Fishing reports
19070 reports across all 50 states — current conditions and what's biting.
Charleston jetty reds keep biting as summer surf bite builds
A 32-pound red drum came off Charleston's South Jetty this week, per Coastal Angler Magazine, and it's the clearest signal we've got for the harbor right now since no fresh NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came through for this cycle. Reds working structure like the jetty rocks is a solid bet through late summer as bait stacks up on moving tide. Up the coast, Fisherman's Post reports a mixed surf bite at Carolina Beach and Southport/Oak Island, whiting, croaker, pompano, and sharks coming on live bait and bottom rigs, a pattern that typically tracks into South Carolina's beaches and inlets this time of year. Sport Fishing Mag also notes North Carolina's summer tarpon run has been building in recent years, with fish showing from Southport to Kitty Hawk, worth watching as baitfish push south along the Carolinas coast. Redfish remain the surest target around Charleston structure right now.
Sarasota Bay seatrout bite heats up as summer tarpon run continues
Spotted seatrout are biting aggressively across Sarasota Bay's grass flats, mangrove shorelines, and passes, with the peak summer trout bite fully underway per Capt. Brandon Naeve of CB's Saltwater Outfitters. Redfish are also showing on Sarasota Bay's oyster bars, per Capt. Chuck Cress, who found solid action working a small oyster bar in upper Sarasota Bay. Tarpon remain a strong target through July, with Capt. Rick Grassett's monthly forecast (CB's Saltwater Outfitters) noting spin anglers scoring by drifting live baits under floats in travel lanes and staying ready to sight cast, while fly anglers do best staked out on bar edges as fish grow more aggressive through the month. Shark activity, including bull, blacktip, and lemon sharks, continues in Sarasota Bay and nearshore Gulf waters, a pattern that typically runs from late spring through fall. No fresh buoy or gauge readings were available for this cycle, so check local conditions before heading out.
Shenandoah trout streams cool down while Potomac smallmouth stay active
Virginia DWR's Wildlife Blog is circulating a Draft Stocked Trout Management Plan for public comment this week, worth watching for anglers who fish Shenandoah tailwaters and mountain streams, since it signals possible changes to stocking and season structure down the road. No fresh NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came through for the Potomac/Shenandoah corridor today, and no charter, shop, or blog report specific to this stretch turned up in the angler intel feed, so this update leans on typical late-July patterns rather than confirmed bite reports. Expect summer heat to have pushed trout into deeper, shaded pools and spring-fed seams where cooler water holds, while Potomac-system smallmouth and largemouth bass stay more active around current breaks, rock structure, and shaded grass edges, especially during low-light hours. Channel catfish typically pick up after dark as water temps climb. Check the Virginia DWR's public comment period and current regs before your next trip, and treat species activity below as seasonal expectation until a local source confirms conditions on the water.
Red drum flats bite holds strong as NC's summer tarpon push builds
Red drum are the headline story on the Pamlico and Neuse River shorelines right now: Donald, of Custom Marine Fabrication, tells Fisherman's Post (NC) that anglers are working flats and structure and connecting with drum of all sizes, including some genuinely big fish in the mix. Closer to Cape Lookout, Nathan of East Coast Sports (Topsail/Sneads Ferry) reports red drum are still showing, with an early-morning topwater bite the standout pattern before anglers shift to bottom fishing later in the day. Rich, of The Reel Outdoors in Swansboro/Emerald Isle, adds that sound-side red drum fishing has been steady while the surf produces bluefish, spots, sea mullet, and a few pompano. Meanwhile Sport Fishing Mag notes North Carolina's summertime tarpon run, historically strongest from Southport to Kitty Hawk and through the waters feeding the Cape Fear River and Pamlico Sound, continues to grow in scale in recent years.
Erie's deep-summer walleye and smallmouth pattern holds steady
Lake Erie's open-water fishery typically settles into its classic mid-summer rhythm by late July: walleye push into deeper, cooler basin water and hold tighter to the thermocline, smallmouth bass stack up on offshore rock piles and humps, and yellow perch school over deep flats in and around Presque Isle Bay. This cycle's environmental feed returned no fresh NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings for the Erie/Presque Isle area, and none of today's angler-intel sources filed a direct, region-specific report on what's actually biting here right now. Rather than guess at numbers nobody reported, this update leans on typical seasonal patterns for the fishery instead of fresh catch reports. Expect the standard late-July playbook: deep trolling or vertical jigging for walleye, drop-shot and tube presentations for smallmouth around structure, and slow-worked spreader rigs or crawler harnesses on bottom for perch, with muskellunge activity usually cooling off during peak summer heat.
Lake Superior lake trout hold steady as UP streams slow down
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for the Upper Peninsula this cycle, and dedicated Michigan trout-stream reports were thin this week, so this update leans on seasonal patterns rather than a fresh bite report. What we do have: Wisconsin DNR's Lake Superior Fishing program has been highlighting a rapidly growing lake whitefish fishery around Chequamegon Bay this year, a sign the broader lake continues to support strong forage and cold-water fisheries into summer. On UP trout streams, late July typically means lower, clearer flows and a bite that concentrates into the first and last hour of daylight as water warms. Lake Superior itself stays cold enough that lake trout remain a dependable deep-water target through summer, while brookies and browns in tributary streams tend to get more selective and thermally stressed once afternoon temps climb. Check local regs before harvesting, especially around any special whitefish or trout provisions.
Flounder Bite Loads Up Delaware Bay's Back Bays
Flounder are stealing the show in Delaware Bay's back bays this week, with Pier 47 Marina calling the Cape May to Stone Harbor stretch 'loaded,' anglers boating a dozen to three dozen fish per trip on the incoming tide using live minnows, strip baits, and 3-inch Gulp Mullets. Big Dave's Tackle says the flounder bite is 'off the charts' across back bays, inlets, oceanfront beaches, and reef sites, with bigger fish showing the farther out you go, some topping 6 pounds, and more keepers now showing in the bay itself. Higbee's Bait and Tackle reports several boaters limiting out to 20 inches on live minnows or spearing, with croaker, spot, and an occasional flurry of black drum rounding out the mixed bag. Weakfish remain mostly a short, scattered bycatch for flounder anglers per Higbee's. At Cape May Point, Hands Too Bait and Tackle notes the jetties holding flounder and weakfish with a shot at sheepshead.
Peak summer heat keeps Georgia anglers waiting for a break
Georgia Outdoor News' Southern Waters report (July 25) sums up the week bluntly: "the bite has slowed down" as peak summer heat keeps many anglers off the water, though good fish are still coming in on inland waters. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for the Georgia Atlantic Coast this cycle, so we're leaning on seasonal patterns for the saltwater side. Typical for late July, expect spotted seatrout and redfish holding in creeks and around marsh edges during the cooler early-morning and evening tides, with Spanish mackerel and tarpon working nearshore waters as the summer migration continues along the Southeast coast. UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant's recent coverage of Sapelo Island saltwater intrusion and cannonball jellyfish research is a reminder that estuary conditions stay dynamic through summer. Check state regs before harvesting, and plan around early or late-day windows to beat the heat.
Massachusetts bass push deep as summer heat settles over state reservoirs
No buoy or gauge data came through for Quabbin or Wachusett this cycle, and no angler reports were filed directly from either reservoir, so this update leans on the broader Massachusetts freshwater picture. Per The Fisherman — New England Freshwater, the bass bite at Southwick's Congamond Lakes has slowed as summer heat sets in, with better largemouth and smallmouth now relating to deeper structure rather than the shallows — a pattern typical for deep, cold-water impoundments like Quabbin and Wachusett once late-July temperatures climb. The same report noted a 6-plus-pound largemouth taken from Lake Winthrop in Holliston very early in the morning, reinforcing dawn as the highest-percentage window statewide right now. Both reservoirs are best known for smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, and lake trout, and this time of year fish typically hold on thermoclines and deep cover through the afternoon heat. Check current MassWildlife regulations and reservoir access rules before heading out.
Gulf of Alaska anglers lean on seasonal patterns as bite reports run thin
AK Sea Grant's communications team noted this week that a select few Alaskan cod and rockfish made the trip from Gulf of Alaska waters to a Washington, D.C. fish fry, a small reminder that both species mostly stay close to home and typically offer steady bottom fishing when conditions cooperate. Beyond that mention, this cycle's angler-intel feeds carried no on-the-water bite reports, buoy readings, or gauge data specific to the Gulf of Alaska, so today's outlook leans on general late-July seasonal expectation rather than fresh testimony. Salmon runs are typically well underway through the Gulf at this point in summer, and halibut fishing is usually productive over nearshore structure this time of year. We're presenting species status below as seasonal expectation, not a confirmed bite, since no charter, shop, or state report specific to AK conditions came through this cycle. Check the latest local and charter reports before planning a trip.
Chicago's Lake Michigan salmon fishery rides a strong recent run
No fresh NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came through for the Chicago stretch of Lake Michigan this cycle, and this week's angler-intel sweep didn't turn up any Chicago-specific "what's biting" reports either, so we're grounding this update in typical late-July patterns and the one relevant data point available. The WI DNR Lake Michigan Fishing Report's harvest recap flagged 2024 as a standout year lakewide, with anglers boating a record 210,000-plus coho salmon and the biggest Chinook haul since 2012, credited to stronger alewife forage surviving to feed the stocked fish. That kind of run tends to carry momentum into following seasons across the lake, including the southern basin off Chicago. Late July typically has boats pushing well offshore, running spoons and flasher-fly combos deep to reach Chinook, coho, and steelhead holding in the cooler water below the thermocline. Shore and pier action is usually quieter this time of year. Check current state reports and local shops before heading out, since we don't have a direct Chicago bite report this cycle.
Kenai's sockeye push holds strong as interior rivers stay clear
No buoy or gauge readings and no Alaska-specific bite reports came through in today's data pull, so this update leans on established seasonal patterns rather than fresh testimony. Late July typically sits at the heart of the Kenai River's sockeye salmon run, historically the most reliable bite window of the summer for bank and drift anglers working the lower and middle river with flies or bait under a float. King salmon action is usually tapering by now, with many stretches shifting to catch-and-release only late in the run; check current regulations before targeting or retaining kings. Interior systems such as the Gulkana and Chena typically fish well for rainbow trout and Arctic grayling this time of year, with grayling especially active on small dries and nymphs in clear, lower-flow water. Treat all of the above as typical-for-season guidance, not a confirmed on-the-water report, until fresh source intel comes in.
Red snapper limits stack up as Galveston fleet hits peak summer bite
Williams Party Boats has been putting anglers on consistent limits of red snapper up to 20 pounds, mixed with a few vermilion snapper and bonus grouper and dorado, per the Galveston Daily News — Reel Report. Capt. Greg Ball describes warm Gulf waters and plenty of bait stacking up fish from the jetties out to blue water, calling late July into early August one of the best windows of the year. Offshore trips out of Galveston Yacht Marina with Capt. Shannon LaBauve have been productive whenever sea conditions allow boats out, though Gulf weather is keeping some days in port. Inshore, the Texas Redfish Rumble Series held its third 2026 stop July 18 with weigh-in at Pier 6 in San Leon, and the statewide CCA-Texas STAR tournament remains in full swing along the whole coast. TexasFishingTips has continued posting daily area reports from Baffin Bay/Laguna Madre, Aransas Pass, Rockport-Copano, and Port Aransas this week.
Grand River mouth anglers shift deep as Lake Michigan salmon settle in
Lake Michigan's salmon fishery is coming off a strong run — the WI DNR Lake Michigan Fishing Report noted 2024 produced a record coho harvest (over 210,000 fish) and the biggest Chinook take since 2012, helped by stronger alewife survival feeding stocked salmon classes. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for the Grand River mouth this cycle, and no current angler intel surfaced specifically for the Michigan side of the lake, so treat this update as seasonal guidance rather than a live bite report. Late July typically pushes Chinook and coho into deeper, cooler water chased on downriggers well offshore, while smallmouth bass and walleye stay the more consistent nearshore and river-mouth targets through the summer heat. Perch action around the Grand River mouth usually stays slow until water cools toward fall. Check the MI DNR's Weekly Fishing Report directly for current pier and river-mouth specifics before heading out.
Fluke bite heats up around Sandy Hook as bluefin push inshore
Capt Ron's out of Atlantic Highlands put together back-to-back keeper fluke trips this week, headlined by a 5-pound, 4-ounce flattie and several anglers boxing their three-fish limit, with the bite improving after early drifts produced mostly shorts. That mirrors the wider Northern New Jersey picture: OTW Northern New Jersey reports the fluke bite "solid from the rivers to the reefs" heading into this weekend, while cocktail bluefish and small stripers work the beaches and inlets. Sea bass remain a reliable fallback — Blue Chip Sportfishing calls the bite "red hot," with boats limiting out on nearly every trip, and Northern NJ boats like the Golden Eagle mixing one-fish sea bass limits into their fluke trips. Offshore, midshore bluefin have moved onto the inshore lumps, with The Fisherman's NJ/DE Offshore report noting 50- to 60-pound fish hitting jigs and live spot, well within range for Sandy Hook-based boats willing to make the run.
Slot stripers and limit flounder light up Delaware Bay
Slot stripers are stacked on the Augustine Wall this week, per Smith's Bait Shop, with peeler crab the top bait and jigs or rattletrap lures backing it up. Flounder fishing has been the standout story though — Big Dave's Tackle called it "off the charts," and Higbees Bait and Tackle reports boaters limiting out to 20 inches on live minnows and spearing, with party boats mixing in croakers, spot, and an occasional black drum. Croaker remain the bay's most consistent producer, according to Eric Burnley, running strong from the Lewes and Rehoboth Canal out to the Old Grounds despite a stretch of oppressive heat and smoke last week. Weakfish are in the mix too but staying short and scattered, mostly bycatch for flounder anglers per The Fisherman — DE/MD/Chesapeake. Offshore, canyon boats are still bringing back yellowfin tuna and tilefish, per Hook 'em and Cook 'em. Delaware's 20-24 inch striper slot stays in effect for the summer season.
Slot Stripers and Croaker Keep the Bay Corridor Rods Bent
Slot-sized striped bass are stacking up at the Augustine Wall on peeler crab and bloodworms, per Smith's Bait Shop in The Fisherman's DE/MD/Chesapeake report this week, with smaller stripers and croaker also coming off the Bowers Beach Jetty on bloodworms and Fishbites. Croaker remain the region's most consistent producer — Eric Burnley's report calls croaker "the number one catch" from the Lewes/Rehoboth Canal out to the Old Grounds, with keeper flounder spread out well along the same stretch. Flounder are also showing at Delaware Bay's reef sites and oyster beds on peeler crab, alongside blues, while the tidal rivers are holding white perch and croaker on bloodworms and Fishbites. The only drag on the bite has been a stretch of oppressive heat and smoke haze that slowed things for a few days last week. With the moon waxing toward full, expect stronger tidal movement to keep the stripers and croaker feeding actively through the week.
NH Coast Stripers Improving as Bite Builds North to Seabrook
Surfcasters working the stretch from Salisbury up into Seabrook, right at the edge of New Hampshire's Gulf of Maine waters, are seeing the local striper bite improve, with steady after-dark action on eels, plugs, and plastics, per Surfland Bait and Tackle (The Fisherman — South Shore MA to ME). It's not a lights-out blitz, but it's consistent enough to plan an evening trip around. Zooming out regionally, The Fisherman's New England Video Fishing Forecast reports a strong increase in black sea bass action over the past week to ten days, while the striper bite has stayed hot along the Boston South Shore and between Newport and Block Island. Sharks are becoming a nuisance farther south in Rhode Island and Connecticut waters, and offshore bluefin have been scattered, with rec-sized fish tough to pin down. No live buoy or gauge readings are available for the NH coast this cycle, so lean on the moon and tide for timing and check a local forecast before heading out.
Fluke Bite Ignites Long Island as Bluefin Push Into Montauk Canyons
Fluke fishing is "firing on all cylinders" from the South Shore bays and ocean reefs to Long Island Sound, according to On The Water's July 23 Long Island and NYC report, with bluefin tuna action holding excellent off the east end. Ocean reef fluking has outpaced the bay bite per White Water Outfitters in Hampton Bays, and Babylon Fishing Station weighed a 12-pound, 11-ounce keeper this week among several quality fish. Striped bass remain best around Montauk and Block Island per Tight Lines Tackle in Southampton, though Trophy Hunter Montauk Charters and Double D Charters both note the bass bite around the Lighthouse has slowed considerably. Porgy fishing is thick at Cedar Point with fish pushing 14 inches, and bluefish, ranging from cocktail-size to gators off Montauk, continue crashing bait through the Sound and ocean beaches. Offshore, canyon yellowfin and bigeye tuna remain excellent, though midshore bluefin have turned spotty for some East End boats despite heavy bait.
Fluke and sea bass limits fuel a red-hot Jersey Shore summer
Fluke are keying the Jersey Shore bite right now. Big Dave's Tackle, reporting through The Fisherman — Southern NJ, calls flounder fishing "off the charts" this week, from back bays and inlets out to oceanfront beaches and reef sites, with fish to 6 pounds at deeper structure. Fisherman's Headquarters in Central NJ backs that up with keeper fluke on both boat and surf, plus early weakfish showing on light tackle. Sea bass are just as strong: Blue Chip Sportfishing calls the bite "red hot," with anglers limiting out on almost every trip, while shark fishing has "busted wide open," including three mako sharks hooked and released on one recent trip. Striped bass remain in the mix too, from slot fish at Surf City Bait and Tackle to boat limits at Blue Chip. Offshore, bluefin tuna have pushed onto the inshore lumps behind a squid push, per Fishermans HQ LBI and NJ/DE Offshore shop reports, with fish to 60 pounds hitting jigs and ballyhoo.
Bass Hold Steady as Summer Heat Slows NJ's Freshwater Lakes
A 3.5-pound largemouth pulled from a Cape May County pond this week, reported via The Fisherman's NJ/DE Freshwater column, signals bass are still feeding despite heat clamping down on much of the region's freshwater action. Water temperatures pushing into the 80s have stalled the hybrid striped bass bite on area reservoirs to brief windows around dawn and dusk, while panfish keep producing steadily even as some anglers trade rods for air conditioning on the hottest afternoons. Down along Bass River in the heart of the Pine Barrens, fishing remains fair but weather-dependent, with recent storms helping settle wildfire haze that had been hanging over the watershed. Meanwhile smallmouth are putting on an explosive topwater show on Delaware River-system waters, a bite expected to hold into early fall as surface temperatures ease. Campground lakes and ponds scattered through the Pine Barrens remain in prime shape and are getting worked hard by summer visitors.
Chesapeake mouth cobia and red drum carry the summer lull
No fresh buoy or gauge readings and no Chesapeake-specific dispatches turned up in this cycle's intel sweep, so this report leans on typical late-July patterns for the Chesapeake mouth. Lower Bay water typically climbs into the upper 70s to low 80s by now, warm enough to push striped bass into a summer holding pattern that many Virginia anglers manage with early-light trips and quick releases before the heat sets in. Cobia and red drum usually carry the action through this stretch, working channel edges and nearshore structure, while Spanish mackerel can blitz bait on the surface on calm mornings. Flounder fishing typically holds around channel drop-offs near the mouth. Check current Virginia regulations before targeting summer stripers, since warm-water conservation guidance sometimes applies this time of year. Species notes below reflect seasonal expectations, not confirmed on-the-water reports, since no angler intel specific to this region came through this cycle.
Tarpon and Permit Still Turning Heads on FL's Gulf Coast
Naples Offshore Fishing Charters' most recent reports describe a strong tarpon-and-permit combo working the passes and nearshore structure, with captains splitting mornings intercepting migrating tarpon and afternoons sight-casting permit, calling the pairing one of the best one-two punches on Florida's Gulf Coast this stretch of the season. Kingfish have stayed a consistent producer on trolled plugs and flies, with cobia and amberjack mixing in as bonus fish on the same trips. Regionally, Salt Strong's Weekend Game Plan is running Florida Gulf Coast and Florida Panhandle & Big Bend as active insider regions for the July 24-26 window, a sign the bite is holding enough local attention to earn dedicated coverage. On the regulatory side, CCA Florida continues flagging Gulf senators' concern over illegal, unreported red snapper harvest by foreign vessels, worth a reminder to double-check current federal Gulf season dates before targeting snapper. With the moon waxing toward full, look for stronger tide swings to keep bait moving over the next few days.
Cape Cod Bay stripers stay red-hot as sharks trail the bite
Striper fishing in Cape Cod Bay is running excellent from both boat and beach, according to Goose Hummock Shop in Orleans, with anglers picking up bass from the 30-inch slot class up to oversize specimens on recent evening trips. The catch: white sharks have found the same fish, and Goose Hummock reported bass getting tailed by sharks mid-fight, including one 36-incher that came back missing its tail after a second shark encounter. Just south on the bay's western shore, Belsan's Bait and Tackle in Scituate says a recent new-moon push moved stripers down through Plymouth waters, with live-lined mackerel, mojos, and after-dark topwater plugs and Slug-Gos all producing bass into the high-40-inch class, while chunks and live eels have been the top night-bite producers. On The Water also flagged shark activity along Cape Cod beaches this week, consistent with the shark pressure showing up on the bass grounds.