Fishing reports
19070 reports across all 50 states — current conditions and what's biting.
Flaming Gorge tailwater trout hold steady through peak summer heat
The Green River's tailwater reach below Flaming Gorge Dam does what it always does in mid-July: keeps running cold, dam-controlled water through a state baking in summer heat, so trout stay active on a near-normal clock while nearby freestone streams struggle with warm afternoons. No NOAA buoy or USGS gauge fed into this report, and none of this cycle's angler-intel feeds carried a dispatch specifically from Flaming Gorge or the Green River, so treat the specifics below as seasonal-pattern guidance rather than a fresh on-the-water dispatch. Typically for this window, rainbows and browns key on PMDs and caddis through the morning, with hoppers starting to matter as streamside grasses cure out, and Flaming Gorge Reservoir's smallmouth bite turns toward streamers as summer progresses, a pattern Trout Unlimited flagged broadly this week for warmwater fisheries. Check current dam release info before planning a trip.
Ozark trout parks settle into a slow, low-water summer rhythm
Trout Unlimited's midsummer smallmouth-streamer piece this week flags a storyline that tracks closely with what stocked coldwater fisheries like the Current and Niangua typically see in mid-July: historically low water and high air temperatures putting stress on trout streams, with many guides shifting attention to smallmouth on the fly while trout fishing slows in the heat. No region-specific buoy, gauge, or angler-intel reports came through our feeds for the Ozark trout parks this cycle, so treat this as general seasonal guidance rather than a fresh on-the-water account. Field & Stream's summertime pieces echo the same pattern, both a reminder that small- to medium-size streams like these run warm and slow this time of year and a case for patient, unhurried presentations rather than covering water fast. Expect rainbow trout to still play in early and late light, browns to get tougher as afternoon temps climb, and smallmouth to pick up the slack in the heat of the day.
Columbia and Rogue anglers lean on classic summer salmon and steelhead timing
No buoy or gauge readings came back for the Columbia or Rogue systems this cycle, and this week's angler-intel sweep didn't surface any region-specific reports for Oregon freshwater — the feeds leaned saltwater Northeast, Midwest bass, and national gear news rather than Columbia or Rogue conditions. Rather than guess at a bite, this update falls back on what's typically true for these rivers in mid-July: summer Chinook are working through the lower Columbia on their push upstream, summer steelhead are trickling into Rogue holding water, and resident trout stay active in cooler, higher-elevation stretches during early and late light. Waxing Crescent moon this week won't dramatically shift feeding windows either way. Treat this as a seasonal-pattern baseline rather than a live report — we'll have sharper, source-attributed detail once regional buoy, gauge, or angler-report data comes through on a future fetch. Check current flow and temperature before planning a trip.
North Shore anglers eye deep trout and salmon as summer settles in
WI DNR Lake Superior Fishing's latest update centers on a fast-growing lake whitefish fishery in the Chequamegon Bay region, popular through the ice and increasingly from boats, with an online angler questionnaire open through April 30 and a companion Lake Superior burbot study seeking angler input. No buoy or gauge readings came back for the Minnesota North Shore this cycle, and this week's intel feed did not include on-the-water reports specific to the Duluth to Grand Portage stretch. For North Shore regulars, mid-July typically means lake trout and salmon holding deeper in cooler water offshore, while North Shore streams run low and warm, favoring early mornings over midday for brook trout. We're seeing similar basin-wide interest in whitefish reported elsewhere on Lake Superior this season. Check current conditions before heading out.
Summer heat pushes KY river bass into shade and structure
Mid-July heat has settled over Kentucky's Ohio and Cumberland river systems, and no fresh buoy or gauge telemetry came back for this stretch this cycle, so anglers should lean on what's actually reported and check a local flow gauge before launching. No state agency, charter, or tackle-shop feed filed conditions specific to this corridor this week, but the seasonal pattern is a reliable guide: catfish stay locked into their typical summer feeding rhythm through the heat, while bass slide into shade, current breaks, and deeper structure during peak sun. Nationally, outlets like Tactical Bassin have spent this month detailing heat-adapted bass presentations — jig-and-minnow strolling, neko rigs, and finesse paddletails worked slow around cover — tactics built for exactly this kind of warm-water, low-light bite window. Sauger and crappie typically go quiet and suspend deep this time of year. Treat this as a seasonal-pattern baseline rather than an on-the-water report until a KY-specific source files in.
Summer strolling and finesse baits dial in bass at KY Lake and Barkley
No fresh NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came through for this update, so exact water temps aren't available this cycle and anglers should confirm current numbers with their own electronics before heading out. The clearest technique signal in this week's intel comes from Tactical Bassin, whose recent outings favor jig-and-minnow strolling for bass suspended over deep summer structure, plus finesse paddletails and BFS presentations worked tight to cover for active fish, with one trip putting 27 pounds of smallmouth in the boat on small swimbaits. Fishing the Midwest echoes the seasonal shift toward weedlines and deeper structural elements as fish push off classic shallow haunts once the heat sets in. Crappie and catfish aren't directly referenced in this week's feeds, but both typically slide deeper and lean more night-active on Kentucky Lake and Barkley once July temperatures climb. Expect a technical, structure-and-cover bite rather than a wide-open shallow pattern over the next several days.
Bass and crappie fire up as Delaware's lower-state waters rebound
Bass and snakeheads are working the vegetation in Garrisons Lake while crappie stack along the rocks at Silver Lake, per Smith's Bait Shop in Leipsic (The Fisherman — NJ/DE Freshwater), with good topwater action reported at Massey Mills. The same report notes white perch, panfish and crappie feeding well in spillways during evening hours across most lakes and ponds in the region. Further south, Allen's Dock described a slower stretch before recent rain and wind pushed water levels and the salt line into better shape, with pickerel picking up on killies in tannic cedar-water stretches once conditions settled. No live buoy or gauge telemetry came through for this cycle, so temperature and flow readings aren't available this update, but the intel points to a typical mid-summer freshwater pattern taking hold across the Christina and Nanticoke drainages: cover-oriented bass and crappie, low-light panfish activity, and pickerel responding as water clarity improves.
Red drum flats bite fires up as tarpon push toward the Banks
Early-morning topwater strikes on red drum are the standout this week: East Coast Sports in Topsail/Sneads Ferry reports the best action comes before sunrise on the flats, with the bite shifting to bottom baits later in the day, per Fisherman's Post (NC). Custom Marine Fabrication is also seeing big drum working flats and structure along the main Pamlico/Neuse River shorelines. Along the beaches, Island Tackle and Hardware in Carolina Beach and Dutchman Creek Bait and Tackle in Southport/Oak Island report a mixed surf bag of whiting, croaker, pompano, bluefish, and the occasional shark, despite some dirty water and seaweed further south. Sport Fishing Mag notes the summer tarpon run stretching from Southport up to Kitty Hawk continues to build, a multi-year trend along this stretch of coast. No live buoy or gauge readings came through this cycle, so treat water temps as seasonal norms until the next check.
Falling Georgia rivers signal a salinity push into coastal sounds
Georgia's coastal rivers are dropping across the board this week, with the Savannah at Clyo down to 3.1 feet, the Altamaha at Doctortown at 4.4 feet, and the Satilla at Waycross running 6.6 feet, all falling as of July 10, per Joshua Barber's Southern Waters Fishing Report in GA Sportsman / Georgia Outdoor News. Lower river stages typically push higher salinity and clearer water into the sounds and marsh creeks that feed the Atlantic coast, a pattern that favors sight-fishing for redfish and trout around oyster bars and grass edges. No fresh saltwater-specific "what's biting" reports came in from the coast this cycle, so we're leaning on typical mid-July patterns: reds and trout staying active on moving tides, flounder still building toward their fall push, and tarpon showing up as bait pods thicken in the sounds. Georgia Sea Grant's ongoing research on Sapelo Island is a reminder of how sensitive these estuaries are to the current freshwater-saltwater balance.
Carolinas tarpon run heats up as Charleston's summer inshore bite settles in
Surf anglers at Carolina Beach are into a steady mixed bag of sharks, croakers, pompano, whiting, and pinfish, with live bait producing well inshore, per Fisherman's Post — Carolinas saltwater. A similar pattern holds down the coast at Southport/Oak Island, where whiting, croakers, and bluefish are showing through some dirty water and seaweed. No Charleston Harbor-specific catch reports or buoy readings came through this cycle, but the region's summer pattern points the same direction: Sport Fishing Mag notes the Carolinas' summer tarpon run continuing to build year over year, a migration corridor that runs straight past Charleston. Expect the harbor's typical mid-July mix, redfish and seatrout working grass edges, flounder holding tight to structure, with tarpon a wildcard for anglers willing to soak bait along the beachfront on the moon's waxing crescent.
Delaware Bay flounder bite heats up as summer patterns lock in
Keeper flounder in the 20- to 22-inch range are showing steadily through Delaware Bay this week, with Big Dave's Tackle in Southern New Jersey reporting the bay bite has "really accelerated" over the past few weeks, backed by keepers to 6 pounds off the ocean wrecks and reefs. Higbee's Bait and Tackle adds fish to 22 inches on live minnows from Delaware Bay boaters, alongside a steady croaker and spot bite from the back bays. On the Delaware side, Smith's Bait Shop has slot stripers coming from the Augustine Wall on peeler crab and bloodworms, with croaker, flounder, and blues working the reef sites and oyster beds, plus small stripers and croaker off the Bowers Beach jetty. Eric Burnley calls it a typical summer week where fish are caught just about everywhere, from canyon yellowfin down to pier spot and croaker. Delaware Surf Fishing notes DNREC's revised 20-24 inch striper slot took effect July 1.
Mobile Bay anglers lean on summer staples as regional reports stay quiet
No fresh NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came through for Mobile Bay and the Gulf this cycle, and this week's angler-intel feed leaned almost entirely on boat-gear reviews, national fisheries policy notes, and out-of-region striper and tarpon reports rather than local bite accounts — so there's no fresh testimony to cite for what's actually biting around Mobile Bay right now. Falling back on typical mid-July patterns for this stretch of the Gulf, speckled trout and redfish remain the bread-and-butter target around grass flats, docks, and marsh edges, red snapper season typically draws boat traffic offshore (check current state and federal regs before targeting or keeping fish), and flounder fishing tends to stay steady but unspectacular through peak summer heat. Expect fish activity concentrated in early mornings and evenings as water temps run warm.
Puget Sound salmon season rolls on as crabbers watch for green crab spread
No fresh buoy or gauge telemetry came through this cycle, so this report leans on the regional intel feed and typical mid-July patterns for Puget Sound and the Washington coast. Washington Sea Grant reported the first confirmed European green crab detection on Orcas Island's Crescent Beach this spring and ran its Third Annual Salish Sea-wide Molt Blitz on June 26, rallying volunteers to log crab molts across the Sound, a good reminder for Dungeness crabbers to double-check what's landing in the pot alongside the usual keepers. Summer Chinook fishing is typically in full stride across Puget Sound by mid-July, lingcod continue to hold on deeper structure, and coho numbers are usually still building toward their late-summer push this early in the run. WDFW's creel and catch survey program remains the standard reference for verified numbers as the season develops. Check current WDFW regulations before keeping any catch, and be alert for shifting crab-handling guidance tied to the green crab response.
Sarasota Bay seatrout bite stays red-hot as summer tarpon fade
Spotted Seatrout are "aggressively biting" across Sarasota Bay right now, according to Capt. Brandon Naeve of CB's Saltwater Outfitters, who reports the peak summer bite is on, with inshore grass flats, mangrove shorelines, and local passes producing the best action in the bay's warm water. Tarpon remain a viable target too. Capt. Rick Grassett's July forecast notes fish are thinning out as the season progresses but are typically more aggressive than earlier in the summer, with spin anglers doing best drifting live baits under floats in travel lanes and fly anglers staking out bar edges. Shark activity, per Capt. Naeve, is in its seasonal peak (late spring through fall), with Blacktips, Bull Sharks, and occasional Lemon Sharks showing in the bay and nearshore Gulf. Capt. Chuck Cress also pulled a redfish off an upper-bay oyster bar this past week, with mullet and bait stacked up in the same area. No fresh buoy or gauge readings were available for this cycle.
Slot Stripers and Croaker Keep Chesapeake Bay Busy This Summer
Slot-sized striped bass are still coming off the Augustine Wall on peeler crab and bloodworms, per this week's report from The Fisherman — DE/MD/Chesapeake, while croaker and flounder continue stacking up on the Delaware Bay reef sites and oyster beds using the same baits. The same report has the Bowers Beach jetty giving up croaker and small stripers on bloodworms and Fishbites, and describes the stretch as running through a "typical summer fishing week" that should hold into the foreseeable future. Offshore, boats working the canyons are bringing back yellowfin tuna, while pier anglers are picking away at spot and croaker, also per The Fisherman — DE/MD/Chesapeake. No buoy or gauge readings came through for this cycle, so lean on the reported bite for now: peeler crab and bloodworms are the go-to baits inshore, and reef/oyster-bed structure is holding most of the bottom-fish activity. Check current state regulations before harvesting any slot stripers.
Striped bass push offshore and after dark as summer bite settles in
The closest geographic read we have for the Gulf of Maine's NH coast comes from the South Shore Massachusetts to Maine reports, and they show striped bass sliding firmly into summer patterns. Surfland Bait and Tackle says bass have largely abandoned the rivers as water temps climbed, with Joppa Flats one of the last inshore holdouts even as that bite has faded over the last seven to ten days; better action has pushed out front where sand eels and mackerel are thick. Beauport Fishing Adventures and Belsan's Bait and Tackle both point anglers toward coastal humps and local ledges holding decent bass, especially around tide changes, while Dave Anderson notes stripers shifting to deeper water and overnight hours as daytime effort turns to tog and mackerel. Offshore groundfish trips are mixing haddock with codfish that must be released, and OTW Saltwater's offshore roundup has bluefin tuna spreading north into the Gulf of Maine.
No fresh Lake Mead intel this cycle — deep summer striper patterns still hold
No NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came through for the Lake Mead / lower Colorado corridor this cycle, and none of today's angler-intel feeds — largely national bass-tournament technique videos, tackle-gear reviews, and East Coast saltwater striper items — cover this specific fishery, so there is no fresh, source-attributed word on what's actually biting here right now. That's a reporting gap, not a conditions call, and we're not going to manufacture a local bite report to paper over it. What holds is general seasonal knowledge: mid-July on Lake Mead typically means a well-established thermocline, with main-lake stripers schooling deep and tight to river-channel structure and current breaks, while the more catchable windows come at first light and after dark when fish push shallower to feed. Largemouth and smallmouth bass follow a similar pattern, sliding to deeper cover through the heat of the day. Treat everything here as typical-for-season expectation, not confirmed local reporting, until a direct feed updates.
Central Coast anglers eye salmon push as lingcod stays tough
Lingcod are proving tough right now: the 18th annual Channel Islands Shootout out of Ventura produced only a single legal lingcod for the entire tournament fleet, per Western Outdoor News — Saltwater, with Big Hammer Swimbaits-style soft plastics still the go-to presentation on structure. Further up the coast, Western Outdoor News — Saltwater also reports ocean salmon fishing has been "spectacular" below Point Arena, with wind (not scarcity of fish) the main factor keeping boats at the dock some days, a sign the broader California salmon bite is trending well into midsummer. No live buoy or gauge readings came through this cycle, so we're leaning on shop and derby intel rather than water temps. With a new moon bringing stronger tidal swings this week, expect current-sensitive structure spots like kelp edges and rockpiles to fish in bursts around the tide changes rather than steady all day.
SoCal surf shows signs of life as new leader rules take hold
The surf has calmed from the rough stretch that dominated most of June, and spotfin croaker and corbina are starting to show in the wash, per Surf Fishing in So Cal's July report, which frames the season as a slow start now trending toward better fishing. Offshore, the bite stayed tough for structure species: the 18th annual WON-Channel Islands Shootout produced only a single qualifying lingcod all tournament, landed by Larry Johnson aboard the Pacific Eagle, per Western Outdoor News — Saltwater. Shore anglers targeting sharks or white seabass also need to adjust gear now that California's emergency wire leader and hook-size regulation is enforceable within 1,000 yards of shore south of Pigeon Point, per Surf Fishing in So Cal. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through this cycle, so pair this report with a local tide check before you head out.
Ocean salmon fishing turns on below Point Arena
Ocean salmon fishing below Point Arena has been "nothing short of spectacular" this week, per Western Outdoor News — Saltwater, with wind on tougher afternoons the main factor keeping even big boats at the dock rather than any shortage of fish. Captain Trent Slate of Bite Me Charters put first-timer Anna Connolly of Lafayette onto her first ocean salmon, a sign the bite has stayed consistent enough for green anglers to connect, not just seasoned boats. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for the SF Bay/Bodega corridor this cycle, so treat water temp and tide as unconfirmed until the next check. Striped bass and halibut remain the region's other summer staples and typically hold through mid-July around Bay structure and sandy flats, though we don't have a direct report on either species this cycle. Check local wind forecasts before running offshore for salmon.
Summer Chinook season keeps Oregon Coast ports busy
Oregon's recreational ocean Chinook salmon season is in full summer swing this week, the period when coastal ports from Astoria to Brookings typically see their heaviest boat traffic of the year. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for this cycle, and this week's angler-intel feeds didn't carry specific Oregon Coast reports, so today's outlook leans on typical seasonal patterns rather than confirmed local catches. Historically, mid-July is prime time for ocean-caught Chinook and a strengthening bite on bottomfish like lingcod and rockfish as water clarifies. Dungeness crab remains a steady producer for anglers working bays and nearshore structure, though pot limits and seasons should always be checked before harvest. With a new moon this week, expect stronger tidal swings, which can sharpen bites during peak exchange but also demand extra caution crossing coastal bars. Check your local bar report and forecast before launching.
Mississippi pool walleye and smallmouth shift off bottom as summer sets in
With no fresh buoy or gauge readings available for the Clinton-Dubuque pools this week, the clearest read on conditions comes from regional technique reports. Writing for Fishing the Midwest, Mike Frisch notes that forward-facing sonar is increasingly showing walleye and sauger suspended off points, turns, and weedlines rather than glued to bottom — a shift that translates directly to Mississippi River pool structure this time of year. Bob Jensen, also with Fishing the Midwest, points anglers toward working weedlines as a reliable summer approach right now. Expect smallmouth bass to stay active on current breaks and wing dams in the July heat, with channel catfish turning on in deeper holes and below-dam tailwaters, especially after dark under this week's new moon. White bass have likely scattered after their spring run and are fishing slower. Check Iowa regs before harvesting any species from these pools.
Fluke Explodes Across Long Island While Stripers Shift to a Night Bite
Fluke are stealing the show up and down Long Island this week. Bob's Bait and Tackle in Amity Harbor reports fluke action was very good all week with limit catches common in the State Channel from Amityville to Babylon, while White Water Outfitters says fluking has finally kicked into gear inside Shinnecock Bay with fish to 7 pounds on bucktail-and-Gulp combos. Ebb Tide out of Montauk logged the season's first double-digit fluke, an 11.7-pound personal best. Striped bass have largely shifted to a night pattern — Tyalure Professional Tackle in Rye notes sharpies working live bait after dark are putting 20 to 30 fish on the boat while 10 a.m. departures catch zero, and Tight Lines Tackle on the South Fork reports 20-pound bass after dark along Southampton beaches. Offshore, yellowfin and bluefin tuna action keeps building toward Block Canyon and the Coimbra grounds per OTW Saltwater and Babylon Fishing Station. Porgy fishing is split — tremendous at Montauk, slow around City Island.
Finger Lakes smallmouth turn on as summer heat settles in
Cayuga Inlet at Ithaca is running low and steady at 7.45 cfs with water sitting at 69 degrees as of Wednesday night, a textbook mid-July base-flow signature for the Finger Lakes drainage. That warmth lines up with the pattern bass anglers are leaning on right now: Tactical Bassin's latest videos push strolling a jig and minnow, calling it a technique that "has taken bass fishing by storm" and one that peaks in summer heat, alongside finesse paddletails for suspended smallmouth once the sun gets high. Walleye anglers should take a cue from Fishing the Midwest, where Mike Frisch and Bob Jensen note fish are increasingly found off traditional bottom structure now that forward-facing sonar has changed where anglers look, with weedlines still a dependable fallback. Lake trout and yellow perch are holding to their usual deep, cool-water summer positions as surface temps climb. Overall we're seeing a fairly standard July pattern building across the region so far.