Fishing reports
18526 reports across all 50 states — current conditions and what's biting.
Summer heat sets the bite window for Okeechobee and St. Johns bass
USGS gauge 02232000 logged a flow of 406 cfs at 7:30 a.m. today, a steady late-summer reading with no water-temperature data reporting from the station this cycle. No Florida-specific angler dispatches came through our Okeechobee or St. Johns feeds this pull, so today's read leans on typical August patterns for the region: largemouth bass sliding into a dawn-and-dusk bite as midday heat pushes them toward deeper grass edges and shade, bluegill and shellcracker staying catchable around matted vegetation through the heat, and channel catfish holding steady after dark on cut bait. Wired 2 Fish's recent piece on summer heat forcing anglers to shift tactics tracks with what we'd expect here — early starts and late finishes beat the midday sun. Black crappie tend to go quiet in August's warm surface layer and won't turn back on in earnest until water starts cooling. Check current Florida regulations before harvesting.
Smith Mountain Lake and Buggs Island bass shift to finesse tactics
USGS gauge 02075045 is running 863 cfs this morning, holding steady late-summer flow into the Smith Mountain Lake and Buggs Island system heading into the back half of August. Water temp wasn't available from this reading, but late-August conditions in this region typically mean warm surface layers and bass pushed to deeper structure and thermoclines. The Virginia DWR Wildlife Blog highlights the drop shot rig this week as a go-to technique for smallmouth, largemouth, and spotted bass, noting it suspends a bait naturally above bottom with a weight anchoring the line, a presentation built for exactly this kind of tough, pressured summer bite. We're leaning on that technique note as the clearest actionable signal in today's intel. Striper and crappie activity typically slows this time of year on these reservoirs as fish hold deep and suspended, so patience and electronics matter more than moving baits. Check current state regulations before harvesting anything, especially striped bass on Smith Mountain Lake.
Cobia, red drum keep summer bite going at the Chesapeake mouth
Late August at the Chesapeake Bay mouth normally sits in the heart of the region's marquee summer run, with cobia, red drum, and Spanish mackerel the headline draws around the bridge-tunnel pilings and lower bay channels. No NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came through for this cycle, and none of our tracked fishing-report feeds carry a Chesapeake-mouth-specific dispatch this week, so we're leaning on typical seasonal patterns rather than fresh eyewitness reports. Cobia typically still hold over structure and along channel edges into early September before pushing offshore, red drum schools work the flats and inlets on falling water, and Spanish mackerel keep chasing bait schools in open water. Striped bass remain in their summer holding pattern in Virginia's warm water, and anglers should check current state guidance before targeting them. With a First Quarter moon this week, expect moderate tidal swings rather than the extremes of a full or new moon.
Puget Sound salmon and crab action builds into late summer
No fresh NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came through for Puget Sound and the outer Pacific this cycle, so today's read leans on what the available regional feeds actually confirm. Washington Sea Grant's newly announced Skills and Drills course, set for South Bend on September 28-29, is built specifically around Dungeness crab work, a pointed reminder that Dungeness remains one of the state's largest commercial fisheries heading into fall. WDFW's Fishing and Stocking Reports program continues to be the primary real-time gauge of what's actually coming over the rail around the Sound and coast, tracking creel data and stocking activity statewide. Typical for late August, Puget Sound Chinook and coho salmon runs are building toward their seasonal peak, halibut and rockfish are holding over nearshore structure, and Dungeness crab activity is picking up as summer winds down. Anglers should check WDFW's area-specific reports before locking in a trip, since regulations and quotas can shift quickly this time of year.
Snapper bite holds strong in the Keys as red snapper season stays in limbo
Yellowtail and mutton snapper have carried the season in the Lower Keys, with ALL IN Key West reporting "huge yellowtails" and mutton snapper "chewing like crazy" on recent trips, plus groupers, cobia and kingfish rounding out the box. The same captain has found mahi mixed in on Gulf-side drifts and describes live-bait fishing as "red hot" for kingfish, tuna and sailfish. Bud n' Mary's early-summer report noted tarpon still working the bridges and mahi showing along the reef edge, a pattern that typically carries into August. The bigger story for Florida anglers this season is regulatory: South Atlantic red snapper remains tangled in litigation after a federal court blocked this year's exempted-fishing-permit pilot, and both CCA Florida and Saltwater Sportsman note a push for a fallback October season, with public comment open through August 25. No live buoy or gauge readings came through for this cycle, so lean on the on-the-water reports below and check local conditions before running offshore.
Salmon trolling season peaks on Chicago's Lake Michigan waters
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for the Chicago lakefront this cycle, so today's picture leans on seasonal pattern and lakewide context rather than a live snapshot. The WI DNR Lake Michigan Fishing Report notes anglers across the lake have enjoyed standout hauls of Chinook salmon, coho salmon, and steelhead in recent seasons, with strong alewife survival helping stocked fish hold up well lakewide, a backdrop that still applies to what's swimming off Chicago this August. Expect the typical mid-to-late-summer pattern here: Chinook and coho holding deep near the thermocline for trollers running spoons and flasher-fly rigs, smallmouth bass working rocky breakwalls and harbor structure, and yellow perch beginning their seasonal shift toward piers and harbor mouths as water starts to cool late in the month. First Quarter moon keeps bite windows fairly standard around dawn and dusk. Check current Illinois regs before keeping any salmonid limits.
Trout Bite Holds in Cold Tailwater as GA Bass Await the Fall Turn
A USGS gauge on the Chattahoochee is reading 49 degrees at 613 cfs this morning, the kind of cold, dam-controlled release that keeps the tailwater fishable for trout even as most of the Southeast bakes in mid-August heat. Wired 2 Fish flagged this week just how brutal the season has gotten for cold-water species elsewhere, with some Western agencies closing trout water outright when rivers run dangerously warm; the steady cold release below the dam is the reason that scenario is not playing out on this stretch. On the bass side, GA Sportsman/Georgia Outdoor News' Southern Waters report notes the statewide bite has stayed pretty good despite the scorching heat, and the outlet's fall tournament preview says the scene is about to ignite as temperatures start to turn. For Lake Lanier and Allatoona anglers, that points to a two-track pattern right now: reliable trout fishing in the cold tailwater, and bass biding time on deep summer structure until the first real cool-down arrives.
Seatrout Bite Heats Up in Sarasota Bay as Tarpon Push Inside
Capt. Brandon Naeve out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters (Sarasota) landed and released a 27-inch spotted seatrout this week, and per that report Sarasota Bay's speckled trout are aggressively biting right now, with inshore grass flats, mangrove shorelines, and local passes producing the peak summer bite. Redfish are cooperating too: Capt. Chuck Cress, also with CB's, worked a rising morning tide with a popping cork and live shrimp to hook multiple reds, picking up several small snook along the way. Looking toward late August, Capt. Rick Grassett's monthly forecast (CB's) notes tarpon are thinning out along the beaches and sliding into inside waters, showing up around bridges and on deep grass flats while feeding in schools of ladyfish. Salt Strong notes that as water temps push into the 90s, redfish shift to deeper, moving water, a pattern worth watching through the back half of summer.
Striper bite turns spotty as Gulf of Maine groundfish carry the week
Striper fishing along the Massachusetts-to-Maine corridor is running hit-or-miss, per Belsan's Bait and Tackle, with bass keyed in tight on bait schools rather than holding on structure — anglers are covering more ground to find cooperative fish. That inconsistency comes with trophy potential: Surfland reported a 49-inch bass from the sand over the weekend (The Fisherman — South Shore MA to ME), and Beauport Fishing Adventures found big stripers, too large to keep, feeding on pogies off Rockport's east side. Bluefish have gone quiet from Scituate to Provincetown, but groundfishing is carrying the week — pollock action has been solid and mackerel remain plentiful around Cape Ann, per Beauport. Farther south, The Fisherman (Northeast) notes the fall-run pregame is ramping up, with striper blitzes already showing from Narragansett to Plymouth. Night access at Plum Island's refuge beaches has reopened for the stretch that typically produces into October, per Dave Anderson.
Trout and red drum keep the bite going along the SC coast
Slip cork rigs tipped with live shrimp are producing summertime spotted seatrout up the coast at Little River, where John of Dave's Outpost reports steady action with red drum holding nearby, per Fisherman's Post — Carolinas saltwater. No live buoy or gauge readings came back for Charleston Harbor this cycle, so check a local app for current water temp and tide before you launch. Regionally, the South Atlantic red snapper picture is moving: Saltwater Sportsman reports Florida, South Carolina and Georgia are pushing NOAA Fisheries for a salvage October 1-31 recreational season after a lawsuit halted the original 2026 dates, with public comment open through August 25. Inshore, expect spotted seatrout and red drum to stay the dependable Charleston Harbor-area targets through late August, with Spanish mackerel typically working nearshore structure and harbor jetties as water stays warm this time of year.
Gulf gag grouper season looms as Naples permit bite holds
Sport Fishing Mag is flagging the short Gulf gag grouper season opening in September, recommending trolling structure and rock piles in relatively shallow water to prospect fish before the window closes. That's the freshest bite intel for FL's Gulf Coast this week — our on-the-water sources didn't file an August-specific update, so we're leaning on the most recent Naples Offshore Fishing Charters reports for the broader pattern: permit have been holding up well to sight-fishing, with tarpon still moving through on the tail end of their spring migration, and kingfish, cobia, and amberjack rounding out mixed catches around structure. Typical for late summer on this coast, expect tarpon and kingfish action to keep cooling as water stays warm and gag grouper becomes the headline target. No live buoy or gauge readings were available for this report, so check local marine forecasts before heading out.
Black sea bass and fluke steady in Narragansett Bay as fall run looms
Black sea bass are producing well across Narragansett Bay this week, with Frances Fleet reporting more keeper-sized fish alongside nice scup, and Quonnie Bait and Tackle confirming good numbers of both species holding over structure in 50 to 70 feet of water. Fluke fishing remains steady off the beaches and around Block Island per Saltwater Edge Blog (RI) and Frances Fleet, with anglers picking through short fish to find keepers. Striped bass are a mixed bag: The Fisherman — Rhode Island notes a slower bite at night and early morning as water temps push toward 70 degrees, while The Fisherman (Northeast) reported striper blitzes running from Narragansett to Plymouth this past week. Bonus offshore action is heating up too, with a recreational bluefin bite that Snug Harbor Marina says "took off" on jigs and soft plastics, plus green bonito showing in good numbers along the south county beaches.
Surf bite delivers bluefish and croaker mix on the Outer Banks
Surf anglers on the Outer Banks are into a solid summer mix right now — sea mullet, bluefish, and plenty of croakers are coming off the bottom in the surf zone, per Hugh at TW's Bait and Tackle in this week's OBX/Northern Beaches report from Fisherman's Post (NC). Bottom rigs are doing the work along the Northern Beaches, with croakers showing up in especially good numbers alongside the mullet and blues. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for this cycle, so we can't confirm an exact water temp, but mid-August surf temps typically sit in the mid-to-upper 70s off the OBX, which keeps this summer species mix active. Red drum are also a staple target on these beaches this time of year, though this week's OBX report didn't call them out specifically. With a First Quarter moon overhead, expect moderate tidal swings — good structure for working the surf zone at first light and around the tide change.
Red Snapper Push and Summer Heat Shape Georgia Coast Outlook
Georgia's Atlantic coast is stuck in the same scorching heat gripping the rest of the state this week — Joshua Barber's Southern Waters Fishing Report (GA Sportsman / Georgia Outdoor News) calls it "scorching hot again" and notes the coastal-plain rivers feeding the coast, including the Altamaha at Doctortown and the Savannah at Clyo, are running low and mostly falling or steady. The bigger story for coastal anglers is regulatory: after a lawsuit scuttled the 2026 South Atlantic red snapper season, Georgia is joining Florida and South Carolina in pushing NOAA Fisheries for a one-month October 1-31 reopening, per Saltwater Sportsman, with public comment open through August 25. On the water, expect the standard late-summer pattern — redfish and tarpon staying active around moving tides and marsh edges, seatrout sliding deeper to dodge the heat. The Georgia Wildlife Resources Division's weekly blog report is also shifting to a rotating regional format, so detailed coastal specifics were thin this cycle.
Bonito Push Into Cape Cod Bay as Stripers Hold the Flats
Bonito have finally pushed into Cape Cod Bay, with Goose Hummock Shop (per The Fisherman — Cape Cod & Islands) reporting fish showing at Provincetown, inside the harbor, and around Wood End after moving up from the ocean side. The same shop has customers picking up bonito and four-pound bluefish from the Brewster Flats down into Wellfleet Harbor. Striper fishing remains steady along the bay shore, and a few big schools of jumbo bass are holding around P-Town, with anglers live-lining mackerel into some quality fish. Regionally, The Fisherman (Northeast) notes bonito numbers surging across Cape Cod from the Canal to Chatham to Wood End, with early albie activity mixed in and striper blitzes reported from Narragansett up to Plymouth. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for this update, so bring a thermometer and confirm conditions locally before running out.
Redfish slide into deeper channels as Delta marshes bake
No NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came through for the Louisiana Gulf Coast and Delta this cycle, so this update leans on angler intel rather than instrument data. Salt Strong's write-up on hot-weather redfish behavior is the most directly useful signal: as water temperatures push into the 90s through August, redfish don't shut down, they relocate into deeper, moving water, and blue crab fished on bottom in those channels keeps producing. The same outlet's summer-slump piece groups redfish with speckled trout and flounder as species that shift location rather than disappear once the shallow flats overheat, worth remembering before writing off a slow morning on the marsh. Locally, Louisiana Sportsman notes LDWF and the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Foundation are opening applications for fall Women's Fishing 101 workshops, a sign the fall transition is already on anglers' radar even with peak summer heat still holding. Expect classic dog-days conditions: fish stacked on structure and current seams rather than spread thin across the shallows.
Bonito and blues fire up in Vineyard Sound as fall run nears
Vineyard Sound is heating up as bonito push into the region — Sports Port reports blues in the 4-pound class moving into the sound shoreline 'often accompanied by bonito,' a pairing showing up from West Chop across to Nobska Point per Falmouth Bait & Tackle. Striped bass are cooperating too, with a daylight jigging-and-trolling bite in the Sound and a 'decent striper bite along the bay shore' up around Cape Cod Bay according to Goose Hummock Shop, where a few jumbo bass are stacking near Provincetown. Fluke fishing remains strong on the Cape, with Black Rose Fishing Charters calling bottom fishing 'very good' out of Sesuit. Regionally, The Fisherman's New England video forecast confirms bonito numbers are surging from the Canal to Chatham to Wood End, with striper blitzes already showing from Narragansett to Plymouth. With the first quarter moon overhead, we're watching the fall-run pregame keep building through the back half of August.
Panhandle Anglers Eye September Grouper Opener as Heat Holds
Sport Fishing Mag's recent trolling piece on Gulf gag grouper points to what's coming for Panhandle boats working nearshore structure — the short September season on Florida's Gulf side opens soon, and captains who prospect rock piles now with a couple of trolled lines are setting up early. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for Destin/Pensacola waters this cycle, so treat sea state as a call-your-local-forecast situation. Inshore, Salt Strong's heat-pattern breakdown is the more actionable read for this stretch of mid-August: redfish pushed into deeper, moving water as flats temps climb into the 90s, working blue crab rigs and slower-moving artificials rather than the skinny-water topwater bite of spring. Offshore, yellowfin tuna remain a Gulf staple this time of year per Sport Fishing Mag's gamefish roundup, though no Panhandle-specific reports came through this week. Gulf red snapper's private-angler season typically wraps well before late August — check current state and federal regs before planning a snapper trip.
Porgies stack up as Long Island Sound stripers key on dawn bite
Scup are stacking up thick this week — Tartan II calls the porgy bite "lights out" with limits of nice-sized fish, echoed by Black Hawk's report of "limits of porgies all around the boat on most trips" and AW Marina's shore anglers filling out at Avery Point. Striped bass are mixing in but staying tide-dependent: AW Marina reports blitzes pushing into the river mouth near Fort Trumbull Pier, while J&B Tackle says the biggest fish are still coming to anglers live-lining eels after dark, with dawn and dusk the best windows. Black sea bass keep improving per both Black Hawk and Tartan II, and fluke are producing keepers around Black Point, Niantic Bay, and Two Tree Channel per J&B Tackle, with bigger fish reported out toward Montauk. Bluefish are around but picky, biting only on certain tides. No live buoy or gauge data is available for the Sound today, so pair these reports with a current forecast before you head out.
Peak pelagic season keeps Hawaii's offshore grounds active
No buoy or gauge readings and no direct Hawaii-specific angler reports came in with today's data pull, so this outlook leans on typical late-summer patterns for the islands rather than confirmed bites. Hawaii Fishing News, the state's longtime record-keeper and moon-tide resource, exists specifically because August sits in the heart of Hawaii's peak pelagic season, when ahi (yellowfin tuna), mahi-mahi, and ono typically push through offshore grounds as trade winds hold steady. The First Quarter moon this week points to moderate tidal swings, generally favoring trolling along drop-offs and current lines over an extreme tide-driven bite. Giant trevally (ulua) remain a mainstay for shoreline and rock anglers working dawn and dusk windows. With no confirmed captain, shop, or state agency reports in this cycle, treat the species activity below as seasonal expectation rather than a verified bite report, and check current conditions and regulations before heading out.
Indiana's Lake Michigan salmon push deep as late-summer heat sets in
Direct reports from Indiana's Lake Michigan shoreline were thin this cycle, but the broader lake picture offers useful context: the WI DNR's Lake Michigan Fishing Report notes that recent seasons have produced strong Chinook and coho returns across the lake, with improved alewife survival helping stocked salmon numbers. For mid-August, that typically means kings and coho have slid off the shallow structure and are holding near the thermocline, pushing boat anglers toward deeper trolling passes early and late in the day. Shore and pier anglers on the Indiana side are usually better served chasing yellow perch and smallmouth bass around harbor structure and rock piles, both of which stay active through late-summer heat. No buoy or gauge readings were available for this stretch of shoreline this cycle, so treat water temp and clarity as unconfirmed until checked on-site. We'd lean toward an early-morning or evening trip given the heat.
Lake Superior whitefish buzz builds as UP trout streams brace for heat
Lake Superior's whitefish fishery keeps building momentum heading into late summer, with WI DNR Lake Superior Fishing noting the Chequamegon Bay run has grown popular enough to draw both boat and ice anglers and prompt an ongoing management review. No fresh buoy or streamflow readings came in for the UP corridor today, so treat conditions as unconfirmed until you check local gauges. Meanwhile, UP trout streams are heading into the stretch of August where cold-water fish feel the heat most: per Wired 2 Fish, agencies across trout country are increasingly asking anglers to ease off cold-water species once rivers run warm, a pattern that typically pushes UP brook and brown trout bites into the early morning and evening hours. Lake trout stay a more dependable deep-water option through this window. With no direct MI catch reports in today's feed, lean on general late-summer patterns: fish the cool hours, watch stream temps closely, and check DNR advisories before committing to a stretch you haven't fished recently.
No CT gauge data this cycle, but regional bass patterns point the way
No NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came through for Connecticut's inland waters this cycle, and this week's angler-intel feed carried no Connecticut-specific freshwater reports either. Zooming out to the broader New England freshwater picture (The Fisherman — New England Freshwater), smallmouth bass are keying on herring fry in the mid-water column and striking topwaters aggressively, while largemouth bass are coming on shiners, Senkos, and spinnerbaits worked along shoreline cover and below dam sections in low light. Those are the same forage and structure dynamics CT's ponds, coves, and river stretches typically see in mid-to-late August. Separately, Wired 2 Fish flagged a wider trend of cold-water fisheries facing heat-related stress and voluntary closures this summer, a reminder that CT trout holdovers are likely working the same early/late thermal refuge windows. Treat the species notes below as seasonal expectation grounded in regional pattern, not a confirmed on-the-water CT report this week.
Wabash walleye and Lake Michigan bass settle into late-summer rhythm
Wired 2 Fish's newest walleye piece makes the case for leaning on forward-facing sonar through late summer, and the timing fits Wabash River anglers working deeper channel bends as August wears on. No fresh temperature or flow readings came back from local buoys or gauges this cycle, so plan around typical late-summer conditions: warm, stable river flow and fish pulling toward structure and current breaks. On the bass side, Tactical Bassin's late-summer playbook (rotating baits, working current seams) and Fishing the Midwest's notes on largemouth holding near emerging weed edges both translate well to Wabash backwaters and Lake Michigan harbor areas right now. Lake Michigan's open-water bite for perch, smallmouth, and salmon typically slows through the hottest stretch of August before rebounding as nights cool. No Indiana-specific bite reports came through this week's feeds, so treat the species outlook below as seasonal-pattern guidance rather than a fresh on-the-water report.