Fishing reports
18719 reports across all 50 states — current conditions and what's biting.
Georgia bass keep biting through the late-summer heat
Bass are still cooperating around Georgia despite another scorching week, according to GA Sportsman's Southern Waters Fishing Report (Aug. 15) — anglers who pushed through the heat found a pretty good bite, with river systems around the state also producing fish. No buoy or gauge readings came back for Lake Lanier or Allatoona specifically this cycle, so treat water temps as the seasonal norm for mid-August in north Georgia: warm, stratified, and pushing fish toward deeper, cooler water during peak daylight hours. Largemouth and spotted bass remain the headline draw on both reservoirs this time of year, with striper and hybrid action typically picking up around thermocline breaks and current areas. Crappie tend to go quiet in the heat. With GA Sportsman also previewing the seasonal shift toward fall patterns, the next few weeks should start rewarding anglers who adjust to cooling water rather than fighting the current heat.
Moosehead togue slide deep as smallmouth keep it going through August heat
No direct buoy, gauge, or on-the-water reports came through for Moosehead Lake or the upper Penobscot this cycle, so this update leans on what's typical for freshwater Maine in mid-August rather than a specific catch report. At this point in summer, surface water on Moosehead has usually warmed enough to push lake trout (togue) and landlocked salmon well below the thermocline, where they hold tighter to cooler, oxygenated water and feed less aggressively near the surface. Smallmouth bass, by contrast, tend to stay consistently active through August warmth, working rocky points, drop-offs, and shoreline structure. Brook trout in the upper Penobscot's feeder streams and coves typically retreat to spring seeps and deeper pools as water warms. Anglers should treat togue and salmon as a deep-water, downrigger-or-jig proposition right now, and lean on smallmouth for the more reliably active bite until surface temps ease.
Flaming Gorge trout settle into an early-morning bite as August heat builds
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came back for the Green River tailwater this cycle, but the regional signal is consistent: hot August air is pushing trout feeding windows earlier in the day. Reno Fly Shop's late-July Truckee River report notes rising air temps are moving the peak bite earlier and making fish noticeably less active by midday, a pattern that typically holds for Western tailwaters generally, Flaming Gorge included. Meanwhile Caddis Fly's McKenzie River (OR) report shows a similar system staying cool and productive through low summer flows thanks to steady upstream releases, the same mechanism that keeps the Green River's Flaming Gorge tailwater fishing well through the heat when nearby freestone water struggles. Elsewhere in the Interior West, Wired 2 Fish flagged a reservoir drawdown severe enough to trigger a fish-salvage order in Idaho, a reminder of how uneven this summer's water has been region to region. For Flaming Gorge anglers, the takeaway is simple: fish early, expect a midday lull, and lean on the dam's cold-water discharge as your edge.
Chickamauga bass stay schooled up in Tennessee's summer heat
On Lake Chickamauga this week, anglers found largemouth grouped up and still feeding through the heat, per a report from Tactical Bassin. The crew ran a "junk fishing" pattern, swapping baits at nearly every stop rather than sitting on one presentation, and came away with fish all day despite hot, humid conditions. That's a textbook mid-August read for Tennessee and Cumberland-system reservoirs: summer heat crowds largemouth into tight schools around main-lake cover, and covering water with a mixed bag typically beats waiting out one spot. No fresh buoy or stream-gauge readings came through for this cycle, so treat water temp and flow as unconfirmed until the next update. Smallmouth in the Cumberland system and channel catfish are typically active through this stretch too, though no source this week reported directly on either. Early-morning shallow bites for bluegill and other panfish remain a reliable fallback. As always, check current Tennessee regulations before harvesting any species.
Summer pattern holds as Texoma and Eufaula bite goes deep
No fresh buoy, gauge, or on-the-water reports came through this cycle for Lake Texoma or Lake Eufaula, so this update leans on typical mid-August patterns for these Oklahoma reservoirs. Water temperatures on both lakes are normally deep into the mid-80s by this point in summer, pushing largemouth and spotted bass off shallow cover and onto secondary points, ledges, and deeper brush piles, especially through the hottest afternoon hours. Striped bass at Texoma typically school over deep river-channel structure and often feed best in low light or after dark, a pattern many Texoma regulars lean on through late summer heat. Blue catfish stay productive on cut shad worked in those same channel areas. Crappie tend to go quiet in the heat, holding tight to deep brush and standing timber until cooler water arrives. Check current Oklahoma regulations before harvesting, and confirm real-time conditions locally before heading out, since no direct field reports were available to confirm today's actual bite.
East Texas Bass Dig Deep Through Peak Summer Heat
Direct reports from Toledo Bend and Sam Rayburn were sparse this cycle, but the closest read on East Texas conditions comes from Lake Fork Trophy Bass, whose August update describes a lake still "holding its own" after a summer of 100-plus-degree days. Water levels there remain in good shape despite heavy evaporation, keeping cover intact for bass to stay active rather than shutting down completely, per Lake Fork Trophy Bass. That pattern typically carries across East Texas's big reservoirs, including Toledo Bend and Sam Rayburn, where largemouth this time of year push to deeper structure and main-lake points during the day and slide shallower to feed in the low-light hours. Crappie and white bass tend to hold over deeper brush and open-water schools through the hottest stretch. Expect a grind-it-out bite rather than a wide-open one until temperatures ease. Check state regs before harvesting, and plan trips around dawn and dusk windows.
Catfish keep firing on North Texas lakes as summer holds on
Blue catfish topping 30 pounds have kept trips busy on Eagle Mountain Lake near Fort Worth this year, with North Texas Catfish Guide reporting easy limits of big blues on its strongest days and channel catfish biting hard enough to call it "crazy" on recent main-lake trips. The same captain has flagged white bass schooling and moving through open water as a solid secondary target. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came back for Texas lakes and rivers this cycle, so treat water temperature and flow as unconfirmed until you check a local source before heading out. With mid-August heat locked in across Texas reservoirs, catfish typically stay the most dependable bite, sliding deeper and more nocturnal as surface temps climb, while largemouth bass activity generally tightens to low-light windows during peak-heat middays. Per the guide, fresh inflow and rising lake levels have been the trigger for the most aggressive feeding stretches this season.
Deschutes redsides and Klamath trout settle into a late-summer rhythm
Mid-August has the Deschutes River running its typical low, clear late-summer flows, with resident redside rainbows holding in faster, well-oxygenated water as the day warms and pulling back to smaller dry flies and nymphs during morning and evening hatch windows. Upper Klamath Lake is in its warm-water summer pattern, where redband trout key on the coolest parts of the day before dropping deeper as the sun climbs. No shop, charter, or agency report came through our regional intel feeds this cycle, so this update leans on typical seasonal behavior for the Deschutes and Upper Klamath corridor rather than fresh on-the-water dispatches. Expect classic August conditions on the Deschutes: selective trout, building smallmouth bass activity in warmer lower-river stretches, and summer steelhead moving through faster runs. The Waxing Crescent moon favors low-light dawn and dusk bites this week. Check current state fishing regulations before harvesting any species.
Sarasota Bay trout and reds fire through the peak summer bite
Sarasota Bay's summer inshore bite is holding strong. Capt. Brandon Naeve at CB's Saltwater Outfitters reports spotted seatrout aggressively biting this week on inshore grass flats, mangrove shorelines, and local passes, including a released 27-inch trout, and notes Sarasota Bay is one of the best spots in Florida for speckled trout right now. Capt. Chuck Cress, also with CB's, put anglers on redfish using a popping cork and live shrimp on a rising morning tide, with several small snook released in the same trip. Offshore of the beaches, Capt. Rick Grassett's August forecast has tarpon still working the coastal Gulf early in the month before shifting into bridges and deep grass flats as beach schools thin out, with juvenile tarpon mixed in around bait pods. No live buoy or gauge data came through this cycle, so treat sky, wind, and tide timing as check-before-you-go. Overall, this reads as a textbook peak-summer Tampa Bay/Sarasota pattern.
Pogie-fueled striper blitzes signal the Gulf of Maine fall turn
Pogie-fueled striper blitzes are lighting up beaches from Plymouth north toward the Maine line, with fish running 25 to 47 inches per Belsan's Bait and Tackle, while Dave Anderson reports schoolies mixed with "legit heavyweights" crashing bunker schools on paddletails, soft swimbaits, glides and metal lips. Surfland Bait and Tackle notes squid sightings creeping back into local reports alongside heavy mackerel and pogie activity, and rec-sized bluefin (around 100 pounds) have pushed in tight to Plum Island beaches, occasionally grabbing baits meant for bass. Beauport Fishing Adventures is retooling for mixed offshore bottom-fishing trips in the coming weeks. Farther south, The Fisherman (Northeast) describes striper blitzes running Narragansett to Plymouth and a bonito bite surging around Cape Cod, an early signal of the fall run building. For Gulf of Maine anglers, the pattern points to bait-driven striper action holding strong through the next stretch, with bluefin and bonito worth watching as they continue pushing north.
Seatrout bite holds strong along the SC coast as fall snapper looms
Direct reports out of Charleston Harbor itself were thin this cycle, but regional South Carolina intel points to a solid summertime bite up and down the coast. Per Fisherman's Post — Carolinas saltwater, anglers working the Grand Strand near North Myrtle Beach and Little River are into summertime trout on slip-cork rigs with live shrimp, with red drum showing up in the same water — a pattern that typically holds in Charleston's marsh creeks and grass lines this time of year too. No fresh NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came through for this update, so treat water temp and tide as unconfirmed; expect the mid-to-upper 80s surface temps typical for mid-August Lowcountry saltwater. Recreational red snapper stays closed in the South Atlantic for now, though Saltwater Sportsman reports Florida, South Carolina, and Georgia are pushing NOAA for a possible October 1-31 season, with public comment open through August 25.
Permit steady as Gulf Coast tarpon run tails off ahead of grouper season
Naples Offshore Fishing Charters has spent recent trips working the tarpon migration in the mornings before switching to sight-fishing large permit in the afternoons, and that pairing has anchored Gulf Coast action into summer. Today's feed carries no fresh buoy or gauge readings, so exact water temps aren't available, but Florida's Gulf side typically runs warm and stable through mid-August. Tarpon activity is easing off its spring peak as the migration tails out, while permit continue holding up well on the flats, per the same Naples reports. Offshore, Sport Fishing Mag flags gag grouper as the one to plan around: the Gulf-side gag season only runs a short window in September, so trollers are prepping gear rather than fishing it yet. Mangrove snapper, a reliable summer species in this region, should be active around structure. Check current local conditions before heading out.
Fluke limits pace a building bonito bite in Narragansett Bay
Fluke fishing has turned a corner in Narragansett Bay, with Frances Fleet reporting anglers limiting out or coming close on quality fish in the 6- to 8-pound range, while Booked Off Charters logged up to 24 keepers per trip alongside solid black sea bass. Striped bass are still producing per Saltwater Edge (RI), which notes tube-and-worm working well during the day and topwater fish coming on early morning and late evening. Green bonito have pushed into the islands and south county beaches in good numbers, per Saltwater Edge (RI) and Snug Harbor Marina, with epoxy and resin jigs getting it done. The one wrinkle: Snug Harbor Marina, Booked Off Charters, and Quonnie Bait and Tackle all flag a heavy presence of brown sharks around Block Island, pushing some captains toward night tides or live-bait presentations instead of daytime striper trips.
Bluefish and mullet keep Outer Banks surf anglers busy
Surf anglers along the Outer Banks are staying busy this week, with Hugh of TW's Bait and Tackle reporting steady catches of sea mullet, bluefish, and plenty of croaker on bottom rigs, per Fisherman's Post (NC)'s OBX/Northern Beaches August update. The same report notes the inshore action has finally started picking up after a quieter stretch, a welcome sign this deep into summer. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through this cycle, so treat conditions as a blind spot and check a local forecast before heading out. Bluefish look like the most active target based on current reporting, with sea mullet and croaker rounding out a solid, if unspectacular, bottom-fishing bite in the surf zone. Red drum are typically part of the mix on Outer Banks beaches and marsh edges this time of year, though no OBX-specific drum report came in this round, so treat that as a seasonal expectation rather than a confirmed bite. Check state regs before harvesting any of the above.
GA anglers eye fall red snapper season as heat lingers
Saltwater Sportsman reports that Georgia, Florida, and South Carolina are pushing NOAA Fisheries for a month-long South Atlantic red snapper season this fall, targeting Oct. 1-31, with the public-comment window open through Aug. 25 — the one storyline offshore anglers on this coast should be tracking right now. Closer to shore, this week's Southern Waters report from GA Sportsman / Georgia Outdoor News describes another scorching stretch statewide, with area rivers running low and falling, typical for late summer and a pattern that also tends to firm up salinity in the sounds and marsh creeks feeding the Atlantic coast. No live buoy or gauge readings were available for the Georgia coast at filing time, so lean on current tide tables and check conditions before launching. Expect the standard August lineup along the beaches and marsh edges — reds working the grass lines, trout holding tight to structure, tarpon still cruising the inlets — while the red snapper decision plays out over the next two weeks.
Pogie-Fueled Striper Blitzes Light Up Cape Cod Bay Beaches
Plymouth's beaches are producing the blitz action anglers wait all summer for — Belsan's Bait and Tackle (The Fisherman — South Shore MA to ME) reports pogie-fueled blitzes turning up striped bass from 25 to 47 inches, with paddletail shads getting it done, while fellow South Shore reporter Dave Anderson describes bass pushing big schools of bunker right onto the beaches of Manomet as an early sign of the fall transition. Surfland Bait and Tackle adds that squid sightings are creeping back into local reports alongside mackerel and roving pods of pogies, though that bait buffet has also pulled rec-sized tuna in tight to the beach, occasionally crashing the striper bite. On the Bay's outer arm, Goose Hummock Shop (The Fisherman — Cape Cod & Islands) is seeing slot bass and four-pound-class bluefish working from Brewster Flats to Billingsgate. The Fisherman's regional video forecast also flags bonito numbers surging around the Canal and outer Cape as summer edges toward fall.
Late-summer reds and trout keep LA marshes humming
The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission passed a resolution this week backing the state's application for a Greater Amberjack Exempted Fishing Permit, per Louisiana Sportsman — a sign that Gulf federal-waters season management stays active heading into fall. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for the Gulf Coast and Delta today, so we're leaning on the seasonal pattern: mid-August typically keeps redfish and speckled trout working moving water around marsh drains, passes, and grass flats as bait pushes with the tide. Offshore, red snapper and other reef species remain in play on structure, though anglers should confirm current season dates before planning a trip, especially with amberjack management shifting under the hood. Flounder stay mostly quiet this early, with the fall run typically building later into September and October. With a waxing crescent moon this week, expect moderate tidal swings rather than the bigger pushes a full or new moon would bring — plan around the stronger moving-water windows either way.
Bluefin push shipping lanes as bonito surge into Cape Cod waters
Falmouth Bait and Tackle is fielding reports of rec-sized bluefin tuna crossing the shipping lanes as boats head home, along with good numbers of schoolie striped bass and bluefish mixed in randomly through eastern Vineyard Sound and up into the rips off the Falmouth Sound shoreline, per The Fisherman — Cape Cod & Islands. A few anglers there also picked up larger scup and sea bass working those same rip lines. Sports Port in Falmouth adds school stripers and blues running from Falmouth to Hyannis, with more schoolies and some slot fish showing on night tides as water cools toward Chatham. Region-wide, The Fisherman (Northeast) notes bonito numbers surging around Cape Cod from the Canal to Chatham, a promising sign for Buzzards Bay and Vineyard Sound runs as the fall pregame builds. Shark activity remains common on nearby striper grounds, and OTW Surfcasting flags roughtail stingrays as a seasonal surf nuisance right now. No buoy or gauge readings were available for this cycle.
Panhandle Gulf sticks to classic August script amid quiet feeds
No buoy or gauge readings synced for the Destin-Pensacola stretch this cycle, and this week's shop, charter, and state-agency feeds carried nothing region-specific for the Panhandle Gulf either — the closest saltwater intel came from Pompano Beach and Atlantic-coast sources, which don't reflect Gulf-side conditions. In the absence of fresh local reports, the mid-August pattern anglers typically ride in Destin and Pensacola holds: red snapper and other structure-oriented bottomfish over nearshore wrecks and reefs, king mackerel roaming bait pods along the beaches, mahi mahi showing on weed lines and floating debris offshore, and redfish/speckled trout working the grass flats and passes at first light before the heat pushes them deeper. Water clarity and typical late-summer heat should keep inshore fish concentrated in early-morning and evening windows. Check with local Panhandle shops for the freshest bite specifics, as no shop or charter source in this cycle's feed covered Destin or Pensacola directly.
Fluke and porgy fire up in Long Island Sound as stripers dodge sharks
Porgy limits are stacking up aboard Connecticut bottom-fishing trips this week, with Black Hawk reporting anglers filling up on scup nearly every drop and black sea bass, triggerfish, and fluke mixed in for good measure, per The Fisherman — Connecticut. Fluke fishing is trending the right direction too: J&B Tackle says the fluke and black sea bass bite 'continues to improve' around Sarah's Ledge, Two Tree Channel, Black Point, and Hatchetts Reef. Striped bass are the wildcard. AW Marina still has customers picking off bass and a keeper fluke from Fort Trumbull Pier and the river up past the bridge, but Tartan II and J&B Tackle both note the open-water bite has cooled, pointing to an unusually heavy presence of brown sharks pushing bass off their usual spots. Black Hawk even landed and released one boatside during a routine porgy trip. Hot, steamy weather has held through the week.
No fresh HI bite reports this cycle — here's what should be biting
No buoy or gauge readings came back for the Hawaiian Islands this cycle, and this week's angler-intel sweep turned up no dated "what's biting" reports for Hawaii specifically. The HI Sea Grant feed this week covered coastal-adaptation fieldwork in Palau and Knauss fellowship recaps rather than fishing conditions, and Hawaii Fishing News's listing in our feed is a general reference resource (state fish records, moon and tide calendars) rather than a current report. Rather than guess, we're saying that plainly. Mid-August sits inside Hawaii's peak summer pelagic stretch, when yellowfin tuna (ahi), mahi-mahi, wahoo (ono), and blue marlin are typically the most reliable blue-water targets around the islands, with bottomfish and shoreline ulua rounding out inshore options. Treat the species notes below as seasonal expectation built on typical patterns for this time of year, not confirmed catches, and check a local shop, charter operator, or the state's own reporting before planning a trip around any single species.
August heat pushes Mosquito, Pymatuning walleye deep and slow
Ohio's northeast reservoirs have settled into a classic mid-August pattern, with surface temperatures typically running into the upper 70s this time of year and pushing walleye and saugeye off the shallow flats at Mosquito and Pymatuning into deeper basin water and thermocline edges for most of the daylight hours. No live buoy or gauge telemetry is available for either reservoir this cycle, and this week's angler-intel feed carried no direct dispatches from Ohio shops, guides, or the state agency, so this report leans on typical late-summer behavior for the region rather than fresh on-the-water reports. One relevant technique note: Fishing the Midwest's recent coverage of forward-facing sonar highlights how modern anglers are finding walleye suspended off traditional structure rather than glued to bottom, a pattern worth trying on both lakes right now. Largemouth bass should still be workable early and late over emerging weed growth. Check current Ohio Department of Natural Resources regulations before harvesting saugeye or walleye limits.
Catfish and Walleye Settle Into Late-Summer Wing Dam Patterns
Mid-August finds the Mississippi's Clinton-to-Dubuque pools in a classic late-summer holding pattern: channel catfish stacking in current seams below wing dams while walleye slide off traditional bottom structure into suspended, open-water positions as forward-facing sonar reshapes how Midwest anglers locate them, a shift Fishing the Midwest's Mike Frisch has been writing about this season. No fresh NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came through for this stretch this cycle, so exact water temperature and flow aren't available here; conditions below reflect seasonal norms rather than a same-day reading. Smallmouth bass remain a dependable target working riprap and wing-dam rock faces through the heat. No pool-specific angler or shop reports reached our regional intel feeds this week, so treat the species rundown as seasonal-typical guidance until fresher local reports come in, and always confirm current conditions and regulations before heading out.
Ohio and Cumberland Rivers settle into classic August pattern
Channel and blue catfish remain the most reliable target on the Ohio and Cumberland Rivers this week, a typical mid-August pattern as water temperatures sit near their annual peak and current-break fishing tends to produce best after dark or during low-light hours. None of this week's angler-intel feeds carried a Kentucky-specific report, so the species status below reflects seasonal expectation rather than a fresh on-the-water account from a shop, captain, or state agency — treat it as a starting point, not gospel. Largemouth bass are typically sluggish through midday heat and push shallow again near dawn and dusk, while smallmouth and striped bass hold on deeper structure and cooler tailwater current during the afternoon. No NOAA buoy or USGS gauge data came through for this cycle, so check current river stage and water temperature locally before you head out — flow and clarity swing daily on both rivers depending on upstream dam releases.