Fishing reports
18034 reports across all 50 states — current conditions and what's biting.
Mutton and Yellowtail Snapper Keep the Keys Bite Alive
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for the Keys today, so this report leans on angler intel. ALL IN Key West's most recent catch log described the mutton and yellowtail snapper bite as "chewing like crazy" around the May full moon spawn, with anglers filling coolers on reef structure and a mixed bag of grouper, cobia, and kingfish on Gulf-side trips. Bud n' Mary's Islamorada seasonal report backs that up, pointing to tarpon on the bridges, mahi offshore, and yellowtail on the reef as the defining early-summer pattern for the Keys fishery. Those reports predate late August, so expect the snapper bite to be carrying over rather than freshly breaking, with tarpon activity typically tapering as summer winds down. Meanwhile CCA Florida and Saltwater Sportsman are both tracking a live regulatory fight over South Atlantic red snapper season access that Keys bottom anglers should watch before planning a targeted trip. Check state regs before harvesting any snapper species this week.
Chicago's Lake Michigan salmon push holds through late August
Direct buoy and gauge data for the Chicago nearshore wasn't available this cycle, and no shop or charter dispatch specific to the city's harbors came through the wire either, so this update leans on regional context and typical late-August patterns rather than a fresh bite report. The one Chicago-adjacent headline worth flagging: Outdoor Hub reports Illinois River survey crews pulled hundreds of juvenile silver carp from the Marseilles Pool on Aug. 13-14, roughly 80 miles from Lake Michigan, a reminder that keeping the invasive species out of the lake remains an active effort. On the water, late August is typically prime time for Chicago's harbor and nearshore king and coho salmon fishery as fish stage ahead of the fall river run, with yellow perch also starting to build over deeper structure. Smallmouth bass around the breakwalls round out the typical late-summer lineup. Check current conditions and regs before heading out.
Lanier's New Catfish Record Signals a Hot Late-Summer Bite
Anthony Scroggins hauled in a new Lake Lanier record blue catfish on Aug. 19 — 22 pounds even, weighed on certified Georgia DNR scales — per GA Sportsman / Georgia Outdoor News, and it's a strong signal that Lanier's catfish are feeding hard as August winds down. Our reading from USGS gauge 02334430 shows flow holding steady near 606 cfs, a stable stage that isn't pushing extra runoff or turbidity into the system. Lanier and Allatoona both carry well-documented big-fish pedigrees across largemouth, spotted bass, striped bass and hybrids, and typical late-August patterns have fish sliding toward deeper structure and staying active in low-light windows. With a waxing gibbous moon overhead, expect a bit more nighttime and pre-dawn feeding activity than midday. Catfish are clearly the story of the week; bass anglers should lean on moving baits and structure changes to keep bites coming as the month closes out.</br>
Sarasota Bay trout bite runs hot as tarpon start to shift
A 27-inch spotted seatrout came aboard a recent CB's Saltwater Outfitters (Sarasota) charter with Capt. Brandon Naeve, who's calling the peak summer trout bite aggressive right now across Sarasota Bay's grass flats, mangrove shorelines, and passes. Fishing the same waters, Capt. Chuck Cress put clients into several redfish on a popping cork with live shrimp during a rising morning tide, along with a few small snook released along the way. Looking toward the back half of August, Capt. Rick Grassett's monthly forecast notes tarpon are still showing early in the month along the coastal gulf on flies, DOA Baitbusters, and DOA Shrimp, though as they thin out along the beaches they're sliding into inside waters around bridges and deep grass flats, feeding on schools of ladyfish. We're leaning into the trout bite as this week's headline pattern.
Big stripers surge into Gulf of Maine waters as mackerel push north
Striped bass action has caught fire from Cape Cod north into Maine waters, with the New England Video Fishing Forecast (The Fisherman) reporting seriously big fish in the mix as mackerel continue pushing into the region. Closer to the Maine border, Beauport Fishing Adventures out of Rockport found big stripers stacked off dry salvages, gorging on pogies -- fun fights, though most fish ran oversized for the box. Squid remain thick east of Cape Ann and mackerel are still plentiful, both signs of solid forage right now. Bottom fishing is holding up too: pollock have been solid for weeks while haddock stays spotty, per the same South Shore report. Bluefish are lagging behind, with Belsan's Bait and Tackle noting blues have been largely absent from Scituate up through Provincetown, though a few smaller fish are starting to show. Surfland Bait and Tackle also flagged that night-fishing permits are back for the Plum Island refuge, opening more after-dark access as the bite builds.
Trout and redfish keep the summer bite alive along the SC coast
Anglers working live shrimp under slip corks are still finding summertime spotted seatrout along the northern South Carolina coast, per Fisherman's Post's Little River/North Myrtle report this week, with red drum also turning up in the same water. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for Charleston Harbor today, so treat sky, wind, and water-temp numbers as unconfirmed until you check a local forecast before launching. Late August in the Lowcountry typically keeps trout and redfish working the marsh edges and grass lines on moving tide, and that pattern lines up with what's being reported north of the harbor. Offshore anglers should also note Saltwater Sportsman's report that Florida, South Carolina, and Georgia are pushing for a salvage October red snapper season after a lawsuit halted the original 2026 dates, with public comment open through Aug. 25. Flounder should still be holding on ambush points as water stays warm.
Redfish shift deep as Gulf Coast anglers slow it down for late summer
Water temperatures pushing into the 90s across Southwest Florida's Gulf Coast flats have redfish sliding into deeper, moving water, per Salt Strong's late-summer breakdown of redfish behavior in heat — the advice is to slow down, work blue crab imitations, and target current-fed depth instead of skinny flats at midday. Salt Strong's companion tactics piece echoes the same read: fish aren't burning energy chasing fast-moving prey in this heat, so a methodical retrieve is outfishing a fast one right now. Earlier-season reports from Naples Offshore Fishing Charters showed strong sight-fishing action on permit paired with the spring tarpon migration; that intel predates current conditions but reflects the kind of variety this stretch of coast produces through the year. Gag grouper anglers are also gearing up — Sport Fishing Mag's trolling primer on Gulf gag grouper points toward the region's short September season opener on nearby structure, worth planning around now.
Snapper Season Fight Looms as GA Marsh Bite Holds Steady
Offshore anglers along the Georgia Atlantic Coast are watching regulators as much as the horizon this week. After a lawsuit halted the 2026 red snapper season, Florida, South Carolina and Georgia are pushing NOAA Fisheries for a salvage plan: a month-long reopening running October 1-31, per Saltwater Sportsman, with the public-comment window open through August 25. No buoy or gauge readings came through in this update, so plan around typical late-August water temperatures for the region rather than a specific number. Inshore, redfish and spotted seatrout remain the dependable summer targets working Georgia's marsh creeks, sounds and grass edges on tide movement more than anything else. Tarpon should still be showing along the beaches and inlets. The Georgia Wildlife Blog's own Fishing Report noted it's shifting to a rotating regional format starting this week, so expect more granular Southeast-coast specifics from that source going forward.
Bonito Arrive in Cape Cod Bay as Stripers Hold Along the Bay Shore
Bonito have finally pushed into Cape Cod Bay at Provincetown and inside the harbor, spreading from Wood End down to the Brewster Flats and into Wellfleet Harbor, according to Goose Hummock Shop's report via The Fisherman — Cape Cod & Islands this week. Anglers there are picking up those bonito alongside 4-pound bluefish, and a decent striper bite is holding along the bay shore, with big schools of jumbo bass working the P-Town side — some anglers live-lining mackerel to reach the larger fish. Further down the Cape, Sports Port's report (also via The Fisherman — Cape Cod & Islands) notes blues mixing with similar 4-pound bonito along the sound shoreline, plus bass and bonito showing on Monomoy, though sharks have moved in there too. Regionally, The Fisherman (Northeast)'s New England video forecast (Aug 20) says striper action has "caught fire" north of the Cape, with big fish mixing into mackerel-driven feeds. Fluke fishing also stayed strong on Cape grounds this week per Black Rose Fishing Charters, another Cape Cod & Islands report.
Louisiana marsh reds and trout ease into deep-water heat pattern
Louisiana Sportsman's August 21 field note on the new Palmetto Island State Park spotlights the coastal bottomland hardwood habitat feeding the marshes around this stretch of coast, a reminder of how much of the Gulf Coast and Delta bite still runs through backwater cover this time of year. No NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came through for the region this cycle, so treat water temps as typical for late August: warm and holding. With no charter or shop reports specific to Louisiana in hand, we're leaning on general seasonal patterns and Salt Strong's broader Gulf heat-behavior guidance, which notes redfish pull back from fast-moving prey once water hits the 90s and instead stack up in deeper, moving water working blue crab and cut bait. Speckled trout should follow a similar pattern, sliding into channel edges and cuts through the heat of the day. Check local reports before running the marsh this week.
Bonito Push Into Vineyard Sound as Bass Hold a Dawn Bite
Falmouth Bait & Tackle reports small blues working the Vineyard Sound side of the Cape, from West Chop across to Nobska Point, with striped bass mostly coming on a daylight jigging or trolling bite rather than blitzing on top. Nearby, Sports Port is seeing blues push into the sound shoreline in the 4-pound class, often mixed with bonito in the same schools — a pairing that typically signals baitfish concentrations holding tight to structure. Offshore, Falmouth Bait & Tackle notes the canyon yellowfin bite has been strong when weather allows, with bluefin tuna reported moving in closer to shore. Black Rose Fishing Charters had a good week on the Nantucket Sound rips, with fluke fishing holding up well short of the Shoals and bottom fishing productive. Water temps are trending toward the seasonal shift that typically kicks fall patterns into gear across southern New England.
Panhandle anglers slow it down as summer heat holds
Salt Strong's Weekend Game Plan for August 21-23 includes a dedicated Florida Panhandle & Big Bend breakdown this week, a sign the regional bite is active enough to earn its own report even as peak summer heat settles over Destin and Pensacola waters. Per Salt Strong's general late-August guidance, water temps pushing into the 90s in the shallows mean fish are burning less energy chasing fast-moving prey, so slowing presentations and working deeper, moving water pays off, especially for redfish holding on current breaks. No fresh NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came through for the Panhandle this cycle, so treat water-temp specifics as seasonal-typical rather than measured. Gulf red snapper's recreational window is winding down for private anglers this time of year, so check current federal and state regs before targeting them. Nearshore trollers should still find Spanish and king mackerel workable on moving bait as the late-summer pattern holds.
Porgies pile up thick as CT bottom bite carries the week
Scup are stacked up thick in Connecticut waters right now — Tartan II is calling the porgy bite 'lights out' with limits filling the box on most trips, per The Fisherman — Connecticut. Bottom fishing is doing the heavy lifting overall: Black Hawk reports porgies, sea bass and triggerfish rounding out excellent trips, and black sea bass action keeps improving aboard Tartan II. Striped bass are showing in blitzes near the river mouth close to Fort Trumbull Pier per AW Marina's report, while J&B Tackle notes the best bass bite is at dawn and dusk, with live-lined eels at night still producing the biggest fish. Fluke are a mixed bag — J&B Tackle says anglers are sorting through plenty of short fish for one or two keepers around Black Point, Niantic Bay and Two Tree Channel, with bigger fish reported out toward Montauk. Bluefish remain around most trips but stay picky depending on the tide. No live buoy or gauge readings were available this cycle.
Perch, Smallmouth Hold as Silver Carp Push Closer to Lake Michigan
The regional headline this week isn't from a dock but a survey boat: Outdoor Hub reports Illinois DNR crews pulled hundreds of juvenile silver carp from the Marseilles Pool of the Illinois River in mid-August, just 80 miles from Lake Michigan — a reminder for Indiana shoreline anglers to keep reporting any unusual catches. On the water, no direct buoy or gauge readings came through for the Indiana Lake Michigan shoreline this cycle, and no shop, charter, or state-agency "what's biting" report specific to this stretch surfaced in today's intel sweep. Late August typically keeps yellow perch schooling over deeper structure and smallmouth bass working rock piles and current breaks along the shoreline, with the fall coho and steelhead push still a few weeks out. Treat the below as seasonal expectation rather than confirmed reports until fresher local intel comes in.
UP trout streams settle into low, clear late-summer flows
USGS gauge 04059500 on the Sturgeon River near Sidnaw is running low and steady this morning, a flow profile typical of late-August base conditions rather than a river primed for a big push of fresh water. Water temperature wasn't reported from this station, but Upper Peninsula trout streams in this flow range typically sit in the upper-50s to low-60s by late August, conditions that keep brook and brown trout feeding hardest in the cooler low-light hours rather than midday. Direct on-the-water reports specific to this stretch or to Lake Superior nearshore water were thin in this cycle's intel sweep, so we're leaning on general late-summer patterns for the region: low, clear water pushes trout tight to shaded cover, undercut banks, and current seams, while Lake Superior's Chinook and lake trout fishery typically stays steady through late summer as baitfish schools hold offshore. Check current MDNR regulations before keeping fish, and expect technical, stealthy presentations on the low water.
Low water pushes Toledo Bend bass tight to shade and structure
At USGS gauge 08025500 near the Toledo Bend and Sabine border, flow was measured at just 0.17 cfs this morning — about as close to stagnant as this system gets, a signature of late-August heat and low rainfall pushing water levels down across the watershed. Water temperature wasn't captured at this gauge, but readings in this range typically sit in the upper 80s this time of year. With flow this thin, expect stained, slack pools and reduced current seams. Largemouth bass are likely pushing tight to available structure and shade, a pattern Tactical Bassin's late-summer tips describe as key for reservoir fish grouping up in the heat — early topwater and finesse jigs around shallow points before the bite slides deeper as the sun climbs. Catfish and bream typically stay steadier through low-water stretches like this, while crappie tend to go quiet and hold deep. No direct Toledo Bend or Sabine reports came through the feeds this cycle, so treat species notes as seasonal-pattern guidance rather than confirmed local bites.
Illinois River runs strong as late-summer bass and walleye settle into typical patterns
The USGS gauge on the Illinois River (05586100) logged 47,800 cfs in the early hours of August 23, a stout push worth factoring into ramp and bank-access plans this week; water temperature wasn't reported at this site, so bring a thermometer before committing to a depth pattern. Direct "what's biting" intel for the Illinois River and Lake Michigan corridor is thin this cycle, but Fishing the Midwest's recent notes on regional patterns describe the typical late-August shuffle: bass and walleye working the shallow-cover-to-deep-structure transition, with forward-facing sonar increasingly changing how anglers locate suspended fish rather than fishing bottom structure alone. On the conservation side, Outdoor Hub reports Illinois DNR crews pulled hundreds of juvenile silver carp from the Illinois River's Marseilles Pool in mid-August, a reminder that the invasive-carp fight above the electric barrier and below Lake Michigan is active right now. Plan around early and late light for moving baits, midday for deeper structure.
Skinny water pushes Catawba, Roanoke bass into typical late-summer patterns
The USGS gauge on this stretch of the Catawba basin is reading a scant 2.52 cfs this morning, underscoring how dry late August has been across central North Carolina. No water-temperature reading came through with today's gauge data, but conditions are consistent with typical late-summer drought-stress flows: skinnier channels, slower current, and fish pulling into deeper holes and shade during the heat of the day. We don't have a direct shop or captain report out of the Catawba or Roanoke systems this week, so we're leaning on well-established late-summer bass behavior rather than local testimony: largemouth tend to hold shallow points and cover in early light before sliding to deeper structure as the sun climbs, a pattern Tactical Bassin has been highlighting in its late-summer content this month. Catfish typically stay the most reliable bite through low, warm water, while crappie and any stocked striper activity usually slow considerably until temperatures ease.
Spring Creek browns key on terrestrials as summer flows steady
USGS gauge 01546500 on Spring Creek measured 144 cfs as of 6:45 a.m. this morning, a flow that sits within the stream's typical late-August baseflow range for this limestone system. Water temperature wasn't reported at the gauge, but Spring Creek's constant spring-fed inputs typically keep it cooler than freestone water at this point in summer. No PA-specific bite reports came through in today's regional feeds, so we're leaning on seasonal pattern and broader trout-fishing intel: per Caddis Fly (OR), late-summer terrestrial patterns are increasingly important as aquatic insect hatches thin out, and per Gink and Gasoline (fly), worm patterns remain a consistent producer on both stocked and wild trout water through the warmer months. Expect browns to key on ants, beetles, and hoppers during warm afternoons, with better dry-fly windows at dawn and dusk. Low, clear water calls for long leaders and stealth on these technical limestone runs.
Mille Lacs walleyes trade bottom for suspended sonar bites
Minnesota's late-August walleye scene on Mille Lacs is easing into the shoulder-season pattern anglers watch for as summer gives way to fall, with sonar-equipped boats increasingly marking suspended fish off structure instead of glued to bottom. Fishing the Midwest's Mike Frisch notes forward-facing sonar has upended the old assumption that walleyes always sit near bottom along points, turns, or weedlines, a shift worth keeping in mind when dialing in Mille Lacs waypoints this week. AnglingBuzz's recent feature on the Lindner fishing legacy out of nearby Brainerd is a good reminder of how deep Minnesota's walleye culture runs heading into fall. Our USGS gauge check showed essentially no flow and no water temperature reading this cycle, so treat on-the-water conditions as unconfirmed until the next update. Smallmouth bass, one of Mille Lacs' other headline species, should stay active as water temps ease off summer highs. Check Minnesota DNR regs before harvesting, and expect the pattern to keep shifting as the calendar turns toward September.
Laguna Madre bite reports run quiet as late-August heat holds
Specific catch reports out of the Lower Laguna Madre and South Padre stretch are sparse this cycle. The closest logged trip, Capt. Kevin Navid's August 20 run covering the Baffin Bay and Laguna Madre area (Texas Fishing Tips), didn't detail hookups in the available summary, and a follow-up report from the same waters on August 13 was similarly light on specifics. With no fresh buoy or gauge readings pulled for this stretch either, this update leans on typical late-summer patterns for the estuary system. Redfish are the headline species here, and Salt Strong's recent notes on summer redfish behavior point to fish pushing into deeper, moving water once surface temps peak, a pattern that applies broadly across Gulf estuaries including this one. Meanwhile the CCA-Texas STAR Tournament (Texas Fish & Game Magazine) keeps the whole Texas coast, this stretch included, under active pressure through September 7.
Central Mass Bass Bite Stays Hot Through Late Summer
Smallmouth are keyed in on herring fry at Mashpee-Wakeby Pond, with bronze bass hammering topwater lures in the mid-column as they chase baby baitfish, per Red Top Sporting Goods this week. Further north on the Merrimack River below the Lawrence dam, Roger Aziz Jr. has been sticking smallmouth to 13 inches on white spinnerbaits, Aziz-rigged Senkos, and Whopper Ploppers, with largemouth also showing above the dam. Jerry's Bait and Tackle in Milford reports largemouth coming from Louisa Lake on shiners, plus a mixed bag of pickerel, perch, and largemouth on plastics at Lake Whitehall and North Pond (Lake Maspenock), with one angler tallying ten largemouth on shiners at Hopkinton State Park. Southwick's Congamond Lakes stayed lively too, per Sauder's Boat Livery's weekly big-bass contest, where the winning three-bass bag topped 10 pounds. Two monitored area streams are both running well below typical late-summer volume.
Gulf redfish tuck into deeper water as August heat holds
Redfish along the northern Gulf are sliding into deeper, current-swept water rather than chasing fast bait in the heat, per Salt Strong's rundown this week on what happens to redfish once water temps push into the 90s. The same outlet's general summer advice applies here too: slow your presentation down and let lethargic fish come to you instead of burning through fast retrieves. Mobile Bay and the Alabama Gulf beaches typically track that same pattern through late August, with speckled trout and Spanish mackerel holding near deeper edges and current breaks during the hottest stretch of the day. Just east of the state line, anglers on the Pensacola Fishing Forum are already planning September trips around Big Lagoon, Perdido Bay and Pensacola Bay for slot redfish and specks, a decent preview of what should set up locally as temps ease. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for this update, so check your own thermometer before running out.
Central Coast bluefin bite holds as warm water pushes north
Bluefin tuna put on a show off the Central Coast in early August, and boats are still working the pattern. Western Outdoor News — Saltwater reports the six-pack fleet out of Half Moon Bay found quality fish in the 150- to 170-pound range once a stretch of calm seas opened the run to the offshore grounds — first blood came aboard the Codfather trolling Nomad's Mad Mac's near the Half Moon Bay Weather Buoy, with Captain Charlie Barberini's Scallawag following close behind. Separately, the same outlet notes unusually warm water pushing exotic species up the coast, including yellowtail showing up inside local harbors — a signal Central Coast anglers should watch for as the season rolls on. Bottom fishing for rockfish remains a steady fallback on days the tuna grounds aren't cooperating. No live buoy or gauge readings came through for this update, so check a current marine forecast before running offshore.