Fishing reports
19036 reports across all 50 states — current conditions and what's biting.
Gulf of Alaska Eases Into Peak Silver and Pink Salmon Season
Early August sits in the heart of the Gulf of Alaska's summer fishery, with silver salmon runs typically building through the month as pink salmon push into nearshore waters on this even-year cycle. No NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came through for this cycle, and this week's AK Sea Grant coverage centered on shellfish and coastal programs — an oyster initiative and a Kodiak kelp week — rather than on-the-water catch reports, so today's outlook leans on general seasonal patterns rather than fresh angler testimony. Halibut remains a mainstay summer target across the Gulf, typically fished with bait near bottom structure, while king salmon action is usually tapering off by early August as that run winds down. Rockfish continue to offer steady action around structure for anglers rounding out a mixed bag. Check current state regulations before targeting any species this month, since seasons and limits vary by area and can shift with little notice.
Fluke and sea bass carry NJ shore action into early August
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for Delaware Bay today, so this update leans on what nearby NJ shops and boats are reporting along the coast this week. Fluke are the headline: Capt Ron's out of Atlantic Highlands has put customers on 3- to 6-pound doormats on bucktails and slugged baits, and Fishermans HQ LBI is mixing keeper fluke with croaker and short bluefish. Grumpys Tackle says the surf fluke bite is showing steady improvement on bucktails and scented soft artificial baits, with occasional bluefish and striped bass still working around bunker schools, plus croaker and spot active in the back bays. Sea bass are red hot for Blue Chip Sportfishing, who report limiting out on nearly every trip. One LBI report had weakfish quiet while croaker cooperated instead. Expect similar back-bay and inshore patterns to carry over into Delaware Bay proper this week.
Western Basin walleye slide to deeper structure as summer peaks
The regional USGS gauge (site 04193500) has water sitting at 72°F with flow near 414 cfs as of this morning, conditions consistent with the deep post-spawn stretch of summer for Western Basin walleye. No Lake Erie-specific reports came in through the feeds this cycle, so we're leaning on regional walleye know-how: Fishing the Midwest notes anglers across the region are rethinking the old assumption that walleye sit tight to bottom structure, with forward-facing sonar increasingly showing fish suspended off traditional points and breaklines rather than glued to them. That shift is worth applying here too, since Western Basin walleye typically scatter toward deeper reef and mid-lake structure and suspend over open water once surface temps peak in August. Crankbait trolling and livebait rigs should still produce, but don't ignore suspended fish away from classic spots. Perch and smallmouth bass remain steady options in similar depth ranges. Check current Ohio regs before harvesting.
Flaming Gorge tailwater trout stay lively as regional heat mounts
The Green River below Flaming Gorge Dam registered a comfortably cool 59°F with flow holding near 1,600 cfs at USGS gauge 09234500 early Monday morning, keeping this tailwater in prime shape for August trout fishing while much of the interior West bakes under summer drought conditions (per Trout Unlimited's regional coverage of the Colorado and Rio Grande basins). Rainbow trout and brown trout remain the headline draw on this blue-ribbon stretch, feeding steadily where dam-controlled releases hold water temperatures well below what freestone rivers see this time of year. Mountain whitefish continue to show as a reliable bycatch on nymph rigs worked deep. Hatch Magazine's notes on getting a streamer properly "in the zone," and its guidance on leading a rising trout, both apply directly to tailwater fishing like this, where fish key on subtle drifts and precise depth control rather than pure temperature-driven feeding windows. Waning gibbous moonlight favors low-light activity at dawn and dusk.
Spring-fed cool keeps Current, Niangua trout biting through peak heat
Flow on the Current River (USGS gauge 07067000, Van Buren) is running near 1,080 cfs as of early Sunday morning, with no live temperature reading available for this cycle. That's typical late-summer water for these Ozark tailwater trout parks, and it matters more than the calendar suggests: Current and Niangua are spring-fed systems, so while national outlets like Wired 2 Fish describe most U.S. fisheries as deep in a tough post-spawn August pattern, these rivers hold onto cooler, more stable conditions than reservoirs or freeflowing warmwater streams nearby. As Caddis Fly Shop notes in its broader midsummer coverage, trout are cold-blooded and their activity tracks water temperature closely — the exact reason these constant-temperature spring branches keep fishing better in August than most regional water. We didn't find charter, shop, or state-agency reports specific to Montauk or Bennett Spring this cycle, so treat species notes below as seasonal generalizations rather than confirmed bites.
Door County, Sheboygan gear up for late-summer salmon push
Wisconsin DNR's Lake Michigan Fishing Report highlighted 2024 as one of the biggest harvest years on record, with anglers landing more than 210,000 coho salmon and over 160,000 Chinook, the best Chinook numbers since 2012, on the strength of stronger alewife survival. That forage boost carries into the current season, and early August on the Door County and Sheboygan waters typically means salmon still staging in deeper, cooler water offshore before the fall push toward harbors and river mouths. Smallmouth bass stay active around rocky structure through the warm months, a fishery the DNR has been reviewing for Green Bay and northern Lake Michigan management. No buoy or gauge readings came back for this stretch of shoreline this cycle, and none of today's angler-intel feeds carried a fresh Door County or Sheboygan bite report, so treat the above as seasonal expectation rather than a confirmed weekly bite until local reports catch up.
Bass and walleye dig in deep as summer heat grips Indiana waters
The Wabash River gauge near Vincennes (USGS 03335500) read 2,410 cfs early this morning, steady current that favors moving baits along seams and current breaks. No water-temperature reading came through this cycle, but by early August, Indiana's rivers and Lake Michigan waters typically sit at their yearly peak, which pushes largemouth and smallmouth bass into their full post-spawn, deep-water pattern — Wired 2 Fish's August lure roundup notes bass nationwide are "as deep as they'll get all year" right now. Walleye anglers are adjusting too: Fishing the Midwest's Mike Frisch reports that forward-facing sonar has shown walleye suspending well off bottom through summer rather than holding strictly to classic points and weedlines. Panfish and perch should be working deeper structure on Lake Michigan as the heat settles in, though no direct reports on that bite came through this cycle, so treat it as a seasonal expectation rather than a confirmed pattern.
Cold Buford Dam releases keep trout going as lake bass slide deep
Below Buford Dam, the Chattahoochee tailrace gauge read 49°F with 613 cfs flowing on the morning of August 3 — the cold, oxygenated release that keeps a trout fishery viable here even as Lanier and Allatoona's open water sits at typical August highs. Up on the main lakes, the pattern reads classic late-summer bass: fish have pushed off spawning banks onto deep structure and submerged grass, the shift Tactical Bassin's August rundown calls the difference between getting skunked and filling a livewell right now. GA Sportsman/Georgia Outdoor News' Southern Waters Fishing Report (Aug. 1) described bass fishing statewide as fairly tough with the heat locked in, a trend worth carrying into how Lanier and Allatoona are fishing through their own thermocline squeeze. Largemouth and spotted bass are working deep cover and suspended baitfish; hybrid stripers are likely doing the same. The tailrace stays the wildcard for anyone wanting cooler water and a different bite.
Susquehanna bass go deep as summer heat and high water settle in
Our reading from USGS gauge 01540500 on the Susquehanna shows water sitting at 78°F with flow running an elevated 8,080 cfs, a combination that has warmwater species firmly in their summer pattern. Wired 2 Fish's August lure roundup notes bass across the country are full-blown post-spawn and holding as deep as they'll get all year once water tops 80 degrees, and Susquehanna and Allegheny bass are following that same script, sliding off bank cover onto offshore structure. Walleye anglers are seeing a similar shift, with Fishing the Midwest describing fish increasingly found suspended off bottom now that forward-facing sonar has changed how anglers locate them rather than defaulting to points and weedlines. Trout fishing is the slow link right now — warm water typically pushes fish into thermal refuges through August, and Pennsylvania just approved a statewide minimum trout size bump to 9 inches (per Wired 2 Fish) that takes effect in 2027.
Illinois anglers dial in deep-water summer bass and walleye patterns
USGS gauge 05586100 on the Illinois River was running 14,500 cfs as of early Sunday morning, with no water-temperature reading logged this cycle — worth checking your own sonar temp before committing to a stretch. Direct Illinois catch reports were thin in this cycle's feeds, but the seasonal signal from regional outlets lines up with what's typical for early August: Tactical Bassin's August breakdown describes bass as fully post-spawn and pushed offshore into deeper cover and submerged vegetation, a pattern that generally holds across Midwest bass fisheries including Illinois River backwaters and Lake Michigan structure. Fishing the Midwest notes walleye anglers increasingly leaning on forward-facing sonar to find fish suspended off bottom rather than pinned to classic structure like points and weedlines. Expect largemouth and smallmouth to hold deep through the heat, with walleye scattered and sonar-dependent until conditions ease.
Low, clear flows push Catawba-Roanoke bass into deep summer holding
USGS gauge 02142900 logged a scant 9.04 cfs at 7:20 a.m. this morning, the kind of low, clear late-summer flow that pushes freshwater fish off the bank and into deeper cover. No dedicated Catawba or Roanoke field reports came through today's feeds, so we're leaning on general August guidance from bass-fishing outlets: Wired 2 Fish notes that by August most bass nationwide are full-blown post-spawn and holding as deep as they'll get all year, while Tactical Bassin's recent August coverage emphasizes getting away from the bank and working submerged vegetation and offshore cover once the shallow bite fades. That pattern tracks with what low, warm flows typically do to largemouth, catfish, and crappie in Piedmont and coastal-plain waters this time of year — expect a tighter, deeper bite than the spring run offered, with low-light windows doing most of the work.
Deep summer patterns take over Potomac and Patapsco bass
USGS gauge 01589000 is holding at 159 cfs as of early Wednesday morning, a stable stage that keeps both the Potomac and Patapsco fishable as the hottest stretch of the year sets in. Wired 2 Fish's August lure roundup notes bass nationwide are now full-blown post-spawn, pushed to their deepest water of the year, and that pattern is right on schedule here too, largemouth and smallmouth sliding off shallow cover onto channel breaks, humps, and submerged timber. Tactical Bassin's recent summer-pattern reports back the same read, noting bass split into two predictable groups once temperatures peak and reward anglers who leave the bank for offshore structure. No Maryland-specific shop or agency report reached us this cycle, so treat the species notes below as seasonal defaults rather than a confirmed local bite, and always check current conditions before committing to one spot.
Rio Grande drought tightens its grip, pushing trout to first light
The USGS gauge at site 08330000 read 0 cfs on this morning's check, a stark number for Rio Grande basin freshwater and one that lines up with what Trout Unlimited has been documenting all season across the Rio Grande and Colorado: record-low snowpack, drying reservoirs, and heat stacked on top of more than 25 years of Southwest drought. No water-temperature reading came through on this pass, but with flows this thin, trout in the Rio Grande and San Juan systems are almost certainly holding in whatever deeper, shaded pockets remain. Caddis Fly (OR), reposting Trout Unlimited's primer on cold-blooded fish, is a timely reminder this week: a trout's body temperature tracks the water directly, so a heat-stressed fish takes longer to recover from a fight and release. Plan around first light, keep fights short, and treat any hoot-owl or voluntary closure notice as more than a suggestion this month.
Kings, browns, and lakers stack up offshore before fall push
Salmon fishing has been very good the past week on Lake Ontario, per Strike Zone Charters (Lake Ontario), with browns and lake trout mixed in alongside Chinooks holding in 100 to 160 feet of water. Preferred depths are shifting day to day as wind pushes the thermocline around, and the charter reports Mag Dipsey Divers working best when fish sit deep, with green, white, and chartreuse e-chips and Atomic-brand attractors drawing strikes. Upstream, the Salmon River itself is running low and stable at 55 cfs per USGS gauge 04250750, typical for a dry early-August stretch before the fall king run stages up. Post-spawn summer patterns are pushing most freshwater species toward their deepest, most temperature-stable water this time of year, per Wired 2 Fish, so the offshore program out of the harbors remains the higher-percentage play over tributary fishing for now. We're watching for the first rain-driven flow bump that typically kicks off staging.
Ozark bass push deep as August heat locks in the pattern
Our reading at USGS gauge 06934500 puts water temperature at 82°F with flow running high near 48,500 cfs, conditions that put Ozark-area rivers squarely into classic summer mode. Per Wired 2 Fish, August water temperatures are topping out for the year nationwide, and bass are now fully post-spawn and holding as deep as they'll get all season — a pattern that tracks with what we're seeing locally. Tactical Bassin backs that up, noting bass become predictable once the heat locks in and separate into distinct summer groups anglers can dial in; the shop's recent field reports favor jigs and swimbaits as two of August's most overlooked baits, along with working offshore cover instead of the bank. Fishing the Midwest adds that walleye anglers are leaning more on forward-facing sonar to locate suspended fish rather than assuming they're glued to bottom structure. No direct catfish reports came through this week, so expect typical warm-water activity.
Taneycomo trout turn aggressive as trophy season rebounds
Lilleys Landing's August 1 report from Lake Taneycomo describes trout that are "super aggressive lately, hitting hard with no pecking around," a notable shift after a choppier stretch earlier this season. The shop's trophy release program has picked back up after a slow spring, a sign bigger fish are moving and feeding more consistently. Guides are finding their best afternoon action on a Provo rig, while shop staff report solid results with a simpler drift presentation: a weight on bottom with a drop-shot loop set about 18 inches up, tied with stiffer Vanish fluorocarbon tippet. Earlier reports from the same shop trace a rockier build-up to this point — heavy June generation driven by watershed rain made bank and dock fishing tough, and July brought more no-generation stretches, especially in mornings, that helped conditions turn a corner heading into August on Lake Taneycomo.
Delta bass dig deep as summer heat and tides take charge
The Delta's only hard number today is a tidal one: the gauge at site 11455420 logged -8,060 cfs in the pre-dawn hours of August 3, meaning the incoming tide was pushing water upstream rather than draining it, a normal signature for this system in peak summer. No water-temperature reading came through this cycle, and no shop, charter, or agency source filed a Delta-specific report this week, so today's read leans on seasonal pattern rather than fresh eyewitness accounts. The one usable piece of technique intel comes from Tactical Bassin's national August coverage: as water peaks for the year, bass abandon the bank and stack on submerged vegetation, offshore structure, and deeper cover, favoring jigs and swimbaits over baits worked shallow. We'd expect Delta largemouth to follow the same script through the heat. Striper activity typically eases through this stretch as fish scatter toward deeper water, while catfish and sturgeon tend to hold up steadier through the warmest weeks.
South Fork Snake cutthroat bite holds as strong summer flows continue
Flows on the Snake River near Heise are holding at a strong 10,200 cfs as of early Sunday morning, per USGS gauge 13037500, a robust push for the South Fork heading into peak August heat. Water temperature wasn't reported at the gauge this cycle, so we can't confirm exactly how warm the surface has gotten, but flows of this size typically keep this stretch's famed cutthroat and rainbow trout water well-oxygenated and fish spread through riffles and seams rather than stacked in shallow pools. No South Fork-specific angler reports came through our sources this cycle; the regional intel we pulled skewed toward national bass and saltwater coverage rather than Idaho trout water. What we can lean on is general seasonal behavior noted by outlets like Wired 2 Fish: post-spawn trout typically sit deeper and feed hardest in low-light windows once summer temps peak, a pattern that should carry over to the South Fork's cutthroat and brown trout. Early mornings and last light remain the higher-percentage bets until a fresher local read comes in.
Lake Trout Keep Biting Strong on MN's North Shore
Surface water temperatures near Duluth climbed into the 60-65°F range this week, with cooler pockets of 45-60°F persisting near McQuade, Knife River, and Two Harbors, according to the MN DNR's Lake Superior Summer Fishing report (7-30-26). Warm water extended as deep as 60 feet in spots, a sign the summer thermocline pattern anglers have been working all July is still in play. Earlier July reports from the same DNR feed describe steady action: anglers trolling bright spoons, stick baits, and flasher flies 30-60 feet down over 100-150 feet of water picked up good numbers of 18-31 inch Lake Trout and 16-18 inch Coho Salmon, with a few larger Chinook Salmon mixed in. Inland, Fishing the Midwest notes Forward-Facing Sonar has reshaped how anglers locate summer walleyes, pushing more anglers off traditional bottom structure. River flows remain elevated at both monitored gauges, reflecting a wet stretch across the region.
Savannah chain bass push deep as August heat locks in
The Savannah River near Clyo is running low and falling — 354 cfs as of this morning's USGS reading — matching the basin-wide summer squeeze GA Sportsman's Joshua Barber described in his August 1 Southern Waters report, calling conditions 'scorching hot' with fishing 'fairly tough due to the heat.' On Lake Hartwell and Russell, that squeeze typically means classic post-spawn deep patterns: Wired2Fish's August lure roundup notes bass nationwide are fully post-spawn and pushed as deep as they'll get all year, while Tactical Bassin's recent summer breakdowns point anglers toward offshore cover and submerged vegetation over bank-beating once surface temps peak. Expect largemouth and spotted bass holding tight to deep structure, responding best to jigs and swimbaits worked slow. Striper activity likely slides deeper and quieter under the heat, while bream stay catchable shallow in the cooler dawn hours before the sun takes over.
Erie walleye still biting as low water grips Presque Isle feeders
USGS gauge 04213000 is reading a scant 24.8 cfs as of early Sunday morning, signaling low, clear flow on the tributary streams that feed Lake Erie's south shore near Presque Isle. Low, clear water keeps wading easy but pushes fish tight to shade and structure, a pattern Wired 2 Fish's August lure roundup calls typical nationwide once summer water temps peak and fish settle into full post-spawn mode. On the open lake, walleye and smallmouth bass remain the mainstay this time of year, holding on offshore structure rather than the shoreline, consistent with the deep-water, structure-first approach Fishing the Midwest describes for summer walleye. Yellow perch are a steady bet in Presque Isle Bay through August, typical for the fishery. Steelhead and stream trout are in their expected summer lull well ahead of the fall tributary run. Note also Wired 2 Fish's report that PA's statewide trout minimum size limit rises from 7 to 9 inches starting January 1, 2027.
Smallmouth Bass Push Deep as Peak Summer Heat Grips Champlain
Our reading from USGS gauge 04294500 puts water in the mid-70s this week, squarely in the post-spawn heat window that regional bass reports describe as the toughest stretch of the season. Wired 2 Fish's August lure roundup notes that by this point bass across the country are full-blown post-spawn and pushed to their deepest water of the year, a pattern that tracks for Champlain smallmouth as the shallows warm past their comfort zone. Tactical Bassin's recent summer-pattern videos back that up, describing bass keying on submerged vegetation, offshore cover, and deeper structure once the bank bite fades, with jigs and swimbaits producing when moving baits slow down. Fishing the Midwest's notes on forward-facing sonar changing how anglers locate suspended fish apply directly to smallmouth working deep humps and drop-offs here. Landlocked salmon, typically holding near the thermocline in August, should stay a deeper, patient bite through the heat.
Bass push deep as August heat settles over Smith Mountain Lake
The regional USGS gauge (02075045) is reading a healthy 5,050 cfs this morning, a sign of solid flow moving through the Smith Mountain Lake–Buggs Island system as we head deeper into August. No water-temp reading came through with this cycle, but the calendar alone tells the story: Wired 2 Fish's August lure roundup notes that water temps nationwide have topped out for the year and most bass are full-blown post-spawn, pushed as deep as they'll get. Tactical Bassin echoes that shift, reporting bass separating into two camps this time of year — a shallow grass-and-shad group and a suspended offshore group — and warning anglers who stay glued to the bank that they're missing the better bite out over submerged vegetation and deep cover. For Smith Mountain and Buggs Island anglers, that means working away from the shoreline and expecting largemouth and smallmouth to hold tight to structure through the heat.
Northwoods musky bite steadies as summer heat breaks
Water temps in Oneida and Vilas counties spiked into the mid-to-high 80s during a recent heatwave, well above the 80-degree safety threshold anglers watch for muskies, per Rollie & Helen's Musky Shop's Late July 2026 report. A cold front has since pushed overnight lows into the 40s, cooling mid-sized lakes back into the 70s and stabilizing conditions across the region. No fresh USGS gauge reading came through for this stretch, so treat exact water temp and flow as unconfirmed until the next check. With thermal stress easing, musky anglers should see more predictable, catchable fish behavior according to the shop's report. Elsewhere in the Midwest walleye world, Fishing the Midwest notes anglers increasingly leaning on forward-facing sonar to locate fish suspended off bottom rather than sticking to traditional structure-only spots, while moving baits worked over emerging weed tops are producing smallmouth. Expect a typical late-summer adjustment period as fish settle into post-frontal patterns over the next few days.