Fishing reports
19070 reports across all 50 states — current conditions and what's biting.
Taneycomo trout bite rebounds as generation eases
Trout fishing on Lake Taneycomo has picked up over the last couple of weeks, according to Lilleys Landing's July 4 report, a welcome turn after a rough June marked by heavy, inconsistent generation from a wet watershed. With those rains subsided, Lilleys Landing expects more stretches of no generation heading into late summer, especially in early morning hours, even as afternoons and evenings still see heavier flows. That mixed pattern rewards anglers who fish the calm morning windows before turbine releases pick up. Table Rock itself continues to feed Taneycomo's cold tailwater fishery, and with river levels currently easing rather than surging, wading and drift presentations below the dam should be more manageable than they were a month ago. Check current generation schedules before you head out, since flow timing is still the single biggest variable driving whether the bite window is short or long on any given day.
Delta Bite Settles Into Classic Late-July Summer Rhythm
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for the Sacramento-San Joaquin system today, and this week's angler-intel pull surfaced ocean reports and out-of-region blog content rather than boots-on-the-water accounts from the Delta itself — including NorCal Fish Reports, whose feed returned only a site directory with no current bite details. With that gap acknowledged, this update leans on typical late-July Delta patterns under this week's full moon. Largemouth bass typically hold tight to tule lines and dock shade during the early and late low-light windows, sliding toward deeper water once the sun climbs. Striped bass tend to drop into deeper channel edges and drop-offs as surface temps peak in summer heat. Sturgeon and channel catfish generally shift toward more active after-dark feeding this time of year, a pattern the full moon should reinforce. Treat the species notes below as seasonal expectation, not confirmed local intel, until a fresh Delta-specific report comes through.
Summer heat and a full moon push Snake River trout to the margins of the day
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for the Snake River and South Fork today, so this update leans on seasonal pattern and technique notes from the broader trout press rather than site-specific data. Late July has area rainbows, cutthroat, and browns in full summer mode, and cold-blooded trout track water temperature closely — a point Trout Unlimited's July piece, reposted via Caddis Fly (OR), makes plain in explaining how rising heat compresses feeding windows toward dawn and dusk. On presentation, Hatch Magazine's guidance on leading a rising trout, drawn from guide experience on spring-creek and freestone water like the Henry's Fork, Yellowstone, and Madison, is a useful reminder for South Fork dry-fly days: missed strikes usually trace back to poor lead distance rather than fly choice. Expect bright, low, clear summer flows and a full moon that can shift some feeding into overnight hours, thinning the daytime bite further. Confirm current flows and hatch activity locally before heading out.
Lake Trout Keep Biting on Lake Superior as North Shore Waters Swing
Lake trout are keeping North Shore trollers busy: the MN DNR Lake Superior Summer Fishing report (7-23-26) describes a steady bite on 18- to 30-inch fish even as surface temperatures swung from 41°F where wind pushed cold water toward shore to 60°F offshore. That follows weeks of consistent action, per DNR reports dating back to late June, with anglers trolling bright spoons, stick baits, and flasher flies near the thermocline in 100-150 feet of water and pulling lake trout alongside coho and chinook salmon. Highway 61 construction near the McQuade intersection and Lighthouse Point Road in Two Harbors is worth planning shore trips around. Inland, Fishing the Midwest notes Minnesota walleye anglers are blending traditional live-bait rigs with forward-facing sonar to locate suspended fish, while largemouth bass are keying on emerging weed cover for moving baits. We'd expect the Full Moon to sharpen low-light bites through the Twin Cities lake district this week.
Full moon tides set the pace for summer trout and reds in MS Sound
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through this cycle, and none of this week's angler-intel feeds carried specific on-the-water reports for Mississippi Sound, so this update leans on typical late-July patterns rather than a fresh bite report. Speckled trout and redfish are the Sound's summer mainstays, generally holding in deeper holes and along grass edges through the heat of the day and sliding onto shallow flats and marsh drains during the low-light hours around dawn and dusk. A full moon this week means stronger tidal exchange, which typically sharpens feeding windows around moving water for both species. Flounder tend to sit tight to structure and channel edges in mid-summer, while Spanish mackerel often show along nearshore reefs and rigs as surface temperatures peak. With no verified local reports available this cycle, treat all of the above as seasonal general knowledge and check current conditions before heading out.
Spotted bass and hybrids go deep as Hartwell chain settles into dog-days mode
USGS gauge 02192000 is reading a modest 511 cfs this week, pointing to stable, low-generation flow moving through the Savannah system as the Hartwell-Russell chain heads into the last days of July. No water-temp reading came through on this cycle, but full summer heat has clearly settled over the region — GA Sportsman/Georgia Outdoor News reports out of West Point, Lake Blackshear, and Lake Eufaula this week all tell the same story: extreme heat has made bass fishing tough, with the best window at first light on topwater before the sun climbs, then a shift to deep, isolated cover once it shuts down. Nothing hyper-local to Hartwell or Russell came through the wire this cycle, but that dog-days pattern is consistent across Georgia reservoirs right now. Expect Hartwell's well-known spotted bass to hold tight to standing timber and deep brush, with hybrids and stripers suspending over creek channels chasing bait schools. Fish the first hour of daylight hard, then adjust deep.
Erie walleye and smallmouth settle into classic late-July patterns
The clearest hard number in today's feed is flow, not bite reports: the USGS gauge near the Presque Isle watershed (04213000) is running a lean 18.2 cfs, typical for late July once tributaries drop and clear under summer heat. Direct "what's biting" intel specifically for Lake Erie or Presque Isle was thin this cycle — PA Fish & Boat's Biologist Reports page didn't carry fresh Erie-specific notes today, so we're leaning on typical seasonal patterns rather than fresh eyewitness reports. That's normal for this stretch of summer: walleye slide to deeper, cooler water and respond to trolled crankbaits, smallmouth bass stay aggressive on faster reaction baits in warm shallows (a pattern Tactical Bassin's August bass rundown highlights broadly for warm-water fish), and yellow perch schools hold tight to structure. Steelhead stay dormant until the fall run returns to Presque Isle's tributaries. Check current PA Fish & Boat regulations before keeping anything.
Puget Sound anglers eye peak summer salmon push
Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife's statewide creel survey program is the backbone of what's tracked across Puget Sound and the Pacific Coast, interviewing anglers at access sites and logging stocking activity in lakes and streams statewide, per WA WDFW Fishing Reports. This cycle came through without fresh NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings for the region, and none of today's angler-intel feeds carried a specific Puget Sound or Washington coast catch report, so we're leaning on typical late-July patterns rather than fresh creel numbers. Late summer is usually prime time for Puget Sound Chinook and coho action along tide rips and bait balls, with lingcod and rockfish holding over deeper structure on the outer coast. Halibut seasons in Washington marine areas typically wind down or hit quota by this point in summer, so that fishery is usually cooling off. Check WDFW's current creel and catch reports before planning a trip, since specific numbers weren't available for this update.
Smith Mountain and Buggs Island settle into summer bass rhythm
The USGS gauge at site 02075045 logged 796 cfs early this morning, a moderate flow that should keep tailwater stretches below Buggs Island's John H. Kerr Dam fishable without the current turning too tough to work. No fresh angler reports came in specifically from Smith Mountain Lake or Buggs Island this cycle, so we're leaning on typical late-July patterns for these Virginia reservoirs: striped bass pushing toward deeper, cooler water and the thermocline through the hottest hours, largemouth sliding onto offshore grass and channel-adjacent cover, and smallmouth holding tighter to rocky main-lake structure on Smith Mountain. Tactical Bassin's general summer-bass rundown this week backs the offshore-and-deeper-cover approach for hot-weather largemouth. Water temperature wasn't reported at the gauge, so plan around the cooler morning and evening low-light windows until a fresh reading comes in. Tonight's full moon typically nudges nocturnal and low-light feeding activity, which is worth building a dawn or after-dark trip around this week.
Mullet run stirs Panhandle inshore bite as red snapper rules shift
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for the Destin/Pensacola corridor this cycle, so this report leans on angler chatter and this week's regulatory news. On the Pensacola Fishing Forum, local anglers describe the Choctawhatchee River Delta mullet holes "working very well as they always do this time of year," a classic mid-to-late-summer signal that draws predators like redfish and trout tight to the bait schools — treat it as local color rather than confirmed intel until a shop or captain report backs it up. Separately, Anglers Journal reports Florida is pushing to take state control of Atlantic-coast red snapper management, a reminder that Gulf-side red snapper rules (the ones that matter for Destin and Pensacola boats) run on their own separate federal/state calendar, so check current season dates before you target them. Expect typical late-July Panhandle conditions: warm surface water, bait pushing into the passes, and a mixed inshore/nearshore bite around the full moon's stronger tidal swings.
Cold front pulls Northwoods musky lakes back into the strike zone
Water temps across Oneida and Vilas county musky lakes spiked into the mid-to-high 80s during a recent July heatwave, pushing well past the 80-degree threshold anglers use as a safe ceiling for catch-and-release musky fishing, according to Rollie & Helen's Musky Shop (WI). A cold front has since moved through, dropping overnight lows into the 40s and cooling surface temps on mid-sized lakes back into the mid-70s, easing stress risk and putting muskies back in active play. No fresh NOAA buoy or USGS reading came through for this cycle (gauge 05400650 logged no data), so the shop's on-the-water report is the best signal available this week. Walleye should be holding typical summer structure patterns, with forward-facing sonar increasingly changing where anglers look for suspended fish, per Fishing the Midwest. With a Full Moon overhead, expect stronger low-light and nighttime activity. Give released fish extra care and check state regs before harvesting.
Steady summer flows keep Columbia basin runs on track
Flow at USGS gauge 14113000 held at 783 cfs with water temperature reading 62°F early Tuesday morning, a solid mid-summer stage for Columbia and Puget Sound river systems. Direct on-the-water intel for this specific stretch was thin this cycle, so we're leaning on seasonal expectations: 62°F water is comfortable smallmouth bass territory and sits in the window where summer steelhead and chinook typically stage in Columbia tributaries before pushing upstream. WA WDFW's statewide creel and catch reporting program is the best public source for confirming which specific waters are producing right now, and anglers should check it before planning a trip. On the bass side, Wired 2 Fish's coverage of a decade-long Wisconsin DNR study is a good reminder that individual fish vary in how catchable they are regardless of conditions, so a slow morning doesn't always mean the whole population is off. Check state regs before harvesting anything this trip.
Deep-summer bass patterns settle over Toledo Bend and Sabine
The USGS gauge at site 08025500 clocked flow near 3.4 cfs early this morning, a steady reading that points to stable, low water heading into the weekend. Direct on-the-water reports for Toledo Bend and the Sabine border were thin this cycle, so we're leaning on regional trends rather than a specific local bite call. Tactical Bassin's current summer coverage highlights offshore and dropshot patterns working as largemouth push off the bank in peak heat, a pattern that tracks for this stretch of the Sabine system too. Louisiana Sportsman flagged a legal shift worth knowing before you launch: LDWF agents now need reasonable suspicion to stop and board boats. With the full moon overhead, expect low-light bites at dawn and dusk to carry the day, while midday activity likely slows across most species until temperatures ease.
Steady flows keep Olympic Peninsula salmon rivers in play
USGS gauge 12041200 is reading 1240 cfs this morning, a stable late-July base flow with no water-temperature data attached to this reading. The paired gauge, USGS 12035000, isn't posting a reading at all right now, so that stretch's flow and temperature should be treated as unknown rather than assumed. This cycle's angler intel turned up no captain reports, shop updates, or state notes specific to Olympic Peninsula salmon rivers, so we're not going to manufacture a bite report that isn't there. For real creel numbers and current stocking activity, WA WDFW's Fishing and Stocking Reports page (WA WDFW Fishing Reports) is the direct source to check before a trip. Working from typical late-July timing on these systems, summer Chinook and summer-run steelhead are the realistic freshwater targets right now, with coho still weeks away from showing in numbers. Tonight's full moon can shift low-light feeding windows earlier and later in the day. Check current regulations and gauge conditions before you go.
Salmon fishery strong lakewide as Indiana shoreline bite stays seasonal
Lake Michigan's forage base keeps paying off lakewide: the WI DNR Lake Michigan Fishing Report notes 2024 produced a record coho salmon harvest (over 210,000 fish) plus strong Chinook salmon and steelhead numbers, evidence the salmonid fishery Indiana anglers share access to remains in good shape. No fresh NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came in for the Indiana shoreline this cycle, and nothing in today's feed filed a current, dated bite report for this specific stretch, so this update leans on seasonal expectation rather than a live dispatch. Late July on the Indiana Lake Michigan shoreline typically means yellow perch schooling over deeper structure, smallmouth bass working rock piles and pier structure, and salmon and steelhead running more available to boats fishing well offshore or near river mouths as surface water warms. Treat the species notes below as seasonal groundwork rather than a confirmed bite, and check a local source before planning a trip around it.
Full-moon mutton spawn keeps Key West snapper bite red hot
Mutton snapper are "chewing like crazy" around this month's full moon, with yellowtails "practically jumping in the boat," per ALL IN Key West, whose captain calls the May-through-July stretch some of the best fishing he's seen in 16 years working out of Key West. Bud n' Mary's early-summer report backs up the pattern for the wider Keys, pointing anglers to tarpon holding on the bridges, mahi showing offshore in the Gulf Stream, and yellowtail stacked on the reef, calling this window "prime time" for the fishery's full range, from shallow flats to blue water. ALL IN Key West's Gulf-side trips have also been turning grouper, cobia, and kingfish. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for this cycle, so check the local marine forecast before running offshore, but the full moon should keep current and bait movement strong through the reef and channel edges.
Summer heat pushes Chattahoochee bass into deeper water
The Chattahoochee is running elevated near 4,130 cfs at USGS gauge 02197000 as of Tuesday morning, and Georgia's summer heat has anglers working around both the flow and the temperatures rather than fighting them. The Georgia Wildlife Blog's July posts keep pointing anglers toward the state's Public Fishing Areas and its Angler Resources hub for forecasts and stocking updates, and Lake Lanier stayed busy this month with the Georgia SCI Wounded Veterans Fishing Weekend (per GA Sportsman/Georgia Outdoor News) drawing dozens of anglers to the reservoir July 10-12. With direct on-river bite reports thin this cycle, expect the typical late-July pattern: largemouth and spotted bass sliding off bank cover into deeper river holes and current breaks, bream staying reliably active in the shallows, and stripers/hybrids on Lanier working shad schools. Tactical Bassin's August bass tips, dropshotting offshore structure and fishing submerged vegetation away from the bank, apply well to the elevated, warm water anglers are dealing with right now.
Full moon and steady St. Johns flows set up typical summer bass pattern
USGS gauge 02232000 on the St. Johns River near DeLand logged 194 cfs early this morning, a steady, unremarkable summer flow with no big rise or drop to report. Water temperature wasn't captured at this gauge, but late-July readings on Okeechobee and the St. Johns typically run in the mid-to-upper 80s, warm enough to push largemouth bass into classic summer habits: low-light topwater windows at dawn and dusk, deeper grasslines through midday, and an active night bite. No fresh shop, charter, or state-agency reports specific to Okeechobee or St. Johns bass, bream, or crappie action came through this cycle, so treat the species notes below as seasonal defaults rather than confirmed bites. Tonight's full moon is worth planning around, since Florida largemouth anglers commonly report a stronger overnight bite around the full moon in summer.
Saginaw Bay's summer walleye pattern rolls on into a quiet report week
This cycle's data pull came up thin for Lake Huron and Saginaw Bay specifically: the USGS Saginaw River gauge (04157000) returned no flow or temperature reading, no NOAA buoy was reporting, and this week's angler-intel sweep turned up no charter, shop, or MI DNR Weekly Fishing Report content with region-specific catch detail for this stretch. What we can say is grounded in typical late-July patterns for this fishery rather than fresh testimony. Saginaw Bay is a nationally known summer walleye destination, and this time of year the bite typically holds over deeper basin structure and drop-offs as surface water warms. Lake Huron nearshore reefs and rocky points typically stay productive for smallmouth bass through summer, and Chinook salmon are typically staging in cooler, deeper water off river mouths ahead of the fall run. Treat all of the above as seasonal expectation, not a confirmed report, until a direct local source comes through.
Full moon and steady Kennebec flows favor early and late bites
USGS gauge 01046500, upstream in the Kennebec system, logged 1,580 cfs at 7:15 a.m. Tuesday, a solid, stable summer stage with no water-temp reading available from the site this cycle. No charter, shop, or state-agency source in our current watch list filed a direct bite report for the Kennebec or Penobscot this week, so we're leaning on typical late-July freshwater patterns for the region rather than claiming specific reports we don't have. Under a full moon, expect fish to feed more actively overnight and in low light, with a quieter midday window as bright sun and warm surface water push fish deeper or into shade. Smallmouth bass are the most reliable summer target on rocky current seams and gravel bars typical of this stretch; brook trout fishing typically holds up best near cooler tributary mouths and spring seeps once main-stem water warms through midsummer. Check current Maine freshwater regulations before harvesting anything.
Elevated summer flows push Eastern Washington trout deep, bass stay active
Flow at this cycle's monitored river gauge (USGS 12484500) is running strong at 3,640 cfs as of early Tuesday morning, a level on the higher side for late July that tends to push trout and bass out of the main current and into slower seams and deeper holding water. No water temperature reading came through with this gauge cycle, and this week's angler-intel sweep didn't turn up any specific Yakima- or Spokane-area shop, charter, or state-agency catch reports — WDFW's statewide fishing and stocking reports remain the best resource for current creel counts and recent stocking activity in the basin. Absent fresh local bite reports, expect the typical late-July pattern to hold: trout holding deeper and feeding mainly in low light, smallmouth working rocky structure through the day, and kokanee trollers working deeper basins as surface water warms. Tonight's full moon may extend low-light feeding windows into early morning. Check current WDFW reports before heading out for the latest word on what's actually biting.
High water keeps LA river catfish stacked on current seams
USGS gauge 07374000 on the Mississippi River logged 89°F water and roughly 380,000 cfs of flow early this morning, confirming full summer conditions across the Mississippi and Atchafalaya corridor. Direct on-the-water reporting for this stretch was thin this week, so we're leaning on seasonal norms: warm, high-volume river flow typically pushes catfish onto current breaks, wing dams, and channel edges where they stack up to feed, while largemouth bass and sac-a-lait tend to slide deeper or tuck into shaded cover to escape the heat. Tactical Bassin's general late-summer playbook (offshore structure, dropshot presentations, moving baits over submerged grass) is a reasonable starting point for bass anglers working similar hot-water conditions. On the regulatory side, Louisiana Sportsman reports LDWF agents now need reasonable suspicion before boarding boats, a shift worth knowing before your next trip. Expect a slow, grind-it-out bite until temps ease.
Santee and Lake Murray settle into typical summer bass patterns
Flow at USGS gauge 02160390 is holding at 127 cfs early this morning, a steady read heading into a full moon this week. No Santee- or Lake Murray-specific catch reports came through today's angler intel, so this update leans on typical late-July patterns for these South Carolina reservoirs plus general summer technique notes from the fishing press. Tactical Bassin's latest summer coverage points anglers toward offshore submerged vegetation and dropshot presentations once the shallows get uncomfortable in the heat, a pattern that tracks for both lakes as surface temps climb. Wired 2 Fish's recent piece on bass vulnerability is a good reminder that some fish simply won't bite regardless of conditions, so covering water matters more than working one spot hard. Expect largemouth and catfish to stay the most consistent producers, with striper action likely pushing deeper and more temperature-dependent as the month wears on. Check state regs before harvesting, and always confirm current conditions locally before you launch.
Long Island Sound stripers slow as summer heat sets in, fluke fills the gap
Long Island Sound's saltwater bite is settling into its classic late-July pattern under this week's full moon. On The Water's regional roundup of prime fluke water names the Northeast among the top zones for double-digit doormat flatfish through September, and Sound anglers drifting bucktails and bait over structure should be riding that same window. Striped bass are the tougher target right now — OTW Saltwater's Buzzards Bay report flags water temperatures peaking regionally this time of year, a pattern that typically means slower daytime striper action across southern New England and into the Sound. OTW Surfcasting suggests working sand fleas in the wash for stripers cruising the beach lip during low light, with live eels on circle hooks as a proven after-dark fallback. No direct buoy or gauge readings came through for this cycle, so check a local forecast and tide table before heading out. Fish the moon tides, not the noon heat, and lean on fluke to fill out the box while stripers reset.