Fishing reports
18034 reports across all 50 states — current conditions and what's biting.
El Niño surge pushes dorado and yellowtail into the Bight
"Hot Water floods the Bight bringing exotics," reports Western Outdoor News — Saltwater, and that headline is the story in Southern California right now. Sea temperatures are running ahead of any year on record for this point in the season, and the warm-water surge has pulled dorado all the way into the Northern Channel Islands, put yellowtail cruising visibly inside local harbors, and brought in schools of micro yellowfin tuna more typical of waters south of Cabo San Lucas — first flagged by the boat Ocean Odyssey fishing south of San Diego, with more reports spreading through the week. On the beach side, Surf Fishing In So Cal calls August "the best opportunity we've had all year" after a brutal stretch of elevated surf ran essentially uninterrupted from May through July, the roughest 12-year stretch that blog's author has fished. Expect a genuinely unusual mixed bag this week if the warm water holds.
Bluefin blowout keeps NorCal boats busy as salmon options tighten
Quality bluefin tuna in the 150- to 170-pound range turned on off the Central Coast in early August, and Western Outdoor News — Saltwater reports the six-pack fleet working near the Half Moon Bay Weather Buoy found consistent action: the Codfather out of Alameda trolled Nomad's Mad Mac's lures into that first pair of quality fish, with Captain Charlie Barberini aboard the Scallawag adding more the following day. That offshore window opens up whenever the ocean lays down long enough for six-packs to make the run. Salmon anglers have less room to work with; the same outlet reports the Klamath Management Zone closed and the Fort Bragg Management Area only had a brief early-August opening, so confirm current regs before targeting kings. Striped bass and rockfish remain the go-to inshore options for Bay Area boats this time of year, though we don't have a fresh Bay-specific bite report to confirm current strength; bring trolling gear if the bluefin window opens back up.
Low water tightens the bite window on Rangeley-area headwaters
The USGS gauge on the Androscoggin headwaters (site 01054200) logged just 22.7 cfs overnight, a thin, low-water read typical of the tail end of a Maine summer when reduced snowmelt and steady evaporation draw flows down through August. No water-temperature reading came through with this cycle's gauge data, and no charter, tackle-shop, or state-agency reports specific to the Rangeley Lakes or Androscoggin headwaters came through in this pull, so we're leaning on seasonal norms rather than fresh angler intel for this update. At this flow, expect skinnier runs, more exposed gravel, and fish concentrating in the deeper pools and any spring-fed pockets that hold cooler water. Brook trout in particular get pressured by low, warmer flows this time of year and tend to bunch up wherever there's moving, oxygenated water. Lake-based species like landlocked salmon and smallmouth bass are less affected by the stream-flow drop and should still be workable off points and deep structure.
Walleye and smallmouth settle into late-summer patterns on the Grand River
The Grand River gauge near Grand Rapids (USGS site 04119000) logged flow at 1,560 cfs overnight, a steady late-summer baseline that keeps the river fishable through the stretches anglers rely on for walleye and smallmouth. Water temperature wasn't reported at this gauge, but late-August conditions across Michigan's Great Lakes tributaries typically sit in the low-to-mid 70s, pushing fish toward deeper holes and current breaks during peak daylight hours. Regional technique notes from Fishing the Midwest highlight forward-facing sonar as an increasingly common way anglers are locating suspended walleye and bass away from traditional bottom structure this time of year. Farther out toward Lake Michigan, Outdoor Hub reported hundreds of juvenile silver carp turning up just 80 miles from the lake in the Illinois River, worth a mental note for boaters and anglers checking gear and bait. Overall, expect typical late-summer patterns: early and late feeding windows, deeper daytime staging, and steady if unspectacular river flow.
Deep-summer pattern holds on Hartwell and Russell
Flows on the Savannah River system are holding steady at 257 cfs as of early Saturday morning per USGS gauge 02192000, a stable read with no big rise or fall to push bass or stripers off pattern heading into the weekend. Water temperature wasn't reported at this gauge, but late-August heat on Hartwell and Russell typically keeps fish pinned to deeper structure and the thermocline during daylight, with the bite opening up in low light. Statewide, catfish action is strong right now: GA Sportsman/Georgia Outdoor News reported a new 22-pound blue catfish record out of Lake Lanier on Aug. 19, a sign Georgia's blue cat bite is peaking this time of year, even though that fish came from a different Chattahoochee-system lake. The Georgia Wildlife Blog — Fishing has also shifted to a rotating regional format, so a Hartwell/Russell-specific write-up may land in an upcoming week's post.
Late-summer lull holds at the Grand River mouth as fall kings near
The Grand River near its Lake Michigan mouth is flowing at 1,560 cfs this morning, per USGS gauge 04119000, though no water-temperature reading came through with this cycle's data feed, and no Lake Michigan buoy reported in either. Direct angler intel for this specific stretch was thin this week: the MI DNR Weekly Fishing Report page didn't return readable regional detail this cycle, and most other feeds in today's sweep skewed toward inland walleye and bass content out of Minnesota and the Dakotas rather than West Michigan. That leaves us leaning on the calendar more than fresh reports. Late August is typically the window when Lake Michigan's Chinook salmon begin staging off river mouths like the Grand ahead of the fall spawning push, while smallmouth bass and walleye continue working the lower river on summer patterns. Treat today's picture as seasonal-typical rather than a confirmed hot bite, and check MI DNR's current weekly report directly before you head out.
Warm-water bite settles in as Eastern WA rivers ease through August
USGS gauge 12484500 logged flow at 3,220 cfs as of the evening of August 22, with no water-temperature reading available this cycle. This week's angler-intel sweep turned up no charter, shop, or fresh state-agency bite reports specific to Yakima or Spokane-area waters, so this update leans on typical late-August patterns for the region rather than fresh, source-attributed catch reports. WA WDFW's Fishing and Stocking Reports page remains the go-to resource for water-specific creel and stocking numbers and is worth checking before you head out for anything county- or lake-specific. Late summer in Eastern Washington typically means warm-water species carrying the load during daylight hours while trout and steelhead activity shifts toward the margins of the day as water temperatures climb. Expect current seams, riffles, and any available shade or cooler tributary mouths to concentrate fish. We're keeping this one conservative until better-sourced local reports come through.
Eastern Shore eases toward the fall transition as cobia season winds down
Direct fishing reports for Chincoteague and Virginia's Eastern Shore are thin in today's feeds, so this update leans on the broader Mid-Atlantic picture and typical late-August patterns rather than invented specifics. The Fisherman's Northeast desk, in its Aug. 20 NJ/DE Bay Region forecast, describes inshore and surf species keeping bay-adjacent Mid-Atlantic anglers busy as the coast eases toward the seasonal shift into fall. Locally, this stretch of the calendar on Virginia's Eastern Shore typically means cobia action winding down as the season nears its close, Spanish mackerel and bluefish still workable along the beachfront, flounder holding around inlet and channel drop-offs, and the first red drum showing along marsh edges as water begins its slow cool-down. No buoy or gauge readings came through this cycle, so treat exact water temp and tide timing as unknowns until you check a local source before launching. We'll update with region-specific intel the moment a shop, captain, or state source posts it for this stretch of coast.
High water pushes Susquehanna smallmouth and cats to the seams
The Susquehanna system is running high and warm heading into the back half of August, with the USGS gauge near Sunbury (01540500) logging 5,110 cfs and a 76°F water temp early Wednesday morning, well above typical late-summer base flow. That kind of push moves smallmouth bass off shallow shoreline structure and into current seams and deeper holes, a pattern Tactical Bassin's recent summer coverage describes as classic "junk fishing" territory, switching baits spot to spot rather than leaning on one presentation. Walleye anglers should lean on similar adaptability; Fishing the Midwest's notes on blending traditional bottom presentations with forward-facing sonar apply well to high, likely stained freshwater like this. Channel cats stay a safe bet in deeper holes regardless of flow. Muskellunge activity typically slows under sustained late-August heat and elevated water, though the waxing gibbous moon could open a low-light window worth working.
Coho arrivals loom as Olympic Peninsula rivers hold steady
Flows on the two Olympic Peninsula gauges we track sit at 575 and 282 cfs this week, with water temperatures not currently reported by either station. WDFW's statewide Fishing and Stocking Reports page (WA WDFW Fishing Reports) tracks creel checks and stocking activity, though this cycle's feed carried no location-specific counts for these rivers. Late August is typically transition season, summer Chinook wrapping up while the earliest hatchery coho begin to show in Peninsula systems, though timing varies year to year and anglers should check WDFW's current regional reports before planning a trip. No shop or charter reports came through this cycle naming specific bites, so we're leaning on typical seasonal patterns rather than fresh testimony. Moon is in a waxing gibbous phase, which tends to keep low-light bite windows productive. Confirm gauge readings and regulations directly before heading out, since neither station reported temperature this pass.
Late-summer heat pushes Mississippi Sound reds toward deeper water
Mississippi's Department of Marine Resources certified a new youth state saltwater record this month, a 10-pound, 13.44-ounce bonnethead shark landed by young angler Ben Cain, a reminder that shark activity picks up in Sound shallows during the warmest stretch of the year. No fresh NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings are available for Mississippi Sound this cycle, so this report leans on seasonal pattern rather than measured trend lines. Per Salt Strong's recent coverage of hot-weather redfish behavior, Gulf Coast reds tend to slide into deeper, moving water once surface temps push into the 90s, a pattern that should hold for Sound fish through the coming weeks. Speckled trout and Spanish mackerel remain the typical August staples in this region, generally most active during the cooler dawn and dusk windows. Check current MDMR regulations before harvesting, since seasonal rules can shift.
Spanish Mackerel Turn On Around Cape Lookout as Summer Bite Holds
Spanish mackerel are stacking up around Cape Lookout, with the biggest fish showing up on the nearshore water according to Dave at Chasin' Tails in Morehead/Atlantic Beach, per Fisherman's Post (NC). Up the coast at Swansboro/Emerald Isle, Morgan of The Reel Outdoors reports anglers working casting jigs and Gotcha plugs off the pier connecting with spanish mackerel and bluefish, plus a scattering of king mackerel — also via Fisherman's Post (NC). Toward Pamlico Sound, Hugh at TW's Bait and Tackle in the OBX/Northern Beaches says the surf zone is giving up sea mullet, bluefish, and plenty of croaker on bottom rigs, with inshore action picking back up. Waxing gibbous moon and typical late-August water temps should keep bait pushed tight to structure. No live buoy or gauge readings came through for this update, so plan around the reports above and check local conditions before running offshore.
Flounder limits and thick croaker runs fill Delaware Bay
Flounder are stacking up on both sides of the Delaware Bay this week. Big Dave's Tackle in Port Elizabeth reports limits to 7 pounds from deepwater reef and wreck sites like the Old Grounds, while Boulevard Bait & Tackle says TI Reef is giving up flounder to 5-plus pounds on bucktails and ball jigs tipped with Gulp. Higbee's Bait and Tackle notes fish nearing the 23-inch mark from the deeper channels, with keeper ratios improving the farther offshore anglers push, per Hands Too Bait and Tackle in Cape May. Croakers are thick throughout the bayshore, back bays, and inlet — big enough that anglers can barely fit two hands around them, per Hands Too — and Pier 47 Marina says the outgoing tide is best for croakers while the incoming favors flounder. Black drum are mixing into the catch alongside blues and spot, and sea bass remain steady over inshore structure per the Delaware/Maryland reports.
Sea Bass Stay Red Hot in Raritan Bay as Bonito Push Into the Surf
At Capt Ron's Atlantic Highlands NJ, anglers are boxing keeper-size fluke alongside a strong sea bass bite, with one recent trip noting overnight water temps sliding nine degrees into the upper 60s. Blue Chip Sportfishing (NJ) calls the sea bass bite "red hot" right now, with boats limiting out on nearly every trip, and shark charters have "busted wide open" with multiple mako hookups landed and released this month. The Fisherman — Northern NJ reports the Miss Belmar Princess hammering bluefish mixed with bonito and Spanish mackerel, a pattern OTW Northern New Jersey's Aug. 20 report confirms — Spanish mackerel and bonito working the surf while ocean fluking holds a steady pick of keepers. Grumpys Tackle (NJ) backs that up, pointing to warm water pulling in Spanish mackerel and bonito alongside a strong fluke bite. Sea bass typically stays productive into early fall here, so structure and reef sites are worth prioritizing while the bite holds.
Silver salmon season builds across the Gulf of Alaska
No buoy or gauge readings came back in today's data pull, and the angler-intel feed carried no on-the-water catch reports for the Gulf of Alaska this cycle — the Alaska Sea Grant items in today's sweep covered fellowship announcements, staff profiles, and an oyster-industry website launch, not fishing conditions, so nothing below should be read as a confirmed bite report. Late August is typically the heart of the coho (silver) salmon run through the Gulf, with fish pushing into nearshore waters and river mouths as the king salmon window closes out for the season. Halibut and lingcod remain the dependable bottom options this time of year, holding over deeper structure and rocky bottom respectively. Given the gap in fresh sourced intel, treat the species notes below as general seasonal expectation rather than a reported bite, and check current state fishery regulations for area-specific season dates and limits before heading out.
Rising Allegheny flows reshape the bite for Pittsburgh tailwater anglers
The USGS gauge at site 03036500 logged Allegheny River flow at 10,200 cfs as of 2 a.m. Wednesday, a level that's noticeably elevated for late August, when tailwater flows below Pittsburgh typically run much leaner. Water temperature wasn't reported at this gauge, but late-summer readings on the Allegheny system typically sit in the mid-to-upper 70s this time of year. None of this week's angler-intel feeds carried a direct, dated report from a PA Allegheny or Pittsburgh-area shop, guide, or agency source, so we're not able to attribute a specific bite to anyone this cycle, worth noting rather than guessing. With flows this high, smallmouth bass typically slide off primary current and pull into softer water and eddies, while channel catfish tend to feed more aggressively in stained, moving water. Walleye and muskellunge activity is usually more temperature- and light-driven than flow-driven this time of year. Check current PA Fish and Boat Commission regulations before harvesting anything.
Twin Cities walleye bite holds as FFS reshapes tactics
Fishing the Midwest's Bob Jensen and Mike Frisch note anglers are rethinking classic walleye rules this month: fish once assumed to hug bottom near points and weedlines are increasingly found suspended, a pattern Forward-Facing Sonar keeps exposing across Twin Cities and North Woods lakes. Traditional presentations still produce, with Fishing the Midwest crediting jigging live bait, pulled live-bait rigs, and crankbait trolling as reliable late-summer walleye tactics. On the bass side, the same source reports largemouth holding tight to emerging weed tops, with moving baits drawing strikes and sharp trebles making the difference between a miss and a keeper. The Mississippi River is running a steady 5,020 cfs near one gauge and 2,080 cfs at a second site (USGS), consistent with typical late-August flow rather than a post-storm spike. Water temps weren't reported at either gauge today, so plan around the morning cool-down and midday warmth typical for the season.
Erie tributaries hold low and slow ahead of the fall steelhead push
A USGS streamflow gauge (site 04213000) feeding the Lake Erie watershed logged 58.9 cfs early Saturday morning, a low, stable late-August stage with no water-temperature reading available this cycle. No buoy data came through for the open lake, so we're working off tributary flow alone for the numbers side of this report. That low, steady flow is the story right now: nothing has pushed through to signal an early fall freshet. On the open lake, late August in this region typically keeps smallmouth bass holding on deeper structure and walleye working open-water trolling patterns as the thermocline sets up, with yellow perch schooling over rock and gravel. Steelhead stay scarce until cooler water and rain-driven flow bumps pull them into the tributaries, usually starting in September. We didn't get region-specific angler or shop chatter for Presque Isle or the PA tributaries this cycle, so treat the species read below as seasonal expectation rather than confirmed bites, and check PA Fish & Boat's Biologist Reports for the latest stocking and creek-specific notes before you go.
Columbia and Puget Sound rivers settle into late-summer rhythm
A USGS gauge on the Columbia system logged 713 cfs and 64°F late Wednesday night, conditions that read as a stable, typical late-August baseflow rather than a spike or drop. Warmer water like this usually pushes salmon and steelhead into shaded pools and tailouts during the heat of the day, with the better bite windows shifting toward early morning and dusk. WDFW's Fishing and stocking reports page remains the go-to real-time source for creel counts and stocking updates across Puget Sound and Columbia tributaries, and it's worth checking before any trip this week since specific catch intel wasn't available in this cycle's feeds. Late August in this region typically marks the early edge of the fall Chinook push in Columbia tributaries, with coho and steelhead following through September, though we don't have a direct report confirming that timing has started yet this year.
Late-summer patterns hold on Lake Huron and Saginaw Bay
No buoy or gauge readings came through for this stretch of water this cycle, and this week's angler-intel sweep didn't return region-specific reports for Lake Huron or Saginaw Bay either — the DNR's statewide weekly report and the regional forums in our feed returned nothing usable for this specific water. What we can offer is seasonal grounding rather than fresh testimony: late August on Saginaw Bay and Lake Huron typically keeps walleye and yellow perch as the anchor bite over the main-bay flats, with smallmouth bass working structure and reef edges while the water still carries late-summer warmth. Chinook salmon staging usually starts building toward river mouths as September approaches. Because this write-up isn't grounded in on-the-water testimony this cycle, treat species status below as seasonal expectation, and check Michigan DNR's current weekly report plus local regs before heading out.
Deep-summer pattern holds on Santee and Lake Murray
Flow at USGS gauge 02160390 held near 271 cfs in the early morning hours, a stable read consistent with typical late-August low-water conditions across the Santee and Lake Murray system. No water temperature reading came through this cycle, but Palmetto State reservoirs typically run in the mid-80s on the surface by late August, which pushes largemouth bass into classic dog-days behavior. Tactical Bassin's recent coverage of hot-August reservoir fishing describes working shallow points and shoreline cover early with topwater and a finesse jig before the sun climbs, then sliding out to deeper cover as the day heats up, a pattern that should translate directly to Santee and Lake Murray structure. Fishing the Midwest's recent notes on forward-facing sonar point to more anglers finding bass and baitfish suspended off traditional bottom structure this time of year, worth trying over Lake Murray's deeper basin. Catfish and Santee's landlocked stripers typically pull into deeper channel and thermocline water through the hottest stretch of summer.
Potomac Smallmouth Turn to Drop Shots as Bluegill Bite Holds
The Potomac was running a steady late-summer stage near Little Falls, with the USGS gauge (01646500) logging flow at 3,230 cfs as of early Thursday morning and no water temperature reading available from the sensor. That kind of flow keeps current seams and ledges fishable without blowing out bank and wade access up and down the Potomac and Shenandoah systems. Per the Virginia DWR Wildlife Blog, the drop shot rig remains a go-to for smallmouth, largemouth, and spotted bass this time of year, giving a suspended, natural bait presentation over structure that triggers strikes even as summer heat pushes fish deeper. The same DWR feed, reporting from Powhatan Wildlife Management Area, flags late summer as prime time for bluegill and redear sunfish on public lakes and ponds, with ultralight spinning gear doing the work for anglers of any skill level. No angler-specific catch reports came through this cycle, so treat the bite as technique-driven rather than confirmed hot.
Late-summer deep-water pattern settles over Quabbin and Wachusett
USGS gauge 01174500 logged a bare 0.98 cfs overnight into 2026-08-23, confirming the quiet, low, stable flow typical of a late-August drawdown across central Massachusetts watersheds. No angler reports came in specifically from Quabbin or Wachusett this cycle, so we're leaning on regional signal: per The Fisherman — New England Freshwater, nearby Massachusetts waters this week have smallmouth keyed on herring fry in the mid-water column and largemouth still eating plastics, spinnerbaits, and topwater around structure and shallow flats in the evenings. That pattern typically tracks with what Quabbin's smallmouth fishery and Wachusett's mixed bass water do this time of year. Water temperature wasn't captured at either reservoir today, but with flows this low and August heat lingering, expect a defined thermocline pushing lake trout and landlocked salmon deep while bass activity holds strongest at dawn, dusk, and under the current waxing gibbous moon.
Silvers push into the Kenai as interior rivers run high and cold
USGS gauge 15266300 logged flow at 14,200 cfs and water temp at 53°F as of Thursday evening, a heavy-flow reading typical of the late-August glacial melt pulse that pushes through Kenai-system tributaries this time of year. High water like this usually means off-color runoff on the mainstem and cleaner fishing tucked into clearwater feeder creeks and back channels. This week's state agency and blog feeds didn't carry specific Alaska streamside intel, so we're leaning on seasonal patterns rather than a fresh bite report — treat species notes below as general guidance and check a local shop or guide before you commit to a spot. Late August on interior Alaska water is prime time for coho (silver) salmon pushing upstream, with resident rainbows and Dolly Varden keying in behind them on drifting eggs. Sockeye numbers are typically thinning out by now as that run tapers toward its close.