Fishing reports
19070 reports across all 50 states — current conditions and what's biting.
Tarpon Push and Trophy Permit Headline the Gulf Coast Bite
Tarpon are running hard along Florida's Gulf Coast, with Naples Offshore Fishing Charters reporting the migration in full swing and anglers jumping quality fish through the morning before switching gears to sight-fish big Permit in the afternoons. Mangrove snapper are firing too, with Captain Rick Murphy's Florida Insider Fishing Report flatly calling the state's snapper bite "ON" in a recent episode. Inshore, Salt Strong notes that summer heat is pushing many anglers off the water by mid-morning, but a second, often-overlooked feeding window tends to open in the afternoon as bait activity ramps back up, a pattern worth planning drifts around for seatrout on calmer days. No live buoy or gauge data came through for this update, so treat water temps and tide timing as typical for a Gulf Coast July and confirm conditions locally before running offshore.
Summer pelagic push builds across Hawaii's offshore grounds
Mid-July puts Hawaii's offshore grounds squarely in peak pelagic season, with mahimahi, yellowfin tuna (ahi), wahoo (ono), and blue marlin typically running hardest through summer as warm surface currents push bait fish toward the islands. No NOAA buoy or USGS gauge telemetry synced for Hawaiian waters this cycle, and this week's angler-intel feeds carried no Hawaii-specific charter, shop, or state-agency catch reports, so this update leans on typical seasonal patterns rather than fresh on-the-water testimony. Hawaii Fishing News, the state's official record-keeper for tide and moon timing, remains the reference point serious anglers use to plan trips around Hawaii's mixed tides. Bottomfish species like opakapaka also stay a steady producer through summer on deeper structure. With no fresh reports to confirm hot bites this week, treat species activity as typical-for-season until local intel firms up. Check state regulations before harvesting any bottomfish or pelagic species, as seasonal closures can apply.
Treasure Coast snook stack up as red snapper season hits a legal snag
Snook are packing back into structure around the detached jetty and Hole in the Wall at Stuart's St. Lucie Inlet now that the area dredging project has paused, per Snook Nook's July report — side-scan is marking large schools, with live croakers and pilchards drawing the bites. Remember snook harvest closes statewide on the Atlantic coast June 1 through August 31, so it's catch-and-release only through this window; check current FWC regs before keeping any fish. Bigger news for offshore anglers: CCA Florida reports a federal court just granted a preliminary injunction blocking the 2026 South Atlantic red snapper Exempted Fishing Permit pilot programs for Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina, landing just hours before Florida's Atlantic red snapper season was set to open — confirm current season status before running out. Down south, Sport Fishing Mag notes mutton snapper still working in Biscayne Bay on live chum and pilchards for those looking for an alternate target.
Kayak anglers eye Grand Isle corridor as summer marsh bite holds
Louisiana Sportsman's Chris Holmes flagged the lower Highway 1 corridor down to Grand Isle this week (July 14) as a strong option for summertime kayak fishing across the Delta's marshes and passes. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through this cycle, so hard numbers on temp, tide, and flow aren't available, but the timing tracks with the heart of Louisiana's summer inshore season. Redfish and speckled trout typically work the marsh interiors and passes around Grand Isle through July, with flounder holding tight to channel edges and drop-offs. Kayaks are getting extra attention right now for reaching skinny marsh water that bigger boats can't comfortably fish, especially around moving tide stages. Expect warm, stable conditions and the usual chance of afternoon coastal thunderstorms. As always, check current state regs before harvesting anything you keep.
CT inland bass slide deep as summer heat locks in
No fresh CT buoy or gauge readings came in today, so this report leans on regional New England signals plus seasonal norms for the state's inland lakes and ponds. Per The Fisherman — New England Freshwater, nearby Congamond Lakes in Southwick saw surface temps spike to 86-88 degrees during the recent heat, pushing largemouth and smallmouth bass off the shallows and down onto deeper structure and holes — a pattern that typically mirrors what's happening statewide across CT's inland waters this time of year. At Red Top Sporting Goods in Buzzards Bay, shore anglers found decent largemouth on finesse Ned rigs and drop-shotted plastics after bigger baits got ignored in the heat. On the Merrimack, Roger Aziz Jr. reports smallmouth still hitting topwater, jigs, and spinnerbaits in faster water, while trout anglers have shifted to trolling minnows 15 to 30 feet down per Jerry's Bait and Tackle's South Pond report. Expect CT lakes and ponds to be running the same early/late, deep-water pattern this week.
Columbia and Puget Sound rivers ease into peak summer salmon timing
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for Columbia or Puget Sound river systems today, and this week's angler-intel feeds skewed toward marine science and coastal programs rather than river conditions, so this report leans on typical mid-July patterns rather than a specific bite report. WDFW's ongoing creel-interview and stocking program, described in WA WDFW Fishing Reports, remains the backbone of what's tracked on these waters — access-site interviews and statewide lake and stream stocking keep opportunity flowing through summer even between detailed updates. This time of year typically finds Columbia River sockeye and early fall Chinook runs building, summer steelhead holding in cooler tributary pockets, and stocked rainbow trout slowing off as surface water warms through the day. We'd treat today's picture as a seasonal baseline rather than a live report — check current WDFW creel and stocking updates before planning a trip, since no specific catch or technique reports were available in today's feeds for this region.
Summer heat pushes Toledo Bend bass deep as early bite holds
No buoy or gauge readings came through for Toledo Bend or the Sabine River border this cycle, and this week's angler-intel feeds didn't include a Louisiana freshwater-specific bite report from the reservoir itself. What we can lean on is broader summer bass-fishing guidance from the technique press: Field & Stream's jig primer notes that as bass push deep in summer heat, football jigs dragging bottom in 10-plus feet become the go-to, while swim jigs stay effective working shallow vegetation early and late in the day. Tactical Bassin's summer coverage echoes the same shift, with shallow fish holding tight to shadows and deep fish grouping on structure once the sun climbs high. For Toledo Bend and the Sabine border in mid-July, that generally points to a dawn shallow-cover window giving way to deeper-structure fishing through the heat of the day, typical for this stretch of the calendar on Louisiana/Texas border reservoirs.
Olympic Peninsula salmon rivers head into the summer lull
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for Olympic Peninsula salmon rivers this cycle, and today's intel sweep turned up little region-specific catch reporting beyond WDFW's statewide framework — per WA WDFW Fishing Reports, the department tracks activity through creel interviews at access sites and runs an active stocking program across the state's lakes and streams. Mid-July sits in a seasonal gap on most Olympic Peninsula systems: limited hatchery-supported activity can show in select rivers, but the marquee fall Chinook and coho pushes, plus winter steelhead later on, are typically still weeks to months out. Absent hard numbers today, treat this as a planning window rather than a hot bite — check WDFW's creel and stocking updates for your specific river before heading out, and confirm current season dates and bag limits, since Olympic Peninsula regulations vary by drainage and time of year.
Pittsburgh's Three Rivers Settle Into a Summer Smallmouth Pattern
Pennsylvania Sea Grant and the PA Department of Environmental Protection wrapped a June webinar on spotting harmful algal blooms, a timely flag for anglers working Allegheny River pools and Pittsburgh's Three Rivers as mid-July heat holds through the region. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through this cycle, so treat a quick local flow and water-clarity check as job one before you launch. Absent direct regional reports, the smallmouth bite should track the classic mid-summer pattern: fish sliding onto shade lines, current breaks, and deeper rock through the heat of the day, then pushing shallow to feed in low light, in line with general summer bass tactics from Tactical Bassin and Field & Stream this month. Walleye anglers should expect a deeper, more nocturnal bite as surface temps climb, echoing the season-long shift Fishing the Midwest has been tracking with forward-facing sonar. Muskie and catfish both favor the low-light hours right now. Check state regs before harvesting, and keep an eye on any HAB advisories on your stretch of water.
Salmon and perch action carries into mid-summer on Indiana's Lake Michigan shore
The WI DNR Lake Michigan Fishing Report's look back at 2024 sets the tone for expectations this season: that year produced a record coho salmon harvest (over 210,000 fish) and the best Chinook salmon numbers since 2012 (over 160,000), driven by improved alewife forage survival for stocked fish. No buoy or gauge readings came back for the Indiana shoreline this cycle, so we're leaning on typical mid-July patterns rather than a fresh on-the-water account: Chinook and coho holding in deeper, cooler water well offshore, yellow perch working bottom structure in mid-depth zones, and smallmouth bass staying tight to rock piles and breakwalls. Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant continues funding research specific to the southern Lake Michigan basin, a reminder this stretch of shoreline draws real scientific attention even in a week without hard bite reports. Check local conditions before running offshore.
Striper action heats up along Cape Cod Bay's east side
Striped bass are running well over the slot limit along Cape Cod Bay's east side this week, with Goose Hummock Shop reporting good numbers from the Bay shoreline down through Dennis and into Wellfleet Harbor, where mackerel and squid are thick enough to hold fish tight to the bait. Black Rose Fishing Charters out of the Cape confirms the same story, into consistently good bass on both slot fish and bottom species. Offshore, giant bluefin are stacked up around Crab Ledge per Goose Hummock, though recreational-size fish haven't shown there yet; Falmouth Bait and Tackle reports the canyons producing a mix of yellowfin, bluefin, and marlin, with bigeye pushing 200 pounds. Bluefish remain thin from Falmouth to Hyannis, per Sports Port, while a handful of boats working the Dump south of the Vineyard are quietly into recreational-size tuna. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for the Bay this cycle.
Stripers slide deep as Gulf of Maine bluefin push arrives
Striped bass along the Gulf of Maine corridor are sliding into summer patterns, with Dave Anderson reporting the bite has pushed to deeper water while inshore and surf action gets relegated to overnight hours. Beauport Fishing Adventures counters that somewhat, still boating stripers both inshore and offshore this week, including fish pushing into the mid-40-inch class, alongside reliable flounder in the Gloucester and Rockport areas. Haddock remains "on again, off again" as the species wraps its spawning period, with Beauport pointing to Tilly's Basin as a good bet, and mackerel are showing in heavy numbers on most trips, giving stripers plenty to key on. Offshore, OTW Saltwater's Northeast Offshore Report notes bluefin tuna spreading from New Jersey into the Gulf of Maine alongside quality yellowfin in the canyons. Belsan's Bait and Tackle adds that blackfish are producing at local jetties as anglers wait out the midsummer lull.
Yellowtail and Mutton Snapper Keep the Keys Bite Red-Hot
Captain reports out of Key West describe the summer snapper run as some of the best in years: ALL IN Key West says June and early July have produced huge yellowtail snapper and "tons and tons" of mutton snapper, with fish actively feeding in large numbers and plenty of open July availability on the books. Bud n' Mary's Islamorada echoes the timing in its Early Summer Fishing Report, calling this window prime time for tarpon on the bridges, mahi offshore, and yellowtail on the reef amid warm water, calm seas, and abundant bait. Sport Fishing Mag notes Biscayne Bay mutton snapper are keying on live chumming with pilchards and small-mesh block chum bags. Gulf-side trips out of Key West have also turned up grouper, cobia, and kingfish mixed in with the snapper. With no fresh buoy or gauge readings in hand for this run, anglers should lean on these on-the-water reports and check local conditions before running offshore.
Falmouth canyons producing as Buzzards Bay bass keep biting
Striped bass fishing remains a bright spot heading into late July, with Black Rose Fishing Charters reporting Capt. Rich Antonio into "very good bass fishing" on both stripers and bottom species this week. Bluefish are lagging: Falmouth Bait and Tackle notes only a few blues showing in the rips off Falmouth, few of any size, while Sports Port says blues have been scarce from Falmouth to Hyannis. Offshore, the canyon bite is heating up — Falmouth Bait and Tackle reports boats working the canyons into a solid mix of yellowfin, bluefin, and marlin, with some bigeye pushing past 200 pounds. Closer to Vineyard Sound, Sports Port notes a few boats quietly working the Dump south of the Vineyard, with rumors of recreational-size tuna in the mix. Bottom fishing continues to fill in the gaps for anglers not chasing bass or blues this week.
Fluke bite builds along the Jersey Shore as sea bass limits keep coming
Surf temperatures at Long Beach Island have climbed to their seasonal high, around 72°F, per Fishermans HQ LBI's mid-July report, and that warmth is filling out a full summer lineup on Jersey Shore hooks. Fluke are the headline: Central NJ shops report the summer flounder bite "continues to gain momentum," and OTW Northern New Jersey's July 16 report notes keeper fluke are becoming more common from the surf out to the reefs. Black sea bass are red-hot on the bottom — Blue Chip Sportfishing says boats are "limiting out on almost every trip," and Capt Ron's in Atlantic Highlands logged "a good catch of big sea bass" on a recent run. Striped bass and bluefish are mixed into the surf and back-bay catch, with Grumpys Tackle noting bass activity on clams along the beach. Offshore, yellowfin and bigeye tuna are firing in the canyons per The Fisherman's NJ/DE Offshore report.
Georgia's Chattahoochee and Savannah rivers settle into summer bass patterns
The Savannah River gauge at Clyo climbed to 4.2 feet and rising as of July 16, per Joshua Barber's Southern Waters Fishing Report (GA Sportsman / Georgia Outdoor News) — up from 3.1 feet and falling the week before, a clear rain-driven bump in flow. The same report notes Georgia's bass bite has stayed good even as full summer patterns take hold, with anglers slowing down and working deeper cover and structure rather than chasing shallow fish. Expect that shift to hold across both the Chattahoochee and Savannah systems: early topwater or shallow bites tapering fast once the sun gets up, with fish sliding to ledges, timber, and channel bends. The Georgia Wildlife Blog continues steering anglers toward the state's 11 Public Fishing Areas, several with recently renovated campgrounds, as reliable summer options. Bream, catfish, and hybrid/striped bass around Savannah system reservoirs remain solid secondary targets through the heat.
Hartwell and Russell bass settle into deep summer patterns
Georgia's Southern Waters Fishing Report from GA Sportsman / Georgia Outdoor News (July 18) says the bass bite has stayed good through the week, with rivers producing solid fish as the classic summer pattern locks in: slow down and fish deeper. The same report clocked the Clyo gauge on the Savannah, downstream of the Hartwell/Russell chain, at 4.2 feet and rising as of July 16. Field & Stream's summer jig breakdown backs the deep approach, pointing anglers to football jigs dragged along bottom in 10 plus feet for largemouth right now. B.A.S.S. News coverage of a recent Bassmaster Open at Hartwell showed competitors leaning on forward facing sonar to pick off suspended spotted bass well off the bank rather than fishing visible cover. Expect largemouth and spots to keep biting for anglers willing to go deep and slow down; stripers and crappie typically hold near cooler, deeper water this time of year. Check state regs before harvesting.
Summer Heat Settles In for Okeechobee and St. Johns Bass
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came in for Lake Okeechobee or the St. Johns River this cycle, and this week's angler-intel feeds carried no direct catch reports from either water. Absent local intel, we're leaning on well-established mid-July patterns: Florida largemouth bass typically slide onto deeper structure and shaded cover once surface temps climb, working dawn and dusk windows hardest. Field & Stream's current breakdown on jig styles is a useful frame for that shift, noting football jigs excel at deep bottom-dragging in the 10-plus-foot range typical of summer bass, while swim jigs stay effective punching through shallow vegetation early and late. Bluegill and shellcracker should still be catchable around matted vegetation and canal mouths, a typical July pattern for both waters. Black crappie fishing is likely running its usual summer slow, with fish holding deep and less willing during peak heat. Treat this as seasonal expectation, not a confirmed bite, until fresher local reports arrive.
Rangeley trout turn cautious as summer heat pushes bass into the spotlight
Mainely Fly Fishing flagged hatch activity kicking in around the summer solstice in its "Its Hatch Time" update, and that momentum is carrying into peak summer for Rangeley Lakes and Androscoggin headwaters anglers. The bigger signal comes from Trout Unlimited, which reports this summer's combination of historically low water and high air temperatures is putting real stress on trout fisheries region-wide, and is steering anglers toward smallmouth bass on streamers as the smarter summer play while trout get a break. That means classic brook trout and landlocked salmon water calls for early and late light windows, careful handling, and skipping the midday heat, while smallmouth are stepping up as the dependable bite. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through this cycle, so check actual stream and lake temps before committing to a trout session versus a bass one.
Wildfire haze drifts over Lake Huron as summer bite settles in
Northern Michigan spent this week under a blanket of wildfire smoke drifting down from Minnesota and Canada, with Great Lakes Now reporting visibility so reduced near Lake Charlevoix that an outdoor concert was scrapped — a reminder that regional air quality, not just water conditions, is worth checking before a Huron or Saginaw Bay trip right now. Direct buoy and gauge readings for this stretch of Lake Huron weren't available this cycle, and the Michigan DNR's weekly report page didn't return usable bite detail, so we're leaning on typical mid-July patterns for the region. Saginaw Bay walleye typically settle onto deeper structure and mudlines once surface temps climb, yellow perch school tight over rock and gravel, and smallmouth bass stay active around rocky points and drop-offs through the warm stretch. Check the current air-quality advisory before heading out, and confirm local conditions on the water since our environmental feeds were empty this run.
Smallmouth heat up on Moosehead as salmon and togue slide deep
No fresh buoy, gauge, or angler reports came through for Moosehead Lake and the upper Penobscot this cycle, so this update runs on typical mid-July patterns for the region rather than fresh field intel. By this point in summer, landlocked salmon and lake trout (togue) have usually slid off the surface into deeper, cooler water, pushing anglers toward downrigger and lead-core trolling instead of the shallow, surface-oriented bite of spring. Brook trout action typically slows in the warming shallows, with better odds concentrated near spring holes and the cold tributary mouths feeding the upper Penobscot. Smallmouth bass, by contrast, are usually firing on all cylinders in mid-July, working shoreline structure, points, and drop-offs from dawn through midmorning. We'll flag this report as soon as a shop, charter, or state feed lands with harder numbers specific to this water.
Kenai sockeye run hits full swing as summer fishing peaks
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came in for the Kenai and interior river systems this cycle, and this week's angler-intel feeds didn't carry specific AK freshwater conditions reports either — the AK Sea Grant items in today's sweep covered fellowships, green crab range expansion in Southeast marine waters, and mycelium research rather than on-the-water fishing intel. That said, mid-July is the heart of the season on the Kenai Peninsula: the sockeye salmon run typically peaks through this window on the Kenai and Russian Rivers, drawing heavy combat-fishing crowds along the banks, while the second run of king salmon is generally winding down. Rainbow trout and Dolly Varden fishing behind the salmon runs, feeding on drifting eggs and flesh, is usually reliable through late July. Anglers should check current Alaska Department of Fish and Game emergency orders and escapement counts before heading out, since sockeye bag limits shift with in-season run strength.
Kennebec and Penobscot bass settle into classic summer patterns
Field & Stream's midsummer jig-fishing breakdown lands at a good moment for Kennebec and Penobscot anglers: football jigs are built for the 10-plus-foot bottom structure smallmouth and largemouth settle onto once July heat pushes fish off the banks, while swim jigs and flipping jigs still work skinny cover and heavy wood early and late in the day. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for this cycle, so treat flows and temps as typical for a mid-July Maine river system: warm, lower, and clearer than spring runoff. Brook trout and landlocked salmon are pulling into deeper, cooler holding water as surface temps climb, a normal seasonal retreat rather than a slowdown in the fishery. We aren't seeing Maine-specific shop or agency reports in this cycle's intel, so this update leans on seasonal pattern and general technique rather than fresh local catch reports. Check a Kennebec or Penobscot area shop for current on-the-water conditions before heading out.
Lake Michigan's salmon program carries strong momentum into midsummer
Lake Michigan's salmon program keeps riding a strong recent stretch: anglers landed more than 210,000 coho salmon in 2024, a state record, plus upwards of 160,000 Chinook, the most since 2012, per the WI DNR Lake Michigan Fishing Report, with healthier alewife classes helping survival of stocked fish. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for the Grand River mouth this cycle, so treat water temp and flow as unconfirmed until you check conditions yourself. Expect the mid-July pattern to hold: Chinook and coho working the thermocline offshore, smallmouth bass tucked on deep rock and reef structure (a football-jig staple per Field & Stream's summer jig breakdown), and walleye scattered along weedlines and drop-offs rather than glued to bottom, a shift Fishing the Midwest has been tracking with forward-facing sonar. Steelhead stay in their typical summer lull between runs. Check current state regs before harvesting.