Fishing reports
19070 reports across all 50 states — current conditions and what's biting.
NY black bass bite heats up as DEC watches trout streams for heat stress
Black bass season is in full summer swing across the Hudson Valley and Finger Lakes, with the NY DEC's Fishing Line noting in its June 12 issue that the bite was picking up as warmer weather arrived. That same warmth cuts both ways: the DEC's July 17 issue is now urging anglers to help trout and salmon beat the summer heat, a signal that stream trout water is running warm and stressed heading into late July. Expect largemouth and smallmouth bass to hold tight to weeds, points, and deeper cover through the heat of the day, while stream trout fishing is best treated as an early-morning, cold-water-refuge game until temperatures ease. Elsewhere in the state, Lake Erie walleye action stayed strong per Brookdog Fishing Co.'s late-July reports out of Buffalo, a reminder that New York's walleye fisheries, including the Finger Lakes, tend to hold up better through midsummer heat than trout streams do.
Hartwell and Russell bass push deep as GA heat holds
With no fresh buoy or gauge readings in for the Hartwell/Russell system this cycle, this report leans on the broader Georgia picture: the Georgia Wildlife Resources Division's July 24 fishing report notes many anglers are getting rained out or staying off scorching-hot water this week, and Georgia Outdoor News' Southern Waters report (July 25) says statewide "the bite has slowed down this week" in the heat, though some good fish were still landed. That matches the typical late-July pattern on Piedmont reservoirs like Hartwell and Russell, where largemouth and spotted bass slide to deeper main-lake structure and hybrid/striped bass push baitfish schools during low-light hours. Full moon overhead can concentrate a bit more nighttime feeding activity. Expect a slower, more deliberate bite than spring, with early-morning and after-dark windows outproducing midday.
Puget Sound anglers lean on tide timing as summer salmon season builds
Washington Sea Grant's Crab Team logged the first confirmed European green crab sighting on Orcas Island's Crescent Beach this spring (WA Sea Grant), a reminder that Puget Sound's beaches and estuaries are under active watch as summer fishing ramps up. No NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came through today, so we don't have a hard water-temp or swell number for the Sound or outer coast, check the latest marine forecast before you launch. Late July typically has Puget Sound Chinook and coho salmon fisheries running strong and rockfish/halibut seasons active on the outer coast and Strait, with WDFW's statewide creel and catch-report program (WA WDFW Fishing Reports) tracking angler success area by area. Today's angler-intel sweep didn't surface fresh on-the-water bite reports specific to Washington saltwater, so treat the species notes below as seasonal expectations rather than confirmed hot bites, and lean on WDFW's site for the latest numbers before you go.
Deep summer patterns take hold at Smith Mountain Lake, Buggs Island
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for Smith Mountain Lake or Buggs Island (John H. Kerr) this cycle, and this week's angler-intel feeds didn't carry a direct Virginia lake report either, so this update leans on late-July seasonal norms plus general technique guidance worth borrowing right now. With a full moon overhead and water solidly into summer heat, expect the usual deep-summer shuffle: baitfish and predators sliding off the banks toward deeper structure. National bass outlets Tactical Bassin and Fishing the Midwest are both flagging the same seasonal shift this week, pushing anglers off the shoreline onto offshore submerged vegetation, points, and weedlines, with dropshot rigs and forward-facing-sonar-assisted presentations picking up fish that shallow moving baits miss in the heat. Striped bass on both reservoirs typically slide into deeper, cooler water and suspend over old river channels this time of year. Check current Virginia freshwater regs via the Virginia DWR Wildlife Blog or the GoOutdoorsVA app before you head out.
Full Moon Tides Push Panhandle Mullet and Snapper Bite
Panhandle anglers are working the full moon's bigger tidal push this week, with the Pensacola Fishing Forum flagging a strong mullet run through the Choctawhatchee River Delta — one poster noted the mullet holes are 'working very well as they always do this time of year.' That's a single forum report without a shop or agency corroborating it yet, so treat it as a lead rather than confirmed fact. No live buoy or gauge readings were available for Destin or Pensacola waters for this report, so lean on tide tables and a current local forecast rather than a specific temperature. Florida Sea Grant's latest post reminds Gulf coast scallopers to keep it sustainable as the season winds down, a sign the summer coastal calendar is in full swing. Expect red snapper and king mackerel to hold over nearshore structure, mahi mahi working the blue water edge, and redfish riding the bigger full-moon current through the passes.
Northwoods muskies rebound as cold front breaks the July heat
A significant heatwave recently pushed water temperatures across Oneida and Vilas counties into the mid-to-high 80s, well above the 80-degree threshold considered safe for targeting muskies, but a cold front has since moved through, dropping overnight lows into the 40s and cooling surface temps on mid-sized lakes back into the 70s, per Rollie & Helen's Musky Shop. That stabilization is welcome news for musky anglers heading into the weekend, since cooler, steadier water tends to put stressed fish back on the feed. Elsewhere on Northwoods water, walleye anglers are increasingly finding fish suspended off bottom rather than tucked to classic structure, a shift Fishing the Midwest has been tracking as forward-facing sonar reshapes where anglers look. Bass are holding tight to emerging weedlines and submerged vegetation as the open-water season rolls on, per the same source. With a full moon overhead, expect an extra low-light bite window on top of the cooler daytime conditions.
Summer Chinook push builds on WA rivers under a full moon
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through this cycle, so treat today's flow and temperature as unconfirmed until you check current USGS/NOAA data for your stretch of the Columbia or Puget Sound tributaries. WDFW continues to run its statewide creel-and-catch program, interviewing anglers at access sites and stocking lakes and streams around the state, per WA WDFW Fishing Reports — that program remains the most reliable read on what's actually being caught right now, and it's worth checking directly before you head out. Late July under a full moon typically lines up with summer Chinook and steelhead moving through Columbia system tributaries, while resident rainbow trout and Columbia-basin walleye stay active around slower pools and structure. Washington Sea Grant's continued research investment in Puget Sound and coastal watersheds (nearly $2 million committed to seven 2026 projects) signals a lot of science attention on these systems, even though today's angler-intel feed leaned toward agency and research news rather than on-the-water bite reports.
Toledo Bend bass slide deep as July heat and a full moon set the pattern
With no fresh buoy or gauge readings in this cycle's feed for the Toledo Bend/Sabine system, this report leans on general seasonal knowledge for a Louisiana reservoir in late July under a full moon. Expect the classic mid-summer split: largemouth bass pushing off the bank onto secondary points, ledges, and submerged vegetation once the sun gets up, a pattern Tactical Bassin has been highlighting nationally this month as anglers shift from shoreline cover to offshore structure in summer heat. Early and late light windows should still produce topwater and moving-bait bites before fish slide deep. Catfish typically turn on hard after dark this time of year, and a full moon often extends that night bite. Crappie tend to go quiet and deep-cover oriented in peak summer heat. Treat all of this as seasonal expectation rather than confirmed local reports, and check current conditions before you launch.
Olympic Peninsula rivers sit in the summer lull before fall runs
No NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came through for Olympic Peninsula rivers this cycle, and this week's angler-intel pull returned no river-specific catch reports for the region, so today's outlook leans on typical late-July seasonal patterns rather than fresh numbers. Late July sits in the shoulder period here: summer steelhead activity is generally tapering, while the fall Chinook and coho pushes anglers wait on all season are still weeks away. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife runs ongoing creel interviews and stocking programs statewide, per WA WDFW Fishing Reports, and that program remains the best source to check for the latest access-site counts before you head out. Under tonight's full moon, dawn and dusk low-light windows are typically the better bet on these rivers while summer flows stay low and clear. Treat this as a seasonal-pattern read, not a live-conditions report, until fresh readings come back into the feed.
Salmon and trout patterns hold as Indiana's Lake Michigan settles into summer
Direct, dated reports out of Indiana's Lake Michigan shoreline are thin this cycle, but the broader lake fishery gives useful context: the WI DNR Lake Michigan Fishing Report recapped 2024 as a stellar year basin-wide, with anglers landing a record 210,000-plus coho salmon and the most Chinook salmon since 2012, a run tied to stronger alewife survival supporting stocked fish. Late July on the Indiana shoreline typically keeps Chinook, coho, and steelhead staged in cooler, deeper water worked with downriggers and dipsy divers, while yellow perch hold tighter to structure closer to shore. With no fresh buoy or gauge readings available for this stretch today, treat species activity below as seasonal expectation rather than a confirmed bite report, and double-check conditions before you launch. Tonight's Full Moon can sharpen low-light feeding windows for perch and staging trout near dawn and dusk.
Full-moon mutton snapper bite fires up across the Keys
Mutton snapper are chewing hard around the Florida Keys this cycle, with today's full moon lining up against the same spawn-window trigger ALL IN Key West flagged when they reported snapper "chewing like crazy" and yellowtail "practically jumping in the boat." Bud n' Mary's Islamorada marina calls this June-into-July stretch prime time for the Keys fishery, with tarpon holding in the bridge shadow lines, mahi showing offshore in the Gulf Stream, and yellowtail thick on the reef. Sport Fishing Mag notes Biscayne Bay mutton snapper are keying on live pilchards drifted with the current around structure, a pattern that should carry through the Keys as well. No live buoy or gauge readings came through for this cycle, so treat sea state and water clarity as unconfirmed until you check a local source before running offshore. Between the full moon timing and the volume of reef life reported, this reads as a strong, on-schedule summer bite.
Chattahoochee, Savannah anglers chase dawn bites as summer heat sets in
GA Sportsman/Georgia Outdoor News' Southern Waters fishing report (July 25) has the Savannah River at Clyo running 3.4 feet and falling, with the correspondent noting the bite has slowed this week as summer heat keeps many anglers off the water, though good fish are still coming through. The same report flagged a giant bass taken on an urchin-style bait elsewhere in the state, a pattern worth trying on slower Chattahoochee and Savannah pools when largemouth go quiet under the midday sun. Georgia Wildlife Resources Division's own blog is steering anglers toward the state's Public Fishing Areas this week rather than posting specific bite updates, a sign the agency is treating this as a slow-water, heat-management stretch. On the Chattahoochee, the tailwater trout fishery below Buford Dam typically holds up better through summer heat than the warmwater bass bite, since cold-water releases keep temperatures in range. Expect the classic summer pattern: work shallow structure early and late, then slide deeper as the sun climbs.
Okeechobee and St. Johns bass slide offshore as summer heat peaks
With Lake Okeechobee and the St. Johns River deep into peak summer heat under this week's full moon, largemouth bass are settling into the classic hot-weather pattern: pulling off the immediate shoreline and stacking on submerged vegetation, grass lines, and deeper edges once the sun gets up. Tactical Bassin's current summer advice, get away from the bank and start covering offshore vegetation and deeper structure, matches what these grass-rich Florida fisheries typically do this time of year, and Fishing the Midwest's reminder to work the weedline during open-water season fits the same idea. Bluegill and shellcracker should still be catchable shallow early and late on crickets and worms, while black crappie generally slide deep and slow way down in this heat, a normal summer lull rather than a shutoff. No direct Florida agency, shop, or charter report came through in this cycle's feed, so treat the species notes below as seasonal expectation rather than confirmed local intel until a fresher report lands.
Lake Huron and Saginaw Bay settle into a classic summer holding pattern
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for Lake Huron and Saginaw Bay this cycle, and this week's angler-intel sweep didn't turn up any region-specific captain, shop, or state reports either — so this update leans on general seasonal knowledge rather than fresh testimony. Late July on these waters typically means walleye have pushed off shallow structure and out toward deeper basin edges and thermocline breaks as surface temps climb, while smallmouth bass hold tight to rock piles, current breaks, and shoreline structure through the warmest part of the day. Yellow perch tend to scatter over mud and gravel transitions in summer heat, making them a more inconsistent target until temps ease. The Full Moon overhead this week typically concentrates feeding activity into low-light windows, so dawn and dusk trips are worth prioritizing over the midday grind. Treat this as a seasonal outlook, not a live conditions read, until fresh buoy, gauge, or regional angler reports come through for this area.
Full-moon low-light bite favors early risers on Kennebec, Penobscot
No NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came through for the Kennebec or Penobscot this cycle, and no shop, charter, or state-agency report specifically covering these Maine waters turned up in today's sweep, so this update leans on typical late-July freshwater patterns rather than a fresh bite report. Elsewhere in New England, freshwater bass action has been trending toward classic summer structure: per The Fisherman — New England Freshwater, largemouth and smallmouth are relating to drop-offs in six to twenty feet of water, with buzzbaits, spinnerbaits, and Senkos producing near dams and along creek channels. That pattern typically holds for Kennebec and Penobscot bass water this time of year too. Under a full moon with warm midsummer water, expect smallmouth to hold tighter to deep structure and largemouth to feed hardest in the low-light windows at dawn and dusk. Brook trout and landlocked salmon, both cold-water species, are likely pushed deep or into spring-fed tributaries until temperatures ease.
Yakima and Spokane waters settle into a dawn-bite summer pattern
No buoy or gauge readings came through for the Yakima or Spokane systems this cycle, so this update leans on typical late-July patterns for Eastern Washington's freshwater fisheries under a Full Moon. WDFW's statewide creel and stocking program (per WA WDFW Fishing Reports) tracks angler activity at access sites and keeps lakes and streams across the region stocked through the season, though no specific counts for this stretch of the Yakima or Spokane basins came through in this feed. Expect trout on tailwater-influenced stretches like the Yakima River to bite hardest in the first and last hour of daylight, as afternoon warmth pushes fish into faster, better-oxygenated water. Smallmouth bass around Spokane-area rivers and reservoirs typically turn aggressive on warm evenings along rocky structure and current seams. Kokanee anglers trolling the deeper basin lakes should expect fish holding lower in the column, with the strong Full Moon likely keeping more feeding activity shifted into overnight hours.
Full moon bream bite peaks on Atchafalaya Basin backwaters
Louisiana's full moon this week lines up with peak bream spawning activity typical of late July on Atchafalaya Basin backwaters and Mississippi River oxbows, when bluegill and redear sunfish push onto beds in skinny, vegetated water. No fresh NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings were available for this stretch this cycle, and this week's angler-intel feeds carried no direct Mississippi/Atchafalaya freshwater bite reports, so this outlook leans on typical seasonal behavior rather than fresh catch reports. Statewide, Louisiana Sportsman flagged that Gulf red snapper landings have reached roughly 75% of the season's harvest allocation as of July 12, a sign that a good share of angling pressure remains offshore right now, which can mean lighter pressure on inland river and basin spots. Expect catfish to bite best on trotlines and juglines after dark as water warms, with bass sliding toward shaded cover and deeper current breaks during the heat of the day. Check state regs before harvesting, and confirm current conditions locally before heading out.
Summer heat pushes Santee, Lake Murray bass to deeper cover
Late July's heat and this week's full moon have Santee and Lake Murray largemouth sliding off the bank and onto deeper, offshore cover, a pattern Tactical Bassin flags as the go-to summer move: forget the shoreline you fished all spring and focus on submerged vegetation and deeper color changes. Fishing the Midwest echoes the shift, noting forward-facing sonar keeps turning up bass suspended away from bottom-hugging spots like points and weedlines, upending the old rule that fish stack tight to structure. No NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came back for this stretch of the Santee/Murray system this cycle, so treat water temperature as seasonally warm rather than a hard number. Striper action typically holds up better in early morning and after dark once surface temps climb this time of year, and blue catfish stay a dependable summer fallback in the river channels and creek mouths. Check current state regs before keeping anything.
Hot porgy bite and rising sea bass action lead LIS this week
Porgies are stealing the spotlight on Long Island Sound this week, with AW Marina reporting a hot local bite for shore anglers, currently favoring Avery Point over Fort Trumbull Pier. Bottom fishing has turned excellent fleet-wide: Black Hawk logged limits of porgies plus an unusually strong showing of triggerfish on a recent trip, while Tartan II calls scup fishing excellent and says sea bass, slow to start, are finally picking up. The striper bite is more mixed — J&B Tackle says striped bass fishing remains very good region-wide on glide baits and eels worked early and late, but Tartan II notes local bass have turned particular about when they'll bite. Regionally, The Fisherman (Northeast) reports a strong uptick in sea bass action and flags sharks as a growing nuisance in Connecticut waters. Fluke remains a grind for those putting in the time, per AW Marina.
Red drum turn on across NC sounds as surf mix holds
Red drum are the story along the North Carolina coast this week. East Coast Sports in Topsail/Sneads Ferry reports inshore anglers finding red drum with an early-morning topwater bite standing out, and later in the day fish are being picked up on bottom rigs. Custom Marine Fabrication, working the Pamlico/Neuse River system, notes drum of all sizes holding on flats and structure along the main river shorelines, with some big fish in the mix. On the beaches, Island Tackle and Hardware in Carolina Beach describes a classic summer surf lineup of sharks, croakers, pompano, whiting and pinfish, while The Reel Outdoors in Swansboro/Emerald Isle adds bluefish, spots and sea mullet with a few pompano. Down in Southport/Oak Island, Dutchman Creek Bait and Tackle says surf anglers are still fighting dirty water and seaweed but still scratching out whiting, croakers and bluefish. Worth noting: the NC Division of Marine Fisheries has withdrawn its red snapper EFP request, so no state-run extended snapper season is materializing this summer.
Charleston Harbor's summer inshore bite carries into the full moon
No live buoy or gauge readings came back for Charleston Harbor this cycle, so treat this as a seasonal-pattern update rather than a fresh instrument read. Regional Carolina coast intel offers the closest available signal: per Fisherman's Post reports out of Carolina Beach and Southport/Oak Island, surf anglers up the coast are working a mixed bag of whiting, croakers, pompano, and bluefish, with live bait producing best on the inshore side despite some seaweed and off-color water. Charleston Harbor typically mirrors that late-July Carolina pattern — redfish tailing skinny flats on falling tide, spotted seatrout holding deeper structure through the midday heat, and the first tarpon rolling near the harbor mouth. Tonight's full moon means stronger tidal push than usual, worth building a trip around rather than fighting. Check state regulations before harvesting, and confirm local conditions before you launch.
Peak summer trout bite holds as tarpon linger in Sarasota Bay
Capt. Brandon Naeve's crew landed a 27-inch spotted seatrout in Sarasota Bay this past week, and per CB's Saltwater Outfitters the peak summer trout bite is in full swing across inshore grass flats, mangrove shorelines, and local passes; target the sunrise and sunset feeding windows for the best action. Tarpon remain a strong draw too: Capt. Rick Grassett's July forecast notes fish are more aggressive than earlier in the season, with spin anglers doing best drifting live bait under floats in travel lanes and fly anglers staking out bar edges for sight casting opportunities. Shark activity is also active in and around Sarasota Bay, with CB's reporting Bull, Blacktip, and Lemon sharks (plus occasional migratory visitors) common through the nearshore Gulf as the season peaks. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came in for this cycle, so check local marine forecasts before running offshore.
Potomac Smallmouth Grind Through Peak Summer Heat
Virginia DWR Wildlife Blog opened public comment this week on a draft Stocked Trout Management Plan, notable timing for Shenandoah anglers even though that region's cold-water trout fishing isn't the main summer draw right now. No fresh NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came through for the Potomac or Shenandoah systems today, and none of the angler-intel feeds carried a direct "what's biting" report for this specific region this cycle, so this update leans on typical late-July patterns rather than fresh field accounts. Under a full moon and mid-summer heat, Potomac smallmouth bass generally hold in deeper, oxygenated runs and current breaks through the day, with feeding windows opening up in the low-light dawn and dusk hours. Shenandoah trout retreat toward spring-fed headwaters and shaded, high-elevation stretches as lowland flows warm. Catfish and largemouth bass tend to stay comparatively steady through the heat in slower pools and shoreline backwaters. Check current flow and water-temperature readings before heading out, and watch for regulation updates once VA DWR's stocked trout plan clears its comment period.
Red drum hold steady on Pamlico flats under a full moon
Red drum are the headline up and down the Pamlico Sound and Cape Lookout coast this week. Fisherman's Post (NC) reports anglers working the main river shorelines on the Pamlico/Neuse are finding red drum "of all sizes," including some big fish, on the flats and structure. Down toward Cape Lookout, the Swansboro/Emerald Isle report notes red drum fishing has been steady in the sounds, while the Topsail/Sneads Ferry report flags an early-morning topwater bite as the standout inshore pattern. Surf action is more of a mixed bag: Carolina Beach anglers are seeing sharks, croakers, pompano, whiting, and pinfish, while Southport/Oak Island surf fishing has been slowed by dirty water and heavy seaweed, still producing whiting, croakers, and bluefish. With tonight's full moon pushing bigger tidal swings through the inlets and sound, we're expecting the drum bite to hold or strengthen through the week.