Fishing reports
19070 reports across all 50 states — current conditions and what's biting.
Lake Erie's summer pattern sets in as walleye slide deep
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came back for Presque Isle this cycle, and this week's angler-intel feeds didn't carry a dedicated Lake Erie or Presque Isle fishing report either — Pennsylvania Sea Grant's latest posts cover staffing and outreach news rather than conditions, and PA Fish & Boat's Biologist Reports page is the right place to check for the newest survey data before you head out. That said, late July on Lake Erie typically means the season's classic deep-water shift: walleye pushing off the structure into cooler, deeper water as surface temps climb, smallmouth bass holding tight to rock piles and shoal edges, and yellow perch schooling up over open bottom. Steelhead, by contrast, are usually scarce and sluggish this time of year as they retreat to the coldest available refuge. Treat the species notes below as seasonal expectations rather than confirmed bites until a local report comes through.
Summer patterns hold on UP trout streams as Superior whitefish buzz grows
Direct on-the-water reports for Upper Peninsula trout streams and Lake Superior are thin this cycle, but one signal stands out: per WI DNR Lake Superior Fishing, lake whitefish has grown into a genuinely popular fishery in the Chequamegon Bay corridor of Lake Superior, targeted both through the ice and from a boat, popular enough that the DNR is running an angler questionnaire through the season to track effort. The same agency is also asking Superior-basin anglers to weigh in on burbot fishing as part of an ongoing Michigan Tech study, a sign that species is drawing more attention than it used to. For the UP's trout streams themselves, no fresh creel reports came through this pull, so we're leaning on typical late-July behavior: brook trout and brown trout tucked into shaded runs and cooler tributary mouths during peak heat, with the sharpest bite windows at dawn and dusk. Treat stream conditions as general seasonal guidance until harder reports land.
Delaware Bay flounder bite holds strong into August push
Keeper flounder in the 20- to 22-inch range are coming out of Delaware Bay on Gulp baits, with fish pushing 7 pounds at the Cape May Reef Site and Old Grounds, according to Big Dave's Tackle. Hands Too Bait and Tackle reports the deeper reef sites, especially Reef Site #11, producing flounder to 8 pounds, with fish keyed on sand eels making longer, thinner baits the better call. Along the surf and jetties, Hands Too Bait and Tackle's Cape May report notes triggerfish holding good size at the Cape May Jetty, with sand fleas and strip baits needed to get past them to sheepshead, while croakers stack up on Delaware Bay beaches for clam and squid. Kingfish were slow through mid-July but are still mixed in. Fin-Atics adds that the back bay flounder bite is riding the incoming tide on live minnows and squid strips, with plenty of shorts to sort for every keeper landed.
Wachusett smallmouth wake up as summer drop-off pattern sets in
Smallmouth bass are stirring at Wachusett Reservoir, with Jerry's Bait and Tackle (via The Fisherman — New England Freshwater) reporting anglers picking up a few fish there this week as summer patterns settle in across central Massachusetts. Elsewhere in the region, Sauder's Boat Livery describes improving smallmouth and largemouth action at the Congamond Lakes in Southwick, with quality fish keying on drop-offs in six to twenty feet of water and hitting Senko-style soft plastics — a pattern that likely translates to Quabbin and Wachusett's deeper structure as the Full Moon pushes fish to feed hard during low-light windows. No live buoy or gauge telemetry is available for Quabbin or Wachusett this cycle, so today's read leans on shop intel rather than hard numbers. Expect smallmouth to hold near drop-offs and rock through midday heat, with largemouth working shallow cover early and late. Lake trout, Quabbin's signature deep-water draw, typically go quiet through high summer, and no direct reports this week confirm otherwise.
Halibut and early coho carry Gulf of Alaska action into August
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for the Gulf of Alaska this cycle, and this week's angler-intel sweep didn't turn up any Alaska-specific fishing dispatches either, so this report leans on general seasonal knowledge rather than today's bite reports. Late July sits at the heart of the Southcentral and Southeast Alaska season: halibut fishing typically holds strong through summer, king salmon runs are usually winding down while coho begin pushing into nearshore water, and rockfish plus lingcod stay a reliable bottom-fishing option over deeper structure. Alaska Sea Grant notes that cod and rockfish are core to the state's waters, consistent with their steady, year-round bottom-fishing status. Treat this as a seasonal baseline rather than a live conditions snapshot, and check current state regs and local forecasts before heading out under this week's full moon.
Chicago's Lake Michigan salmon fishery rides a record season into summer
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came in for Chicago's stretch of Lake Michigan this cycle, but the WI DNR Lake Michigan Fishing Report's recap of the 2024 season, "High Numbers For 2024 Lake Michigan Fish Harvest," gives useful backdrop for what's swimming out there: anglers boated a record 210,000-plus coho salmon and the biggest Chinook salmon harvest, over 160,000 fish, since 2012, with strong alewife survival helping stocked salmon and steelhead thrive. That kind of forage base typically carries momentum into following seasons, and Chicago's harbors, piers, and nearshore structure remain a solid bet for Chinook, coho, and steelhead through summer. Smallmouth bass and yellow perch round out the typical warm-season lineup around reefs and drop-offs. We don't have a direct, current Chicago-area bite report this cycle, so treat the above as seasonal context rather than today's conditions. It's a full moon, which can push low-light fish activity toward dawn and dusk. Check Illinois and Wisconsin regs before harvesting any species.
Kenai sockeye season keeps interior Alaska anglers busy
No buoy or gauge readings came back for the Kenai and interior river systems this cycle, and this week's Alaska Sea Grant items covered fellowship cohorts, mariculture safety training, and a D.C. fish fry rather than on-the-water conditions, so there is no source-backed "what's biting" report for this region today. In the absence of direct intel, this update falls back on typical late-July expectations: the Kenai River sockeye run is traditionally at or near its peak this time of year, king salmon fishing typically tapers and runs under tighter harvest restrictions by late July, and rainbow trout on interior clearwater stretches usually key on drifting eggs and flesh behind spawning salmon. Grayling water in the interior tends to fish well on dries under stable summer flows. Treat the species notes below as general seasonal expectation, not a confirmed field report, until state or shop sources come back online for this region.
Salmon build offshore as summer weedline bite holds on Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan's salmon program is riding a strong recent stretch: the WI DNR Lake Michigan Fishing Report notes anglers lakewide boated a record 210,000-plus coho and the most Chinook since 2012 in the last full tally, credited to improved alewife survival supporting stocked fish. No fresh buoy or river-gauge readings came through for the Grand River mouth this cycle, so we're leaning on seasonal norms: late July typically has Chinook and coho staging in cooler, deeper water offshore while smallmouth bass and walleye hold shallower around weedlines, a pattern Fishing the Midwest is highlighting right now with weedline-focused advice for the open-water season. Wired 2 Fish notes forward-facing sonar keeps changing how anglers find suspended walleye instead of assuming they're glued to bottom structure. With tonight's full moon, expect a stronger low-light and overnight bite near the river mouth. Check current Michigan regs before harvesting any species.
Slot stripers hold at Augustine Wall as Chesapeake croaker bite heats up
Chesapeake anglers are finding slot stripers still stacked around the Augustine Wall this week, with Smith's Bait Shop reporting fish coming on peeler crab, shrimp, bloodworms and bucktails dressed with squid strips. Croaker action has been the standout story: the Woodland Beach fishing pier is producing excellent numbers, per Smith's Bait Shop, a bite expected to hold through August. Offshore of the Bay mouth, Hook 'em and Cook'em notes decent populations of croaker, sea bass, and some flounder and bluefish mixing on the Old Grounds and inshore reef sites, though catches have varied day to day. Bigger game is stacking up in the canyons too, with boats returning bluefin tuna limits and yellowfin and tilefish, per the same shop. We're moving through the current full moon with typical late-July Bay conditions. Expect the peeler crab bite on stripers to hold at the Augustine Wall as long as water stays cool enough, with croaker the most reliable target through the Bay's tidal rivers and piers.
Squid push near the NH line fuels a hot summer striper bite
Squid have swarmed the Merrimack River mouth and Salisbury beaches this week, and Surfland Bait and Tackle called the resulting striper fishing "phenomenal," per The Fisherman — South Shore MA to ME — the closest hard testimony we have to conditions right along the New Hampshire coast this week. That squid push lines up with The Fisherman (Northeast)'s New England Video Fishing Forecast, which reported the striper bite staying hot region-wide along with a "strong increase in sea bass action across much of the region" over the past week to ten days. Topwater plugs, swimmers, and soft plastics have all produced on the Massachusetts side of the line, worked mainly around tide changes and after dark. No buoy or gauge readings came back for this stretch of coast today, and no New Hampshire-specific shop or captain report surfaced in today's intel, so treat the outlook below as a regional read rather than a confirmed local one.
Smokies wild trout hold to dawn windows as summer heat lingers
No buoy or gauge telemetry came through for Western NC this cycle, and this week's angler-intel sweep turned up no dispatches from Smokies-area guides or shops, so this report leans on general seasonal knowledge rather than fresh local intel. The one directly relevant note came from Trout Unlimited's broader July coverage, which flagged the physiological fact driving trout behavior everywhere right now: trout are cold-blooded, so activity tracks water temperature closely, and sustained summer heat pushes fish into deeper, shaded, or spring-fed water while slowing feeding through the warmest midday hours. For Smokies freestone streams, that typically means early-morning and late-evening windows fish best, wild rainbows stay the most consistently catchable species, and native brook trout in high-elevation headwaters deserve extra care, quick releases and avoiding afternoon heat, until conditions ease. Check current NC Wildlife Resources Commission guidance and any heat-driven advisories before heading out.
Champlain smallmouth push deep as summer heat locks in
No NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came back for the Champlain basin this cycle, so this update leans on regional patterns and seasonal knowledge rather than a local sensor snapshot. Per The Fisherman — New England Freshwater, smallmouth bass across the wider region have already shifted off shallow structure into deep water as summer heat sets in, with reports of bass relating to drop-offs in the 6-to-20-foot range and still eating soft plastics like Senkos. That's the pattern Champlain anglers should expect to be dealing with now, and a Full Moon this week typically pushes the bite window toward first light and after dark. Landlocked salmon are the trickier target this time of year, generally holding deeper near the thermocline once surface water warms, so downrigger or deep-troll approaches are the better bet over topwater. Walleye fishing typically stays workable through late July on structure and drop-offs after dark.
Kentucky Lake bass stay heavy as young anglers stack limits
Two-day totals topping 26 pounds on a five-bass limit came off Kentucky Lake this week, per B.A.S.S. News' coverage of the Tackle Warehouse Bassmaster Junior Championship staged out of Paris, Tenn. MLF News' companion recap had Day 1 leaders at 15 pounds, 3 ounces on a three-bass limit — another read that largemouth are stacked and still feeding through full-summer heat on the Tennessee River system. No live buoy or gauge data came through for this cycle, so treat water temp and flow as unconfirmed until you check a current source before heading out. Largemouth bass are the clear headline species; crappie and catfish have no direct regional reports this week, so we're leaning on typical late-July patterns for those two. Forward-facing sonar continues reshaping how anglers locate summer schools and suspended fish, per ongoing coverage from Wired 2 Fish and Fishing the Midwest.
FFS reshapes crappie and bass tactics near the Lake of the Ozarks
Forward-facing sonar keeps reshaping how central Missouri anglers chase summer fish, and it shows up close to home: at nearby Truman Lake, veteran crappie guide Richard Bowling tells Wired 2 Fish that after 30 years on the water, Livescope is still teaching him new things about how suspended crappie group and move — a technique worth borrowing for Lake of the Ozarks crappie working deeper timber and bridge pilings through the dog days. On the bass side, Fishing the Midwest's Bob Jensen is working weedlines hard as the 2026 open-water season hits full swing, while Mike Frisch notes walleye are increasingly found off traditional bottom structure now that FFS lets anglers track suspended fish in open water rather than sticking strictly to points and turns. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for the Osage River system this cycle, so treat water levels as typical late-July summer pool until an update lands. Tonight's full moon should juice low-light bites at dawn and dusk.
Western Basin walleye settle into scattered summer pattern
Western Basin walleye are settling into their typical late-July pattern, spreading off traditional reef structure as summer temperatures push fish into deeper, cooler water or scatter them higher in the water column over open basin flats. No NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came through for this update, so treat today's report as a seasonal baseline rather than a live readout, and check local sources before heading out. Elsewhere in the walleye world, Fishing the Midwest's Mike Frisch notes that forward-facing sonar has overturned the old assumption that walleye sit bottom-oriented near points, turns, and weedlines; Erie anglers chasing suspended fish over open water should take the same lesson and mark before they cast. Expect trollers pulling crankbaits and spoons, along with worm-harness drifters working reef edges, to keep finding fish through the midsummer heat. Yellow perch and smallmouth bass round out the Western Basin's other steady summer options, while white bass activity typically eases as the season progresses. Always check current state regulations before harvesting.
Weedline and sonar tactics headline the outlook at Mosquito, Pymatuning
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came in for the Mosquito and Pymatuning system this cycle, so we're leaning on technique trends from this week's regional coverage. Wired 2 Fish's look at a longtime Truman Lake crappie guide notes how forward-facing sonar has changed the way anglers track suspended fish, a pattern that applies directly to summer crappie on Ohio's inland reservoirs. Fishing the Midwest's Bob Jensen and Mike Frisch, writing for a Midwest audience, both point to late-July patterns worth carrying into these waters: working emerging weedlines for bass and looking up off bottom for walleye now holding higher in the water column than anglers used to expect. Under a full moon with typically warm late-July surface temps, expect largemouth bass staged on weed edges, walleye suspended over deeper basins, and crappie scattered and sonar-dependent. Catfish should stay a dependable night bite through the bright moon phase.
Texoma stripers, Eufaula crappie push deep under the full moon
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came in for Texoma or Eufaula this cycle, and this week's angler-intel feed skewed heavily toward national tournament coverage and gear reviews rather than Oklahoma-specific reports, so treat this as a seasonal outlook rather than an on-the-water update. Late July on both reservoirs typically means a well-established thermocline, with striped bass and white bass holding on main-lake humps and channel edges through the morning before sliding deep as the sun climbs, and blue catfish feeding heavily after dark. Crappie tend to stack tight to brush and standing timber in 15-25 feet this time of year; guide Richard Bowling's Livescope-driven insights into crappie suspension behavior, reported by Wired 2 Fish, are a useful general technique reminder for working that same deep structure. Largemouth bass fishing typically gets tougher in summer heat, pushed to shade and deeper cover. The full moon can trigger a stronger overnight bite for catfish and stripers.
Deep summer structure holds the bite on Alabama's TN and Coosa rivers
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came in for the Tennessee and Coosa system this cycle, so this report leans on late-July seasonal patterns and the broader technique conversation anglers are having right now. Wired 2 Fish's look at forward-facing sonar (Livescope) and how it's changed the way guides read suspended crappie is directly relevant here, since both rivers carry strong crappie populations that stack on deep structure once summer heat sets in. Fishing the Midwest's reminder to work weedlines and stop assuming bottom-hugging fish also tracks for the spotted and largemouth bass that dominate Coosa ledges and Tennessee River creek mouths this time of year. Under a full moon, expect a compressed dawn and dusk window with fish sliding shallow to feed before pulling back to thermocline depth through the heat of the day. Catfish stay the most dependable target through midsummer regardless of moon phase or sonar trend.
Summer walleye chase weedlines and forage as Erie patterns settle in
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for Lake Erie or the Ohio River this cycle, so today's outlook leans on late-July seasonal patterns rather than a specific temp or flow reading. Walleye are typically pushing off primary structure into deeper, cooler water this time of year, and Fishing the Midwest's Bob Jensen and Mike Frisch both note that forward-facing sonar has changed where anglers find them, showing fish suspended off traditional points and weedlines rather than glued to bottom. Smallmouth bass should still be active around rock and emerging weed edges, with Jensen specifically flagging weedlines as a go-to late-summer target for Midwest anglers willing to experiment with technique. Yellow perch and channel catfish round out the typical mixed bag for this stretch. With a full moon tonight, expect a stronger low-light bite around dawn and dusk. Check local shop reports before heading out, since direct Lake Erie and Ohio River intel wasn't available in today's feed.
Fluke and Sea Bass Fire Up Around Sandy Hook as Full Moon Rolls In
Capt Ron's Atlantic Highlands NJ landed back-to-back pool-fish fluke over 6 pounds this week, a sign the summer flatfish bite is running strong in Raritan Bay's home waters. Sea bass are riding the same wave: Blue Chip Sportfishing (NJ) calls the bite 'red hot,' with boats limiting out on nearly every trip, while Capt Ron's crew is 'finally catching the jumbo sea bass' on bait, jigs, and Gulp. Bluefish are mixed in throughout the bay and inlets, per OTW Northern New Jersey and Grumpys Tackle (NJ), which also notes croaker and spot still showing in the back bay on FishBites. Striped bass remain part of the rotation, with smaller fish working the beaches per OTW Northern New Jersey. With no fresh buoy or gauge readings available this cycle, check a local forecast before heading out, but the bite reports alone put this stretch of Raritan Bay and Sandy Hook squarely in peak summer form.
Lake Mead stripers settle into classic summer deep-water pattern
No buoy or gauge readings and no source-specific angler intel came through the wire for the Lake Mead / lower Colorado striper fishery this cycle, so this update leans on general seasonal knowledge rather than fresh reports. Late July on Lake Mead typically means surface temps well into the 80s, pushing striped bass and baitfish schools down onto the thermocline during daylight hours, with the better window shifting to first light, last light, and after dark when shad get pushed to the surface. Largemouth and smallmouth bass generally follow a similar heat-driven pattern, holding deeper or tighter to shade and structure through midday. Catfish tend to stay consistently active through summer regardless of the heat. Anglers on the lake this week should expect a typical hot-weather grind: early or late trips, deeper presentations, and patience during the midday lull. Check current NDOW guidance and local reports before planning a trip, since no direct confirmation of the bite is available right now.
Night eels keep Narragansett Bay stripers biting as sea bass boom
Striped bass fishing around Narragansett Bay has slipped into what Saltwater Edge Blog (RI) calls the typical summer doldrums — daytime bites have gotten tougher, but live-eel soaks after dark at breachways and rocky stretches are still turning quality fish, per shop reports carried in The Fisherman — Rhode Island. Black sea bass are the story of the week: Frances Fleet, Snug Harbor Marina, and Quonnie Bait and Tackle all describe more keepers moving into the area on recent trips. Fluke fishing is grinding but improving, with keepers now showing from 50 to 60 feet off the beaches, though Booked Off Charters notes numbers are still running below past years. Scup remain a steady bonus catch throughout the bay. One wrinkle worth planning around: sharks are increasingly crashing striper trips near Block Island, per Snug Harbor Marina, pushing some anglers to work closer to shore instead.
Snook Bite Rebounds in Stuart as Sailfish Action Heats Up
Snook fishing around Stuart's St. Lucie Inlet is rebounding now that the inlet dredging project has paused, per Snook Nook's July report — anglers with side-scan are marking large schools stacked up around the detached jetty and Hole in the Wall, with live croakers and pilchards drawing the most bites. Snook season stays closed here through September 1, so it's catch-and-release only for now. Offshore, the bite has been strong too: Snook Nook's own Team Snook Nook (Capt. Justin Rieger) took 1st place in the small-boat division of the 2026 One More Bite Sailfish Challenge, going 7-for-9 on sailfish bites over the weekend. Further south, Coastal Angler Magazine logged a 28-inch, 10-pound mutton snapper on cut bonito off Dania Beach. Red snapper season remains clouded after a federal court injunction blocked the South Atlantic EFP pilot program just hours before Florida's season was set to open, per CCA Florida.
Full moon push meets typical late-July pattern on Pittsburgh tailwaters
Tonight's full moon over the Allegheny and Pittsburgh-area tailwaters lines up with the region's typical late-July pattern: smallmouth bass and channel catfish holding tight to current seams and structure through the midday heat, muskellunge anglers working the low-light windows, and stocked trout below dam discharges pushed into the coolest, most oxygenated pockets they can find. No fresh NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came through for this stretch this cycle, and this week's wire carried no region-specific bite reports for Allegheny or Pittsburgh tailwaters — the broader angling press is focused on national gear reviews, forward-facing sonar debates, and Sea Grant program news rather than local conditions here. That's a data gap, not necessarily a quiet fishery, so read today's outlook as seasonal baseline rather than a live report. Plan around first and last light, with the moon favoring an early dawn push before pressure builds.