Fishing reports
17922 reports across all 50 states — current conditions and what's biting.
Sunfish Bite Heats Up as VA Bass Anglers Dial In Drop Shots
The Virginia DWR Wildlife Blog's newest fishing report pegs late summer as prime time for bluegill and redear sunfish on the state's public lakes, and that seasonal pattern extends squarely to Smith Mountain Lake and Buggs Island (Kerr Reservoir) anglers working ultralight spinning gear along shallow cover. On the bass side, the DWR's companion piece on drop shotting notes the rig's ability to suspend bait naturally over structure, a finesse approach that fits the slow, deliberate presentations largemouth and smallmouth want once August water settles warm and clear. No NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings were available for this cycle, so treat water levels and clarity as unconfirmed until you're on the water. Striped bass, a hallmark of Smith Mountain Lake, should still be pushing toward deeper, cooler water and baitfish schools as surface temps hold high; no direct reports on that pattern surfaced this week. Catfish remain a dependable late-summer bite on both lakes regardless of pressure elsewhere.
Cobia and Red Drum Hold the Chesapeake Bay Mouth Into Late August
No buoy or gauge readings came through for the Chesapeake mouth this cycle, and none of today's angler-intel feeds reported specifically from Virginia's tidewater fisheries, so this update leans on typical late-August patterns for the region. Cobia remain the marquee target at the Bay mouth through this stretch of summer, typically holding over structure and channel edges before the fall push begins. Red drum and Spanish mackerel are usually still active around the same structure and bait schools this time of year, while speckled trout activity typically starts to build as water temperatures ease off their summer peak. Striped bass are generally slow to absent in the Bay proper in late August, and Virginia anglers should check current state guidance on catch-and-release handling during warm-water stretches before targeting them. We'll refresh this report as soon as Bay-specific buoy readings or regional angler intel come back online.
Late-summer salmon window holds through Puget Sound and the coast
No fresh buoy or river-gauge readings came through for Puget Sound or the Washington coast this cycle, so today's outlook leans on seasonal pattern rather than hard numbers. Late August sits inside Washington's peak saltwater salmon stretch, with Chinook and Coho runs typically pushing through Puget Sound and coastal river mouths this time of year — check WA WDFW Fishing Reports for the latest creel counts and marine-area-specific closures before heading out, since regulations shift week to week by zone. Chatter on IFish.net Fishing Reports out of the Pacific Northwest coast this week skewed toward lost-and-found gear at cleaning stations rather than detailed bite reports, so we're not leaning on it for species-specific claims. Bottom fishing for rockfish tends to stay steady through late summer while water temps sit near their annual peak, and halibut action typically starts tapering as the season winds down. Confirm open areas and limits before you launch.
Yellowtail and Mutton Snapper Keep the Keys Bite Cooking
Snapper action anchors the Keys report this week. ALL IN Key West calls the yellowtail and mutton bite 'on fire,' with mutton snappers staging in a spawning push and yellowtails practically jumping in the boat on light tackle over the reef. Bud n' Mary's Islamorada backs that up, noting yellowtail thick on the reef, tarpon working the bridges, and mahi showing offshore in the Gulf Stream. Florida Sea Grant notes permit also stage in large spawning aggregations around the Keys through summer, so don't be surprised to find them mixed in near structure. Regulatory turbulence continues on the red snapper front: CCA Florida and Saltwater Sportsman both flag an ongoing legal fight over South Atlantic red snapper access, with a possible October recreational window still pending public comment. Check current state regs before targeting snapper species this season.
Fall Chinook staging nears as Chicago's Lake Michigan bite holds steady
Outdoor Hub's report this week that hundreds of juvenile silver carp turned up in the Illinois River just 80 miles from Lake Michigan is the closest thing to hard news out of the region, and it's a reminder of the electric barrier system's ongoing job keeping the invasive species out of these waters. Direct fishing intel for the Chicago lakefront was thin in this cycle's feeds, so treat the species notes below as seasonal expectation rather than fresh reports. Late August on Lake Michigan typically means Chinook salmon starting their pre-spawn staging toward river mouths and harbor breakwalls, smallmouth bass working nearshore rock and riprap, and yellow perch schooling over deeper mud and sand flats. Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant is also fielding new seed-grant proposals focused on southern Lake Michigan research, a sign of continued attention on the basin's fishery. No buoy or gauge readings came through this cycle, so plan around typical late-summer patterns and check a local forecast before heading out.
Trophy blue cat headlines Lanier's late-summer bite
Lake Lanier's biggest headline this week isn't a bass but a blue catfish: Anthony Scroggins of Gainesville landed a new lake-record blue cat on Aug. 19, weighing 22 pounds, 0 ounces on certified DNR scales, per GA Sportsman/Georgia Outdoor News. It's a reminder that Lanier's catfish bite runs strong through late-summer heat, even as the Georgia Wildlife Blog — Fishing notes it's shifting to a rotating regional-spotlight format, leaving fewer week-specific notes on North Georgia impoundments like Lanier and Allatoona in this cycle. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for either lake this week, so treat water conditions as typical late-August: warm, stratified, and best worked early or deep. Spotted bass and largemouth are following the well-worn summer pattern — dawn topwater over deep brush and standing timber before sliding to the thermocline — while stripers and hybrids should still be chasing shad suspended over cooler water.
Peak summer seatrout bite lights up Sarasota flats
A 27-inch spotted seatrout landed on a recent Sarasota Bay trip headlines what CB's Saltwater Outfitters is calling the peak summer trout bite, with Capt. Brandon Naeve reporting seatrout aggressively biting the inshore grass flats, mangrove shorelines, and passes right now — target sunrise and sunset feeding windows for the best action. Redfish are cooperating too: Capt. Chuck Cress worked a rising morning tide with a popping cork and live shrimp to connect on several reds, with a few juvenile snook mixed in and released. Looking to the open Gulf, Capt. Rick Grassett's August forecast has tarpon still working the coastal beaches early in the month before sliding into inside waters around bridges and deep grass flats, often keying on schools of feeding ladyfish. Water is firmly in its summer pattern — Salt Strong notes fish are conserving energy in the heat, so a slower presentation is paying off across the region right now.
Big Stripers Push North as Gulf of Maine Bite Heats Up
Striper action has caught fire from Maine to Boston this week, per The Fisherman (Northeast)'s New England forecast, with some seriously big fish mixed into the push. Closer to the Gulf of Maine line, Beauport Fishing Adventures out of Rockport reports big stripers stacked off the dry salvages on Cape Ann's east side, feeding hard on pogies — most too big to keep, but great sport. Squid remain thick east of Cape Ann and mackerel are still plentiful, the same report notes, while pollock fishing stays solid and haddock is spotty. Farther south the picture is patchier: Belsan's Bait & Tackle called the striper bite 'hit or miss' from Scituate to Provincetown with bluefish largely absent, though smaller blues are starting to trickle in. Surfland reports the Plum Island refuge has reopened to permitted night fishing, with a 49-inch bass taken from the sand over the weekend. No live buoy or gauge readings came through for this run.
Slip-Cork Trout Bite Keeps Rolling on the South Carolina Coast
Reports out of the northern South Carolina coast give the clearest read on this stretch's summer pattern: per Fisherman's Post — Carolinas saltwater, John of Dave's Outpost in North Myrtle Beach/Little River says anglers are finding summertime spotted seatrout, with slip-cork rigs and live shrimp the top producer, and red drum holding in the same areas. No live buoy or gauge readings came back for Charleston Harbor on this pull, so treat water temp and tide detail as a check-your-app job for now. The pattern lines up with what's typical for a Charleston Harbor August: warm, stable water pushing trout and redfish into grass-edge and dock structure, with flounder and Spanish mackerel rounding out the inshore/nearshore mix. Statewide, Saltwater Sportsman notes South Carolina is one of three states pushing NOAA for a fall red snapper window (Oct. 1-31), worth watching if you run offshore trips later this year.
Redfish push to deep water as Gulf Coast summer heat holds
Water temps pushing into the upper 80s and low 90s have redfish sliding into deeper, current-swept water rather than chasing fast-moving bait, according to Salt Strong's late-summer breakdown for Florida Gulf Coast anglers — blue crab worked slow along channel edges and moving water is outproducing reaction lures right now. Naples Offshore Fishing Charters' spring reports had permit and tarpon stacked up through the migration, with captains splitting mornings on tarpon and afternoons sight-fishing permit; that intensity typically eases as summer wears on, though kingfish, cobia, and amberjack — species Naples Offshore has flagged productive in both winter and spring reports — tend to hold on nearshore structure through the warm months. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through this cycle, so treat water temp as seasonal-typical rather than measured. Slow presentations and early-morning starts are the theme as the dog days of August grind on.
Georgia Coast Eyes Fall Snapper Return as Summer Heat Slows Inshore Bite
A federal lawsuit halted the 2026 red snapper season in the South Atlantic, but Georgia, South Carolina, and Florida are now pushing NOAA for a month-long October 1-31 recreational reopening, per Saltwater Sportsman — public comment on the plan closes August 25, so bottom anglers eyeing snapper on Georgia's reef structure should watch that deadline closely. Inshore, late-August heat has the water column doing what it typically does this time of year: redfish sliding into deeper, moving water rather than holding shallow, and trout tucking tighter to cover. Salt Strong's summer-pattern notes point anglers toward slowing presentations and working blue crab or crab-imitating baits for tailing and schooled redfish rather than fast-moving lures. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for this stretch of coast today, so treat water temp as seasonally warm and plan trips around early and late light rather than the midday heat.
Bonito Arrive in Cape Cod Bay as Bay-Shore Stripers Hold Steady
Bonito showed up in Cape Cod Bay this week, with Goose Hummock Shop reporting the first fish caught off Provincetown, inside the harbor, and around Wood End, alongside four-pound bluefish working from the Brewster Flats down into Wellfleet Harbor. The striper bite along the bay shore is holding steady, and Goose Hummock notes a few big schools of jumbo bass are stacked up around P-Town, with anglers live-lining mackerel picking off some of the better fish. Reports aren't uniform bay-wide, though: Belsan's Bait & Tackle, working the stretch from Scituate to Provincetown, calls the bass action hit or miss this week and says bluefish have been essentially absent on that side, with fish keying tighter on bait than on rips or structure, so covering ground to find a cooperative school matters more than usual right now. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came in for the bay today, so treat water temp as seasonal August range and confirm locally before running out.
Red snapper action holds strong as LDWF reopens season
Louisiana Sportsman reports LDWF is reopening the private recreational red snapper season for two four-day stretches this week (starting August 23), with LA Creel data showing only 4% of the state's 2026 private-angler allocation left before the fishery closes for the year. That's a sign the Gulf snapper bite has stayed steady and strong through the summer, with anglers working structure hard enough to nearly exhaust the quota. Elsewhere in the Gulf, Sport Fishing Mag flags yellowfin tuna as one of the region's toughest fights right now, known for a second-wind run that strips back line anglers thought they'd already won. Closer to the Delta, marsh redfish and speckled trout should still be pushing into deeper cuts and moving water as August heat holds, a typical late-summer pattern for the coast. Check current LDWF guidance before planning a snapper trip around the reopened dates.
Bluefish and Bonito Move Into Vineyard Sound as Bass Bite Shifts
Blues have pushed into the sound shoreline this week, often paired with bonito in the same 4-pound class, per Sports Port's report to The Fisherman — Cape Cod & Islands. Just up the coast, Falmouth Bait and Tackle notes small blues holding from Vineyard Sound through West Chop and across to Nobska Point, while striped bass have shifted to more of a daylight jigging-or-trolling bite rather than blind-casting the flats. Offshore, the same shop reports bluefin tuna working in closer as the recent storms moderated, alongside a strong yellowfin push on the canyon grounds. Water temperatures in Buzzards Bay and Vineyard Sound typically run upper 60s to low 70s this deep into August, which keeps bluefish and bonito schools tight to structure and tide rips. We're seeing a classic late-summer pattern take shape here, with inshore predators keyed on bait pods and the first real hints of the fall run still a few weeks off.
Panhandle anglers slow down as Gulf grouper season nears
Late-August heat has Panhandle anglers adjusting tempo more than location this week. Salt Strong's saltwater team notes that once Gulf water temps peak in the dog days of summer, redfish stop burning energy chasing fast-moving prey, and anglers do better slowing presentations and working deeper, moving water — advice that applies directly to Destin and Pensacola grass flats right now. Offshore, Sport Fishing Mag flags Gulf gag grouper as the seasonal target to watch, with fish holding on rock piles in relatively shallow water ahead of the short September trolling window on Florida's Gulf side. Closer to shore, Pensacola Fishing Forum members are swapping trail-camera updates and prepping gear for the fall turn, though specific Panhandle bite reports were thin this cycle. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for this update, so treat water temp, swell, and tide as unconfirmed — check a local source before running offshore this weekend.
Scup Bite Stays Red-Hot as CT Stripers Favor Dawn and Dusk
Scup fishing is "lights out" aboard Tartan II this week, with mates boxing limits of oversized porgies while black sea bass action keeps improving, per The Fisherman — Connecticut. AW Marina's shore crowd is finding striped bass blitzes pushing into the river mouth near Fort Trumbull Pier, with scup filling the lulls at Avery Point and Plum Island. Black Hawk's bottom trips are stacking porgies, sea bass, and triggerfish, and their bass-and-blue trip found blues after a slow start. J&B Tackle reports keeper fluke and sea bass from Black Point, Niantic Bay, and Two Tree Channel, with bigger fish coming from the Montauk-area grounds. Striped bass fishing there is best at dawn and dusk, and night-eeling is still producing the biggest fish. Bluefish remain around but tide-picky, and bonito are reportedly working their way down the coast toward the Sound.
Indiana shoreline anglers eye late-summer bite as carp threat looms
No buoy or gauge readings came back for the Indiana shoreline of Lake Michigan this cycle, and none of this week's angler-intel feeds carry a direct "what's biting" report from this stretch, so we're leaning on regional context and seasonal norms rather than fresh accounts. The bigger regional headline comes from Outdoor Hub, which reports hundreds of juvenile silver carp turned up just 80 miles from Lake Michigan in the Illinois River's Marseilles Pool in mid-August, a reminder that the invasive-species watch along the Indiana shoreline stays active even when the fishing reports go quiet. On the research side, Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant is soliciting 2026 Seed Grant proposals specifically targeting southern Lake Michigan, signaling continued institutional attention on this fishery. Late August typically has yellow perch and smallmouth bass holding over structure in warming water, with the fall salmonid push still building. Check state regs before harvesting, and treat species status below as seasonal expectation rather than confirmed reports.
Toledo Bend anglers adjust as August heat holds its grip
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came back for the Toledo Bend and Sabine River border stretch this week, and direct on-the-water reports for this specific water were thin in this week's sweep — so we're leaning on the broader seasonal pattern instead of a specific local bite report. Tactical Bassin's latest hot-August video breaks down the classic heat-of-day shuffle anglers are running right now: shallow points and topwater at first light, then a slide to finesse jigs and deeper structure once the sun gets up and the surface gets uncomfortable. That shallow-to-deep progression tracks with typical late-August largemouth behavior on big Louisiana reservoirs like Toledo Bend. Catfish and white bass tend to stay more consistent feeders through peak summer heat, while crappie usually pull deep and sluggish until temperatures start easing. Check current state regs before harvesting, and expect thick, warm surface water into September.
Late-summer patterns hold on the Illinois River as carp watch intensifies
No live buoy or gauge data came back for the Illinois River and Lake Michigan corridor this cycle, so today's read leans on regional intel plus typical late-August patterns. The bigger story out of the watershed this week isn't a bite report, it's an invasive-species one: Illinois DNR crews pulled hundreds of juvenile silver carp from the Marseilles Pool of the Illinois River on Aug. 13-14, per Outdoor Hub, just 80 miles from Lake Michigan, underscoring why carp-barrier monitoring stays relevant for anyone running this stretch. On the fishing side, late August typically pushes largemouth bass into a classic summer pattern, dawn topwater fading into junk-fishing tactics through midday, a rhythm consistent with general late-summer guidance from Tactical Bassin, while channel catfish remain some of the most dependable biters in warm river current. Walleye anglers up and down the region are leaning harder on forward-facing sonar to locate suspended fish, a trend Fishing the Midwest has tracked through the season. Lake Michigan perch activity is a wait-and-see without direct reports this week.
Catfish carry late-summer action on the Catawba and Roanoke
No on-the-water reports came in this cycle specifically from the Catawba or Roanoke systems, so this update leans on typical late-August patterns for Piedmont and Coastal Plain North Carolina reservoirs and rivers rather than fresh local intel. Water is at its warmest stretch of the year, which historically pushes largemouth bass into classic hot-weather behavior — shade, deep cover, or first-light topwater windows — a pattern Tactical Bassin's recent hot-August bass coverage and Field & Stream's summer forward-facing-sonar piece both describe in general terms for this time of year. Catfish, by contrast, are typically near their summer peak on both the Catawba and Roanoke and are usually the most reliable bite right now. Roanoke stripers are well past their famous spring run and should be holding deep and sluggish through the heat. Check current state regulations before harvesting anything, and treat all of the above as seasonal expectation rather than confirmed local activity until better regional reports surface.
Limestone creeks hold steady as late-summer terrestrials take over
Spring Creek and Penns Creek are both spring-fed, limestone-influenced fisheries, which means they typically run cooler and more stable through late August than the freestone streams around them — a real advantage when much of the region is dealing with low, warm water. No direct on-the-water reports came through our feeds for these two waters this cycle, so treat today's read as seasonal grounding rather than a fresh bite report. Late-August limestone trout fishing is usually a low-and-clear, technical game: fish get selective, terrestrial patterns (ants, beetles, hoppers) carry more weight than during peak hatch season, and the best windows sit at dawn, dusk, and overcast stretches when trout feel safer holding shallow. Brown trout tend to be the most consistent producer in this fishery type this time of year; wild rainbows can still be had on light tippet in slower runs. For anything stream-specific — stockings, fly hatches, flow notes — PA Fish & Boat's Biologist Reports page is the right place to check before you go.
Mille Lacs walleye anglers lean on sonar as late-summer patterns shift
The clearest signal from this week's Mille Lacs-relevant intel isn't a fresh bite report, it's a shift in how anglers are finding walleye at all. Mike Frisch, writing for Fishing the Midwest, argues that old assumptions about walleye sitting tight to bottom and hugging points, turns, and weedlines are getting overturned by Forward-Facing Sonar, which keeps turning up fish suspended in open water that traditional anglers would motor right past. Frisch also notes clear-water lakes are pushing more anglers toward blending FFS with proven presentations, jigging live bait, leech and crawler rigs, crankbait trolling, rather than replacing them outright. No shop, charter, or state feed filed a Mille Lacs-specific temperature, depth, or bite report this cycle, so we're leaning on technique guidance and late-August seasonal norms rather than a confirmed hot pattern today. Expect walleye holding on main-lake structure and adjusting depth through the day.
Central Mass largemouth bite stays hot into late August
Shore anglers are still cashing in on Central Massachusetts largemouth this week, with kids fishing shiners from shore boating largemouth bass at Louisa Lake in Milford, per The Fisherman — New England Freshwater. The same report has a father-son duo pulling pickerel, perch, and largemouth on plastics at Lake Whitehall, and another angler tallying ten largemouth on shiners at Hopkinton State Park. Nearby, three smallmouths and six largemouths came on artificials at North Pond (Lake Maspenock). Farther west, Congamond Lakes in Southwick is holding a good bass bite, underscored by a Thursday-night big-bass contest that produced a 10-plus-pound three-bass bag. Water temperatures typical for late August have largemouth settling into classic summer shallow-cover and low-light feeding windows, with shiners and soft plastics doing the damage. No buoy or gauge readings came through this cycle, so treat flow and temp as seasonal norms until fresh data lands.
Rangeley headwaters settle into a quiet late-August trout rhythm
Direct buoy and gauge readings were unavailable for the Rangeley Lakes and Androscoggin headwaters this cycle, and none of today's angler-intel feeds carried a dated report specific to this region, so this update leans on typical late-August patterns for Maine's western mountain lakes and rivers rather than fresh field testimony. Late summer here usually means warming surface layers pushing brook trout and landlocked salmon toward thermal refuges near spring seeps, deeper basins, or the cooler current where the Androscoggin's headwater tributaries feed the lakes system. Smallmouth bass, by contrast, tend to be near their most active in this heat, working shallow structure and topwater in low light. Anglers working the system should expect a classic dawn-and-dusk pattern for coldwater species with a midday lull, while bass action can hold up through more of the day. Treat all of the above as seasonal expectation, not a confirmed bite, until a direct regional report comes in.