Fishing reports
18013 reports across all 50 states — current conditions and what's biting.
Sea Bass Stay Red Hot at the Shore as Bonito, Spanish Mackerel Flood In
Sea bass are red hot along the Jersey Shore, with Blue Chip Sportfishing reporting anglers limiting out on almost every trip this week. Fluke fishing is more of a mixed bag: Capt Ron's out of Atlantic Highlands worked several drift areas for a modest handful of keepers after an overnight temperature drop, while The Fisherman — Northern NJ notes fluke are running heavy with shorts but still giving up keepers for anglers who stick with it. Warm water has pushed bonito and Spanish mackerel into the mix, with Grumpys Tackle and OTW Northern New Jersey both flagging steady surf and inshore action on small epoxy jigs. Offshore, Fishermans HQ LBI is finding 25-to-40-pound bluefin tuna within 30 miles of Barnegat Inlet on trolled spreads and live squid, though The Fisherman — NJ/DE Offshore calls the broader tuna bite hit-or-miss right now.
Moosehead Lake togue and smallmouth settle into late-summer rhythm
The USGS gauge on the upper Penobscot (site 01030500) read 68.2 cfs as of 7:15 a.m. this morning, a flow level typical of late August after a summer of gradual drawdown. No water-temperature reading came through with this update, but by this point in the season the Moosehead Lake and upper Penobscot system is normally settled into full summer warmth, which typically pushes smallmouth bass and landlocked salmon toward deeper structure and cooler thermoclines through the heat of the day, with better action concentrated around dawn, dusk, and low light. No angler intel specific to this region came through in today's report cycle, so treat the species notes below as seasonal expectation rather than confirmed bite reports, and check with a local shop or guide before planning a trip. Low, stable flow like this usually means clearer water and calls for more finesse, technical presentations rather than reaction baits.
Bluefin and Bonito Fire Up Narragansett Bay as Fall Run Nears
Recreational bluefin tuna are finally clicking off Block Island and Montauk, with Snug Harbor Marina reporting the bite "really took off" this past week on jigs and soft plastics like RonZ, while Booked Off Charters logged two bluefin in the box locally before running out to the canyons for yellowfin, mahi, and trigger fish. Saltwater Edge notes bonito and even a few Spanish mackerel have shown over the past couple weeks, with false albacore expected soon as baitfish shoals push from the salt ponds toward the oceanfront. Striped bass are the outlier: Snug Harbor and Quonnie Bait and Tackle both describe the bite as slower, with water nearing 70°F and an overabundance of brown sharks complicating things. Bottom fishing stays the reliable fallback, with Frances Fleet and Quonnie both reporting solid keeper black sea bass and scup, plus fluke working in 50-70 feet.
Summer pelagic run keeps Hawaii's blue water busy
No NOAA buoy or USGS gauge coverage feeds into this Hawaiian Islands report today, and this week's angler-intel sweep turned up no fresh HI-specific bite reports — Hawaii Fishing News, the state's official record-keeper and moon/tide calendar site, is the only Hawaii-focused source in the feed, and it didn't carry a current conditions post. That's a genuine data gap, not silence on the water: late August is typically prime time in Hawaiian blue water, with offshore trolling for ahi (yellowfin tuna), mahimahi, and ono (wahoo) running strong island-wide, and ulua (giant trevally) working nearshore structure at dawn and dusk, per typical seasonal patterns for the islands. The Waxing Gibbous moon this week means building tidal flow into the weekend, often favorable for current-dependent species. Until harder local reports come through, treat the species notes below as seasonal expectation rather than a confirmed bite, and check Hawaii Fishing News' tide and moon calendar plus local reports before heading out.
Warm-water bass keep biting through late-August heat inland
One of our monitored river gauges is holding at 75°F this week, squarely in the warm-water range that pushes Connecticut's inland bass fishery into its classic dawn-and-dusk pattern. Today's feed doesn't carry a Connecticut-specific freshwater report, but the regional intel from The Fisherman — New England Freshwater points to bass keying on herring fry and moving baits over emerging weeds, with anglers doing well on spinnerbaits, Senko-style soft plastics, and topwater walking baits worked early and late. Flow on our two tracked gauges sits at a modest 60 cfs on one and a much larger 3,080 cfs on the other, both unremarkable for late August and not the kind of numbers that should push fish off their usual haunts. Expect largemouth and smallmouth to stay the most reliable targets, panfish to keep biting through the middle of the day, and stocked trout to fish tougher as water temperatures linger in the mid-70s.
Missouri River running high keeps catfish the safer bet
The USGS gauge at site 06796000 clocked flow at 5,580 cfs as of early morning August 23 — noticeably elevated for late August on the Platte and Missouri system, with no water-temp reading available from the same station. High, pushy water like this typically favors catfish over finesse presentations: channel cats and flatheads key on current seams and eddies where displaced forage collects, while walleye and white bass tend to slide off the hard main current into softer water until flow settles. We don't have a direct angler report from this stretch this week, so treat the species read as seasonal expectation rather than confirmed bite. Boaters should plan around the elevated flow — debris and stronger current are the practical hazard, more than water clarity or temperature. Check state regs before harvesting any catfish limits, as rules can vary by reach on the Missouri.
Kennebec and Penobscot bass hold steady through late-August warmth
USGS gauge 01046500 logged flow near 1,520 cfs as of early Wednesday morning, a moderate late-summer stage that keeps Kennebec and Penobscot tributaries fishable without heavy current to fight. No Maine-specific shop or captain reports came through our feeds this cycle, so this update leans on regional New England freshwater patterns and typical late-August behavior for these watersheds. Smallmouth and largemouth bass are generally the most consistent producers this time of year, often keying on baitfish in low light and working shallow flats and structure at dawn and dusk — a pattern shops elsewhere in New England (per The Fisherman — New England Freshwater) are seeing right now with bass keyed on herring fry. Brook trout and landlocked salmon typically pull back into cooler, deeper pockets and tailwater stretches as surface water warms through August. Water temperature wasn't reported at this gauge; check current conditions before planning a trip.
Smokies tailwaters settle into a quiet late-summer trout rhythm
USGS gauge 03565000, which tracks the Hiwassee/Caney Fork system, isn't reporting a reading as of today, and no buoy data covers this inland stretch of the Smokies, so we're working without a hard number on temperature or flow this cycle. None of today's angler-intel feeds carry a direct report from the Hiwassee or Caney Fork tailwaters, so we can't credit a specific catch or fly pattern to a shop or captain on this water right now. What holds generally true for late August: these are TVA-regulated tailwaters, and the cold water pulled from behind the dam is what keeps trout viable here when other Tennessee streams have gone too warm to fish responsibly. Rainbow trout typically stay catchable through summer on these releases, while brown trout activity usually builds as water cools toward fall. Check the generation schedule before heading out; release timing moves fish more than the weather does on this water.
Iron Range walleye lean on sonar as late-summer patterns settle in
USGS gauge 05129115 near the Boundary Waters and Iron Range held a steady 59.7 cfs as of Wednesday morning, a typical late-summer base flow with no rain spike showing up in the data. That stability lines up with lakes settling into a classic August rhythm: walleyes suspended off bottom rather than glued to it. Fishing the Midwest's Mike Frisch notes that forward-facing sonar has upended some long-held walleye "truths," with fish showing up well off points, turns, and weedlines where anglers used to assume they had to sit. Smallmouth bass working emerging weed edges with moving baits are producing too, per the same source, especially once trebles are kept sharp. AnglingBuzz's recent feature on the Lindner family's Brainerd roots is a good reminder of how deep the region's walleye culture runs. Panfish should still be workable over deep weed basins as typical summer patterns hold, though direct current reports on that specific bite were thin this week.
Green River tailwater trout bite holds steady into late summer
Our reading from USGS gauge 09234500 this morning showed the Green River running near 1,830 cubic feet per second with water temperatures holding at 60°F, a comfortable range for trout below Flaming Gorge Dam's cold-water release. Today's angler intel feed didn't surface any direct reports from Green River or Uinta Lakes shops, guides, or state sources, so this update leans on general seasonal knowledge rather than fresh eyewitness accounts. Late August on the tailwater typically means steady, dam-regulated flows and consistent cold-water temps that keep rainbow and brown trout active and feeding through midday, unlike freestone streams that struggle in summer heat. The high-elevation Uinta Lakes, meanwhile, are usually fishing well for cutthroat and brook trout as alpine water temps stay cool. Check current state regulations before targeting any species, and watch for afternoon thunderstorm buildup common to Utah's monsoon season this time of year.
Merrimack smallmouth bite holds strong as late-summer flows go skinny
Smallmouth bass up to 13 inches are keying in on white spinnerbaits, Aziz-rigged Senkos, and Whopper Ploppers on the Merrimack River, per The Fisherman — New England Freshwater's report from angler Roger Aziz, who's working the stretch below the Lawrence dam down through Haverhill. Largemouth bass are mixing in on the same water. Aziz notes the water above the dam is drawing heavier angler pressure while his stretch below stays comparatively quiet, worth knowing if you want elbow room. The only local instrument read this cycle is USGS gauge 01073500, showing flow at just 13.9 cfs as of early morning August 23 — a skinny-water signal typical of a dry late summer, and a cue to fish early, go quiet, and work slower presentations tight to structure. No water-temperature reading came through this cycle, and no direct report from Lake Winnipesaukee arrived this week, so the Merrimack bass bite is the clearest signal in hand right now.
Delta bass and stripers hold tight as strong late-summer flow rolls through
USGS gauge 11447650 logged water temps at 70°F this morning with flow running an elevated 19,800 cfs, a sign the Delta's channels are still pushing hard water even deep into the late-August pattern. Our angler-intel feeds didn't return any region-specific bite reports today, so this update leans on typical late-summer Delta behavior: striped bass tend to stack up on current breaks and deeper structure once surface temps sit in the high 60s to low 70s, while largemouth bass hold tighter to tule lines and grass edges, feeding hardest in the low-light hours. Channel catfish generally turn on after dark once the water carries this much warmth, and sturgeon activity typically eases off compared to the cooler, higher-flow windows of late fall and winter. The Waxing Gibbous moon should support a decent dawn and dusk bite this week. As always, check current California regs before harvesting anything you keep.
Fall Chinook push building on the Columbia as flows stay high
The USGS gauge at 14105700 logged water temps at 72°F this morning with flow running a hefty 117,000 cfs, conditions that push migrating Chinook toward deeper, cooler seams rather than holding shallow. Warm water like this typically slows the bite through the heat of the day and shifts activity toward dawn and dusk. On IFish.net Fishing Reports, one angler described a rod and reel torn from the holder while trolling below Chinook Landing this week, a sign boats are actively working the troll for fall Chinook even with flows elevated. White sturgeon and summer steelhead round out the typical target list for this stretch this time of year, though neither turned up directly in this week's angler chatter. With no shop or charter reports yet corroborating the forum post, treat the salmon action as still-building rather than confirmed hot, and expect the bite to sharpen as flows ease and mornings cool off.
Eastern Sierra trout key on early-morning windows as heat lingers
Water temperatures on regional rivers are expected to ease over the next few days and fishing should improve, according to Reno Fly Shop's latest on-the-water report. Bug life remains sparse for now, but the shop's guides report trout keying on crayfish patterns and mayfly imitations early in the day on both the California and Nevada sides of the drainage. A companion late-July update from the same shop noted that hot afternoon air was compressing the feeding window, pushing peak activity earlier and slowing things down by midday, with guides recommending anglers work upstream toward cooler California-side water. No live reading is available yet from USGS gauge 10265200 for this cycle, so treat current flow and temperature as unconfirmed until checked locally. Overall this tracks as a typical late-summer Eastern Sierra pattern: cool mornings, warm afternoons, and trout favoring subsurface offerings before the heat builds.
Driftless Wisconsin browns tuck tight as streams run high
USGS gauge 05407000 is reading a notably high 4,170 cfs this morning, a clear signal of recent runoff pushing through the Driftless Area's spring-fed watershed. No water-temperature reading came through with this cycle, and direct shop or captain intel specific to Wisconsin's trout streams was thin this week. What we do have: Trout Unlimited's recent piece on chasing wily brown trout is a good seasonal touchstone, since browns remain the signature draw across these limestone-spring creeks and reward technical, patient presentations even when water is up and off-color. Expect fish to slide off exposed riffles and hold tight to undercut banks, woody cover, and slower current seams while flows stay elevated. Brook trout in the coldest spring-fed headwater tributaries should stay comparatively more consistent than mainstem sections running high and stained. Scale up leaders, get weight down fast with nymphs or small streamers, and always confirm current Wisconsin trout regulations for the specific water before keeping fish.
Late-August musky bite ignites across Northwoods lakes
Water temperatures across Wisconsin's Northwoods lakes have eased into the low 70s as nights cool into the 40s and 50s, and Rollie & Helen's Musky Shop reports the late-August transition is triggering strong action across multiple species, muskies chief among them. The shop's late-August report calls this one of the most dynamic stretches on the musky calendar, the pivot between summer structure patterns and the early fall push, and recommends downsizing rubber lures as baitfish shrink and fish grow more selective. Walleye anglers working these same lakes are leaning on techniques like forward-facing sonar to find suspended fish rather than assuming eyes are glued to points and weedlines, per Fishing the Midwest. Smallmouth bass remain a reliable draw on proven baits, per AnglingBuzz. USGS gauge 05400650 has no current flow or temperature reading available this cycle, so treat on-the-water levels as unconfirmed until you check locally.
Finger Lakes smallmouth hold steady as tributary flows run thin
A USGS gauge feeding the Finger Lakes system read 64°F with flow down to just 7.45 cfs early Sunday morning, a classic late-August signature after weeks without a big recharge event. Skinny, warm tributary flow like this typically pushes bait and fish out of the feeder creeks and into the main lake basins, where smallmouth bass tend to be the most reliable bite across Cayuga, Seneca, and Skaneateles through this stretch of summer, working rock piles, points, and deeper drop-offs once the sun gets up. Lake trout and landlocked salmon generally slide below the thermocline this time of year, often 60 to 80 feet down, putting them out of reach without downriggers or leadcore, while yellow perch keep schooling over deeper basin flats. We did not get a direct Finger Lakes shop or charter report in this cycle's feed, so treat the species notes below as seasonal expectation rather than a confirmed hot bite, and check with a local shop before making the drive.
Rainy River walleyes settle into late-summer sonar patterns
The Rainy River held at 66°F with flow steady near 4,150 cfs at the USGS gauge early this morning, a stable late-summer read that keeps walleye and sauger active without the stress a hot spike would bring. Direct on-the-water reports out of Lake of the Woods and the Rainy River were sparse in this week's feeds, so we're leaning on regional technique context rather than fresh local intel: Fishing the Midwest notes anglers around the upper Midwest are blending traditional livebait rigging with forward-facing sonar to pick off suspended walleyes instead of assuming every fish sits tight to bottom structure, a pattern worth testing if your usual break-line spots go quiet. Northern pike should still be workable off weed edges, and Rainy River current seams remain a smallmouth bet through late August. Check Minnesota regs before harvesting, and treat this as a starting point, not a guarantee.
Ozark rivers turn to summer catfish and shallow bass patterns
The Missouri River gauge at Hermann (USGS 06934500) logged 83°F water and a hefty 58,100 cfs flow at 6:30 a.m. today, conditions that keep the mainstem high, warm, and pushing current hard through late August. That kind of flow tends to color up bigger rivers and favor catfish working current seams over finesse bass fishing. On the bass side, Tactical Bassin's hot-August-heat coverage this week leans on shallow points early with topwater and finesse jigs, then junk-fishing through midday as fish scatter with the heat, a pattern that reads well for Ozark reservoirs and calmer tributaries away from the high mainstem flow. Smallmouth anglers should expect a tougher bite wherever water stays off-color. Outdoor Hub also flagged a notable Mississippi River find near Hannibal this week: a 37-inch American eel pulled during an electrofishing survey, a reminder of how much still moves through Missouri's big rivers this time of year.
Low, Clear Tailwaters Favor Small Flies as Drought Persists
Flow at USGS gauge 06701900 is running a modest 182 cfs, consistent with what Cutthroat Anglers (CO) and Pat Dorsey Fly Fishing (CO) are both flagging as one of Colorado's leanest water years on record. Pat Dorsey Fly Fishing (CO) puts 2026 among the worst droughts on record, while Cutthroat Anglers (CO) is urging anglers to carry a stream thermometer and stop fishing once water hits 68°F, since low flows push temperatures up earlier in the day. The upside, per Cutthroat Anglers (CO)'s Matt Campanella, is that fish are grouped up and still willing to eat for anglers who hike a little farther or downsize tippet. AvidMax Blog (CO)'s latest tying features, the Chocolate Foam Back and Titan Tube Midge, are built specifically for tailwater midge emergers, matching the small-fly game these clear, skinny flows are calling for right now.
Low water tests North Shore salmon streams
USGS gauge 04015330 on the North Shore is reading just 4.56 cfs as of this morning, confirming how thin local tributaries have run heading into late August. No water-temperature data came through on this update, so we're working off flow alone for stream conditions. This week's angler intel feeds skewed heavily toward inland Midwest walleye and bass patterns rather than direct Lake Superior North Shore reports, so treat the species activity below as typical seasonal expectation rather than confirmed on-the-water bites. Late August on the North Shore is transition season: lake trout generally stay catchable on deep structure through the month, coho activity typically starts building as surface temps ease toward fall, and the Chinook push into the rivers usually doesn't arrive in force until September. With streams running this low and clear, stealthy approaches and early-morning or evening starts are the safer bet for stream trout until rain brings flows back up. Check current regs before harvesting any species this time of year.
Trophy snook stack up at St. Lucie Inlet as snapper season stalls
Snook Nook in Stuart reports snook fishing has been excellent for weeks, with quality fish pushing past the 40-inch mark holding around the St. Lucie Inlet and the detached jetty. Live croakers and threadfins worked along the beach and inlet are producing the most consistent bites per the shop's August report, with a dead threadfin on bottom worth trying when the inlet bite slows (expect some bycatch). Offshore, Snook Nook's own charter team took first place in the small-boat division of the 2026 One More Bite Sailfish Challenge, going 7-for-9 on sailfish bites, a sign the bluewater bite remains lively along the Treasure Coast. Red snapper is more complicated: CCA Florida reports a federal court injunction blocked the 2026 South Atlantic EFP pilot season just before it opened, while Anglers Journal and Saltwater Sportsman note Florida is pushing for a fall makeup season, tentatively Oct. 1-31, pending public comment.
Basin catfish and bass settle into late-summer patterns as river flow steadies
USGS gauge 07374000 on the Mississippi River read 82°F and 282,000 cfs early this morning, water levels holding on the lower half of their typical late-summer range and giving Atchafalaya Basin anglers stable structure to work. No fresh 'what's biting' reports came in from basin shops or captains this week, so species reads below lean on seasonal pattern rather than fresh testimony, worth flagging plainly. At 82°F, catfish typically stay the most reliable target, especially after dark on cut bait around deep holes and current breaks. Largemouth bass and sac-a-lait tend to slide off the aggressive bite in this heat, pushing toward shaded cover and deeper brush through midday. Bream stay catchable on crickets and worms in the cooler early hours. Louisiana Sportsman's Field Notes series flagged Palmetto Island State Park this week, a reminder of how much bottomland-hardwood water sits within reach of Basin anglers heading into Labor Day.
St. Johns anglers lean on dawn windows as summer heat holds
The USGS gauge near DeLand on the St. Johns River (site 02232000) logged 645 cfs as of 6:30 a.m. this morning, a steady, unremarkable flow for late August. No water-temperature reading came through with this update, but water in the low-to-mid 80s is typical for Lake Okeechobee and the St. Johns system this time of year. None of today's angler-intel feeds carried direct reports from Okeechobee or the St. Johns corridor, so we're leaning on seasonal norms rather than fresh bite reports: largemouth bass typically bite best in the first and last hour of light before the heat pushes them to deeper cover, panfish stay active around grass edges, and catfish feeding tends to hold up better through midday than bass does. Treat today's outlook as a seasonal baseline until region-specific reports come in.