Fishing reports
18942 reports across all 50 states — current conditions and what's biting.
Hartwell and Russell bass slide deep as August heat holds
No buoy or gauge readings came through for Hartwell or Russell this week, and no captain, shop, or state report in this week's feed called out conditions specifically on the Savannah chain, so this update leans on typical early-August patterns for the reservoir. Surface water is presumably in the mid-to-upper 80s with a defined summer thermocline, pushing bass, spotted bass, and stripers off the banks and onto deeper structure and suspended bait schools. Tactical Bassin's early-August rundown notes bass become highly predictable once anglers key on shade, current, and depth, with deep structure baits, swimbaits, and jigs producing best fished on ledges, points, and drops. Crappie typically slide into deep brush piles and standing timber this time of year. Check current Georgia DNR regulations before harvesting, and watch for the afternoon thunderstorm activity common to Georgia summers. Treat the species status below as seasonal-pattern guidance rather than a confirmed live bite report until fresh local intel comes in for Hartwell or Russell specifically.
Illinois River walleye, Lake Michigan bass settle into August rhythms
With no fresh NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings available for the Illinois River and Lake Michigan corridor this cycle, this report leans on regional technique intel rather than a live catch report. Fishing the Midwest, a Great Lakes-focused blog, notes that forward-facing sonar has reshaped how many Midwest anglers locate summer walleye, since suspended fish increasingly stray from the points, turns, and weedlines anglers were traditionally taught to target. Deep-summer heat typically pushes largemouth and smallmouth bass toward cover and shade during peak daylight, with more consistent action in low-light windows, a positioning pattern Tactical Bassin's national August bass coverage echoes. Channel catfish generally stay active through Illinois River current seams in this heat. We're treating today's picture as seasonal-pattern guidance rather than a confirmed local conditions snapshot until fresh telemetry and closer-to-home reports come in.
Summer bass patterns hold on Catawba and Roanoke waters
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came back for the Catawba and Roanoke systems this cycle, so today's read leans on seasonal pattern and general angler intel rather than a live snapshot. Early August has largemouth bass keying on classic summer positioning: Tactical Bassin's August coverage highlights bass pulling into deeper cover and structure and responding to swimbaits and jigs once the surface layer heats up, a pattern that typically tracks for Piedmont and northeastern NC reservoirs as well. Field & Stream's recent glide bait rundown is worth a look if bass have gone quiet on moving baits through the midday heat. Catfish should stay dependable on cut bait worked around river channel structure, and bream are typically catchable in shallow cover during the cooler morning and evening windows. The Roanoke's well known striped bass run is a spring event, so expect that fishery to stay quiet until it resumes next season. Check current NC regs before harvesting anything on either system.
King salmon patrol persists on Chicago's Lake Michigan waters
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for the Chicago stretch of Lake Michigan this cycle, so today's read leans on angler and agency reporting rather than a live temperature snapshot. Outdoor Hub's latest gear piece frames the current pattern plainly, noting anglers are still chasing king salmon out on Lake Michigan and packing coolers for long days on open water, a sign the offshore Chinook program remains the go-to August target. The Wisconsin DNR's Lake Michigan Fishing Report adds season-scale context: 2024 produced a stellar Chinook and coho harvest, with over 210,000 coho and more than 160,000 Chinook landed, the most since 2012, as strong alewife survival boosted stocked-fish numbers. Smallmouth bass stay part of the nearshore mix, with WI DNR continuing management attention on the species around Green Bay and northern Lake Michigan. No source this cycle reported a specific hot bite for the Chicago shoreline, so treat today's report as directional until fresh water-temp data lands.
Deep summer bass hold tight as Okeechobee and St. Johns heat soaks in
Wired 2 Fish's midsummer look at Florida's bass fisheries notes that lakes like Toho and the Harris Chain build their reputation in the cooler months, and Okeechobee and the St. Johns River typically follow the same seasonal arc once August heat locks in. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for this cycle, so we're leaning on typical seasonal patterning rather than a live number: bass pull off shallow beds and stack on deeper grass edges, timber, and channel drops as surface temps climb, feeding hardest in the low-light hours. Tactical Bassin's recent summer breakdown backs that pattern generally, favoring moving baits worked over emergent grass at dawn and dusk with a fallback to jigs and swimbaits once the sun gets high. Bluegill and shellcracker activity typically holds steady through August on both waters, and catfish tend to feed well after dark as the water stays warm. Check current Florida regs before harvesting anything you plan to keep.
Grand River salmon run watch heats up as August rolls in
No live buoy or gauge readings came back for the Grand River mouth this cycle, so today's outlook leans on seasonal patterns rather than a fresh water-temperature snapshot. The WI DNR Lake Michigan Fishing Report's recent recap of the 2024 season is the most concrete signal in this week's feed: over 210,000 coho salmon and more than 160,000 Chinook salmon were harvested lakewide, the best Chinook return since 2012, a sign the fishery's forage base has rebounded. Early August on Lake Michigan is typically the transition window when kings and steelhead begin staging closer to river mouths like the Grand ahead of the fall run, though none of today's angler-intel feeds carried a direct Michigan bite report to confirm current activity. Smallmouth bass remain a steady option in the interim. Check the MI DNR Weekly Fishing Report and local conditions before heading out, since firm current numbers weren't available today.
Delaware Bay croakers and flounder keep NJ anglers busy
Croakers are stacked up and down the bay side this week, with Higbee's Bait and Tackle (The Fisherman — Southern NJ) reporting the beaches along Fortescue loaded on blood and lung worms alongside blues, weakfish, flounder, sheepshead, and even a few black drum. Big Dave's Tackle notes keeper flounder holding on the nearshore and offshore reefs, though the back bays are thick with short fluke making for mostly catch-and-release action there. Sheepshead have also turned on strong in the back bay per that same report. Across the state line, Smith's Bait Shop (The Fisherman — DE/MD/Chesapeake) has flounder eating minnows and Gulp-tipped jigs, black drum on clams, and weakfish working bucktails dressed with yellow worms. Hands Too Bait and Tackle (The Fisherman — NJ/DE Surf) adds bucktail flounder right at the inlet mouth and a hot night shark bite along the beachfront.
Deep-water bass pattern locks in on Lanier and Allatoona this August
No buoy or gauge readings came back for the Lanier/Allatoona corridor this cycle, so this week's picture leans on statewide bass behavior rather than a lake-specific reading. Tactical Bassin's August roundup notes that summer bass split into two predictable groups once temperatures peak, and anglers working jigs and swimbaits around deep cover and staging areas are still loading the boat despite the heat. That same source flagged glide baits and other overlooked techniques producing well into August. On the regulatory side, Georgia Wildlife Blog's Fishing Report noted it is restructuring its statewide report to rotate spotlight regions week to week, which may explain thinner direct coverage of the north Georgia reservoirs some weeks. For Lanier and Allatoona specifically, expect classic late-summer deep structure fishing to dominate, with early morning and evening windows offering the best shot before the sun pushes fish deeper.
PA river smallmouth turn to low-light bite as dog days set in
Water on the Susquehanna and Allegheny is settling into a typical dog-days-of-August pattern this week, with no fresh biologist or buoy readings logged for the region as of today's check, worth another look at the PA Fish & Boat Commission's Biologist Reports page before you head out. Absent a hard number, the play is the seasonal one: smallmouth and walleye pull off exposed flats into deeper current breaks and shaded structure once the sun gets high, then push back onto the shallows at first and last light. Fishing the Midwest's Mike Frisch and Bob Jensen have both been writing this summer about how forward-facing sonar has changed where anglers find walleye holding, often suspended off bottom rather than glued to it, a pattern that applies just as well on Pennsylvania's river systems. Tactical Bassin's recent breakdowns of summer bass positioning back up the same idea for smallmouth: locate first, then match bait to mood.
Deep summer patterns take hold at Smith Mountain and Buggs Island
Tactical Bassin's latest August roundup, "Top 5 Baits For August Bass Fishing," frames this stretch as classic deep-summer bass fishing, and that lines up with what we'd expect on Smith Mountain Lake and Buggs Island (Kerr Reservoir) right now. No Virginia-specific creel reports came through our feeds this week, so we're leaning on seasonal norms: largemouth pushed to offshore grass lines, brush, and deeper contours as surface temps sit near their yearly peak, with early and late light windows producing the best topwater and moving-bait action per Tactical Bassin's coverage. Striped bass on both reservoirs typically settle into cooler water near the thermocline, following baitfish schools along deep humps and channel bends. Crappie tend to go quiet and deep in the heat, while blue and channel catfish remain some of the most reliable summer bites on Buggs Island. The waning crescent moon isn't expected to be a major factor for freshwater bass or crappie behavior this week.
Toledo Bend bass slide deep as dog days grip the Sabine border
No live buoy or gauge readings came through for Toledo Bend or the Sabine border this cycle, and none of today's monitored angler-intel feeds carried a direct report from this specific fishery — coverage skewed toward Gulf coastal news (including Louisiana Sportsman's note that the private recreational red snapper season closes Aug. 9, which does not apply to this freshwater system) and out-of-state blogs. Absent fresh on-the-water accounts, what follows leans on typical seasonal patterns for this reservoir system: early August water on Toledo Bend and the Sabine River commonly pushes into the mid-80s, sliding largemouth bass off the banks and onto river ledges, standing timber, and main-lake humps in the 15-25 foot range. Catfish generally stay the most dependable bite through peak heat, especially after dark on cut bait near creek channels, while crappie bunch tight to deep brush and feed in short dawn windows. Treat this as a seasonal baseline, not a confirmed live bite report, until fresh regional intel comes in.
Olympic Peninsula rivers head into peak summer Chinook window
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for the Olympic Peninsula this cycle, and this week's angler-intel sweep didn't turn up river-specific catch reports for WA salmon water either — the feeds leaned heavily toward East Coast striper and bass content. What we can point anglers to is WDFW's statewide fishing and stocking reports page, which the department updates by interviewing anglers at access sites and tracking hatchery stocking activity across Washington's lakes and rivers, including Peninsula salmon systems. Early August typically sits inside the summer Chinook window on Olympic Peninsula rivers, with fall Chinook and early coho starting to stage in lower river and tidewater stretches as water begins to cool into late summer. Until a direct creel report surfaces, treat timing as seasonal-typical rather than confirmed hot. Check WDFW's current reports and any emergency regulation updates before you head out, since river-specific openers and gear restrictions shift through the season.
Steady Savannah flow keeps Georgia's summer bass pattern locked in
The Savannah River gauge at Clyo is holding steady around 4.6 feet this week, per the Southern Waters report from GA Sportsman/Georgia Outdoor News, signaling stable late-summer flow across the state's river systems. Georgia Wildlife Blog's weekly report is shifting to a region-by-region format starting next week, but this cycle's post carries no bite-specific detail for the Chattahoochee or Savannah. With no fresh temperature readings in hand, expect the classic August pattern: largemouth sliding to deeper cover and structure during the day, with Tactical Bassin's national August coverage pointing anglers toward slow-worked jigs and swimbaits around that deep cover. Bream and channel catfish typically stay steady on cut bait and worms near structure through the heat, and hybrid or striped bass tend to hold near cooler discharge water when rivers run warm. Verify current temp and flow on-site, and check Georgia DNR regs before harvesting.
Montana trout waters tighten as hoot-owl restrictions spread
Twenty-three Montana waterbodies, totaling 1,223 stream miles, are currently under hoot-owl restrictions that close fishing from 2 p.m. to midnight, per MT FWP Fishing News, which notes the 2026 season is tracking a lot like 2024. The lower Beaverhead River picked up additional restricted water starting Aug. 5 as temperatures climbed, and MT FWP flagged more closures and a few localized shutdowns across southwest and western Montana rivers and creeks beginning July 29. For Yellowstone and Missouri basin anglers, the takeaway is simple: fish early. Warm afternoon water stresses trout and raises release mortality, the same dynamic Trout Unlimited points to when describing anglers shifting to smallmouth bass and topwater poppers once trout water gets too warm to fish responsibly. On the access side, MT FWP this month accepted an 82-acre donation creating the new Siskin Island Fishing Access Site on the upper Yellowstone River near Livingston.
Smallmouth patience pays as Kennebec, Penobscot ponds sit in summer lull
No fresh NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came through for the Kennebec and Penobscot corridor this cycle, and there's no dedicated Maine freshwater shop or agency report in today's feed either, so this update leans on early-August seasonal patterns rather than a specific water reading. Water is typically fully turned over and warm by now, pushing smallmouth and largemouth bass toward deeper structure and shade during midday with a shallow morning/evening window. Elsewhere in New England, freshwater reports via The Fisherman — New England Freshwater describe bass responding well to Ned Rigs, wacky-rigged worms, and topwater frogs worked over lily pads and drop-shot structure, a pattern that typically holds true across similar Maine impoundments this time of year. Brook trout and landlocked salmon are the ones to treat carefully, since both push into deeper, cooler pockets once surface temps climb, and catch-and-release handling matters more in the heat. Check Maine IF&W regs before targeting either species this month.
Fluke feast holds at Sandy Hook as bluefish push rolls in
Capt Ron's out of Atlantic Highlands called this past Saturday a banner day, with anglers "on the meat" from start to finish and quality fluke running 3 to 5 pounds, including a pair of 5-pound fish that tied for the pool. The Fisherman — New Jersey edition backs up the trend, noting double-digit fluke catches out of the nearby Shark River Inlet fleet along with what it calls a recent Sandy Hook bluefish invasion. Bluefish are showing in mixed sizes elsewhere along the Northern Jersey coast too, per The Fisherman — Northern NJ, with 2- to 4-pound choppers mixed in with some bigger slammers. Sea bass are filling coolers on Capt Ron's bottom-fishing drops, and NJ Fish & Wildlife News notes striped bass, tautog, and summer flounder are all part of the typical mix at nearby inlet access points. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through this cycle, so check local conditions before you head out.
Allegheny smallmouth tuck to structure as August heat holds
No fresh gauge or buoy readings came back for the Allegheny and Pittsburgh-area tailwaters this cycle, and PA Fish & Boat's Biologist Reports page didn't surface a new regional write-up either, so this report leans on general late-summer bass and walleye behavior tracked nationally. Early August typically has smallmouth bass sliding onto deeper structure and current breaks as surface temps climb, a pattern Tactical Bassin has been documenting across summer bass fisheries this month. Walleye anglers are increasingly working off bottom rather than glued to classic structure, a shift Fishing the Midwest attributes to forward-facing sonar changing how anglers locate fish rather than any dramatic behavior change. Muskie tend to go quiet during the dog days of August, and channel cats typically feed best in low light through this stretch. We're calling this a seasonal outlook rather than a live nowcast this week.
Togue and Landlocks Settle Into Steady Moosehead Summer Pattern
No fresh buoy or gauge data came through today for the Moosehead Lake and upper Penobscot corridor, and this week's regional angler-intel feed carried nothing filed specifically from Maine's big lake country, so this report leans on typical early-August patterns rather than a fresh bite report. Under a waning crescent moon, freshwater lakes this deep into summer typically have a well-established thermocline, which pushes lake trout (togue) and landlocked salmon down into cooler water where they suspend over structure and shadow baitfish schools. Smallmouth bass tend to stay more catchable working shallower rocky points and drop-offs during low-light hours before retreating deeper as the sun climbs. Brook trout, more heat-sensitive than the others, typically pull back into spring seams and feeder-stream mouths once surface temps climb through summer. Treat the species notes below as seasonal expectation, not a confirmed bite report, until a local shop or guide weighs in with current conditions.
Delaware River smallmouth stall as Pine Barrens pickerel heat up
The Delaware River around Bucks County turned murky this week after storms rolled through, and The Fisherman's NJ/DE Freshwater column reports the smallmouth bite is on hold until it clears. Better news sits nearby at Nockamixon, where largemouth bass and hybrid stripers are still coming to net when conditions cooperate. Down in the Pine Barrens cedar-water country off Route 47, the same freshwater roundup has pickerel biting well on live killies and topwater baits, while small ponds and campground-area lakes near Dennisville and Ponderlodge keep giving up solid largemouth on topwater frogs, poppers, and weedless plastics fished early and late in the day. It's a mixed bag right now: river fishing is stalled by runoff, but still-water largemouth and pickerel are holding a steady, typical-for-August pattern. Anglers working the slower, tannin-stained cedar water are having the better week of it at the moment.
Central MA bass dial in on Ned Rigs as ponds warm up
Bass are chewing across Central Massachusetts ponds this week. Jerry's Bait and Tackle in Milford points anglers toward North Pond (Lake Maspenock) and Lake Whitehall in Hopkinton, plus Lake Winthrop in Holliston, where shiners, wacky worms, and Ned Rigs have been the top largemouth producers. Farther west at Congamond Lakes, Sauder's Boat Livery in Southwick reports the bass bite has turned tougher as water temperature bounces up and down, though deep drop-edges, lily pads, and deep-water docks are still holding fish, and a Ned Rig worked over a deep hump there turned up a rainbow trout topping 3 pounds. To the northeast on the Merrimack River, Roger Aziz Jr. has been picking off smallmouth to 3 pounds on Aziz-rigged Senkos and Yamamoto Cut Tail Worms, while nearby reservoirs are giving up big white catfish. Typical for August, mornings and shaded cover are outproducing the midday sun.
Eastern Washington trout and bass settle into typical August patterns
No buoy or stream-gauge data and no site-specific bite reports came through this cycle's feed for the Yakima and Spokane fisheries, so this update leans on typical late-summer patterns for the region rather than fresh catch reports. Early August on Eastern Washington's trout lakes and the upper Yakima system usually means fish sliding deeper and feeding hardest in low light, with midday action slowing as surface temperatures climb. Smallmouth bass on Spokane-area waters and the Columbia system tend to stay active through summer heat, holding on rocky structure and current breaks. For the specific hatches, stocking updates, and creel numbers that make a report actionable, check WDFW's fishing and stocking reports directly, since this cycle's angler-intel feed did not surface any charter, shop, or forum posts naming Yakima or Spokane waters. Plan trips around dawn and dusk windows until cooler nights arrive.
Deep-summer heat pushes Atchafalaya bass shallow bite to dawn and dusk
No buoy or gauge readings came through for the Mississippi River and Atchafalaya Basin this cycle, and none of today's angler-intel feeds filed a direct Louisiana freshwater bite report, so this update leans on general seasonal patterns rather than fresh local testimony. Per Tactical Bassin's August coverage, largemouth bass nationally are pulling onto shaded cover and deeper structure as surface temps peak, with the most consistent bite concentrated in the first and last hour of daylight, a pattern that typically holds for Louisiana's warm, slow-moving basin water this time of year. Catfish, channel and blue, tend to stay more willing through the heat, working current breaks and channel edges after dark. Bream and bluegill remain catchable early around cypress and grass edges, while crappie typically slow down and hold on deeper structure in August. Expect low, warm water this week, and check current state regulations before harvesting anything.
Fluke and Sea Bass Fire Up Along the Jersey Shore as Bluefin Push Inshore
Fluke are lighting up inshore grounds this week: Capt. Ron's out of Atlantic Highlands reported a rare "meat from start to finish" Saturday, with double limits across the boat and a pair of five-pound fluke tying for the pool. The Fisherman — New Jersey edition's regional roundup backs it up, noting double-digit fluke counts out of the Shark River Inlet fleet, while Central Jersey shops like Fisherman's Headquarters and Jingles Bait and Tackle describe solid keeper ratios mixed with plenty of shorts. Sea bass are running just as hot: Blue Chip Sportfishing says its boats are limiting out on almost every half and full day trip. Offshore, bluefin tuna are holding within roughly 30 miles per OTW Northern New Jersey, working jigs and poppers, while triggerfish and tautog fill out the bottom mix at inlet jetties. Night surf anglers along the southern beaches, per The Fisherman — NJ/DE Surf, are also seeing heavy shark action.
Cobia and flounder carry the Eastern Shore as Bay stripers rest
Maryland's Chesapeake Bay striped bass fishery closed for the month of August, per Coastal Angler Magazine, giving Bay linesiders a break during the hottest stretch of summer — a good reminder for Eastern Shore anglers near the Bay mouth to handle any stripers encountered with extra care and check current regs before harvesting. No buoy or gauge readings came back for the Chincoteague area at this writing, so this report leans on regional trends: The Fisherman (Northeast) is tracking an improving summer flounder bite to the north in the NJ/Delaware Bay region, with double-digit fluke days out of inshore structure, a pattern that typically works its way down the Delmarva coast as water temperatures climb through August. Cobia remain a marquee target in Virginia's coastal bays and inlets this time of year, worked over structure and current lines, while sheepshead continue to hold tight to pilings and jetty rock. Expect steady, technical bottom fishing as the dog days settle in.