Fishing reports
18942 reports across all 50 states — current conditions and what's biting.
Croaker Bite Heats Up as Delaware Bay Stripers Hold Slot
Croaker fishing is running 'excellent' at the Woodland Beach fishing pier and should hold through August, per Smith's Bait Shop on The Fisherman — DE/MD/Chesapeake, with the Bowers Beach Jetty also giving up croaker alongside flounder. Slot stripers (Delaware's summer 20-24 inch limit, referenced on Delaware Surf Fishing) are still showing around the Augustine Wall on peeler crab, shrimp, bloodworms and bucktails tipped with squid, Smith's reports. Flounder are scattered across the bay — Port Mahon anglers are picking fish on minnows and jigs tipped with Gulp or squid strips, while Higbee's Bait and Tackle in Southern New Jersey notes the Delaware Bay side is producing blues, croakers, weakfish, flounder, sheepshead and occasional black drum, with pool winners including a 15-pound drum. Offshore, private boats working the Hambone are boxing two-fish bluefin tuna limits. Eric Burnley flags rain and thunder moving through this week.
Flounder and croaker pick up slack as Chesapeake rockfish closure holds
Maryland's Chesapeake Bay striped bass fishery is closed through August, per Coastal Angler Magazine, with the fishery reopening September 1 — so bay anglers are leaning on the season's other players. Smith's Bait Shop, reporting for The Fisherman — DE/MD/Chesapeake, has flounder biting on minnows and jigs tipped with Gulp or strips of squid, black drum coming to clam baits, bluefish hitting metal lures and cut bait, and trout working bucktails dressed with yellow worms or Gulp crawfish. The Woodland Beach fishing pier continues turning out steady croaker that should hold through August, with bluefish potentially mixing in if rain keeps up. Eric Burnley's report for the same outlet notes scattered rain and thunderstorms in this week's forecast, weather that could complicate the White Marlin Open in Ocean City. Offshore, private boats working the Hambone are boxing two-fish bluefin tuna limits per Hook 'em and Cook 'em, giving boat anglers an option while the rockfish closure runs its course.
Flounder flurry and wandering stripers highlight NH's late-summer bite
A surprise flounder flare-up at the mouth of the Merrimack River is spilling north toward New Hampshire waters, with the bite good enough that area party boats are getting in on it, per The Fisherman — South Shore MA to ME. The same report notes striped bass are still around along the northern stretch of its Massachusetts-to-Maine coverage range but staying mobile in the mid-summer heat, so anglers chasing a bent rod need to stay on the bait rather than camp on one spot. Giant bluefin tuna catches are trending up in northern waters per that report's Beauport Fishing Adventures update, while dogfish have crowded into nearby bottom structure like Stellwagen and Jefferies Ledge, pushing groundfish anglers to hunt for clear water. No live buoy or gauge readings came through for the Gulf of Maine NH coast today, so check local conditions before running out.
Walleye anglers lean on sonar as Ohio's summer pattern holds
Lake Erie and Ohio River conditions data wasn't available from NOAA buoys or USGS gauges as of this report, so we're leaning on regional technique intel and typical August patterns for the fishery. Fishing the Midwest's Mike Frisch notes that Forward-Facing Sonar has reshaped where walleye anglers find fish, with more suspended fish now located away from the bottom-and-structure standbys that used to define summer walleye location. That shift is worth noting for Lake Erie boats working open water this month. Smallmouth bass typically hold tight to deeper structure and current breaks in Ohio River pools once August heat sets in, while channel catfish action usually stays strong after dark on cut bait. Yellow perch tend to be slower now, picking up again as water temperatures cool toward fall. Check current NOAA buoy and USGS gauge readings before heading out, since no live temperature or flow data was available for this update.
Smokies tailwaters offer cool refuge as summer heat peaks
No fresh Hiwassee or Caney Fork intel landed in today's sweep, but the pattern driving reports elsewhere applies directly to East Tennessee's dam-fed rivers: as freestone streams climb into stressful temperatures, cold-bottom-release tailwaters become the summer trout play. Trout Unlimited's latest 'cat days of summer' notes flag exactly this shift, with anglers moving off warming trout water and, when they do stay on trout, working the shaded, cooler pockets. Caddis Fly (OR) is fishing dog-days trout with slow, deep-drifted nymphs like the jigged pheasant tail when feeding turns sporadic in the heat, and the same shop notes terrestrial season is in full swing, with foam hoppers and beetles worth having in the box. On the Hiwassee and Caney Fork, expect rainbows and browns to still eat, but concentrate effort in early morning, late evening, and around generation changes rather than flat midday sun.
Boundary Waters walleyes go vertical as forward-facing sonar changes the game
Fishing the Midwest's Mike Frisch reports that longtime walleye truths are being rewritten this summer: fish once taught to hug bottom near points, turns, and weedlines are increasingly showing up well off the floor, a shift he credits to forward-facing sonar finally letting anglers see where suspended walleyes actually sit. Fellow Fishing the Midwest contributor Bob Jensen says smallmouth and largemouth are still eating moving baits worked over emerging weed tops, and stresses keeping trebles freshly sharpened to convert more bites. Jason Mitchell Outdoors points to the half-crawler harness as a producing walleye presentation right now. No buoy or gauge data came back for the Boundary Waters and Iron Range this week, and no shop, charter, or state-agency reports specific to this region were available, so species status below leans on seasonal-typical August patterns rather than a confirmed local hot bite.
Ozark bass settle into classic dog-days summer patterns
August heat has Missouri and Ozark river bass sliding into typical summer holding patterns, and this week's angler intel leans on general technique coverage rather than water-specific reports. Tactical Bassin's recent breakdown of where bass go when it's hot describes fish splitting into two predictable summer groups since the spawn, driven by temperature, oxygen, and forage — useful groundwork for anyone working Ozark smallmouth or largemouth water right now. Fishing the Midwest's Mike Frisch and Bob Jensen both note forward-facing sonar has reshaped how anglers locate summer fish once assumed to be bottom-bound, a shift worth testing on Ozark reservoirs and river pools. No fresh Missouri-specific water temp, flow, or bite report came through this cycle, so treat the species status below as seasonal expectation rather than a confirmed local bite. Early and late light, moving water, and current breaks remain the safest bets through the heat.
Lake Trout and Coho Keep a Steady North Shore Bite Going
The MN DNR's Lake Superior Summer Fishing report (Aug. 6) put surface temps at 60-65°F near Duluth, 55-60°F near Knife River, and 45-50°F near Two Harbors, with anglers reporting a steady bite on 18-30 inch Lake Trout, 16-21 inch Coho Salmon, and a few 20-24 inch Chinook Salmon from all access sites. Inland, walleye anglers are leaning harder on Forward-Facing Sonar, with Fishing the Midwest noting that FFS has upended the old assumption that walleyes always sit tight to bottom structure - fish are turning up suspended in open water more than tradition would suggest. Highway 61 construction at the McQuade intersection and on Lighthouse Point Road in Two Harbors is still limiting some North Shore access, per MN DNR. The spring steelhead and smelt runs that dominated April-May reports on the lower shore rivers have long since wrapped, with attention now fully on open-water trolling and inland lake patterns for the North Woods.
Deep bite settles in as Finger Lakes hit peak August heat
No buoy or gauge readings came through for the Finger Lakes this cycle, and none of this week's angler-intel feeds carried a report filed directly from Cayuga, Seneca, or Skaneateles, so this update leans on typical August patterns for the region plus national technique trends anglers here can apply. Smallmouth bass and walleye both tend to slide off shallow points and weedlines once surface water settles into summer heat, and that lines up with what Fishing the Midwest describes this week: with forward-facing sonar now common on the water, anglers are finding walleye suspended well off bottom rather than glued to the classic structure spots old rules of thumb pointed to. On the bass side, Tactical Bassin's latest notes on summer positioning back up the same idea, deep cover and moving baits doing the work as fish push down with the heat. Lake trout stay a deep, thermocline game this time of year, typically the slowest bite of the open-water season.
Western Basin walleye settle into summer deep-structure pattern
Western Basin walleye are settling into their typical early-August pattern this week, scattered over deeper structure and open-water reef edges as surface temperatures hold in the range that's normal for this time of year. No direct Lake Erie buoy or gauge readings came through this cycle, and none of today's angler-intel feeds filed a report from Ohio waters specifically, so this update leans on seasonal norms for the Western Basin. Fishing the Midwest, a regional walleye-focused blog, notes a broader shift among Midwest walleye anglers toward forward-facing sonar to locate fish suspended off traditional bottom structure rather than sitting tight to it, a trend worth keeping in mind if bottom-bouncing goes quiet. Trolling crankbaits and worm harnesses over deep structure remain the standard summer approach for Western Basin walleye, with early morning and evening windows typically producing the most consistent action as fish push shallower to feed before retreating to deeper, cooler water during the heat of the day.
Green River tailwater keeps its cool as summer trout patterns shift
Trout Unlimited's reminder this week about the "cat days of summer" captures exactly what's shaping the Green River tailwater below Flaming Gorge Dam right now: while freestone streams elsewhere warm past what's ethical to fish for trout, this dam-controlled stretch keeps running cool and clear, leaving anglers one of the more reliable technical trout fisheries in play in early August. No direct on-the-water reports reached us for this stretch this cycle, so we're leaning on the seasonal pattern typically seen here: pale morning duns tapering off, tricos and midges taking over early mornings, and terrestrials becoming the go-to as summer deepens, a shift Caddis Fly Shop flagged as already underway on Western trout water. Rainbows and browns should stay catchable on technical presentations; kokanee salmon out in the reservoir are likely still holding deep but will start staging for their fall run in coming weeks.
Ozark Trout Parks Settle Into a Steady August Rhythm
No buoy or gauge readings came back for the Current River or Niangua system today, and none of this week's angler-intel sources filed anything specific to Missouri's Ozark trout parks, so this update is grounded in general seasonal knowledge rather than fresh on-the-water reports. Both Montauk (Current River) and Bennett Spring (Niangua) run spring-fed and stay cool relative to air temperature through the summer, which typically keeps rainbow trout willing to eat through the early morning hours before activity tapers as the sun gets high. Brown trout, generally more heat-shy, tend to fish tougher in August than in cooler months. We'd normally lean on shop or captain reports to sharpen this picture, but nothing in today's feed touched Ozark trout-water conditions, so treat the species notes below as typical-for-season rather than confirmed-today intel until fresher regional reports come in.
Snakeheads and largemouth keep summer bite alive near Potomac
Tactical Bassin's newest "Top 5 Baits For August Bass Fishing" rundown is the most useful read for Potomac and Patapsco bass anglers this week, and its core message tracks with what we'd expect from this stretch of the Mid-Atlantic in early August: largemouth locking onto predictable heat-driven positions, favoring shaded grass edges and moving baits over cover rather than slow finesse. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came in for these waters this cycle, so treat water temp as unconfirmed and warmer than spring norms. Snakehead action is heating up on nearby Delmarva ponds, where The Fisherman's Smith's Bait Shop report out of Leipsic notes largemouth and snakehead hitting topwater frogs, poppers, and weedless plastics early morning, a pattern that typically holds for Potomac backwaters too. Catfish remain a solid deep-hole option through the heat. Maryland's tidal striper closure, per Outdoor Hub, is a reminder to keep any tidal Potomac trips strictly freshwater-legal through August.
San Juan tailwater and Rio Grande settle into a typical August rhythm
No buoy or gauge readings and no New Mexico-specific field reports came through today's intel sweep, so this update leans on general seasonal knowledge for the San Juan and Rio Grande rather than a fresh dispatch. Early-to-mid August is typically a warm-water stretch for both fisheries: the tailwater below the dam on the San Juan usually stays coldest and most consistent for trout, while the open Rio Grande corridor runs warmer and often carries monsoon-season turbidity after storm runoff. Anglers working these waters this time of year generally do best in dawn and dusk windows before daytime heat pushes fish deeper or into shaded runs. None of today's angler-intel feeds covered New Mexico specifically, so treat the species notes below as seasonal defaults rather than confirmed bites, and check current state guidance before heading out.
Lake Ontario kings push in as salmon staging kicks off
King salmon have moved into Lake Ontario in solid numbers, with browns and lake trout mixed into the bite, per this week's report from Strike Zone Charters (Lake Ontario). Boats working 100 to 160 feet of water are connecting, and preferred depths have been shifting day to day as wind moves the thermocline around. Mag Dipsey Divers are producing when fish hold deep, with green, white, and chartreuse e-chip spoons run behind Atomic attractors doing the work. For anglers watching the Salmon River and Oswego area, this open-water staging is the early signal of the season, typically the prelude to salmon pushing toward the tributary mouths later in August and into September. No live water-temperature or flow readings came through today, so plan around reported bite depth rather than a hard number. Pier and harbor anglers near Oswego should start watching for staging activity as the month moves along.
Taneycomo trout turn aggressive as trophy fish start moving
Trout at Lake Taneycomo have turned aggressive, hitting hard with no pecking around, according to Lilleys Landing's August 1 report. The shop's trophy release program has picked back up after a slow spring, a sign more sizeable trout are moving through the system. Guides are doing well in the afternoons working a Provo rig, while shop staff report success simply drifting a straight line with a weight on bottom and a drop-shot loop set about 18 inches up — Vanish fluorocarbon tippet, a technique credited to guide Blake Wilson, has been the go-to leader material. This marks a turnaround: Lilleys Landing's June and early-July reports described inconsistent, generation-dependent fishing after heavy rains kept flows high and made bank and dock fishing tough. With generation settling into more predictable, lighter periods (especially mornings), the tailwater bite has strengthened through late July into August.
Delta anglers lean on early-morning summer patterns this week
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta this cycle, and the regional feed we watch for this water, NorCal Fish Reports, returned a site error instead of a current report - so there's no fresh on-the-water testimony to synthesize today. In its place, this update leans on typical August patterns for the Delta: striped bass and largemouth bass generally work the deeper main-channel current breaks, tule-lined sloughs, and shaded dock structure during low-light hours once surface water warms through midsummer, while sturgeon tend to hold deeper and feed less aggressively in the heat. Catfish activity typically holds steady into the evening on cut bait. None of the species status below is confirmed by a current report - it reflects seasonal expectation only. Check NorCal Fish Reports directly for the latest Delta counts before planning a trip, and treat this cycle's read as a placeholder until fresh intel comes through.
South Fork cutthroat settle into a dawn-and-dusk summer rhythm
Western trout rivers are running a similar script this week: Reno Fly Shop reported the Truckee holding around 350 cfs with air temps pushing fish into an earlier morning feeding window before going quiet by midday, and Caddis Fly (OR) noted the McKenzie staying "steady" through low summer flows thanks to cool mid-to-upper sections. No live gauge or buoy readings came back for the Snake River and South Fork this cycle, so this update leans on that regional pattern plus general seasonal knowledge rather than direct local reporting. Trout Unlimited's recent notes on the "cat days of summer" are a useful reminder here too, cautioning anglers to watch water temps and consider easing off salmonids once afternoon heat sets in. Expect eastern Idaho's cutthroat water to be tracking the same curve: a workable early bite, a hot, sluggish middle of the day, and improving action again as evening shadows lengthen.
Champlain smallmouth stage draws pro tournament trail in August
The Lake Champlain smallmouth fishery got a national spotlight this week when the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit's Stop 6 ran on Vermont water, per Wired 2 Fish, though the story's real hook was a Day 1 disqualification after pro Chad Mrazek fished without a valid Vermont license, a reminder that VT and NY both require their own paperwork on a lake that straddles the border. We don't have fresh buoy or gauge readings for Champlain this cycle, so treat conditions as a seasonal read rather than a real-time one. Early August typically has Champlain smallmouth locked onto deeper rock piles, humps and current-swept points as surface temperatures peak, while landlocked salmon slide down into cooler, oxygenated water and get harder to reach without electronics or downriggers. No shop or charter intel came in on this stretch of the lake this cycle, so species status below leans on typical seasonal behavior rather than a fresh bite report.
Steady mid-summer temps keep Northwoods musky and walleye biting
Northwoods lakes are holding in the mid-70s after a run of warm weather gave way to a few cooling fronts, according to this week's report from Rollie & Helen's Musky Shop (WI), which describes the bite as settling into a "very productive mid-summer groove." Musky anglers are keying on stable water temps and reading thunderstorm-driven barometric swings for feeding windows, per the shop's ongoing coverage of summer weather patterns and algae blooms on area waters. On the walleye side, Fishing the Midwest's Mike Frisch notes forward-facing sonar has changed where anglers look for fish, moving many off traditional bottom structure and onto suspended, open-water fish as clearer lake conditions have become more common. Smallmouth are cooperating too, with moving baits worked over emerging weed growth producing quality fish per the same source. Expect green, pea-soup water on some lakes as algae blooms build with the summer heat.
Mille Lacs walleyes go vertical as sonar reshapes summer patterns
Jason Mitchell Outdoors this week highlighted 'half crawler magic' as a go-to walleye presentation, a rig that keeps working through the summer stretch on waters like Mille Lacs. Fishing the Midwest's Mike Frisch notes that Forward-Facing Sonar has reshaped how anglers find walleyes now, since fish are turning up suspended and away from the classic bottom-hugging points, turns, and weedlines that guided this pattern before. That shift matters on Mille Lacs, where deep basin walleyes often roam midlake in early August rather than holding tight to structure. No buoy or gauge readings were available for this report, so treat water temperature as unconfirmed and check a local thermometer before running deep. Smallmouth on nearby waters are following the same summer logic Tactical Bassin describes for August bass generally: seeking deeper cover and shade as surface temps climb. We're leaning on regional technique reporting more than a hyperlocal Mille Lacs account this week, so verify conditions before you launch.
NY panfish stay hot as trout retreat from summer heat
Water on our monitored Hudson Valley gauge (USGS 01357500) is running 77°F this week, warm enough that trout and salmon are pulling into survival mode while panfish keep biting through it. The NY DEC's Fishing Line newsletter calls out panfish, bluegill and pumpkinseed, as one of the most reliable summer bites statewide, and its July 17th issue specifically urged trout and salmon anglers to fish early mornings and cold tailwaters to avoid stressing fish once water hits this kind of heat. Black bass season, open since DEC's mid-June update, is still producing for anglers willing to work deep structure through midday or fish topwater at first light. Flow is holding around 3,860 cfs, a comfortable, wadeable stage for river access. Expect the panfish bite to carry most of the action this week while trout stays a dawn-only proposition until nights start cooling the water back down.
Wind River trout dial in around dawn as summer heat holds
Trout Unlimited's seasonal note on the "cat days of summer" is the most relevant signal in this week's roundup for the Wind River and North Platte drainages: as trout water climbs into the range where catch-and-release gets risky for salmonids, anglers across trout country are already shifting toward early-morning and evening windows or picking up warmwater species instead. The USGS gauge at station 06259000 wasn't returning a current flow or temperature reading at press time, so exact conditions on this stretch can't be confirmed from this pull, treat any midday outing with caution until you've checked a live reading. Regionally, Wyoming's trout community stayed engaged this summer: Trout Unlimited's coverage of the Costa 5 Rivers Ambassador Summit noted the Wind River Game & Fish Department as a co-host, a reminder this fishery draws attention well beyond the rod-and-reel crowd. Expect rainbow and cutthroat action to hold best at first light, with browns and whitefish sliding into deeper, cooler water as the day warms.
Rainy River system settles into steady summer walleye pattern
Water temperatures on the Rainy River system are holding at 69°F this morning per USGS gauge 05133500, with flow steady near 4,380 cfs — comfortable, stable conditions for a mid-August pattern on Lake of the Woods and the Rainy River. Regional walleye writers at Fishing the Midwest note that traditional presentations, jigging live bait and pulling crawler harnesses, are still producing even as more Upper Midwest anglers lean on forward-facing sonar to locate suspended fish over deeper structure. We're not seeing direct on-the-water reports out of Lake of the Woods or the Rainy River in today's intel sweep, so treat the species status below as seasonal expectation rather than a confirmed bite. Sturgeon anglers should check current Rainy River regulations before targeting or handling fish, since harvest windows and catch-and-release rules shift through the season. Stable water and steady flow both favor consistent, if not explosive, action through the week.