Fishing reports
6969 reports across all 50 states — current conditions and what's biting.
Gulf of Alaska anglers dial in peak summer salmon and halibut season
Alaska Sea Grant's latest dispatch this week isn't about a bite report but a boots-on-the-beach advisory: invasive European green crab continues its advance into Southeast Alaska waters, with the agency asking anglers and beachcombers to watch for the crab's distinctive '5-3-5' carapace pattern. No NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came through our feeds for the Gulf of Alaska this cycle, so we can't hang specifics on water temp or swell today, but early July sits squarely in the region's marquee stretch, with salmon runs (king, sockeye, and silver depending on drainage) typically in full swing and halibut season open across most management areas. Lingcod and rockfish remain a dependable bottom-fishing fallback when salmon counts are inconsistent. Check current Alaska Department of Fish and Game area announcements before you head out, since run timing varies significantly by bay and river system this time of year.
Charleston Harbor holds summer pattern as red snapper rules shift
Offshore anglers bottom-fishing near Charleston should track a shifting red snapper picture region-wide: North Carolina's Division of Marine Fisheries has asked to withdraw its Exempted Fishing Permit application for a 62-day recreational red snapper season, per Fisherman's Post, while Florida is separately pushing a 39-day South Atlantic season proposal, per Anglers Journal — regulatory back-and-forth every South Carolina red snapper angler should watch this summer. Direct Charleston Harbor buoy readings and local shop reports weren't available for this update, so we're leaning on typical July patterns: redfish and spotted seatrout working grass edges and dock pilings on tide changes, flounder holding along channel drop-offs, and Spanish mackerel and tarpon typically pushing nearshore. Up the coast, Fisherman's Post has Carolina surf anglers picking through croaker, whiting, pompano, and bluefish on live bait, a mix that often extends down into South Carolina's surf zone this time of year. Check local regs before harvesting red snapper.
Tarpon, Permit Keep Gulf Coast Anglers Busy Into Summer
A Gulf of America run out of Pensacola over the July 4th weekend produced a red snapper on the very first drop about 30 miles offshore in deep water, per a report shared on the Pensacola Fishing Forum, though the captain noted most of the marked fish stayed uncooperative aside from a scattering of vermilion snapper ("ruby redlips"). Farther south, Naples Offshore Fishing Charters has been running a tarpon-permit combo through the migration, jumping quality tarpon each morning before switching to sight-casting permit in the afternoon, with kingfish, cobia, and amberjack rounding out the mixed bag on nearshore structure. With water temperatures now solidly in summer range across the Gulf Coast, expect that same morning-tarpon, afternoon-permit rhythm to hold through the coming week, with reef and wreck species providing consistent backup action when the marquee species go quiet. Check state regs before harvesting any snapper species, since Gulf red snapper season windows are tightly limited.
Offshore summer bite holds pattern across Hawaii's islands
No NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came through for the Hawaiian Islands this cycle, and this week's multi-source sweep of state agencies, charters, shops, and blogs turned up no Hawaii-specific catch reports, so this update leans on general seasonal knowledge rather than fresh testimony. Early July sits in the heart of Hawaii's summer offshore season, when trolling boats out of Kona, Oahu, and Maui typically target blue marlin, ahi (yellowfin tuna), ono (wahoo), and mahi-mahi along temperature breaks and current edges well offshore. Inshore and reef anglers continue working ulua (giant trevally) around rocky points and channels, a year-round target in the islands. Hawaii Fishing News' monthly tide and moon calendar remains the standard reference islands-wide for planning outings around the current Last Quarter moon. Check back as fresh buoy data and regional reports come in; treat species activity below as typical-for-season expectations, not confirmed bites.
Stuart snook flood back into St. Lucie Inlet as dredging pauses
Snook are stacking back into Stuart's St. Lucie Inlet now that the inlet dredging project has paused, per Snook Nook, with anglers running side-scan marking large schools around the detached jetty and Hole in the Wall. Live bait — croakers and pilchards — is producing the bites, though snook season typically stays closed on Florida's Atlantic coast through the summer months, so treat this as a catch-and-release fishery and check current state regs before harvesting. Regionally, red snapper anglers got a jarring update: after CCA Florida celebrated a state-led Exempted Fishing Permit approval for a 2026 South Atlantic season, a federal court issued a preliminary injunction just hours before Florida's Atlantic red snapper season was set to open, per CCA Florida, leaving that fishery's status unsettled for now. Redfish, tarpon, and spotted seatrout round out the summer inshore lineup along the Treasure Coast, with typical warm-water patterns setting in as we move deeper into July.
Sarasota Bay trout bite stays red-hot into peak summer
Spotted seatrout are firing on Sarasota Bay's grass flats and mangrove shorelines right now, with Capt. Brandon Naeve of CB's Saltwater Outfitters calling it the peak summer bite of the year and pointing anglers to local passes for the best action. Tarpon remain a strong July target too — Capt. Rick Grassett's monthly forecast has spin anglers setting up in travel lanes and drifting live baits under floats, with July fish generally more aggressive than earlier in the season, though he notes numbers will start thinning as the month wears on. Redfish are also showing on inshore structure, with Capt. Chuck Cress reporting a red caught off an oyster bar in upper Sarasota Bay alongside bluefish activity. Shark activity (bull, blacktip, and lemon sharks) typically stays elevated in the bay and nearshore Gulf through the warm months. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through today, so treat water temps and tide timing as seasonal norms until we get updated numbers.
Tripletail Start Turning Up as Georgia's Coastal Bite Builds
Georgia's coast logged its first tripletail catch of the season last week, per Joshua Barber's Southern Water Fishing Report in GA Sportsman / Georgia Outdoor News — angler Joy, visiting from Indiana, landed her first-ever tripletail, a solid early sign the species is settling onto nearshore structure as summer heat builds. The same report notes bass biting well in area lakes and ponds heading into the July 4th weekend, and flags Georgia's coastal rivers — the Altamaha at Doctortown (8.6 feet), the Ocmulgee at Lumber City (3.6 feet), and the Savannah at Clyo (3.5 feet) — all running low and falling as of July 2, typical for early July as rainfall tapers and heat climbs. Lower, clearer river flow generally lets saltwater push further into the lower reaches, which can concentrate redfish and trout around creek mouths. Direct saltwater-specific reporting for the Georgia coast was thin this cycle, so treat the species outlook below as seasonal expectation more than confirmed daily bite reports.
Bull redfish keep biting in Louisiana's Delta marshes
Bull redfish remain a dependable target in Louisiana's marsh country this week, with Capt. Mike Frenette of The Redfish Lodge of Louisiana in Venice noting that popping-cork rigs continue to draw aggressive strikes from oversized reds, a pattern Sport Fishing Mag calls a year-round staple in the state's Delta waters. Offshore, Louisiana Sportsman reports LDWF is pushing toward state management of greater amberjack, a regulatory shift worth watching for anglers who fish reef and rig structure later this season. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for the Gulf Coast & Delta region this cycle, so we're leaning on angler intel rather than hard numbers for this update. Expect the marsh bite to track typical July patterns: warm, stable water pushing fish shallow early and toward deeper cuts once the sun climbs. Speckled trout and black drum should be working the same structure, though no specific reports came in on either this week.
Erie and Niagara bass anglers lean into summer weedline patterns
No fresh NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came in for the Lake Erie/Niagara corridor this cycle, so this update leans on this week's technique intel rather than hard numbers. Tactical Bassin's July bass roundup put topwater walks and moving baits at the top of the summer smallmouth playbook, and Fishing the Midwest's Bob Jensen made the case for working weedlines as emerging vegetation holds fish through the heat — both are standard July patterns that translate well to Erie's rocky flats and Niagara's current seams. No captain or shop report specific to Western New York landed in this cycle's intel, so the species read below leans on typical mid-summer behavior: smallmouth active and aggressive, walleye pushing to deeper structure, perch schooling tight, and Niagara steelhead settling into their expected summer lull ahead of the fall run. Check regional shop reports before locking in a milk run.
Peak-summer heat resets the bite at Smith Mountain and Buggs Island
Tactical Bassin's July bass roundup this week points to fast-moving, high-energy baits as the go-to for peak-summer largemouth, and that seasonal read tracks with what typically plays out on Smith Mountain Lake and Buggs Island (Kerr Reservoir) in early July. No fresh buoy or gauge readings are available for this stretch of Virginia water today, so we're leaning on established seasonal patterns rather than live numbers: largemouth and smallmouth pushing to deeper cover, docks, and main-lake points once the sun climbs, while Buggs Island's striped bass — the lake's signature summer draw — should be schooling over deep structure and running baitfish on the flats early and late in the day. Fishing the Midwest's weedline guidance for warm-water bass applies broadly here too — work the seams where grass meets open water for feeding largemouth before the heat pushes them off. Expect the sharpest windows to stay tight to the first and last hour of daylight through the coming week, with midday demanding a move to deeper, shaded structure.
Summer heat pushes Yakima and Spokane anglers to dawn and dusk bites
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for Eastern Washington's rivers and lakes this cycle, and this week's angler-intel sweep turned up nothing specific to the Yakima or Spokane systems — the closest citable resource, WA WDFW Fishing Reports, describes the state's ongoing creel-interview and stocking program rather than a fresh catch count. That's a gap worth naming rather than papering over. Absent hard numbers, we're leaning on what's typical for early July in this region: lowland lakes and reservoirs are settling into a summer pattern, with rainbow trout and kokanee sliding deeper and biting best in low light, while smallmouth bass on Yakima-system water stay aggressive through the warm afternoons. Walleye action on the bigger reservoirs tends to hold steady this time of year. Check WDFW's stocking reports before you head out, since recent plants remain the single best predictor of where trout bite right now.
Summer heat pushes Lanier and Allatoona bass to sunrise patterns
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came in for the Lanier/Allatoona corridor this cycle, but Georgia's bass bite is holding up well statewide heading into the holiday week. Georgia Outdoor News' Joshua Barber noted in his July 4 Southern Water Fishing Report that "the bass have been biting this week," with solid reports coming off lakes and ponds across the state even as river levels keep falling. On piedmont reservoirs like Lanier and Allatoona, that typically lines up with classic July behavior: fish sliding shallow at first light before the sun pushes them out to deeper structure and thermocline edges by mid-morning. Tactical Bassin's July bass guide points to power-fishing baits working best in the heat, with topwater and moving baits producing early before a switch to slower, deeper presentations later in the day. The Georgia Wildlife Blog also flagged its ongoing Bass Slam challenge, a reminder that Georgia's black bass fishery, largemouth, spotted and beyond, is in full swing this season.
Summer bass patterns take hold across CT's inland waters
Connecticut's inland lakes and ponds have settled into a classic July rhythm this week, with bass keying on early morning and evening windows as midday sun pushes fish tight to cover. Fishing the Midwest's Bob Jensen notes that working the weedline is paying off right now as fish stack up around emerging vegetation, a pattern that fits well with Connecticut's weedy natural lakes and reservoirs. Tactical Bassin's July lineup highlights power fishing baits suited to warm water bass whose metabolisms are running hot, useful guidance as our water climbs toward summer highs. Stocked trout are feeling the heat too; holdover fish grow stressed in shallow, slow moving stretches and fish best early or in deeper, spring fed pockets. Panfish stay a dependable option around docks, drop-offs, and weed pockets. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through this cycle, so treat flows and temperatures as typical for early July until conditions are rechecked.
Western Basin walleye settle into summer reef patterns
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for the Western Basin this cycle, and this week's intel feeds were thin on lake-specific reports, so this update leans on typical early-July patterns rather than fresh sightings. Post-spawn walleye are typically scattered along reef complexes and drop-offs by this point in the season, with crawler harnesses and crankbaits trolled near structure the go-to approach. General weed-edge advice from Fishing the Midwest's Bob Jensen this week is a useful reminder for anglers working shallower shoreline structure nearby, even though his note wasn't Western-Basin-specific. Yellow perch and smallmouth bass typically round out the summer mixed bag around the reef zone. Treat status calls below as seasonal expectation, not confirmed on-the-water intel, until a Western Basin-specific report comes through. Check state regs before harvesting, and expect fishing pressure to be steady given the holiday-week timing on the lake.
Northwoods lakes enter early-summer transition as muskies scatter
Water temps have held steady in the low 70s across the Minocqua, Oneida, and Vilas County lakes despite cooler air and persistent wind this past week, per Rollie & Helen's Musky Shop's late-June Northwoods report. Muskies are fully post-spawn and scattered across different patterns, but jerkbaits worked through the weeds are still producing, with guide Jake Smith among the captains finding fish holding shallow before the deeper summer push sets in. The shop's lake-of-the-month feature also points anglers toward Boot Lake, a lower-pressure Vilas County sleeper near Eagle River worth a look while the bigger-name flowages and chains see heavier traffic. No direct walleye intel came through this cycle, so treat that bite as typical-for-season general knowledge until fresher reports land. Expect fish sliding toward classic summer structure - weed edges, points, and deeper breaks - as the shop's described Early-to-Mid-Summer Transition takes hold region-wide.
Rangeley Lakes salmon and trout settle into summer holding patterns
No fresh NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came through for the Rangeley Lakes and Androscoggin headwaters this cycle, so today's picture leans on seasonal patterns and the regional intel that is available. Trout Unlimited's current advisories flag the core July concern for coldwater fisheries: trout are cold-blooded, and once water warms, dissolved oxygen drops and fish get stressed, a good reason to fish early mornings and handle any released brook trout or landlocked salmon quickly. Mainely Fly Fishing's most recent regional dispatches described a drought stretch easing with rain arriving around Rangeley, a reminder that groundwater and flows were running lean heading into this open-water season. Expect landlocked salmon and lake trout (togue) to hold deep on the thermocline by midday, brook trout to push toward spring seeps and cooler tributary mouths, and smallmouth bass, the reliable warm-season player in this system, to stay the most consistently aggressive target through the afternoon.
Summer weedlines set the pattern for IL River bass and walleye
Bob Jensen at Fishing the Midwest reports the 2026 open-water season is now in full swing across the Midwest, and that read holds for Illinois River and Lake Michigan anglers dialing in early-July tactics. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through our sources this cycle, so today's report leans on regional intel rather than hard numbers. Jensen's advice to work weedlines and stay versatile across species matches the shift many Midwest anglers are seeing as summer heat pushes fish toward cover and structure. Tactical Bassin's rundown of top July bass baits points to reaction baits and moving lures producing as bass key in on warm-water forage. Elsewhere in the Great Lakes basin, Wired 2 Fish flagged a 48-plus-pound catfish taken from Michigan's St. Joseph River below the Berrien Springs Dam, a sign that trophy cats are active in tailwater current this month, a pattern that typically extends into Illinois River holes too. Confirm local conditions before heading out.
Summer patterns set in for Catawba & Roanoke bass and catfish
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for the Catawba or Roanoke systems this cycle, and no NC-specific shop, charter, or agency report landed either, so this update leans on seasonal knowledge rather than a fresh local bite report. Early July typically locks largemouth bass, catfish, and panfish into standard summer behavior across Carolina reservoirs and river systems: early and late feeding windows, deeper holding water through midday. Tactical Bassin's July bait roundup notes bass metabolism running high this month with aggressive feeding on moving baits, a pattern that generally applies to Catawba-basin lakes as well. Fishing the Midwest's recent weedline piece is a useful template for anyone working grass edges as summer vegetation fills in. Until dedicated Catawba or Roanoke reports come through, treat conditions as typical-for-season rather than confirmed hot. Early mornings and low-light windows remain the safest bet for consistent action right now.
Susquehanna and Allegheny smallmouth hold steady through summer heat
Pennsylvania's Susquehanna and Allegheny systems are settling into a classic early-July pattern this week. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for this region in this cycle, and none of today's angler-intel feeds carried PA-specific river reports, so this update leans on typical seasonal behavior rather than fresh field reports. Smallmouth bass, the marquee species on both rivers, typically stay active through summer, feeding hardest during the low-light hours of dawn and dusk before sliding into deeper runs and shaded current breaks as the sun climbs. Channel catfish generally turn on in the same warm water that slows other species, often producing best after dark. Walleye fishing on the Allegheny usually cools through peak summer heat, rewarding anglers willing to fish the margins of the day. Stocked trout streams statewide are typically catch-and-release only once water temperatures climb this time of year, to protect fish from added stress.
Delaware River smallmouths, Pine Barrens pickerel settle into summer rhythm
Low, clear summer flow is the story on the Delaware River and through the Pine Barrens cedar-water system this week, the classic setup for a dawn-and-dusk smallmouth bass bite around structure and current breaks. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for this stretch in the latest pull, and this cycle's angler-intel feed leaned almost entirely coastal (Jersey Shore charter and tackle-shop reports out of Atlantic Highlands, Long Beach Island, and the northern shore), so there's no direct freshwater testimony to cite for the Delaware or the Barrens this week. That's typical for high-summer conditions, when warmwater species like smallmouth bass, chain pickerel, and channel catfish settle into predictable heat-driven patterns rather than news-making pushes. Expect smallmouth to favor riffles and shaded seams early and late, pickerel to hold tight to Pine Barrens cedar structure, and catfish to feed best after dark in the slower pools. Check current USGS flow before launching.
Blue crabs and weakfish carry NJ's bay bite into July
Blue crab hauls are running strong off local docks and a few weakfish are mixing into bay-flat catches, per Grumpys Tackle's latest Jersey shore report. Striped bass are still answering the bell in the surf on clams, though as water keeps warming through July many bay-side bass typically slide toward cooler, deeper water for the season. Fluke are cooperating on bucktails and soft plastics, a pattern echoed by Fishermans HQ LBI's reports of blues and fluke working the bay and inlet with stripers mixed in. Offshore, bluefin tuna are holding within 15 to 40 miles of the Jersey coast per On The Water's Northern New Jersey report, though that's a boat run rather than a Bay pattern. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for Delaware Bay this cycle, so treat water temp as seasonal for early July and confirm locally before you launch. NJ Saltwater Fisherman's 2026 bluefin retention limits remain in effect for anyone running offshore.
Sea Bass Limits and a Building Fluke Bite Highlight Sandy Hook
Capt Ron's out of Atlantic Highlands logged water temperatures back up to 65.7°F this week, with the first quality fluke of the season showing up: one angler boxed a three-fish limit topping four and a half pounds on gulp sand eels, per the shop's report. Black sea bass remain the most consistent bite in the bay and nearshore, with Blue Chip Sportfishing calling the action red hot and limiting out on almost every trip. Striped bass aren't exploding but are holding steady, with OTW's Northern New Jersey report (July 2) noting stripers and bluefish providing steady surf action while fluke fishing trends upward on the reefs. Bluefin tuna remain a realistic target 15 to 40 miles offshore per that same report, with Fishermans HQ LBI noting squid schools pulling fish within range. Current has been inconsistent on some recent drifts, so timing the tide change matters.
Summer patterns settle in on UP streams and Lake Superior
Wisconsin DNR's Lake Superior Fishing program continues tracking the fast-growing Chequamegon Bay lake whitefish fishery, a sign of how much attention this Lake Superior specialty has drawn from both ice and open-water anglers in recent seasons, per WI DNR Lake Superior Fishing. No fresh NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came through for the Upper Peninsula this cycle, so treat conditions as typical for early July: UP trout streams running at seasonal summer flows and Lake Superior holding its characteristically cold surface layer. Expect brook trout in headwater streams to stay active on early and late-day feeds as water warms through midday, while lake trout and salmon out on Superior continue to hold in deeper, cooler water columns. Whitefish remain a going concern basin-wide given the WI DNR's ongoing research interest. With no direct UP-specific what's-biting reports in this cycle's intel, anglers should lean on typical seasonal patterns and check regional shops for the latest word before heading out.
Georgia bass keep biting as rivers ease into summer flow
Georgia Outdoor News' Joshua Barber reported in his July 4 Southern Water Fishing Report that bass have been biting well this week, with good numbers coming out of lakes and ponds across the region. His river gauge notes from July 2 put the Savannah River at Clyo around 3.5 feet and falling, a typical mid-summer recession as the wet spring flush works out of the system. We don't have live NOAA buoy or USGS gauge telemetry for the Chattahoochee or Savannah systems in this cycle, so treat flow and temperature as seasonal estimates rather than measured readings. Georgia Wildlife Blog's ongoing Bass Slam and Trout Slam challenges keep statewide attention on black bass and trout this summer, though no source flagged a specific technique or hot stretch beyond the general bite. Expect largemouth to stay the headline species while bream and catfish fill in behind them as water warms.