Fishing reports
18942 reports across all 50 states — current conditions and what's biting.
August heat pushes Toledo Bend bass to deeper, shaded cover
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for the Toledo Bend and Sabine border stretch this cycle, and none of today's angler-intel feeds filed a report specific to this water, so this update leans on general seasonal patterns rather than a specific bite report. Tactical Bassin's August coverage this week ('Top 5 Baits For August Bass Fishing,' 'Where Do Bass Go When It's Hot') is a useful proxy for how bass behave on reservoirs like Toledo Bend once peak summer heat sets in: fish push off the bank toward submerged vegetation, offshore points, and other shaded or deeper cover, and jigs and swimbaits both get mentioned as producers once the shallow bite fades. Catfish typically stay active through early August on flats and channel edges regardless of heat. Crappie tend to go deep and sluggish this time of year. Treat all of the above as typical-for-season guidance, not a confirmed local report, until we get a direct check-in from this stretch of water.
Chinook push builds on Olympic Peninsula rivers as summer peaks
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife keeps a standing creel-and-stocking report for anglers statewide, and it's the first stop worth checking before heading to Olympic Peninsula salmon water this week — our sweep of state and regional feeds didn't turn up fresh, river-specific bite reports for the Peninsula's salmon systems this cycle. Seasonally, early August typically sits mid-build for Chinook runs into Peninsula rivers, with coho still mostly staging offshore before their usual fall push and summer steelhead numbers thin until later in the month. One trend worth flagging: Outdoor Hub reports hot weather has forced fishing restrictions across more than 1,800 miles of Western rivers this summer to protect cold-water species, so checking current WDFW advisories before launching is worth the extra minute. No buoy or gauge readings came back for this region today, so plan around typical late-summer flow and temperature expectations rather than a live number.
Georgia anglers lean deep and low-light as August heat holds
The Georgia Wildlife Resources Division's latest fishing report (July 31) skips specific bite details this cycle and instead points anglers toward the state's 11 Public Fishing Areas, with renovated campgrounds at Rocky Mountain, Evans, and McDuffie PFAs, ahead of the Georgia Wildlife Federation's Buckarama (Aug. 14-16). No fresh buoy or gauge readings came in for the Chattahoochee or Savannah systems this cycle, so we're leaning on seasonal patterns to fill the gap: per Tactical Bassin's ongoing hot-weather coverage, August largemouth typically slide off the bank onto submerged vegetation and offshore cover as surface temps climb, with the bite compressing into the cooler bookends of the day. Bream and catfish tend to hold steadier through the heat, with catfish concentrating around dawn, dusk, and after dark. Expect sluggish midday action across the region's lakes and rivers. Check current PFA conditions before you go, and plan around early or late-day windows rather than fighting peak sun.
Montana Rivers Shift to Early Mornings as Heat Restrictions Spread
Montana's MT FWP Fishing News reports 23 waterbodies now under hoot-owl restrictions, covering roughly 1,223 stream miles statewide, with additional stretches of the lower Beaverhead River added August 5 as water temperatures climbed. Restrictions run 2 p.m. to midnight daily, part of a broader pattern MT FWP and Outdoor Hub both describe: heat has pushed fishing closures across more than 1,800 miles of western rivers this summer, well beyond Montana's borders. For the upper Yellowstone, MT FWP also flagged good news, the new Siskin Island Fishing Access Site near Livingston adds public water on an 82-acre river island, and a cutthroat trout conservation project in the upper Shields River watershed begins August 10. No on-the-water bite reports came in from Montana sources this week, so treat species notes below as typical seasonal behavior: trout in this drainage generally slide their feeding window into the cool early mornings and evenings once afternoon temperatures spike, which is exactly what's driving the restrictions above.
Kennebec, Penobscot smallmouth settle into steady summer pattern
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came in for the Kennebec and Penobscot watersheds this cycle, and none of today's angler-intel feeds carried direct reports from Maine's freshwater fisheries, so this update leans on general seasonal knowledge rather than fresh bite reports. Early August on these river systems typically means smallmouth bass are locked into a classic summer pattern, working rocky structure and current breaks with the best activity clustered around dawn and dusk as water temperatures climb through the day. Landlocked salmon and brook trout, both prized in this region, generally slide toward deeper, cooler water once surface temps rise, making them tougher targets from shore in mid-summer. Chain pickerel tend to stay active in weedy backwaters through the heat. Anglers should check a Maine-specific source or local shop report before heading out, since we don't have confirmed conditions for this update.
Fluke pool winners climb as August opens at Sandy Hook
Fluke are keeping Raritan Bay boats busy this week, with Capt Ron's out of Atlantic Highlands reporting quality catches in multiple spots to open August — Cobie led one trip with four keepers, and Justin took over as the new monthly pool leader with a 5-pound, 1-ounce doormat. Black sea bass are showing up mixed into those fluke drifts. Current is doing a lot of the work: Capt Ron's crew has been "getting the lead out" through strong tide swings before the bite settles into a workable drift. Just up the coast, OTW's Northern New Jersey report (July 30) notes keeper fluke coming from rivers and reefs plus bluefish in the 6- to 10-pound class hitting diamond jigs on party boats, while The Fisherman's Northern NJ boats (Miss Belmar Princess, Golden Eagle) are mixing bluefish with bonito and mackerel off the inlet. Striped bass remain a background player inshore for now, typical for early August.
Pittsburgh tailwaters ease into deep-summer bass and walleye patterns
Fishing the Midwest's Mike Frisch is reminding anglers that old walleye assumptions, bottom-hugging fish tied to points and weedlines, don't always hold anymore now that Forward-Facing Sonar shows fish suspending well off structure, a shift worth factoring into Allegheny system walleye trips as August settles in. On the bass side, Tactical Bassin's summer coverage notes that bass separate into predictable summer groups keyed off deeper cover and offshore structure once surface temperatures climb, while Wired 2 Fish's ICAST roundup flags a wave of new finesse and swimbait gear anglers are leaning on for that exact pattern. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for the Allegheny system today, so we're building this update on seasonal expectations rather than a current temp or flow number. Expect smallmouth and walleye to stay catchable on the right presentation, with tailwater trout and catfish behaving true to typical August form until cooler flows arrive.
Togue and salmon slide deep as Moosehead warms into August
No fresh telemetry came in from Moosehead Lake or the upper Penobscot corridor this week, and none of the regional shops, charters, or agency feeds we track filed a report specific to this water, so this update leans on typical early-August patterns for the region rather than a fresh bite report. Landlocked salmon and lake trout (togue) typically slide into deeper, cooler water as surface temperatures climb through midsummer, pushing anglers toward downrigger and lead-core trolling in 40 to 60 feet. Smallmouth bass stay more accessible, working rocky points, ledges, and drop-offs in the 10 to 20 foot range through the heat of the day. Brook trout retreat to spring-fed coves and tributary mouths where cooler water holds oxygen. The last-quarter moon typically means a modestly reduced low-light feeding push versus a full or new moon. Check Maine's current freshwater regulations before harvesting, since season and limit specifics vary by water.
Pine Barrens ponds heat up as Delaware River clears from storms
The Delaware River is running high and stained after recent storms, which has put smallmouth fishing on hold in the upper stretches near Bucks County, according to Dave's Sport Shop in Doylestown - though Nockamixon is still giving up bass and hybrids when conditions cooperate. Rain also eased fire-danger concerns further south, and Hands Too Bait and Tackle in Cape May reports the better water conditions have turned on largemouth around Dennisville and Ponderlodge lakes plus small local ponds. Allen's Dock echoes that pattern, noting improved bass action in campground lakes alongside a solid pickerel bite in the nearby cedar waters on live killies and topwater baits. Up in Delaware, Smith's Bait Shop in Leipsic is seeing good largemouth and snakehead action at Garrisons Lake, Silver Lake, Massey Mills, and Mcculleys Pond, with morning topwater frogs, poppers, and weedless plastics producing best. With the Last Quarter moon overhead, early and late-day windows remain the play across the region's ponds and cedar-water systems.
Central MA bass bite holds strong on Ned Rigs and Senkos
Central Massachusetts pond bass are feeding well heading into the weekend. Jerry's Bait and Tackle in Milford reports steady largemouth action at North Pond (Lake Maspenock) in Hopkinton, Lake Whitehall in Holliston, and Lake Winthrop, with shiners, wacky worms, and Ned Rigs drawing the most bites right now. To the north, Roger Aziz, Jr. has been working the Merrimack River in Methuen, tallying smallmouth to 3 pounds on Aziz-rigged Senkos and Yamamoto Cut Tail Worms, and a friend reported big white catfish out of Artichoke and Brockton Reservoirs, per The Fisherman — New England Freshwater. Local flow is running low and stable — our readings show 12.8 cfs and 81.7 cfs at the region's two USGS gauges, typical for a dry stretch of early August. With a Last Quarter moon overhead, expect a steadier, less aggressive bite than around the full or new moon.
Heat, low flows push Eastern WA trout bite to early morning
USGS gauge 12484500 logged a flow of roughly 3,600 cfs as of the evening of Aug. 5, though no water-temperature reading came through in this update. That absence matters this time of year: Outdoor Hub reports that agencies across the West have placed restrictions on more than 1,800 miles of rivers this summer as heat and low streamflow stress trout and other cold-water fish, a pattern that applies broadly to Eastern Washington's Yakima-area waters. WA WDFW Fishing Reports notes the department continues creel surveys and statewide stocking, so checking current WDFW postings before heading out is worth the five minutes. With no fresh species-specific intel from the region this cycle, expect rainbow trout to fish best at first light before the water warms, while smallmouth bass and kokanee should stay more forgiving through midday in Eastern Washington's warmer lakes and river reaches.
Galveston West Bay trout heat up as STAR Tournament rolls on
Anglers working Galveston's West Bay are into some of the better speckled trout of the summer. Per the Galveston Daily News Reel Report, one recent outing produced a 30.5-inch, 8.5-pound trout alongside a 28-incher and three more over 25 inches, with a limit of slot-size reds rounding out the box. That same source notes the bite has been inconsistent bay-to-bay this week — "fish still biting despite tough conditions" — so covering water and sticking it out is paying off more than any single spot. The Cowboys on the Coast tournament out of Brazoria County also reported a strong morning bite on Galveston Bay over the weekend. Down the coast, the CCA-Texas STAR Tournament (Texas Fish & Game Magazine) runs through September 7 and is drawing heavy coastwide pressure on trout and redfish. Anglers without a year-round or lifetime license need to renew before September 1.
Atchafalaya anglers eye Henderson Lake drawdown as August heat holds
St. Martin Parish Government has scheduled a drawdown at Henderson Lake to beat back invasive aquatic vegetation, per Louisiana Sportsman — Fishing, so Atchafalaya Basin regulars should expect lower water and shifting access in that stretch over the coming weeks. On the Mississippi side, our reading at USGS gauge 07374000 has the river running a strong 305,000 cfs with water sitting at 83 degrees this afternoon, typical of peak-summer conditions for the basin. With water that warm, expect the standard August pattern: catfish and bream staying active through the heat while bass slide off the bank into deeper cover and current breaks, a positioning shift Tactical Bassin has been flagging all month as the go-to summer read. Henderson Lake anglers should plan trips around the drawdown timeline, and basin fishermen elsewhere should lean on moving water, shade, and deeper structure for the best bite while the heat holds.
Sea Bass Limits and Night Sharks Fire Up the Jersey Shore
Fluke are showing up thick in the surf and back bays this week, but most Jersey Shore anglers are sorting through a lot of shorts to find keepers. Grumpys Tackle calls the surf fluke bite "steady improvement" on bucktails and scented soft artificial baits, while Jingles Bait and Tackle in Beach Haven reports plenty of fish with shorts dominating, though Rich Sherman still stuck a 19-inch keeper on Gulp. Black sea bass are the more reliable meal ticket right now; Blue Chip Sportfishing says trips are "limiting out on almost every trip." Sharks have turned on too. Blue Chip put three nice makos in the water Friday, and Hands Too Bait and Tackle reports night surf shark fishing has gone "insane" from Cape May on south. Triggerfish and tautog are mixing in around inlet rocks and reefs now that the one-fish tog season has opened. Offshore, mahi are firing hard beyond the Cape May Reef on trolled ballyhoo.
Chincoteague's late-summer bay bite settles into its August rhythm
No live buoy or gauge readings came back for the Chincoteague area this cycle, and none of today's angler-intel feeds carried direct reports from Virginia's Eastern Shore, so this update leans on what's typical for saltwater fishing here in early August. The back-bays and surf around Chincoteague are usually deep into their classic late-summer pattern by now: spot and croaker stacked up for pier and surf anglers, flounder holding on channel edges and inlet drop-offs, and cobia still working the lower bay before their late-month push offshore. Striped bass are typically the slow link this time of year, with much of the Chesapeake under summer heat-stress harvest restrictions, so catch-and-release in the cooler low-light hours is the more realistic play. We'll keep watching for fresh local reports and buoy data to sharpen this picture. Always check current Virginia regulations before harvesting any species, since seasonal closures shift.
Saginaw Bay anglers dial in walleye, bass and pike as summer patterns hold
A recent Michigan Sportsman Forum thread has a Saginaw Bay regular running an upgraded 80lb Minn Kota Terrova through the bay's shallows for bass, pike and walleye ("eyes"), with side trips jigging up the Saginaw River and occasional runs toward the harbors and Platte Bay for salmon. No fresh NOAA buoy or USGS readings came back for the Lake Huron/Saginaw Bay area today — gauge 04157000 returned no current flow or temperature reading — so treat the forum chatter as anecdotal rather than confirmed, though it tracks with a typical early-August pattern on the bay. Regionally, Fishing the Midwest's Mike Frisch and Bob Jensen note walleye anglers are leaning harder on Forward-Facing Sonar to find fish suspended off structure rather than glued to bottom or classic weedlines and points, a wrinkle worth trying if the usual spots are quiet. With no verified temp or flow data in hand, water clarity and wind will likely do more to dictate today's bite than anything else.
August heat pushes Santee and Murray bass deep as flows hold steady
The USGS gauge above Santee reads 211 cfs this early afternoon, holding a steady late-summer flow through the system, though no water-temperature reading is available at this station today. Direct call-outs on Santee or Lake Murray weren't in today's feeds, but the seasonal pattern lines up with what Tactical Bassin describes for August largemouth this week: fish sliding onto deep structure and into shade as afternoon heat builds, staying catchable in the low-light hours rather than through midday. Santee-Cooper's landlocked striper and blue/channel catfish fisheries typically hold up through summer heat by pushing toward the thermocline and cooler deep holes, while crappie tend to go quiet until temperatures ease later in the fall. Largemouth remain the most reliable target right now, working shaded cover, docks, and offshore structure during the dawn and dusk windows bookending the heat of the day.
Potomac smallmouth settle into steady summer flow pattern
Flow on the Potomac held at 1,890 cfs as of midday per USGS gauge 01646500, a stable, wadeable summer stage for anglers working the Potomac and Shenandoah systems. Water-temperature data wasn't available from the gauge today, but early August typically keeps both rivers warm enough to push smallmouth bass into classic summer behavior: dawn and dusk topwater over ledges and riffles, sliding deeper and slower once the sun climbs. No verified regional angler reports came through today's intel sweep for this stretch, so what follows leans on typical seasonal patterns rather than fresh eyewitness accounts, worth being upfront about rather than inventing a bite. Largemouth in slower pools and tributary mouths tend to go quiet under bright midday light, favoring shade and low-light windows. Channel catfish stay dependable after dark on deeper holes, and panfish continue working shallow cover and grass edges through the heat.
Low, clear flows put UP trout streams into stealth mode
The lone hard number this cycle: 55.8 cfs at the monitored USGS gauge (04059500), a typical late-summer base-flow reading with no paired water-temperature data available — a signal that Upper Peninsula trout streams are running low and clear as August settles in. That combination usually pushes brook and brown trout tight to undercut banks, root wads, and shaded riffles, with the best window at dawn and dusk before the sun flattens the bite. Direct MI-specific what's-biting reports were sparse in this cycle's feeds, so we're leaning on seasonal pattern rather than fresh testimony, worth noting rather than papering over. Field & Stream's rundown on matching aquatic insects (mayflies, stoneflies, caddisflies, midges) is a useful refresher for stream anglers working slower, technical water right now. On the Lake Superior side, WI DNR Lake Superior Fishing notes continued interest in the region's lake whitefish fishery, a reminder the big lake is worth a look beyond trout streams alone.
Quabbin and Wachusett smallmouth stay steady into August heat
USGS gauge 01174500 logged flow holding steady at 127 cfs as of midday Tuesday, a stable read that points to clear, wadable conditions across the Quabbin and Wachusett watershed heading into the second week of August. No reports came in specifically from Quabbin or Wachusett this cycle, but The Fisherman's New England Freshwater desk flagged solid action on nearby MA/RI waters this week: largemouth bass eating shiners, wacky worms, and Ned Rigs, smallmouth chewing Senkos and Ned-rigged worms, and stocked trout still biting Ned Rigs off deep humps. Those same presentations typically translate well to the deep, clear structure smallmouth and lake trout favor at Quabbin, and to the largemouth-friendly coves at Wachusett. Late-summer heat has bass sliding toward deeper drop-edges and shaded docks during the day, with dawn and dusk windows staying the most reliable bet. Check current state regulations before targeting trout or lake trout this month.
Highland Lakes bass slide deep as August heat holds firm
The Colorado River gauge at USGS site 08158000 read 239 cfs Wednesday morning, a modest, steady release that points to stable pool conditions across the Highland Lakes chain right now. No shop, captain, or agency filed a specific report on Travis, LBJ, or Buchanan this week, so this update leans on typical late-summer behavior for the system: largemouth bass sliding onto deep structure, creek channels, and ledges as surface water heats up, with topwater windows shrinking to first and last light. White bass and striped bass, both staples of these reservoirs, tend to suspend over deep humps and roadbeds through August, feeding hardest at dawn and dusk. For regional color, My Canyon Lake Fishing reported active schooling striper and white bass action around Party Cove on a different Hill Country lake earlier this season, a pattern that commonly extends to the Highland Lakes chain as summer wears on. Verify current lake levels and generation schedules before you launch.
Kenai salmon handoff builds as coho stage behind the sockeye run
The USGS gauge on the Kenai river system read 14,600 cfs and 50°F at 9 a.m. this morning, a combination that keeps salmon moving through the system rather than stalling in warm shallow water. Our angler-intel feeds didn't return direct "what's biting" reports for the Kenai or interior Alaska drainages this cycle; AK Sea Grant's recent posts covered fellowship programs and Kodiak kelp-week events rather than fishing conditions, so what follows draws on typical early-August patterns for this fishery instead of fresh field testimony. Early August is usually the handoff window, sockeye numbers tapering while coho begin pushing into the system, with rainbows and Arctic grayling in the interior tributaries keying on drifting eggs and flesh behind spawning salmon. At 50°F, water stays comfortable for all of the above, so expect fish holding in deeper runs and seams rather than skinny gravel. We'll flag shop and captain reports as soon as they come through.
Smokies trout shift to dawn and dusk as water warms into August
The USGS gauge on the Little Tennessee system (site 03512000) read 68°F with flow holding at 403 cfs as of early Tuesday afternoon, a temperature that sits right at the edge of comfortable for wild trout in Western NC's freestone streams. That's warm enough that fish get lethargic and stressed during peak sun, a pattern Trout Unlimited has been flagging across drought-stressed coldwater fisheries this summer, and similar heat-driven concern has pushed hoot-owl-style restrictions onto more than 1,800 miles of Western rivers per Outdoor Hub. No Smokies-specific angler reports came through our feeds this cycle, so treat the bite call as conditions-driven rather than confirmed on the water. Field & Stream's rundown of core trout forage (mayflies, stoneflies, caddisflies, midges) is still the right framework for matching whatever's coming off the water in low light. Early and late are the plays until temps ease.
Mississippi River pools hold summer walleye pattern as flow stays steady
USGS gauge 05344500 logged flow near 14,600 cfs at midday Tuesday, putting the Upper Mississippi pools between Prescott and La Crosse in a stable, unremarkable summer stage with no sharp rise or drawdown to report. Water temperature wasn't available at this gauge. Direct catch reports specific to this stretch weren't in this cycle's feeds, so we're leaning on general Upper Midwest patterns from Fishing the Midwest: Mike Frisch and Bob Jensen both note that Forward-Facing Sonar has shifted where anglers find suspended walleye, pulling fish off the bottom-hugging spots anglers used to fish almost exclusively, while casting moving baits over emerging weed edges keeps producing largemouth and smallmouth through summer. Expect the same general patterns to carry over onto these pools. Channel cats should still be workable on cut bait in current seams below wing dams. Check Wisconsin and Minnesota regs before harvesting, and always confirm species-specific rules for the pool you're fishing before keeping fish.