Fishing reports
19070 reports across all 50 states — current conditions and what's biting.
Merrimack smallmouth heat up through Manchester to Hooksett
Smallmouth bass are the story on the Merrimack this week: per The Fisherman, New England Freshwater correspondent Roger Aziz Jr., the Manchester-to-Hooksett stretch in New Hampshire is producing better bronzeback action than the Lawrence-to-North Andover water downstream, with a few smallies also coming from the Rocks Village section in Haverhill. No buoy or gauge readings came through for the Merrimack this cycle, so treat flow and temp as unconfirmed and check a local gauge before you head out. Lake Winnipesaukee has no direct angler reports in this cycle; expect typical mid-summer behavior, largemouth working shallow cover early and late, lake trout and landlocked salmon holding deeper as the thermocline sets up. For technique, Tactical Bassin's summer coverage points to jig-and-minnow strolling and dropshotting as reliable heat-of-day options worth trying on either water. First Quarter moon favors modest dawn and dusk feeding windows.
Summer heat pushes Tennessee River bass toward ledges and shade
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came in for the Chickamauga/Watts Bar stretch of the Tennessee River chain this cycle, so this report leans on seasonal patterns and this week's national bass-tactics coverage rather than a local numeric readout. Late July on TVA reservoirs like these typically means largemouth and spotted bass sliding onto secondary points, ledges, and shaded cover to escape surface heat, with early-morning and after-dark bites outperforming midday. Tactical Bassin (blog) this week detailed dropshot and jig-and-minnow "strolling" presentations built specifically for hot-weather bass, and a companion piece walked through where bass group up once temperatures spike — both directly applicable to reservoir summer patterns like Chickamauga and Watts Bar. Catfish typically stay dependable after dark through this stretch of summer, while crappie tend to go quiet, suspending deep and off the bite until water starts to cool. Check current TVA generation schedules before planning around current.
Arkansas bass dig in as summer heat resets daily patterns
Tactical Bassin's midsummer breakdown, "How To Catch Bass When Its HOT," frames the pattern anglers on Arkansas and White River system waters are working with right now: shallow fish sliding into shade during peak sun while deeper fish group tight on structure and hold there most of the afternoon. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for this region on this cycle, so today's update leans on seasonal norms and technique reporting rather than a specific on-the-water count or temperature reading. Tactical Bassin also flags the dropshot as more versatile than most anglers give it credit for in summer, useful for working the deeper holes bass stack up in once surface water warms through midday. White River tailwater trout fishing typically holds steady through summer on cold dam-release flows, and catfish generally get more active as water temperatures climb. Check current generation schedules and state regs before planning a trip this week.
Summer patterns take hold for Delta bass and stripers
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came in for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta this cycle, so this update leans on established summer patterns rather than fabricated numbers. Striped bass and largemouth bass remain the Delta's bread-and-butter summer targets, typically holding along tule lines, weedlines, and moving water as the heat builds. Tactical Bassin's current rundown on summer dropshot tricks and Wired 2 Fish's roundup of hollow-body frog baits offer technique ideas anglers are leaning on right now, even though neither outlet filed a Delta-specific bite report this week. Offshore, Western Outdoor News — Saltwater reports ocean salmon fishing below Point Arena has been "spectacular" for boats working out of San Francisco, a signal worth watching since a strong ocean return often foreshadows a healthier fall Chinook push back into the Delta later in the season. Sturgeon typically slow down and drop deeper as water temperatures climb through midsummer. Check state regs before harvesting any species.
South Fork trout keep biting early as summer heat builds
Trout Unlimited's midsummer dispatch is blunt: this year's historically low flows and high air temperatures are stressing trout rivers nationally, and that same pattern is worth watching on the Snake River and South Fork as peak summer heat sets in for late July. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through this cycle, so treat flow and temperature as unconfirmed until you check current USGS data before launching. Cutthroat, rainbow, and brown trout should still be catchable on the typical summer window — early mornings and late evenings when water runs coolest — but midday heat stress means handling fish gently and keeping fights short matters more than usual. Trout Unlimited also flags a solid backup plan for when trout slow down: smallmouth bass on streamers. No South Fork-specific angler or shop reports came in this cycle, so treat the species status below as seasonal defaults rather than confirmed on-the-water bites.
Lake trout and salmon keep trolling strong through smoky North Shore days
Lake Superior's North Shore continues to produce for trollers, with the MN DNR Lake Superior Summer Fishing report from July 16 noting anglers hooking 18-31 inch Lake Trout, 16-18 inch Coho Salmon, and a handful of 20-25 inch Chinook Salmon on bright spoons, stick baits, and flasher flies fished 30 to 60 feet down over 100-150 feet of water. Wind has been doing a lot of the work lately, cooling surface temps from the upper 60s down into the 40s and low 50s near Duluth, McQuade, Knife River, and Two Harbors, and wildfire smoke has layered on air quality advisories that Great Lakes Now flagged as ranking Minneapolis among the worst air in the country this week. Inland, walleye anglers are leaning on forward-facing sonar to find fish off the bottom, per Fishing the Midwest. Expect the deep troll bite to hold as smoke clears.
East Texas bass dig in deep as summer heat tightens grip
Lake Fork Trophy Bass's July report says big-bass action is 'HOT' across its East Texas water even in peak summer heat, a pattern anglers on Toledo Bend and Sam Rayburn should expect this week as temperatures hold high. The Sabine River system gauge near Toledo Bend (USGS 08030500) was running a steady 2,300 cfs early this morning, with no fresh water-temperature reading available. Tactical Bassin's summer coverage points anglers toward dropshot and jig-and-minnow strolling presentations as bass slide onto deeper structure and shade to escape the heat, while Texas Fish & Game Magazine notes late-summer bass often go quiet through the middle of the day as water temperatures climb and boat traffic increases. Largemouth bass remain the headline species for both reservoirs; catfish typically stay steady through summer heat, and crappie tend to slow down and hold deep. Expect classic dog-days patterns to dominate through the week.
South Platte tailwaters settle into summer trico rhythm
USGS gauge 06701900 read a steady 197 cfs early this morning, a typical low-water summer base flow for South Platte and Arkansas tailwater fisheries. Pat Dorsey Fly Fishing (CO) is calling 2026 among the worst droughts on record for the state, citing the lowest recorded snowpack in recent memory, so expect thinner, clearer water and fish concentrated in deeper runs and pockets. Classic summer tailwater patterns should carry the day: trico spinner falls have long been a South Platte staple worth timing for mid-morning, a pattern Gink and Gasoline has documented on this river, while midge emergers and pupae stay productive on tailwaters year-round per AvidMax Blog (CO)'s recent tying features. With low, clear flows, expect selective, technical fish that reward fine tippets and precise drifts over searching patterns. Similar drought-driven voluntary afternoon closures have already gone into effect on Western Slope rivers, per Crystal Fly Shop, a reminder to fish early and check current regulations before heading out.
Delta bass anglers lean on summer tactics as flows run high
The Sacramento-Delta gauge (USGS 11447650) logged 71°F water and flow near 20,600 cfs early Wednesday morning, a solidly mid-summer read for the region. With flow running on the high side, current seams and structure edges are the play for largemouth bass right now — Tactical Bassin's latest summer roundup points anglers toward dropshotting current breaks, strolling a jig-and-minnow rig, and working a spy bait through clearer water when the bite gets tough in the heat. Striped bass should still respond to low-light topwater around moving water, typical for this time of year, though we don't have a direct Delta-specific bite report this week to call it a hot pattern outright. Sturgeon tend to go quieter when flows push this high, and catfish remain a dependable after-dark option in warm water. As always, check current California state regulations before harvesting any species.
Monsoon pulse into Roosevelt Lake shifts summer bass patterns
Tonto Creek's gauge near Roosevelt (USGS 09498500) logged 592 cfs early Tuesday morning, a flow well above typical late-July baseflow and a clear signal that monsoon runoff is pushing fresh, likely stained water into Roosevelt Lake's upper end. No charter, shop, or agency reports came in for the Salt River chain this cycle, so this update leans on seasonal knowledge and current national bass-technique trends rather than fresh local intel, and we'd rather say that plainly than guess. Per Tactical Bassin's recent summer-heat coverage, hot-weather largemouth and smallmouth are holding tight to shade and deep-to-shallow transition zones right now, with dropshot rigs and jig-and-minnow "strolling" presentations drawing heavy angler interest as go-to warm-water finesse options. That pattern should translate reasonably well to Roosevelt and the Salt River arms once clarity settles behind the inflow pulse. Crappie typically slide deep and go quiet in this heat, while catfish often turn on near creek-mouth turbidity after a pulse like this.
Salt River bass turn deep and slow as summer heat holds
Water on the Colorado and Salt River systems is running warm this week, with our USGS gauge (site 09380000) logging 67°F and flow near 6,870 cfs as of early Tuesday morning. That reading sits right at the top edge of the trout comfort window described in Field & Stream's water-temperature guide, which pegs 50-65°F as prime feeding territory and flags anything pushing higher as stress territory for cold-water species, so trout water is likely fishing tougher through midday and better in low light. Smallmouth and largemouth bass are built for exactly this kind of heat: Tactical Bassin's recent rundown on hot-weather bass patterns points anglers toward shaded structure, deeper water, and slowed-down presentations like dropshot rigs once the sun gets high. No AZ-specific shop or charter reports came through this cycle, so treat species status below as seasonal expectation rather than a confirmed local bite.
Chinook and Sturgeon Bite Holds as Columbia Water Warms
USGS gauge 14105700 logged the Columbia at 71°F and roughly 121,000 cfs early this morning (July 22), a flow and temperature combination typical of high summer on the big river. No angler intel feed we pulled this cycle carried a direct Columbia River salmon or sturgeon bite report, so we're leaning on seasonal patterns rather than fresh testimony: at 71°F, adult Chinook and steelhead typically start seeking cooler holding water and slow their daytime movement, while sturgeon tend to stay active in deeper, cooler holes regardless of surface warmth. Anglers fishing this stretch should expect a compressed bite window early and late in the day rather than steady action through the afternoon. We'd treat any midday lull as thermal, not a sign fish have moved out. Check current Oregon regulations before targeting salmon or retaining sturgeon, since warm-water advisories can trigger temporary closures on short notice.
Eastern Sierra trout still eating dries as summer heat builds
Reno Fly Shop's most recent Truckee River report described "good fishing on the Truckee River right now," with high air temperatures breaking under afternoon thunderstorms and anglers advised to get out early before the summer heat and the afternoon tube-hatch recreational traffic set in. Late-day sessions were producing caddis, stonefly, and evening hatches with trout still willing to eat on top. Earlier reports from the Truckee and East Fork Walker River noted prime water temps and strong PMD, Green Drake, Yellow Sally, Golden Stone, and caddis activity, with crayfish patterns working as trout key on increasingly mobile crustaceans through summer. No fresh USGS reading came through for gauge 10265200 today, so treat these as the best available signal for Eastern Sierra conditions heading into late July. Trout Unlimited also flagged historically low water and high air temperatures stressing regional trout fisheries this summer, a reminder to fish early or late and handle fish carefully.
Wyoming trout fisheries brace for drought-driven heat stress
Record low snowpack and a run of surging heat waves across Wyoming have already forced Yellowstone National Park to fully close the Madison, Firehole, and Gibbon Rivers this month, per Flylords Mag, and that same drought pattern is leaning on cold-water fisheries statewide, including the Wind River and North Platte systems. USGS gauge 06259000 came back with no reading this cycle, so we don't have a hard flow or temperature number to hang a forecast on. Trout Unlimited's summer dispatch flags historically low water and high air temps stressing trout fisheries across the region and points anglers toward smallmouth bass on streamers as a lower-stress option when trout get sluggish. Field & Stream's water-temperature guide is worth keeping in your back pocket too: trout feeding slows hard once water pushes into the mid-60s and warmer, so early mornings and deep, shaded runs are the play right now. Cutthroat and rainbow are likely feeling the heat most; browns and reservoir walleye should hold up better.
Mille Lacs walleyes go deep as summer weedline bite builds
Mille Lacs Lake enters the heart of summer with limited direct on-lake intel today, but the broader Upper Midwest walleye pattern points the way. Fishing the Midwest's Bob Jensen notes anglers finding success working weedlines as the open-water season hits full stride, while Mike Frisch highlights how forward-facing sonar has redrawn where walleyes actually sit, often suspended off bottom rather than glued to it. A recent Wired 2 Fish report out of a nearby Dakotas lake underscores the same trend: a rare golden walleye was located suspended in shallower water using forward-facing sonar and Northland jigs. USGS gauge 05227530 logged 0 cfs flow early this morning with no water temperature reading available, so today's numbers offer little to lean on. Expect Mille Lacs walleyes to be relating to deeper structure, weedlines, and mud transitions as midsummer heat sets in, with smallmouth and perch rounding out a typical mixed-bag day.
Elevated flows keep Driftless streamer game strong
The gauge on this stretch of Driftless trout water is running high at 4,850 cfs early Tuesday morning, and that push is steering fly selection toward meat over dries. MidCurrent's Tying Tuesday roundup this week features Root River Rod Co's go-to Driftless streamer, a pine squirrel jig built to bounce the rocky bottom without hanging up, exactly the presentation elevated, off-color flows call for. Trout Unlimited's newsletter is also flagging the broader summer squeeze hitting Midwest trout fisheries, with low water and high air temps elsewhere pushing anglers toward smallmouth bass on streamers as trout get sluggish in the heat. No water temperature reading came through on this gauge, so check a thermometer before committing to a long midday session. We're leaning toward weighted streamers and deeper runs until flows settle back down.
Suspended walleye, deep bass set the pattern on Upper Mississippi pools
The USGS gauge at site 05344500 held flow steady at 10,400 cfs as of Wednesday morning, keeping current predictable through the pools between Prescott and La Crosse; no water temperature reading came through with this check, so plan around typical hot-water summer patterns until a fresh reading lands. Walleye location keeps shifting per Fishing the Midwest, whose recent notes on forward-facing sonar describe fish sitting off traditional points and weedlines rather than parked tight to them, worth working mid-river breaks and wing-dam current seams rather than just bottom structure. Bass anglers should lean on Tactical Bassin's summer playbook: dropshotting deeper breaks and jig-and-minnow strolling over suspended fish, both built for exactly this kind of hot-weather, stable-flow window. Channel catfish are typically dependable in these pools through late July regardless of pressure.
Pearl River anglers adjust as flows surge to summer highs
USGS gauge 07289000 on the Pearl River system is reading flow near 705,000 cfs today, a level far above what the river typically carries in late July, with no water-temperature reading logged alongside it. That kind of push moves a lot of dingy water through the system and shifts where fish stack up. None of this week's angler-intel feeds report directly from Mississippi or the Pearl River, so this update leans on general summer-pattern knowledge rather than local witness reports. Tactical Bassin's summer breakdown of shade and current-break patterns and Wired 2 Fish's standoff-rig piece both apply well to high, stained river conditions, where slow, finesse presentations along wood and current seams tend to out-produce reaction baits. Catfish typically turn on when rivers run high and muddy, while crappie and bream usually pull back into calmer backwaters until flow settles. Expect tougher, more technical fishing until the water drops and clears.
Red River walleye bite holds strong as ND summer heat sets in
Water at the Red River gauge (USGS 05054000) is running a warm 81°F with flow holding steady near 518 cfs as of early Tuesday, confirming North Dakota's Red and Missouri River systems are deep into peak summer conditions. The standout story this week comes from Wired 2 Fish: three young anglers out of Jamestown landed and released a rare golden walleye on an unnamed eastern ND lake, working forward-facing sonar and 3/8-ounce Northland jigs over slightly shallower water - a location approach worth borrowing on the rivers too. Fishing the Midwest's Mike Frisch and Bob Jensen echo that FFS-assisted structure fishing is reshaping how Midwest anglers find summer walleye, moving beyond the old bottom-only assumption. Smallmouth bass anglers should take a cue from On The Water's summer advice and wet-wade skinny, current-broken water at dawn before the heat pushes fish deeper. Catfish typically turn on hardest once water tops 80°F, making this a good window to probe deeper river holes.
Western NY smallmouth push into skinny water as summer heat holds
Water at monitored gauge 04231600 read 71°F this morning with flow holding near 1,830 cfs, consistent with a settled summer pattern across Western New York's Lake Erie and Niagara corridor. With surface temps in the low 70s, smallmouth bass are tucking into shadier, skinnier water during the hottest part of the day, a pattern On The Water flagged this week for summer smallmouth across the broader region, favoring wet-wading approaches around creek mouths and current breaks. Walleye anglers are leaning harder on electronics right now, with Fishing the Midwest noting this season that forward-facing sonar keeps turning up suspended fish well off bottom rather than stacked on classic structure, worth trying if bottom-bumping has gone quiet. Largemouth holding in weedier bays should still answer a dropshot, per Tactical Bassin's current summer rundown. Yellow perch activity typically slows through the warmest surface layer this time of year; look for a better bite once water starts to settle deeper.
Summer bass patterns lock in as anglers dial in weed and drop-shot bites
The lone hard number we have this week is a steady flow read of 301 cfs from USGS gauge 01081000 taken at 6:30am July 22, with no temperature reading available to pair with it. No Lake Winnipesaukee-specific reports came through our feeds this cycle, so this update leans on the seasonal techniques regional bass anglers are leaning on right now. Tactical Bassin is pushing dropshot versatility and jig-and-minnow "strolling" as go-to hot-weather presentations, while Fishing the Midwest is emphasizing working weedline tops with moving baits as summer weed growth peaks. Both are broadly applicable to Winnipesaukee's smallmouth and largemouth fisheries this time of year. Lake trout and landlocked salmon typically settle into deeper, cooler water during late July, and we'd expect that pattern to hold. Check local bait shops for on-the-water specifics before you head out, since direct intel on this particular lake was thin this week.
Low water sets up a classic summer pattern on Eufaula and Red River
The USGS gauge at site 07247500 logged just 2.96 cfs early this morning, the kind of skinny, exposed-sandbar flow that shows up on a hot late-July stretch of Red River tributary water. No fresh community reports came in for Lake Eufaula or Red River specifically this cycle, so this update leans on regional technique intel and seasonal know-how rather than fresh local intel. Tactical Bassin's summer coverage this week pushed dropshot rigging and jig-and-minnow strolling as go-to ways to keep bass biting once the sun climbs and fish slide deeper or tuck into shade, both approaches that translate well to Eufaula's ledges and Red River's channel breaks. Catfish tend to stay aggressive through summer heat regardless of pressure, and white bass typically settle into a slower, more weather-dependent pattern this time of year. Expect the best bite windows concentrated at dawn and dusk, with low flow keeping water clarity better than average on the river side.
Champlain smallmouth push shallow as summer heat locks in
The USGS gauge covering the Champlain basin (04294500) logged a 71°F reading this morning, squarely in the zone where smallmouth bass push onto rocky points and mid-lake humps and feed aggressively through low light. No flow figure came through on this cycle, but the temp alone points to a textbook summer pattern setting up on the lake. On The Water's recent smallmouth coverage stresses working skinny, current-broken water hard in the early and late hours before the sun climbs, and Tactical Bassin's summer dropshot rundown notes bass keying on slow-falling, subtle profiles once the bite gets tougher midday — both apply directly to Champlain's rock and boulder structure. Landlocked salmon are a different story: by late July they typically slide off the surface and hold near the thermocline, and nothing in today's feed reports salmon action, so we're calling that bite seasonally slow rather than confirmed hot. Check Vermont regs before harvesting either species.
Skinny-water smallmouth tactics line up with New River's summer flow
USGS gauge 03051000 logged river flow at 7,020 cfs as of 6:30 a.m. Thursday, the only hard number in from the New River and Ohio River corridor this week, with no water-temp reading available. No shop or charter source filed a direct New River or Ohio River report this cycle, so we're leaning on regional technique intel rather than fresh local bite reports. On The Water's latest coverage points anglers toward wet-wading skinny creek water for summer smallmouth, a pattern that fits low-clarity tributary stretches typical of the New River this time of year. Tactical Bassin's summer lineup highlights dropshot and finesse presentations for bass holding tight to shade and structure in the heat, while Fishing the Midwest notes anglers increasingly leaning on forward-facing sonar to locate suspended walleye rather than assuming bottom-only location, a mindset shift worth carrying to Ohio River sauger and walleye. Treat all of this as general technique guidance until a local report confirms specifics.