Fishing reports
18436 reports across all 50 states — current conditions and what's biting.
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.
Smokies trout dodge the heat with dawn windows and terrestrials
The USGS gauge feeding Western NC's trout water read 318 cfs and 69°F early this morning, warm enough to push both wild and stocked trout toward shade, deeper runs, and higher tributaries through the middle of the day. That reading sits right at the edge of comfortable trout water, so the bite is concentrating into the cooler dawn and dusk windows rather than running all day. Gink and Gasoline's current fly-box roundup flags san juan worms as a reliable producer after any rain bump, worth carrying if recent storms nudged flows here. Flylords Mag's alpine-lake piece and Flylab's Rockies dispatch both make a seasonal point that applies directly to the Smokies: as low-elevation water warms, trout push into cooler feeder creeks and higher-elevation pockets. Caddis Fly also notes summer aquatic hatches thinning out this time of year, which is putting more weight on terrestrial patterns. Expect a selective, temperature-driven bite rather than a wide-open one over the next few days.
Late-summer walleye and cats settle into Upper Mississippi pools
USGS gauge 05344500 held flow near 7,050 cfs as of early Wednesday, keeping the Prescott-to-La Crosse pools at a stable summer stage with no unusual spike in the data. Direct on-the-water testimony for this exact stretch is thin this cycle, so we're leaning on regional walleye and bass patterns rather than a specific local bite report. Per Fishing the Midwest, forward-facing sonar continues reshaping how Midwest walleye anglers locate fish suspended off bottom rather than glued to classic points and weedlines, a shift Field & Stream's roundup of new FFS-specific baits echoes as one of the fastest-growing categories in the tackle box. Largemouth and smallmouth activity around emerging weed edges and current breaks is typical for late August on this river system. Channel catfish should be pushing into deeper holes and below wing dams as summer wears on, while panfish likely stay tight to structure through midday heat. Check current stage before launching a smaller boat into that much moving water.
Hill Country bass settle into a locked-in late-summer pattern
Our upstream gauge on the Guadalupe system (USGS 08158000) is reading flow near 1,100 cfs as of early Wednesday, with no fresh water-temp readings available for the Travis-LBJ-Buchanan chain this week. Nearby in the Hill Country, My Canyon Lake Fishing reports that reservoir levels are running about eight feet higher than this time last year and conditions remain solid for boating and fishing regionwide, a decent proxy for how the broader Highland Lakes system is holding up through late August. With surface water still hot, largemouth are pushing shallow early and pulling back once the sun climbs, a pattern Tactical Bassin's late-summer coverage frames around working shallow points with topwater before switching to a finesse jig as light increases. Striped bass, a Buchanan and LBJ staple, likely sit deeper on the thermocline in this heat; we don't have a direct current report on them, so treat that as a seasonal expectation rather than confirmed intel.
Niagara Access Win Sets Stage for Western NY's Fall Run
Water temps sit at 73°F on the regional USGS gauge (04231600), with flow holding near 1,420 cfs — typical late-August conditions for Western New York's Lake Erie and Niagara-area waters. The bigger news locally isn't on the water: per Wired 2 Fish, the Town of Newfane just secured a permanent public access easement to Eighteen Mile Creek below Burt Dam, ending a dispute that had threatened angler access to one of the region's most popular salmon and trout stretches. On the water, smallmouth bass remain the dependable summer target as Erie's warmer shallows push fish toward deeper structure, while walleye action typically leans toward low-light and after-dark presentations while temps sit in the 70s. Trout and salmon stay slow until water cools into fall, when Niagara-area tributaries like Eighteen Mile Creek usually see the season's first pushes. We're watching that transition closely as September approaches.
Lake Ontario kings staging up as Salmon River run nears
Lake Ontario's open-water salmon bite is rolling strong into late August, with Strike Zone Charters reporting that "salmon fishing has been very good this past week," browns and lake trout mixed into the catch alongside the kings. Boats are working 100 to 160 feet of water, running Mag Dipsy Divers deep and green, white, and chartreuse e-chip attractors when fish are holding low in the water column, per the charter's latest report. On the tributary side, the Salmon River-area gauge (USGS 04250750) is reading a modest 22.7 cfs, typical low late-summer base flow before fall rains and cooling water start pulling fish upriver. Water temperature wasn't available at this reading. With kings, browns, and lake trout already active out in the open lake, the Salmon River and Oswego River mouths should start drawing staging fish as August turns to September, so anglers planning a tributary trip should keep an eye on flow and temperature over the next couple of weeks.
Redfish dig deeper as Texas Gulf heat and STAR Tournament roll on
The CCA-Texas STAR Tournament leaderboard update on August 16 (per Texas Fish & Game Magazine) shows anglers posting entries coastwide as the event runs through September 7, and charter captains from Port Aransas to Rockport-Copano filed fresh reports this week (per TexasFishingTips). Galveston Daily News' Reel Report calls for winds and heat to prevail with little relief - rain chances sit at 15 percent or less through the week - though Galveston Bay should see lighter southwest-to-southerly winds around 10 knots this weekend. With water temps near their summer peak, Salt Strong notes redfish are pushing into deeper, moving water and responding well to blue-crab rigs, and anglers should slow presentations down for stubborn bites. Texas Fish & Game's beachfront ecosystem report flags bull redfish, king mackerel, and tarpon working bait schools along the surf line, though a reader-reported tarpon off Galveston's 91st Street Pier remains unconfirmed.