Fishing reports
18750 reports across all 50 states — current conditions and what's biting.
Tahoe's deep-water Mackinaw pattern holds through peak summer heat
Mid-August has Lake Tahoe and the Truckee River settled into a classic late-summer pattern: warm surface water has pushed Mackinaw (lake trout) and kokanee salmon down into the lake's cooler mid-to-deep layers, while the Truckee's wild rainbow and brown trout are concentrating their feeding into the cooler low-light hours around dawn and dusk. No buoy or gauge readings came back for this cycle, and this week's angler-intel feeds didn't include a Nevada or Sierra Nevada freshwater report, so this update leans on typical seasonal behavior for the fishery rather than a fresh on-the-water account. Downrigger and leadcore trolling remain the standard approach for Tahoe's deeper-holding fish, and Truckee River anglers are best served fishing early or late to dodge the warmest, brightest stretch of the day. Expect a slower midday bite lakewide until temperatures ease into fall. Always check current Nevada regulations before harvesting, as seasonal rules can shift through late summer.
Bull Shoals and Norfork tailwaters stay trout-cool through Arkansas summer
Bull Shoals and Norfork Dam releases keep the White River running cold through the heart of Arkansas summer, a rare bright spot for trout while most regional freshwater fisheries shut down in August heat. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for this cycle, and this week's angler-intel sweep turned up no White River or Bull Shoals/Norfork-specific reports, so this update leans on what's structurally true of these tailwaters rather than invented numbers: bottom-release flows from both dams hold water temperatures in the trout-friendly range essentially year-round, independent of air temperature or moon phase. Rainbow trout remain the volume fish on both rivers, with brown trout providing the trophy draw typical of this fishery type. Generation schedule matters more than weather here, since dam releases control both flow volume and wading access. Standard tailwater tactics apply: small nymphs, scuds, and light tippet worked through current seams and eddy lines below the dams.
Summer bite windows narrow to dawn and dusk on Illinois waters
Wired 2 Fish's rundown on the summer 'jump' feeding pattern is a fair playbook for the Illinois River and Lake Michigan right now: with no fresh buoy or gauge readings logged for this stretch this cycle, expect the classic August split where gamefish push bait to the surface hard at first light and again near dusk, then go quiet through midday heat. Fishing the Midwest notes that Forward-Facing Sonar has shifted how a lot of Midwest anglers are finding suspended walleye and bass this season, away from the bottom-and-structure assumptions that used to guide summer trips. Largemouth bass should still answer moving baits worked over emerging weed growth in the early hours, channel catfish stay a reliable after-dark target, and Lake Michigan perch and walleye typically hold deeper through the warm stretch. No Illinois-specific angler reports came through this cycle, so treat this as seasonal general guidance rather than confirmed local intel; check state regs before harvesting.
Dawn and dusk windows rule as summer heat grips Catawba and Roanoke waters
Wired 2 Fish's midsummer advice to chase the dawn and dusk 'jumps,' when packs of gamefish push baitfish to the surface, describes exactly what a Piedmont North Carolina angler should expect on the Catawba and Roanoke systems this week. No fresh USGS gauge or NOAA buoy readings came through for this cycle, so we're working from typical August patterns rather than a live temperature or flow number: warm surface water, stable low flow, and a midday lull that pushes fish toward structure and shade. Largemouth bass should still feed hard in the first and last hour of light, channel catfish stay steady through the heat regardless of the clock, and panfish like bluegill and crappie slide deeper and get harder to trigger once the sun climbs. The new moon this week can sharpen those early and late feeding windows for bass. Check current state regulations before harvesting anything you plan to keep.
Salmon runs build offshore as walleye trolling heats up at Grand River
Lake Michigan's salmon fishery is riding real momentum into August: the WI DNR Lake Michigan Fishing Report recaps a stellar 2024 season with a record 210,000-plus coho salmon harvested and the biggest Chinook catch since 2012, a sign the alewife baitfish base is still supporting strong numbers in the system. Direct, current reports out of the Grand River mouth area are thin this week — no fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for this update. A Michigan Sportsman Forum post describes a limit of walleye pulled from 25 feet of water trolling 1.6-1.8 mph on crawler harnesses, a technique that lines up with Fishing the Midwest's notes on harness rigs and Forward-Facing Sonar for locating summer walleye schools, though the single forum report should be treated as anecdotal rather than confirmed. Smallmouth bass should stay active on structure through the dog days, with Wired 2 Fish flagging dawn-and-dusk feeding windows as the most productive stretch. Check local conditions before heading out — no temp or flow data was available.
Fluke and Sea Bass Limits Keep Jersey Anglers Busy on the New Moon
Open-boat fluke trips out of Atlantic Highlands are producing limits and doubles on quality 3-5 lb fish, with Capt Ron's Atlantic Highlands NJ reporting four straight days of strong action heading into this week. Black sea bass fishing is "red hot" on half- and full-day trips per Blue Chip Sportfishing (NJ), with boats limiting out on almost every run. Closer to the inlets, Fishermans HQ LBI (NJ) reports 2-4 lb bluefish hitting soft plastics around jetty structure, plus bluefin tuna and mixed bonito holding within roughly 30 miles offshore per OTW Northern New Jersey's most recent report. NJ Fish & Wildlife News notes striped bass, bluefish, fluke, tautog and winter flounder all move through shore-adjacent access points like the Shark River WMA this time of year. Delaware Bay-specific reports weren't in this cycle's feed, but statewide fluke and sea bass action has been strong through early August.
Susquehanna and Allegheny smallmouth hold pattern through the new moon
This cycle's automated feeds came back thin for the Susquehanna and Allegheny systems — no live NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings populated, and the angler-intel sweep didn't turn up Pennsylvania-specific catch reports from shops or charters this round, though Pennsylvania Sea Grant's Biologist Reports remain the standing state resource for river-specific updates. In the absence of fresh local intel, conditions still line up with a typical mid-August pattern on these big warmwater rivers: smallmouth bass and walleye stay the reliable targets, muskellunge fishing slows under high sun and lights up briefly at dawn and dusk, and channel catfish keep feeding after dark as water temps hold near their summer peak. We're leaning on seasonal norms here rather than fresh reports, so treat species status below as a baseline read, not a confirmed hot bite, until this week's gauge and shop data comes back online.
Dawn topwater windows carry the bite at Smith Mountain Lake and Buggs Island
No buoy or gauge readings and no shop or captain reports came in for Smith Mountain Lake or Buggs Island (Kerr Reservoir) this cycle, so this update leans on seasonal defaults and general technique coverage rather than confirmed local bites. Wired2Fish's rundown of summer 'jump' feeding windows is the most useful angle available: during peak summer heat, gamefish push shad to the surface in a frenzy right around sunrise and sunset, a pattern that maps onto both reservoirs' largemouth and smallmouth staging on main-lake points as well as open-water striper activity. Tactical Bassin's summer-bass coverage this week reinforces that anglers should expect to rotate through several bait styles in a single outing as skies swing from bluebird to post-frontal. With the moon in its new phase, low-light windows typically sharpen, favoring early and late trips over midday. Blue catfish remain a solid bottom-fishing option on Buggs Island through the heat, per typical late-summer patterns. Check current Virginia regulations before harvesting striped bass.
Toledo Bend anglers dial in dawn and dusk bites as August heat holds
Louisiana Sportsman's report from Calcasieu Lake this week describes scorching redfish action from the coast up to the saltwater barrier, a signal that Louisiana's late-summer bite is running strong on the state's better-known waters. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for Toledo Bend or the Sabine River border this cycle, and none of the shop, captain, or agency feeds we're tracking filed direct reports from this fishery, so this update leans on typical seasonal behavior for the reservoir. August heat on Toledo Bend historically pushes largemouth bass toward early-morning, late-evening, and after-dark patterns around deeper structure and creek channels, while catfish tend to stay reliably active through the warmest stretch and crappie slide deeper and bite softer. With a new moon overhead, dawn and dusk feeding windows should be the most productive times to be on the water. Check current Louisiana regs before keeping fish.
Olympic Peninsula rivers ease into the late-summer salmon shift
No fresh NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came back for Olympic Peninsula rivers this cycle, and this week's angler-intel sweep turned up Washington Sea Grant program news and national tackle-industry coverage rather than on-the-water Olympic Peninsula reports, so there's no fresh catch intel to attribute this week. Washington Sea Grant's latest notes center on commercial skills training and Dungeness crab fishery work on the coast, not river conditions. WDFW's statewide creel-check and stocking program remains the standard way anglers track river-by-river activity, and it's worth checking those reports directly before heading out. Absent hard numbers, this update leans on general seasonal knowledge for mid-August on the Peninsula: summer Chinook runs are typically winding down, Coho are starting to stage for their fall push, and steelhead stay largely off-season in most systems. Treat the species notes below as seasonal defaults, not confirmed bites, until sharper field reports come through.
Dog-days pattern pushes GA river bass toward dawn and dusk
Georgia's Wildlife Resources Division used its Aug. 6 report to announce a format shake-up, moving from a statewide roundup to one spotlighted region per week, per Georgia Wildlife Blog — Fishing. That's useful context heading into this update: dedicated buoy and gauge readings for the Chattahoochee and Savannah reach were not available at our last data pull, so this report leans on late-summer pattern rather than a fresh telemetry snapshot. Expect the classic August dog-days rhythm on Georgia's warmwater rivers and reservoirs: fish sliding into deeper, cooler water through the heat of the day and feeding hardest in the low-light hours. Wired 2 Fish's rundown on summer feeding windows notes gamefish push shad to the surface at dawn and dusk this time of year, a pattern that fits broadly across the state's bass and panfish waters. Largemouth bass, hybrid/striped bass, bluegill, and catfish remain the region's dependable late-summer targets. The Georgia Wildlife Blog also continues to flag the state's Public Fishing Areas as a solid access option when bank space along the main rivers is crowded.
Kennebec, Penobscot bass and panfish key on dawn and dusk windows
With no fresh buoy or gauge readings in from Kennebec or Penobscot waters this cycle, the clearest signal comes from the broader freshwater picture: Wired 2 Fish's roundup on prime summer bite windows notes that dawn and dusk are when gamefish push baitfish to the surface for feeding frenzies, a pattern that typically holds for Maine smallmouth bass and white perch through the warm-water stretch of August. Kennebec and Penobscot smallmouth should be pushing shallow at first and last light before sliding to deeper, cooler structure once the sun climbs. Landlocked salmon and brook trout, both cold-water species, are likely holding tight to spring seeps, deep pools, and thermal refuges, which is typical for this point in the season. No region-specific angler intel came through the feeds this cycle, so treat the species read below as seasonal expectation rather than confirmed local reports, and check current conditions before committing to a stretch of river.
Fluke bite stays red hot off Atlantic Highlands as bluefin work the 30-mile line
Capt Ron's out of Atlantic Highlands has logged four straight days of what the boat is calling banner fluke action on Raritan Bay, with multiple anglers boxing their three-fish limit and several doubling up on quality fish in the 3-to-5-pound class; the pool fish over the stretch ran as heavy as 5 lb 12 oz. That puts summer flounder squarely as the region's headline species right now, with open-boat trips leaving daily out of the bay. Offshore, OTW's Northern New Jersey report has bluefin tuna holding within about 30 miles, with bonito mixed into bluefish schools further out, while keeper fluke are also showing on the wreck and reef sites outside the bay proper. Striped bass are quiet for now, typical for the mid-August lull before the fall push. NJDEP is asking anglers to log catches on its summer flounder and black sea bass tally form as it explores future regulation changes, so log your trip if you're keeping fish.
Pine Barrens smallmouth and pickerel settle into a typical August rhythm
Early August has the Delaware River and Pine Barrens settling into a classic summer holding pattern, with no NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings logged for this stretch this cycle and this week's angler-intel feeds concentrated on the Jersey Shore's saltwater bite rather than Delaware River structure. That gap means this update leans on typical seasonal behavior: smallmouth bass and chain pickerel pulling into deeper runs, shaded eddies, and cedar-stained Pine Barrens water as midday temperatures climb, with the sharpest feeding windows compressing toward dawn and dusk. Wired 2 Fish's broader coverage of summer bass patterns this week backs that rhythm, noting gamefish push baitfish to the surface at first and last light during the hottest stretch of the year, a dynamic that tracks for Delaware River smallmouth as much as anywhere else. New moon conditions this week favor low-light feeding activity. Check NJ Fish & Wildlife News for region-specific Delaware River updates before heading out, and expect a slower midday bite until water temps ease.
Central MA bass bite shifts to dawn and dusk as summer heat peaks
Wired 2 Fish's recent breakdown of the summer's most exciting bite windows underscores why low-light hours matter most through mid-August, and that pattern holds for Central Massachusetts pond and lake anglers right now. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through the wire for this stretch, but the seasonal logic tracks with what Tactical Bassin describes as adapting bass presentations to summer heat: largemouth sliding onto deeper structure and shaded weed edges once the sun climbs, then pushing back shallow to feed as light fades. Smallmouth should follow a similar low-light rhythm in cooler, rockier pockets. Stocked trout typically struggle through mid-August warmth here and are worth targeting only where spring-fed inflows or deep, shaded holes keep water cool. Panfish stay a dependable midday option along weed lines. With no local tide relevance in freshwater, the New Moon's darker skies may stretch the evening bite window a bit later than usual.
Eastern Washington trout and bass hold steady into mid-August
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for the Yakima and Spokane-area waters this cycle, and this week's angler-intel feed didn't carry a specific Eastern Washington fishing report either — so this update leans on typical August patterns for the region rather than a fresh bite report. WDFW's statewide fishing and stocking report page, which tracks creel checks and lake stocking activity around the state, remains the best current source for lake-by-lake numbers in the Yakima and Spokane areas. Under a new moon with typical mid-August warmth, expect the usual summer pattern on regional lakes and the Yakima River: trout pushing deeper or into shaded, oxygenated water during the heat of the day, with smallmouth bass and kokanee staying more consistently catchable. Check WDFW's current creel and stocking reports before heading out, since regulations and stocking activity can shift week to week.
Atchafalaya Basin bass and catfish dig in for peak August heat
No buoy or gauge data came back for the Mississippi and Atchafalaya river systems this cycle, and this week's angler-intel sweep didn't turn up any basin-specific catch reports either, so this update leans on typical late-summer patterns rather than fresh testimony. With a new moon overhead and peak August heat settling over south Louisiana, largemouth bass and bream typically slide into shaded cover, laydowns, and deeper holes to escape the midday sun, while catfish tend to stay most active after dark and into the early morning. Backwater sloughs and cypress breaks across the Basin usually run low, warm, and slow-moving this time of year, which concentrates fish around the deeper channels and current breaks where oxygen and bait hold up better. Check current Louisiana regulations and local water levels before heading out, since we don't have live readings to confirm today's flow, stage, or clarity for this stretch of the Basin.
Fluke and sea bass keep Jersey Shore boats loaded through the new moon
Capt Ron's out of Atlantic Highlands has strung together several days in a row of what the crew is calling very good to excellent fluke fishing, with many customers boxing their three-fish limit and quality doormats in the 3-to-5-pound range, including a 5-pound-12-ounce pool winner. Blue Chip Sportfishing reports black sea bass fishing "red hot," with boats limiting out on almost every trip, plus shark fishing that has "busted wide open" with multiple mako sharks hooked and released. Offshore, Fishermans HQ LBI is finding 25-to-40-pound bluefin tuna within roughly 30 miles of Barnegat Inlet on the troll and drift, a pattern OTW's Northern New Jersey report corroborates alongside bonito mixed into bluefish schools. Water off LBI sat in the low 70s as of August 11 per Fishermans HQ, with sand eels, spearing, mullet, and peanut bunker stacking up at the inlet under this week's new moon. Striped bass remain the quiet piece of the puzzle, typical for the summer lull.
Flounder and cobia keep Chincoteague busy as striper rules tighten
Maryland's DNR closed striped bass fishing through the end of August to protect juvenile fish, per On The Water — a regional signal worth noting for anglers working the Chesapeake side of Virginia's Eastern Shore, even though the closure itself applies to Maryland waters. Offshore, the DelMarVa canyons are producing: On The Water reports nearly 1,000 billfish (white marlin, blue marlin, spearfish, and sailfish combined) were landed at last week's White Marlin Open out of Ocean City, just north of Chincoteague, suggesting warm-water pelagics are stacked along the canyon edges this week. No direct buoy or gauge readings were available for this update, and no Chincoteague-specific shop or charter reports came through in this cycle, so inshore specifics (flounder, cobia, speckled trout) reflect typical mid-August patterns for the region rather than confirmed local intel — check with a local shop before heading out. New moon tides this week should sharpen the bite around structure and inlets.
Hiwassee, Caney Fork anglers beat the heat with early starts, smallmouth backup
Trout Unlimited's midsummer advisory lands right on time for Hiwassee and Caney Fork anglers this week: with what they call "sultry summer weather" pushing many favorite trout waters toward temperatures where continuing to target trout gets ethically questionable, TU is steering anglers toward other species when a tailwater runs warm. No fresh buoy or gauge telemetry came back for this fetch, so we're leaning on that seasonal read rather than a specific number today. Check the TVA generation schedule for Caney Fork and Hiwassee release timing before you go, since cold-water discharge windows are what keep these tailwaters fishable through August. TU also notes bluegill and crappie make forgiving targets for newer anglers on hot days, and that working smallmouth bass with streamers is "fun and great practice for trout fishing" when the trout bite shuts down. Plan around early mornings and generation releases rather than midday heat.
Iron Range walleyes push deeper as anglers lean on electronics
Minnesota's walleye crowd is leaning harder on forward-facing sonar this month, and per Fishing the Midwest's Mike Frisch, that's changing where anglers look entirely — walleyes once assumed to hug bottom near points and weedlines are turning up suspended in open water, a pattern FFS made visible rather than a genuine change in fish behavior. Traditional presentations like jig-and-livebait rigs and crankbait trolling still produce, per the same source, especially in the clear-water lakes typical of this region in August. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for this update, so water temp and flow aren't available this cycle; expect typical mid-August warmth with fish sliding deeper through midday heat and more active in low light. Elsewhere in the state, Outdoor Hub reported a record 2-pound, 3-ounce bluegill out of Big Stone Lake in July, a reminder Minnesota panfish are having a strong season even though that catch came from the western prairie lakes rather than the Iron Range itself.
Ozark anglers lean on shade and structure as summer heat holds
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through this cycle, and none of today's angler-intel feeds cover Missouri or the Ozark rivers directly, so this report leans on general seasonal know-how rather than a specific local report. With water temperatures typically locked into summer highs by mid-August, smallmouth and largemouth bass are pushing to shade lines, current breaks, and emerging weed edges rather than sitting shallow all day. Tactical Bassin (blog) notes that once summer heat sets in, bass become predictable around a handful of core variables, worth leaning on when picking areas to fish. Fishing the Midwest points out that walleye are increasingly found suspended off structure rather than glued to bottom, especially where anglers run forward-facing sonar to locate them. Expect a typical late-summer bite: best action early and late, tougher fishing through the midday heat.
Western Basin walleye slide deep as August heat settles in
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for the Western Basin this cycle, so this report leans on the typical mid-August pattern for Lake Erie walleye rather than a same-day snapshot. Under this week's new moon, expect walleye pushed off the immediate shoreline and holding around the thermocline, a shift Fishing the Midwest's recent walleye coverage has been tracking as anglers lean more on forward-facing sonar and structure-hopping rather than the old bottom-hugging assumption. Yellow perch typically stay steady in the Western Basin through summer, working reefs and rock structure. Smallmouth bass should be active around the reef complexes as well. White bass, well past their spring run, tend to go quiet and scatter this time of year. Without a direct on-the-water report from this stretch of Erie this cycle, treat species status here as seasonal expectation rather than confirmed bite — check a local shop report before running out.
Ozark spring-fed trout waters stay steady through August heat
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for the Current or Niangua this cycle, and none of today's regional feeds filed a report specific to Missouri's Ozark trout parks, so this update leans on general seasonal knowledge rather than a fresh bite report. What holds true for spring-fed tailwaters like these in mid-August is that constant-temperature spring flow keeps water noticeably cooler than nearby freestone streams, which is exactly why Trout Unlimited has been steering anglers toward other species on waters that lack that spring buffer during this summer's heat and drought stretch. Current and Niangua park water typically avoids that squeeze. Expect trout to still feed, concentrated into cooler early-morning and low-light windows, with activity tapering once afternoon sun and pressure build. Treat any hooked trout gently and land it quickly if you're releasing in warm afternoon conditions. Check current Missouri Department of Conservation trout park regulations before harvesting, since seasonal rules can shift.