Fishing reports
19070 reports across all 50 states — current conditions and what's biting.
Eastern WA anglers lean on early mornings as summer heat sets bite windows
No fresh buoy or river-gauge readings came through for the Yakima and Spokane-area waters this cycle, so this update leans on seasonal fundamentals rather than a specific reading. Late July puts most Eastern Washington rivers and lakes well into summer warm-water mode, and Field & Stream's water-temperature guide is a useful baseline right now: trout get sluggish and push toward shade, springs, or deeper cold pockets once surface temps climb past the mid-60s, making dawn and dusk the higher-percentage windows. Warm-water species pick up the slack during the day. On The Water's smallmouth piece on wet-wading skinny creek water is a solid seasonal technique for rivers running low and clear, while Fishing the Midwest's recent notes on working weedlines with moving baits and using forward-facing sonar to find suspended fish off traditional structure both apply well to Eastern WA lake bass and walleye. Anglers should also check WDFW's creel and stocking reports directly for the most current, water-specific numbers before planning a trip.
Summer heat pushes Mississippi Basin bass into shade and structure
Tactical Bassin's newest "How To Catch Bass When Its HOT" breakdown lines up with exactly what anglers on the Mississippi and Atchafalaya basins are dealing with this week: full summer heat pushing largemouth into predictable shallow-shade and deep-structure holding spots. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for this stretch of water today, so we're leaning on seasonal knowledge rather than a hard temperature number. Bream and catfish typically stay reliable through peak summer in these backwaters, bream working shoreline and brush cover, catfish sliding into deep holes and current breaks, while crappie usually drop into a slower, deeper pattern until water temps ease. With the moon in its First Quarter, low-light dawn and dusk windows should produce the most consistent bites. Work laydowns, channel bends, and shaded cover first, and always check current Louisiana regs before harvesting anything you plan to keep.
Santee stripers and Murray bass settle into summer shade patterns
Per Tactical Bassin's latest summer bass coverage, hot-weather fish are settling into predictable spots: shallow fish holding tight to shade, deep fish grouping on structure, and the jig-and-minnow "stroll" continuing to produce as water temperatures push into the 80s — a pattern that tracks directly onto Santee and Lake Murray this time of year. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came in for either lake today, so treat this as seasonal-pattern guidance rather than a live water report. Santee's blue catfish and landlocked striper fishery typically hold up well through midsummer by working deeper, cooler water, while largemouth on both lakes lean into classic shade-and-weedline patterns (Fishing the Midwest's weedline coverage echoes the same shift). Crappie usually slow down through the dog days. Expect largemouth and catfish action to stay the most consistent bite over the next stretch, with stripers requiring more precise depth work as surface temps hold.
Striped bass hold steady in CT Sound as porgies stack up
Striped bass remain the most dependable bite in Long Island Sound this week. AW Marina in Connecticut reports steady catches from boat and shore around the river mouth and up past the bridge, and aboard the Tartan II, Captain Mike says stripers have stayed consistently productive since the season opened, though the fish are getting picky about which tide they'll eat, making trolling the steadier producer right now. Below the surface, Black Hawk describes excellent bottom-fishing trips with limits of jumbo porgies mixed with sea bass, triggerfish, and an occasional fluke. J&B Tackle adds that fluke and black sea bass are showing modest improvement, with keepers concentrated in a short window tied to a specific part of the tide rather than spread evenly across the drift. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through this cycle, so confirm sea state and water temp locally before running out.
Early topwater red drum bite builds as NC's tarpon run pushes north
Along the North Carolina coast this week, the pattern anglers keep circling back to is an early-morning red drum bite on topwater lures, with Fisherman's Post (NC) reporting steady action in the Topsail/Sneads Ferry sounds before the sun climbs and anglers shift to bottom rigs later in the day. Big red drum are also showing up on flats and river structure in the Pamlico/Neuse system, per the same outlet. Surf anglers from Carolina Beach to Southport/Oak Island are pulling a mixed bag of whiting, croaker, pompano, bluefish, and the occasional shark out of the wash, though dirty water and drifting seaweed are complicating some stretches. Further up the coast, Sport Fishing Mag notes the summer tarpon run stretching from Southport toward Kitty Hawk continues to build, part of a migration anglers say has been growing in recent years. On the regulatory side, NC Division of Marine Fisheries has asked to withdraw its proposed 62-day recreational red snapper season, per Fisherman's Post — Carolinas saltwater.
Charleston Harbor's summer mixed bag holds through the heat
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for Charleston Harbor this cycle, so treat conditions as typical July South Atlantic warmth until a local reading posts. Down the coast in Carolina Beach, N.C., surf anglers are into a classic summer mixed bag of sharks, croaker, pompano, whiting, and pinfish, per Fisherman's Post — a species mix that typically extends south into South Carolina's surf and harbor-mouth water this time of year. Inshore around Charleston, the summer staples — redfish, spotted seatrout, and flounder — are typically holding tight to grass edges and structure during peak heat, with the best windows at dawn, dusk, and moving tide rather than midday sun. Spanish mackerel push into South Atlantic waters by midsummer, and Sport Fishing Mag notes a growing tarpon run working the Carolina coast this season. First Quarter moon keeps tide swings moderate. As always, check current South Carolina regs before harvesting and confirm local conditions before you launch.
Summer salmon runs keep Puget Sound anglers busy amid quiet report week
Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife's ongoing creel-survey and stocking program remains the backbone of what's known about statewide catch trends, per WA WDFW Fishing Reports, but this cycle turned up no fresh buoy readings, gauge data, or angler-intel filings specific to Puget Sound or the outer Pacific coast. That's a gap in this week's inputs, not a read on the fishery itself, so treat what follows as seasonal expectation rather than a confirmed bite report. Late July typically finds Puget Sound in the thick of summer Chinook salmon season, with coho building steadily through August, lingcod and rockfish holding on structure through the warmer months, and Dungeness crab pots working the deeper eelgrass flats. Confirm current regulations, area closures, and today's actual bite with WDFW's creel reports before heading out.
Peak summer trout bite holds strong in Sarasota Bay
Spotted seatrout are locked into their peak summer pattern across Sarasota Bay, with Capt. Brandon Naeve of CB's Saltwater Outfitters reporting aggressive bites this week on inshore grass flats, mangrove shorelines, and local passes. Tarpon remain a solid secondary target — Capt. Rick Grassett's July forecast from CB's has spin anglers working travel lanes with live baits under floats, while fly anglers stake out bar edges and sight-cast, noting July fish tend to hit harder even as overall numbers begin to thin for the season. Redfish are showing too, with Capt. Chuck Cress finding action around an upper Sarasota Bay oyster bar thick with mullet and bait activity. Shark activity — bull, blacktip, and lemon sharks working the bay and nearshore Gulf — typically holds strong from late spring into fall per CB's reporting. Warm, stable summer water is driving all of it; check current regulations before harvesting any species this time of year.
Summer smallmouth patterns take hold across Potomac and Shenandoah waters
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came in for the Potomac and Shenandoah corridor this cycle, so this update leans on seasonal technique rather than a single water reading. On The Water's current smallmouth piece describes anglers wet-wading skinny creek water to beat the heat, a pattern that lines up well with the riffle-and-pool water typical of the Shenandoah and upper Potomac smallmouth fishery this time of year. Field & Stream's water-temperature primer is a useful reminder that trout metabolism and feeding slow once flows push past the mid-60s, which typically shifts Shenandoah mountain-stream trout fishing into early-morning windows through late July and August. Virginia DWR's blog also flagged a draft Stocked Trout Management Plan open for public comment, worth watching if you fish put-and-take water regularly. Largemouth bass and catfish should hold to standard summer patterns — shade, current breaks, and low-light feeding — until live conditions data comes back online for this region.
Red drum flats bite carries Pamlico Sound into midsummer
Red drum are the story on the Pamlico and Neuse River flats, where Custom Marine Fabrication's Donald reports anglers finding drum of all sizes working structure and shoreline flats, per Fisherman's Post (NC). Just south in Topsail/Sneads Ferry, East Coast Sports notes a strong early-morning topwater red drum bite that shifts to bottom baits later in the day, also via Fisherman's Post. Surf anglers are filling coolers with a mixed bag rather than chasing one species: Carolina Beach is producing sharks, croakers, pompano, whiting, and pinfish per Island Tackle and Hardware, while the Swansboro/Emerald Isle surf gives up bluefish, spots, sea mullet, and pompano according to The Reel Outdoors. Adding to the summer storyline, Sport Fishing Mag reports the Cape Fear River-to-Pamlico Sound summer tarpon run continues to build, with fish showing from Southport to Kitty Hawk. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through this cycle, so treat water temp and tide timing as seasonal norms until updated data lands.
Lake Erie's Summer Walleye Bite Holds Steady, Muskies Stay Cagey
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for Lake Erie or Presque Isle this cycle, so this update draws on seasonal patterns rather than live numbers. Late July typically keeps Erie's open-water bite in full swing: walleye trollers working deeper contour lines, smallmouth bass holding tight to rock piles and gravel points, and yellow perch schooling over deeper flats are all standard for this stretch of summer. Presque Isle Bay's muskellunge tend to go quiet during the hottest midday stretches, with better follows and strikes around first and last light. Pennsylvania Sea Grant's recent Harmful Algal Bloom webinar is a good seasonal reminder to check for bloom advisories on Erie and other Pennsylvania waters before wading, swimming, or letting pets in. For day-of, water-specific bite detail, the PA Fish and Boat Commission's Biologist Reports remain the sharpest resource available.
Summer patterns lock in on the Illinois River and Lake Michigan
No buoy or gauge readings came back for the Illinois River and Lake Michigan corridor this cycle, and none of today's angler-intel feeds carried a report specifically from this stretch of water — a quiet week for direct on-the-water intel rather than a data outage. What we can ground the picture in is late-July seasonal knowledge: smallmouth and largemouth bass typically push toward main-lake weedlines and deeper structure through the heat of the day, with better topwater windows at dawn and dusk, while Illinois River channel catfish generally stay reliably active through summer regardless of pressure. Fishing the Midwest's Bob Jensen writes this week that anglers who add versatility — working weedlines and expanding beyond a single go-to technique — are the ones catching more fish through summer, advice that applies as well on Illinois waters as anywhere in the region. Lake Michigan salmon typically hold deeper and cooler this time of year, calling for downriggers or leadcore over open water.
UP anglers watch Lake Superior whitefish action build through smoky haze
Direct buoy and gauge readings weren't available for the UP trout-stream and Lake Superior corridor this cycle, so this report leans on regional angler intel and seasonal norms. The clearest signal comes from the Wisconsin side of Lake Superior, where WI DNR Lake Superior Fishing notes a whitefish fishery in the Chequamegon Bay region that has grown busier in recent years, both through the ice and from a boat, a trend worth watching as it extends into Michigan-side Superior waters. Regionally, Great Lakes Now reports wildfire smoke from Minnesota and Canada has settled over northern Michigan, prompting air quality alerts, worth factoring into a full day on open water or exposed shoreline. On the stream side, brook trout and steelhead remain the bread-and-butter UP targets through midsummer, with lake trout holding in deeper basin structure. Early, unconfirmed chatter on Michigan Sportsman Forum mentions a slow start to king salmon tributary activity, but that's a single anecdotal report and not yet corroborated.
Delaware Bay flounder bite runs red-hot on the NJ side
Flounder are the story on the New Jersey side of Delaware Bay right now. The Fisherman — Southern NJ describes the surf-to-reef bite as "off the charts," with fish showing in the back bays, along the oceanfront, and at the reef sites, and keeper flounder pushing past 6 pounds at deeper structure while shorts dominate closer to shore. Croaker are running strong as a companion catch, spread from the bay's reef sites and oyster beds out toward the Old Grounds per The Fisherman — DE/MD/Chesapeake, with peeler crab and Fishbites doing the work. Weakfish, spot, black drum, and the occasional sheepshead are mixing in as bycatch for bay boaters, and slot-sized striped bass are still hitting peeler crab along wall and jetty structure. It's classic peak-summer Delaware Bay fishing, with live minnows and strip baits the go-to baits on the moving tide.
Georgia coast eases into summer rhythm as rivers run high and rising
Georgia's coastal river system is running high and rising this week — the Savannah at Clyo, the Altamaha at Doctortown, and the Ocmulgee at Lumber City all showed rising stages as of July 16, per GA Sportsman / Georgia Outdoor News' Southern Waters report. That kind of freshwater push typically stains and cools the upper reaches of coastal estuaries, which can bunch baitfish and predators along cleaner tide lines closer to the sound. Direct Atlantic coast buoy and tide-gauge data wasn't available for this cycle, so treat the on-the-water picture as general seasonal expectation rather than a live read: mid-July on the Georgia coast typically means slower midday action with fish sliding deeper and feeding hardest around the tide changes at dawn and dusk. Redfish and spotted seatrout remain the bread-and-butter targets working marsh edges and grass flats, with flounder usually the slowest of the bunch until temperatures ease later in the season.
Quabbin lake trout slide deep as smallmouth own the mid-summer shallows
With no fresh buoy or gauge readings in from the reservoirs themselves this cycle, the clearest signal comes from the surrounding Massachusetts freshwater scene: The Fisherman — New England Freshwater reports quality largemouth still coming from area ponds, including a pair of hefty fish weighed in at Red Top Sporting Goods in Buzzards Bay (4 and 8 pounds, one on a wacky worm, one on a deep-diving crankbait), and steady smallmouth action working the Merrimack corridor from Lawrence up into New Hampshire. Late July on Quabbin and Wachusett typically mirrors that pattern: smallmouth bass staying aggressive around deep humps and rocky structure while lake trout and landlocked salmon, the reservoirs' signature cold-water fishery, pull down into deeper, cooler water as the surface warms. Tactical Bassin's general summer-heat breakdown backs this up, noting shallow fish tucking into shade and deep fish grouping tight to structure once temperatures climb, a pattern that should hold on both reservoirs through the coming week.
Quiet intel week leaves Gulf of Alaska anglers leaning on the summer salmon run
No NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came through for the Gulf of Alaska this cycle, and this week's angler-intel sweep turned up no direct captain, shop, or charter reports on what's actually biting in the region. The one concrete regional note came from Alaska Sea Grant, which flagged that invasive European green crabs continue their advance in Southeast Alaska waters, a reminder for anglers and beachcombers to watch for the species' distinctive '5-3-5' carapace pattern this season. Absent hard water-temp or bite data, we're leaning on general seasonal knowledge: mid-to-late July typically has Gulf of Alaska boats working king and coho salmon runs alongside halibut and lingcod in nearshore and offshore structure. Treat these as typical-for-the-season expectations rather than confirmed conditions, and check state and charter sources locally before planning a trip, since this week's feeds simply didn't carry region-specific catch reports to confirm the pattern.
Piedmont and Roanoke bass anglers lean into classic summer heat patterns
No NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came back for the Catawba and Roanoke systems this cycle, so this update leans on seasonal knowledge and national technique coverage rather than a hard temperature reading. Mid-to-late July on Carolina Piedmont and Coastal Plain waters typically means largemouth bass sliding into shade and deeper cover through the midday heat, with catfish staying consistently active on bottom presentations. Tactical Bassin's current "how to catch bass when it's hot" coverage emphasizes shallow shade in early and late light with fish grouping deeper through peak heat, a pattern that tracks well for both the Catawba's reservoir sections and Roanoke River holes. Fishing the Midwest's weedline coverage is a good reminder to work emerging vegetation edges as summer progresses. Crappie are the one group we'd flag as typically slower this time of year, holding deep and less willing to chase.
Dog-days walleye pattern takes hold on Northwoods lakes
Late-July heat has pushed Northwoods walleye into the classic dog-days pattern, with Jason Mitchell Outdoors highlighting the algae-bloom bite and weed-pocket presentations anglers are leaning on right now to beat the midday lull. Forward-facing sonar continues to reshape where walleye get found — Fishing the Midwest's Mike Frisch notes that FFS-era anglers are proving walleye aren't always the bottom-hugging, structure-locked fish they were once assumed to be, while AnglingBuzz's Tom Boley segment covers jigging raps and search baits for locating suspended fish off classic structure. Bob Jensen, also in Fishing the Midwest, is reminding anglers the 2026 open-water season is in full swing and that versatility — working weedlines while still checking open water — is paying off. No live buoy or gauge readings came through for this update, so treat water temp as seasonal-typical for late July. Smallmouth are worth a look in skinny water per On The Water's summer wet-wading piece, and largemouth turned up this week working moving baits over emerging weed growth.
Grand River Holds Steady Summer Flow While Lake Michigan Salmon Settle Deep
The Grand River is running a strong 1,390 cfs at the USGS Grand Rapids gauge (04119000) as of Monday evening, a healthy mid-summer push into the Lake Michigan river mouth. Water temperature wasn't reported at the gauge this cycle, but late-July conditions on Lake Michigan typically mean Chinook and coho salmon have pushed into cooler water along the thermocline, with steelhead scattered and less active until temperatures drop again in fall. The WI DNR Lake Michigan Fishing Report's recent recap of the 2024 season noted a record coho harvest of over 210,000 fish and the strongest Chinook catch since 2012, both fueled by improved alewife survival, a sign the lake's salmon fishery remains in strong shape heading into this stretch of summer. Great Lakes Now also flagged wildfire smoke drifting into northern Michigan this week, hazing air quality in spots, worth checking before a long day on open water. Direct on-the-water reports specific to the Grand River mouth were thin this cycle, so treat species activity below as seasonal-pattern guidance rather than confirmed bites.
Summer heat sends Buggs Island and Smith Mountain bass deep
Flow on the regional river system feeding these reservoirs is running a steady 562 cfs per USGS gauge 02075045, a stable read that points to settled, fishable water rather than a post-storm surge. No fresh water-temp reading came through this cycle, but late-July heat has bass on both lakes locked into classic summer patterns. Field & Stream's jig-style breakdown this week is a good match for the moment: football jigs dragging bottom in 10-plus feet of water are the go-to for offshore largemouth once the shallows get too warm, while Fishing the Midwest notes forward-facing sonar has changed where anglers even look for suspended fish this time of year. Tactical Bassin's strolling-technique piece (jig-and-minnow presentations) is also worth a look for summer largemouth and smallmouth. Stripers at both lakes are typically pushed to deeper, cooler layers by now, so treat any surface activity as a dawn-and-dusk window rather than an all-day bite.
Quality Fluke and Red-Hot Sea Bass Lead the Raritan Bay Bite
Capt Ron's out of Atlantic Highlands put together back-to-back days of quality fluke this week, with Gen Wong topping the pool aboard a 4.2-pound flatfish and multiple customers boxing their three-fish limits on drifts with little current. Sea bass are riding shotgun on most of those trips, and Blue Chip Sportfishing (NJ) reports its sea bass fishing running "red hot," with boats limiting out on almost every trip. Just north, OTW Northern New Jersey's latest regional report notes keeper fluke becoming more common from the surf out to the reefs, while cocktail bluefish work the rivers and inlets. Striped bass remain a secondary player for Raritan Bay boats right now — Grumpys Tackle (NJ) still lists bass on clams in the surf further down the Jersey coast, with small stripers mixing in with bluefish on northern beaches. With a First Quarter moon overhead, moving water should keep both fluke and sea bass active into the weekend.
Southwest wind windows decide the bite for Galveston Bay boats
Southwest winds have been the running story on the upper Texas coast this week, per the Galveston Daily News Reel Report, with an incoming tide pushing in off-colored water and putting a damper on bay fishing that had been decent. Offshore, Galveston Party Boats are still finding plenty of red snapper whenever the weather cooperates, with an occasional ling or dorado mixed in. Rain that spared the immediate Galveston area did prompt a release from Lake Houston, which may push more color into the upper bay in the days ahead. On the tournament side, last weekend's Galveston Redfish Series pulled in two fields, a sign redfish are still around when anglers can find clean water to work. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for the Galveston-Corpus stretch this cycle, so treat wind direction and water clarity as the deciding factor on where and when to go out. Speckled trout should keep producing on calmer days once the chop lays down.
Delaware Bay surf stripers turn to sand fleas as summer doldrums set in
NOAA buoy 44009, offshore of Delaware Bay, logged a warm 78°F water temperature this evening with light winds near 11 mph, the kind of stable, sluggish summer read anglers have come to expect this time of year. Per Saltwater Edge Blog's July New Moon forecast, mid-July often brings the 'summer doldrums,' hot, windy stretches when the bite slows but doesn't stop for those willing to adjust. In the surf, OTW Saltwater notes mole crabs (sand fleas) are producing well for striped bass cruising tight to the beach lip through the summer months, while OTW Surfcasting points to rigged Slug-Gos working over stripers staging on shallow beaches with little visible structure or bait. Delaware Surf Fishing confirms the state's 20 to 24 inch striped bass slot limit has been in effect since the July 1 season start, so anglers should measure carefully and check current DNREC regulations before harvesting. Fluke and black sea bass remain the steadier summer targets in typical DE Bay structure.