Fishing reports
18913 reports across all 50 states — current conditions and what's biting.
Clinton-Dubuque pools settle into late-summer catfish, walleye patterns
No live buoy or gauge readings came back for the Clinton-Dubuque stretch of the Upper Mississippi this week, so this report leans on typical early-August conditions for these pools. Water this time of year normally sits in the mid-70s to low-80s, pushing fish into standard summer holding areas: current seams below wing dams, channel borders, and deeper scour holes. Channel catfish are typically most active after dark on cut bait and nightcrawlers, while walleye and sauger tend to stack on current breaks as the sun climbs higher. Fishing the Midwest notes that forward-facing sonar has changed how many Midwest anglers locate summer walleye away from the classic wing-dam and structure spots, a technique worth trying if the traditional pattern is slow. Smallmouth bass should still be workable around riprap and current-swept rock. Treat all of this as a seasonal baseline rather than a fresh read until more local, on-the-water reports come in for this specific reach.
Missouri River walleye slide deep as Black Hills trout dodge the August heat
South Dakota's Missouri River reservoirs are settling into a classic August pattern this week, with walleye sliding off main-lake structure into deeper, cooler water as surface temperatures peak. No fresh SD-specific dispatches came through our angler-intel sweep this cycle, so we're leaning on general seasonal know-how and broader Midwest walleye trends. Fishing the Midwest's Mike Frisch has been writing about how forward-facing sonar keeps changing where anglers find suspended summer walleye rather than sticking to bottom-hugging structure, a shift worth trying on Missouri River reservoirs right now. Jason Mitchell Outdoors' half-crawler rigging remains a solid go-to for probing that deeper bite. Smallmouth bass should still be active around rock and gravel, while channel catfish typically peak in the Missouri's warm, off-color stretches this time of year. Black Hills trout streams are likely running low and clear, pushing fish into shaded, oxygenated pockets during the heat of the day.
Low, Clear Rivers Push Colorado Trout Bite to Early Mornings
Colorado's rivers are running low and gin-clear as the 2026 drought grinds on, with Crystal Fly Shop reporting the Roaring Fork down to 113 cfs at Aspen and 410 cfs at Glenwood Springs, and the Crystal River sitting at just 107 cfs at Redstone. CPW voluntary closures are in effect on stretches of the Roaring Fork, Crystal, and Colorado rivers to protect stressed fish during the hottest part of the day, per Crystal Fly Shop. Cutthroat Anglers is urging anglers to carry a thermometer and quit fishing once water hits 68°F, while noting that despite historic low snowpack, the fish that remain are grouped up and still biting for anglers willing to hike further or fish lighter. On the Frying Pan below Ruedi Reservoir, dam-release water stays in the 40s, keeping afternoon PMD, BWO, and Green Drake hatches reliable even as everything else struggles.
Saginaw Bay walleye action settles into typical August pattern
No fresh buoy or stream-gauge readings came back for the Lake Huron and Saginaw Bay stretch this cycle, and none of this week's angler-intel feeds carried a direct, corroborated report from the region, so this update leans on seasonal norms rather than fresh catch reports. Early August on Saginaw Bay typically means walleye sliding into deeper, cooler water during peak daylight hours and feeding more actively in low light, while yellow perch stack over deeper structure and mid-lake reefs. Smallmouth bass remain a reliable summer target around rocky structure and reefs in Lake Huron proper. Muskie tend to go quieter through the hottest stretch of August, with dusk and dawn windows producing the better shots. We'd treat any bite reports from this window as typical late-summer behavior until a direct regional report comes in. Check current Michigan DNR regulations before harvesting, since bag limits and seasons can shift by zone.
Deep-water pattern settles in for Santee and Lake Murray bass
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for Santee Cooper or Lake Murray this cycle, and no charter, tackle-shop, or SC state-agency angler intel landed in today's feed, so this update leans on typical August patterns for South Carolina's marquee freshwater fisheries. With water temperatures typically running into the mid-80s during peak summer, largemouth bass on Lake Murray and the Santee lakes tend to push off the bank and stack on deeper offshore structure and grass edges through the heat of the day, sliding the best topwater window to first light and last light, a positioning pattern Tactical Bassin's late-summer largemouth breakdown describes broadly for this stretch of the calendar. Santee Cooper's well-known striper fishery usually tightens toward deeper, cooler water and thermocline edges under summer heat stress, while blue catfish tend to stay comparatively active through hot spells. Crappie are typically the slowest bite of the group right now, holding tight to deep brush. Check current SC regulations before harvesting.
Potomac and Shenandoah settle into typical August patterns
No buoy or gauge telemetry came back for the Potomac and Shenandoah systems this cycle, and this week's angler-intel sweep didn't surface any charter, shop, or state-agency reports specific to Virginia's freshwater fisheries. Rather than guess at numbers, here's what's typical for early-to-mid August on these systems: smallmouth bass action on the Shenandoah's rocky ledges and current breaks generally holds steady through summer, though fish push deeper and feed harder in low light as water warms. Wild and stocked trout in the Shenandoah's headwater streams tend to get pickier and more temperature-stressed by midday, favoring early mornings and shaded pocket water. Largemouth bass and panfish in Potomac backwaters typically sit tight to grass and wood through the heat. Check current Virginia DWR stocking and flow updates before you head out, since we don't have fresh readings to confirm today's specific conditions.
UP trout streams settle into summer patterns as Lake Superior whitefish interest grows
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came in for the Upper Peninsula today, and this week's angler-intel sweep turned up little live "what's biting" chatter specific to UP trout streams or Lake Superior. The clearest regional signal is background rather than a hot bite: WI DNR Lake Superior Fishing notes that a popular lake whitefish fishery has emerged in the Chequamegon Bay region, worked both through the ice and from a boat, a sign of sustained interest in Superior's whitefish resource on the Wisconsin-Michigan border waters. The same agency is also running an angler survey on Lake Superior burbot, another cold-water species anglers in the basin sometimes target. Absent direct current reports, UP trout streams should be fished with typical August patterns in mind, cooler headwaters and early/late light, while Superior's open water continues to fish for lake trout and salmon through the summer trolling season. Check state regs before harvesting any species mentioned here.
Deep Structure Holds the Bite as MA Reservoirs Warm Up
Direct reports from Quabbin and Wachusett aren't in this week's feed, but nearby Massachusetts reservoir intel points to a pattern that should carry over to both fisheries right now. At Congamond Lakes, Sauder's Boat Livery (per The Fisherman — New England Freshwater) says bass fishing has turned tough again as water temperature bounces up and down, with fish holding tight to deep drop-edges, lily pads, and deep-water docks rather than roaming open water; Ned Rigs, jigs, and Senkos have been the producers, and a few rainbow and brown trout over 3 pounds came off a deep hump on Ned Rigs. Roger Aziz, working area reservoirs including Artichoke Reservoir, reports smallmouth bass to 3 pounds on Aziz-rigged Senkos and Yamamoto Cut Tail Worms. For Quabbin and Wachusett smallmouth, lake trout, and salmon, expect the same deep, slow, finesse approach to be the play through this warm, low-light stretch of early August.
Hill Country bass slide deep as August heat holds
No buoy or gauge readings came back for Lake Travis, LBJ, or Buchanan this cycle, and none of today's shop, charter, or blog feeds filed a direct report from those three reservoirs either — so this update leans on typical early-August patterns for Texas Hill Country impoundments rather than a fresh bite report. The nearest regional signal is My Canyon Lake Fishing, which is a different Hill Country lake on the Guadalupe chain and whose striper/white bass note is from a February report, so treat it as seasonal color, not a current read. Expect largemouth to be holding tight to deeper standing timber, bluffs, and creek channels through the heat of the day, striped and white bass working open main-lake basins and suspending over baitfish, and catfish staying the most dependable after-dark option. Early and late low-light windows should outproduce midday for every species right now.
Kenai coho push builds as sockeye run tapers off
Early August marks the classic handoff on the Kenai and its interior tributaries: the sockeye run is tapering toward its close while coho begin stacking in the lower river and connecting tribs. No direct on-the-water reports came through our Alaska feeds this cycle, so this update leans on typical seasonal timing rather than fresh angler intel — treat it as a planning guide, not a bite report. Interior systems carrying glacial color this time of year typically push bank anglers toward back-eddies, seams, and clear-water confluences where fish can see gear. Rainbow trout and Dolly Varden should be keying on drifting salmon eggs and flesh behind actively spawning sockeye, a pattern typical for this stretch of the season. With a waning crescent moon overhead, low-light dawn and dusk windows are worth prioritizing. King salmon fishing is winding down or closed on many interior systems by early August, so check current state regulations and any in-season closures before targeting them.
Smokies trout anglers beat the August heat with early starts
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for the Smokies this cycle, so this update leans on seasonal pattern and this week's national trout chatter. Trout Unlimited's midsummer dispatch notes that once favorite trout water pushes past temperatures where it's ethical to keep fishing for salmonids, a lot of anglers are pivoting to smallmouth bass on streamers instead, and that same dog-days logic applies to Western NC's high-elevation streams in early August. Caddis Fly's nymphing report on "the dog days of summer" echoes the same theme nationally: trout feeding gets sporadic and pushed into cooler, shadier pockets as water warms through the day. For the Smokies, that typically means dawn-to-mid-morning windows produce the most consistent action, with high-elevation headwater stretches holding fish better than lower-gradient water once afternoon sun heats the surface layer. Check current stream flows locally before planning a trip.
Sonar-savvy walleye tactics take over Upper Miss pools bite
With no fresh NOAA or USGS readings in this cycle for the Prescott-to-La Crosse stretch, anglers are leaning on the same shift reshaping walleye fishing region-wide: Fishing the Midwest's Mike Frisch notes that forward-facing sonar and today's clearer water have anglers finding walleye suspended off bottom and away from classic structure like points and weedlines, upending the old bottom-hugging playbook. Traditional jigging with live bait and crankbait trolling still produce, per the same source, but locating fish first with electronics is increasingly the difference-maker. Smallmouth bass in these pools should hold to deeper main-channel structure as August heat settles in, a pattern Tactical Bassin describes generally for summer bass positioning. Sauger typically stack below wing dams and current breaks this time of year, a seasonal pattern rather than a reported bite. Channel catfish tend to slow during bright midday hours and pick up after dark. Check current flow and clarity locally before heading out.</br>
Roosevelt Lake bass dig deep as August heat settles in
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for the Roosevelt Lake and Salt River chain this cycle, so today's read leans on typical Arizona August behavior. Surface temperatures pushing well into the 80s should have largemouth and smallmouth bass sliding off the shallow banks into deeper timber, creek channels, and rock structure during peak daylight, with the best windows at first light and the last hour before dark. Tactical Bassin's August bass coverage this week backs that pattern nationally, noting that post-spawn bass split into predictable summer groups and singling out a jig-and-swimbait combination as an overlooked one-two punch once anglers find the right depth. Striped bass and channel catfish in the Salt River chain's deeper basins typically hold steadier through midday than the bass do. We didn't see any AZ-specific field reports in this cycle's feeds, so treat this as seasonal guidance rather than a fresh bite report until confirmed on the water.
Summer heat has Catskills trout anglers eyeing smallmouth bass
Trout Unlimited's "cat days of summer" note is this week's clearest read on Catskills and Adirondacks water: many trout streams are running warm enough that longtime anglers are backing off salmonids on ethical grounds and switching to smallmouth bass with streamers instead. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through in today's environmental pull, so this update leans on angler intel rather than live numbers. Separately, Trout Unlimited flagged that it and the NY DEC are mid-build on a South Branch Moose River project in the Adirondacks, replacing 63 culverts over three to five years to reconnect 44 miles of native brook trout water. For anyone still working trout streams this week, that points to early morning and dusk as the reliable windows, with faster riffles and spring-fed feeder creeks holding fish better than slow mainstem pools once the sun gets high. Expect a quieter midday bite until temperatures ease.
August heat pushes Ohio, Cumberland River bass deep and into shade
August's peak heat has largemouth bass sliding into classic summer patterns across Kentucky's Ohio and Cumberland River systems. Tactical Bassin's August coverage this week splits bass into two camps post-spawn, favoring anglers who follow shade lines, current breaks, and deeper cover rather than fishing the banks blind at midday. Catfish remain a dependable summer target in these river systems, typically most active after dark as water holds its heat into the evening. Ohio River white bass can still provide fast, reliable action in current seams below dams through late summer, though the bite typically slows as the month wears on. Sauger fishing on the Cumberland's tailwaters sits in its seasonal lull; that bite traditionally rebuilds once water cools into fall. No fresh buoy or gauge readings were available for this stretch today, so confirm flow and temperature with current USGS data before you launch.
Limestone creeks keep trout biting through PA's August heat
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for Spring Creek or Penns Creek this cycle, and no shop or captain report specific to central PA landed in today's intel sweep, so this update leans on what's reliably true of limestone spring creeks in early August: their steady groundwater input keeps water temperatures cooler and more stable than nearby freestone streams, which is exactly why wild browns and stocked rainbows stay catchable here when other trout water shuts down. Trout Unlimited's seasonal reporting notes that once freestone streams heat past ethical fishing temperatures, anglers commonly pivot to warmwater species entirely, a shift spring creeks like these largely avoid. Expect terrestrial season to be in full swing, ants, beetles, and hoppers along grassy banks, with the best feeding windows clustered around dawn and dusk as midday sun pushes fish into shaded runs and spring seeps.
Largemouth Bite Holds While Pike, Trout Stir for CT Anglers
Two pike stretching 30 to 32 inches hit large swimbaits this week, per Jerry's Bait and Tackle's report in The Fisherman's New England Freshwater feed, a solid sign for anyone probing CT's weedy, structure-rich ponds right now. Largemouth bass fishing remains the region's most consistent bite: Red Top Sporting Goods called action on Cape-area ponds and lakes very good, with drop-shotting deep structure and a Booyah Pad Crasher Frog worked through shallow cover both producing, while Jerry's noted shiners, wacky worms and Ned Rigs staying productive locally. Smallmouth are cooperating too, Roger Aziz Jr. tallied several to 3 pounds on Aziz-rigged Senkos and Yamamoto Cut Tail Worms working the Merrimack River system and area reservoirs. Not every pond is easy: Sauder's Boat Livery reported bass fishing at Congamond Lakes has turned tough again as water temps bounce, though deep drop-edges, lily pads and deep-water docks kept a few biting, and a Ned Rig worked a deep hump also fooled rainbow and brown trout topping 3 pounds.
Sarasota Bay trout bite peaks as tarpon push toward inside waters
Anglers out of Sarasota Bay are still riding an aggressive spotted seatrout bite, per Capt. Brandon Naeve's weekly report from CB's Saltwater Outfitters, which included a 27-inch trout landed and released last week. Naeve says the peak summer bite is on, with inshore grass flats, mangrove shorelines, and local passes producing best around sunrise and sunset feeding windows. Capt. Rick Grassett's August forecast, also from CB's Saltwater Outfitters, notes a few tarpon should still show along the coastal Gulf early in the month, working flies, DOA Baitbusters, or DOA Shrimp in shallow water; as those fish thin out along the beaches they push into inside waters, holding around bridges and rolling on deep grass flats mixed with feeding schools of ladyfish. No live buoy or gauge readings came through for Tampa Bay and Sarasota today, so treat water temps and tide timing as seasonal norms until fresh data arrives. Snook and redfish remain typical late-summer targets in the same structure.
Fluke Bail Jobs and Midshore Bluefin Headline LI's August Run
Fluke are chewing hard across Long Island's South Shore, per The Fisherman — Long Island South Shore: the Ebb Tide called Saturday 'a true fluke bail job,' Fishfinder II reported 'excellent' action with non-stop trips, and the size limit ticked up to 19.5 inches this month per Captain Dave III (The Fisherman — Long Island West End). Offshore, On The Water — New York / Long Island says the midshore bluefin bite is holding steady as yellowfin push closer, while White Water Outfitters (The Fisherman — Long Island East End) reports bluefin from 40-55 inches on poppers 15-40 miles out. Striped bass are scattered but still around, with Tight Lines Tackle (The Fisherman — Long Island Surf) finding stripers on tins at dawn near Montauk and River Bay Outfitters (Long Island West End) noting a strong night eel bite in the back bays. Porgy fishing has 'improved dramatically' per Rip Tide III (Long Island North Shore).
Wabash smallmouth and Lake Michigan salmon settle into typical August patterns
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came back for the Wabash River or southern Lake Michigan this cycle, and none of today's angler-intel feeds carried a dedicated Indiana report, so this update leans on general seasonal patterns rather than a specific bite call. August on the Wabash typically means smallmouth and catfish sliding to deeper current breaks and holes as surface temps climb, while Lake Michigan's Chinook and coho fishery pushes offshore behind thermocline-following trollers. Fishing the Midwest's recent notes on walleye and bass positioning highlight how Forward-Facing Sonar has shifted anglers away from the old "stick to bottom and structure" rule toward actively locating suspended fish in open water, a technique that applies as well to Wabash walleye pockets as to the classic Midwest lakes the blog covers. Absent a direct Indiana report this cycle, treat species status below as seasonal expectation, not a confirmed bite.
Rangeley anglers pivot to smallmouth as summer heat holds trout deep
Mainely Fly Fishing's most recent Rangeley-area post flagged the start of summer hatch activity, but no fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for the Androscoggin headwaters this cycle, so this report leans on seasonal signal rather than a same-day snapshot. Trout Unlimited's latest dispatch is the more useful read for early August: once favorite trout water pushes past the temperature where it's ethical to target salmonids, anglers are pivoting to smallmouth bass, working streamers and topwater poppers over rock and gravel structure as both a fun target and good practice for trout fishing later in the year. That pattern fits the Rangeley Lakes system well right now — brook trout and landlocked salmon typically slide into deeper, cooler water and fish best at first light or after dark, while smallmouth stay aggressive through the heat. Treat any trout outing as catch-and-release only in warm shallows, and check current state guidance before harvesting anything out of low, warm water.
Mobile Bay Trout Stay Stingy as Rough Seas Cut Trips Short
A Mobile Bay angler posting on the Pensacola Fishing Forum called this a hot bite overall, going two for four before rough conditions pushed the boat off the water by mid-morning. Speckled trout were the exception, staying stingy with just four landed. That mixed read fits a typical early-August pattern on the Alabama Gulf coast, where building afternoon chop often shortens the workable window before conditions ease. No fresh buoy or gauge data came through for this update, so lean on local marine forecasts rather than logged water temps when planning a trip. Redfish and flounder tend to be the steadier Mobile Bay targets through late summer, holding tight to structure and grass edges as trout scatter with the heat. Spanish mackerel should still be working bait schools along the nearshore Gulf beaches. With no additional shop or charter reports in today's feed, treat this as one boat's snapshot of a variable week rather than a bay-wide trend.
Albacore push off Mendocino signals what's coming for Central Coast
Western Outdoor News — Saltwater reported an 'albacore explosion' off the Mendocino coast this week, with Captain Trent Slate of Bite Me Charters and the crew out of Noyo Fishing Charters in Fort Bragg logging an epic first tuna trip of the season. No local buoy or gauge readings came through for the Central Coast this cycle, so what follows leans on seasonal patterns and that up-coast signal rather than a same-day local readout. History says warm water and bait pushing south usually means Central Coast trollers start seeing albacore within striking range as August progresses. Closer to shore, the Central Coast's dependable summer standbys, rockfish and lingcod, should keep producing over rocky structure, and California halibut remain a solid bet drifting live bait across sandy flats and channel edges. Anglers chasing salmon should double check current in-season closures before heading out, since state fisheries managers have been actively adjusting ocean salmon seasons up the coast this summer.
Yellowtail bite holds at San Clemente as wind sidelines bluefin plans
Winds topped 35 knots at the offshore tuna grounds this week, pushing the WON-Toronado charter out of Pierpoint Landing in Long Beach to backburner its bluefin plans, per Western Outdoor News — Saltwater. The boat loaded sardines at the bait receiver instead and ran for San Clemente Island, where Captain Ray Lagmay reported the crew had been getting some good-sized yellowtail. On the beach, Surf Fishing in So Cal calls this the best surf-fishing opportunity of the year, even as the elevated surf that has dogged the coast since May barely let up through July. Shore anglers working the sand for sharks or white seabass should also note the emergency wire leader and hook-size ban is now enforced south of Pigeon Point, per the same source. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came in for the LA Bight/Channel Islands corridor today, so lean on wind and surf reports rather than a hard number before planning a trip this week.