates them. No live NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came through this cycle, so specific flow and temperature figures aren't available; WDFW's fishing and stocking reports page remains the best source for verified creel counts and any in-season regulation changes before you launch. With tonight's full moon pushing stronger low-light feeding windows, look for chinook activity to concentrate around dawn and dusk on Columbia tributaries and Puget Sound river mouths as the fall run continues building through the final days of August.
Saginaw Bay walleye and perch gear up for the Labor Day turn
Direct Lake Huron and Saginaw Bay reports were thin in this week's intel pull, so this update leans on regional Great Lakes trends and seasonal norms rather than a specific dock report. Elsewhere on the Great Lakes, Wired 2 Fish flagged a strong multi-species stretch on Lake Erie this month, a sign that the broader basin is fishing well as summer turns toward fall. On the technique side, Fishing the Midwest notes that forward-facing sonar has changed how walleye anglers find fish across the region, with more suspended fish being caught away from classic bottom structure. For MI's Huron and Saginaw Bay waters specifically, expect the typical late-August pattern: walleye and perch schooling over deeper structure during the day and pushing shallower at dawn and dusk, with early-season salmon activity building near tributary mouths as water starts to cool. Check the MI DNR's weekly report before heading out for the latest local detail.
Late-Summer Pattern Holds at Santee and Lake Murray
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came back for Santee or Lake Murray this cycle, so today's read leans on seasonal pattern rather than a live number. Late August on Carolina reservoirs is classic late-summer-to-fall transition water, and national bass coverage is already flagging it: Tactical Bassin's latest late-summer rundown warns anglers not to just slow down and camp on old summer spots, since fish are starting to shift with the shortening days. On Santee and Murray that typically means largemouth still feeding shallow in low light before sliding to deeper cover and ledges once the sun gets up, stripers and catfish holding on structure and bait concentrations in the heat, and crappie generally sluggish until water starts to cool. Treat species notes below as seasonal expectation rather than a confirmed regional bite until a local shop or captain report comes through.
Drop-shot bass and sunfish action lead the Potomac-Shenandoah bite
The Virginia DWR Wildlife Blog's late-summer output points anglers toward two dependable patterns on the Potomac and Shenandoah systems right now: drop-shotting for smallmouth, largemouth, and spotted bass, and ultralight sunfish tactics for bluegill and redear. Per DWR's "Drop Shotting in Virginia" piece, the rig suspends a bait just off bottom with a weight anchoring the line, giving bass a natural, hovering presentation that's a go-to for anglers targeting all three black bass species statewide. Separately, DWR's fishing report centered on Powhatan Wildlife Management Area flags late summer as prime time for sunfish, with ultralight spinning gear (or a simple bobber-and-worm rig) drawing steady bites from bluegill and redear on public lakes and ponds. No live buoy or gauge telemetry came back for this stretch today, so treat flow and temp as typical for a late-August full-moon period until a fresh reading posts.
Wachusett smallmouth surge as anglers land big fish on jigs
A 12-year-old angler landed a 5-pound smallmouth bass on his third cast with a jig at Wachusett Reservoir this week, then followed up with a 4-plus-pound smallmouth on a topwater lure, per a report from Jerry's Bait and Tackle carried by The Fisherman — New England Freshwater. That's the one direct signal we have from the Quabbin/Wachusett corridor this cycle — no report has come in from Quabbin itself, so treat conditions there as inferred rather than confirmed. Elsewhere in Massachusetts, The Fisherman — New England Freshwater notes smallmouth action holding up well through the Merrimack River's Lowell-to-Lawrence stretch, suggesting the regional smallmouth bite is broad-based rather than a one-off. With a Full Moon overhead and late-August water still carrying summer heat, bass should favor low-light windows — early morning and dusk — with jigs and topwater working best around structure and dropoffs. No buoy or gauge telemetry is available for this inland system this cycle, so we're leaning on angler reports alone.
Kenai-area rivers turn toward the fall silver salmon push
Late August is the hinge point for Kenai and interior Alaska river systems, as the summer sockeye and king salmon runs wind down and the fall silver (coho) salmon push begins working upstream — a pattern that typically holds through September in this region. No buoy or gauge readings and no Alaska-specific river reports came through in this cycle's data feed, so today's outlook leans on general seasonal knowledge rather than fresh on-the-water testimony. Anglers can expect rainbow trout and Dolly Varden to key in on drifting salmon eggs and flesh below spawning fish, a dependable late-summer pattern on interior systems. With a full moon overhead, dawn and dusk windows typically produce the most consistent action as fish feed heavier during low-light periods around the bright nights. Check current regulations before targeting any salmon species, since in-season closures and bag limits shift by drainage.
Smokies trout lean on terrestrials as late-August heat holds
With no fresh buoy or gauge readings out of the Smokies this cycle, this update leans on the broader late-summer trout pattern showing up across trout country right now. Hatch Magazine's terrestrial countdown flags hoppers, ants, and beetles as entering their prime window, and that timing tracks for Western NC's freestone streams as well. Heat management is the bigger story than any hatch: as Reno Fly Shop's guides are noting on the Truckee this week, rising midday water temperatures are pushing trout to concentrate their feeding into the first and last light of the day, a pattern that holds just as true in the Southern Appalachians. Expect rainbows and browns working banks, pocket water, and shaded runs at dawn and dusk, with native brook trout holding tighter to cooler, higher-elevation headwater tributaries. A full moon overhead tonight favors an early start — fish may already be feeding well before sunrise.
Deep-water bite carries Lake Erie's multi-species run into fall
Western New York's Lake Erie and Niagara stretch enters the last week of August without fresh buoy or gauge readings this cycle, so anglers should lean on local knowledge before heading out. What we do have: Wired 2 Fish's recent feature on Lake Erie's reputation as one of North America's best multi-species fisheries, describing a guide-led trip that found solid fish holding in roughly 38 feet of water — a reminder that late-summer bites here often come from deeper main-lake structure rather than the shallows. Expect smallmouth bass and walleye to keep feeding actively while the lake holds onto summer warmth, with yellow perch schooling up on deeper flats. Steelhead activity typically stays quiet until tributary temperatures drop closer to fall. Tonight's full moon should sharpen overnight and dawn feeding windows. Check state regulations before harvesting, and verify current water temps locally since no fresh reading came through this update.
Kings and Browns Turn On as Lake Ontario Salmon Run Builds
Salmon fishing has been very good on Lake Ontario this past week, with browns and lake trout mixed into the catch, according to Strike Zone Charters (Lake Ontario). Boats are working the 100- to 160-foot range, and preferred depths have been sliding 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 flashers paired with Atomic attractors drawing strikes. For anglers working the Salmon River and Oswego tributaries, this offshore staging is the setup phase before fish push upriver later in the run. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came in for this update, so plan around on-the-water reports and check conditions before you launch. With tonight's full moon, expect an active low-light bite at dawn and again after dark.
San Juan trout stay steady as Rio Grande flows thin under late-summer heat
The San Juan below Navajo Dam keeps running cold and clear on bottom-release flow, a pattern that typically keeps trout active on small midges and nymphs straight through late August regardless of surface heat elsewhere in the state. Downstream, the free-flowing Rio Grande is typically thinner and warmer this time of year, pushing smallmouth bass and catfish into deeper pools and making early-morning and dusk windows the more productive stretch of the day as water warms through midday. No New Mexico-specific captain, shop, or agency reports came through this week's regional feeds — coverage this cycle skewed toward other states and general technique pieces — so what follows leans on typical late-August patterns for this fishery rather than fresh on-the-water intel. With tonight's full moon, expect low, clear water on both rivers and plan trips around the low-light hours rather than midday.
Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta eyes the fall striper turn
No NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came back for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta this cycle, and today's angler-intel sweep didn't turn up any California Delta-specific catch reports from tracked outlets either — worth saying plainly rather than guessing at numbers. NorCal Fish Reports lists the Delta among the regions it regularly covers, but nothing region-specific landed in this pull. That leaves this update leaning on typical late-August patterns for the system: striped bass and largemouth bass are the Delta's headline species, with sturgeon and catfish rounding out most trip reports through the warm season. Late August is usually a transition stretch here, as summer's deeper daytime pattern starts giving way to the shallower, more aggressive fall feeding anglers associate with cooling water into September. Treat any specific bite claims for the Delta this week as unconfirmed until fresher reports come through.
South Fork Snake settles into peak hopper season
Hatch Magazine's late-August terrestrial countdown captures where South Fork Snake River anglers find themselves right now: deep into the grasshopper window that defines this fishery every summer as fields across the Greater Yellowstone region dry out and hoppers get blown onto the water. No fresh USGS gauge or NOAA buoy readings came through for this stretch today, so treat flow and water temperature as unknowns until you check the local gauge before launching. That's typical late-summer form though — the South Fork's well-known Yellowstone cutthroat trout key hard on foam hopper patterns and attractor dries worked tight to undercut banks and grassy edges through late morning and afternoon. Rainbows mix in on the same water, while browns and mountain whitefish lean more toward subsurface presentations — nymphs and small streamers — as afternoon light gets hard and fish slide deeper. This week's Full Moon may nudge some of that dawn and dusk activity earlier or later than usual.
Champlain smallmouth hold shallow as salmon slide deep for late August
No buoy or gauge readings came back for Lake Champlain today, and none of this week's angler-intel feeds cover Vermont directly, so this report leans on typical late-August patterns for the fishery. Regionally, smallmouth action has stayed strong through the summer — The Fisherman's New England Freshwater desk reports smallmouth bass keeping busy through the Merrimack River's Lowell-to-Lawrence stretch and into New Hampshire's Hooksett section, a pattern broadly consistent with what Champlain anglers should expect off shoreline rock piles and main-lake humps this time of year. On Champlain itself, late-August smallmouth typically pull to deeper rock and gravel structure and respond to drop-shot and tube presentations worked slow along bottom. Landlocked salmon usually push into cooler, deeper water ahead of the fall turnover, often requiring downriggers or wire line to reach fish holding below the thermocline. With no fresh temperature or clarity data available today, check conditions on the water before committing to a depth.
Wind River high country turns to hoppers as alpine lakes heat up
No NOAA buoy or USGS gauge data came through for this cycle, and none of this week's angler-intel feeds filed a direct report from the Wind River or North Platte watersheds, so treat the picture below as seasonal expectation rather than confirmed on-the-water intel — check a local gauge before you head out. Hatch Magazine's Greater Yellowstone terrestrial countdown describes a long, hot, smoky summer with hopper counts building as August closes out, a pattern that typically tracks south along the same elevation gradient into Wind River drainages. Flylords Mag's alpine-lake piece points to the other half of the late-summer playbook: as stream temperatures climb and afternoon windows shrink, high-country lakes start fishing better than the freestone water below them, holding cutthroat and rainbow that see lighter pressure. Full moon overnight may push some feeding into low-light hours. Below is a general-knowledge species outlook for the region pending firmer reports.
Wisconsin River bass bite holds as Lake Superior whitefish draw interest
Hard data was thin for Wisconsin this cycle — no fresh USGS gauge or NOAA buoy readings came through, so this report leans on regional intel. WI DNR's Lake Superior Fishing update flags a lake whitefish fishery that has "emerged" as popular in the Chequamegon Bay region in recent years, popular enough that the DNR ran an angler questionnaire and a public meeting on it this spring — a fishery worth watching as boats and, later, ice anglers converge there. On the Wisconsin River side, no shop or captain report crossed the desk, but Tactical Bassin's late-summer notes are a useful proxy: the outlet warns bass anglers who keep fishing spots that worked a month ago often struggle as the fall transition nears, and Fishing the Midwest notes forward-facing sonar has changed how many Midwest anglers locate suspended walleye and bass. With the general inland season open and a full moon overhead, expect typical late-August, low-light bite windows.
Missouri and Red River walleye anglers lean on sonar as summer winds down
No NOAA or USGS gauge data came back for the Red and Missouri Rivers this cycle, so this update leans on regional technique reporting rather than a fresh bite report out of North Dakota. Fishing the Midwest's Mike Frisch and Bob Jensen both filed notes this week on how forward-facing sonar has changed where Midwest walleye anglers are finding fish — moving them off the traditional bottom-and-structure playbook (points, turns, weedlines) and into suspended fish that older methods routinely missed. That shift is broadly applicable to Red and Missouri River walleye as late-August heat holds and fish continue relating to deeper, cooler water during the day. No river-specific bite reports came through this cycle for sauger, channel catfish, or smallmouth bass, so treat their status below as seasonal expectation rather than a confirmed report — worth checking a local shop or the state Game and Fish office before you head out.
Lake Mead stripers settle into the late-summer deep-water pattern
No NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came through for Lake Mead and the lower Colorado this cycle, and this week's angler-intel sweep turned up no captain, shop, or agency reports specific to Nevada striper waters — the fishing chatter in circulation right now runs toward Northeast albies, Midwest bass, and Rocky Mountain trout, not the Colorado River system. Rather than guess at what's biting, we're leaning on typical late-August patterns for this fishery: striped bass and catfish generally hold over deep humps and channel edges while surface water stays warm, with the bite improving in low light and overnight. Largemouth and smallmouth activity typically slows through peak afternoon heat and picks up at dawn and dusk. With a full moon overhead, nighttime feeding windows are worth planning around. Check current conditions and regulations locally before heading out — this report will sharpen once region-specific intel comes in.
Terrestrial Season Arrives on Greater Yellowstone Waters
Grasshoppers are taking over Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem waters as anglers enter what Hatch Magazine calls the annual "terrestrial countdown" — the seasonal shift into hopper season that always kicks off around the first week of August. This year is tracking that same pattern, arriving on schedule despite what Hatch Magazine describes as a long, hot, smoky summer across the region. For cutthroat and rainbow trout on Yellowstone and Snake River (Tetons) waters, that typically means fish keying on grasshoppers and other terrestrial insects blown or hopped onto the water, especially along grassy banks and undercuts. Brown trout, which typically start feeding harder as they stage toward their fall spawn, should also respond to bigger foam patterns fished tight to structure. With a full moon overhead, expect an earlier morning bite and a slower midday lull. No direct water-temp or flow readings came through this cycle — check a local gauge before heading out.
Late-summer transition tactics turn on New River smallmouth
No live buoy or gauge readings came through for the New River and Ohio River corridor this cycle, so this update leans on seasonal patterns and technique intel circulating from around the region rather than local hard numbers. Tactical Bassin's late-August breakdown of common late-summer bass mistakes warns against camping on old summer spots as the Fall transition nears — worth applying to New River smallmouth, which typically start sliding onto current breaks and rock structure as late-August heat holds. Fishing the Midwest's recent notes on Forward-Facing Sonar describe anglers finding suspended walleye and bass away from bottom structure, a pattern that translates well to Ohio River boaters running electronics right now. Catfish remain a dependable late-summer producer on both rivers, typically most active after dark. With a Full Moon overhead, expect stronger nighttime feeding windows for catfish and musky. As always, check current WV DNR regulations before harvesting anything you land.
Guntersville and Wheeler bass brace for the Fall transition
Late-summer bass fishing across Tennessee River reservoirs like Guntersville and Wheeler is entering its trickiest stretch, and Tactical Bassin's new breakdown of 'Don't Make These 3 Late Summer Fishing Mistakes' lands right on schedule — the video warns anglers not to keep slow-fishing the same spots that worked all summer as the Fall transition approaches. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came back for this stretch of the Tennessee River today, so treat any temp or flow numbers with caution and check a local source before running. Typical for late August on these highland reservoirs, largemouth are sliding between shallow early/late feeding windows and deeper midday holds, a pattern Tactical Bassin's hot-August-heat reservoir video also outlines — working shallow points at first light before pushing to finesse presentations as the sun climbs. With tonight's Full Moon, expect a stronger low-light and after-dark bite than the daytime grind. Spotted bass, catfish, and crappie should hold to typical deep-structure late-summer positioning until nights start cooling.