Fishing reports
19070 reports across all 50 states — current conditions and what's biting.
North Shore trollers settle into summer as basin-wide whitefish buzz builds
Cool 43°F air and light 9 mph winds sat over Lake Superior's North Shore today, per NOAA buoy 45004 — calm enough for small-boat trolling with no meaningful chop noted. Direct on-the-water reports for the North Shore itself were thin this cycle, but the broader Lake Superior fishery has one clear storyline: the WI DNR Lake Superior Fishing program flags lake whitefish as a fishery that has genuinely "emerged" in popularity basin-wide in recent years, active enough that the DNR ran a public meeting and angler questionnaire on it this spring. The DNR is also running an ongoing burbot research study, another sign of growing interest in the lake's cold-water species beyond the usual trout and salmon program. For technique, Fishing the Midwest notes many walleye anglers are now leaning on forward-facing sonar to work points, turns, and weedlines rather than bottom-hugging the old way — a pattern that translates to North Shore trolling programs as well. No buoy water-temp or wave reading came through this cycle, so lean on the calm-wind forecast rather than swell for planning.
Summer jig bite locks in for Ohio and Cumberland River bass
No fresh NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came through for the Ohio and Cumberland River system this cycle, but the seasonal pattern lines up with textbook mid-July. Tactical Bassin's latest breakdown of summer jig fishing and jig-and-minnow "strolling" is exactly the style of presentation producing this time of year in warm, stratified river pools and adjacent backwater cover. Fishing the Midwest's recent notes on working weedlines and leaning on forward-facing sonar to find suspended fish also track with how anglers are adapting to summer heat, since fish tuck into shade, current breaks, and deeper cover once the surface warms. With no direct water-temp reading available for this stretch, we're leaning on typical mid-July conditions for the region: warm surface flow, largemouth pushed to shaded wood and grass edges, smallmouth working current seams in cooler tailwater sections, and catfish feeding heavily after dark. White bass and crappie tend to slip into a slower summer pattern, schooling deeper through the heat of the day. Check current state regs before harvesting anything you plan to keep.
Deep summer patterns take over KY Lake and Lake Barkley
No fresh buoy or gauge telemetry came through for Kentucky Lake or Lake Barkley this cycle, and no shop, charter, or state-agency report specifically covering these waters showed up in today's intel sweep, so this update leans on general summer-bass patterns rather than a local bite report. Tactical Bassin's latest coverage highlights strolling a jig-and-minnow presentation as a technique that has "taken bass fishing by storm" this summer, alongside jig fishing and Neko rig work for warm-water largemouth. Fishing the Midwest notes anglers increasingly leaning on forward-facing sonar to locate summer bass away from traditional bottom structure. On Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley, mid-July typically pushes largemouth and smallmouth into deeper, offshore ledges as surface temps climb, crappie bite windows narrow to dawn and dusk, and catfish activity picks up after dark. Check state regs before harvesting, and confirm current local conditions before heading out.
Snakeheads and Bass Heat Up Delaware's Lower-State Waters
Bass and snakeheads are working the vegetation in Garrisons Lake on chatterbaits, with good topwater fishing reported in Massey Mills too, per this week's Smith's Bait Shop report out of Leipsic (The Fisherman — NJ/DE Freshwater). The same source has white perch, panfish, and crappie biting steadily in area spillways during evening hours, and notes bass working the rocks in Silver Lake. Conditions were slower at Allen's Dock in the lower state (also The Fisherman — NJ/DE Freshwater), where a quiet week gave way to weekend rain and wind that raised water levels and pushed the salt line back — the only report to come out of that was pickerel on killies in the recharged cedar waters. No buoy or gauge readings are available for the Christina and Nanticoke systems today, so treat temperature and flow as unconfirmed until you check a local source. Expect low-light bites to sharpen under the new moon.
Red drum bite holds strong as summer tarpon push toward the Outer Banks
The Diamond Shoals buoy (41025), right off the Outer Banks, is reading 84°F with light 2 m/s wind, while the more southerly Frying Pan Shoals buoy (41013) sits a degree cooler at 83°F with a bit more breeze. On the water, red drum are the headline: Fisherman's Post (NC) reports big drum working flats and structure on the Pamlico/Neuse, with an early-morning topwater bite producing red drum around Topsail/Sneads Ferry before anglers shift to bottom baits as the sun climbs. Further down the coast, Southport/Oak Island and Swansboro/Emerald Isle shops describe a mixed surf bag of bluefish, whiting, croaker, and pompano, per Fisherman's Post (NC). Sport Fishing Mag notes summer tarpon reports stacking up from Southport clear to Kitty Hawk, calling this year's migration bigger than usual. Warm water and a new moon point toward a solid low-light bite window across Outer Banks structure this week.
Redfish and Trout Hold Steady Through Georgia's Coastal Heat
NOAA buoy 41008 off the Georgia Atlantic coast logged a light 4 m/s breeze and air near 82°F this afternoon, with no water temp or wave height reading coming through this cycle, in line with the flat, steamy pattern typical of mid-July here. Direct saltwater "what's biting" chatter was thin this week: Georgia Wildlife Blog's latest fishing update stayed focused on public fishing area camping upgrades and pointed anglers to the state's online forecast tools rather than breaking out Atlantic coast specifics. Meanwhile GA Sportsman's Southern Waters report tracked several coastal-draining rivers, including the Satilla and Altamaha, running low and falling, a trend that typically clears estuary water and can concentrate bait as it pushes toward the sound. With a new moon driving stronger tidal swings, redfish and trout should still be working grass edges and oyster bars on the moving water, though we're leaning on seasonal pattern more than fresh reports this cycle.
Puget Sound crabbers navigate mid-molt Dungeness as summer Chinook season rolls on
NOAA buoys 46041 and 46087 off the Washington coast logged light 2 m/s winds and cool air temps in the mid-50s°F this morning, with no water-temp or wave-height reading currently reporting. Direct 'what's biting' intel for Puget Sound and the outer coast is thin this cycle: the sharpest signal comes from Washington Sea Grant, which flags the region's Third Annual Salish Sea-wide Molt Blitz around June 26 as Dungeness crabs shed old shells for new ones statewide, plus a first-ever European green crab detection on Orcas Island this May, a reminder to check every trap carefully. WDFW's ongoing creel and catch survey program remains the backbone of statewide bite tracking, though no fresh numbers came through this cycle. With crabs mid-molt and summer Chinook season underway per typical July timing, expect thinner, lighter Dungeness in traps for a couple weeks and steady salmon effort through Puget Sound.
Redfish and trout keep Charleston Harbor's summer bite rolling
NOAA buoy 41004 off the South Carolina coast logged 85°F this week, confirming Charleston Harbor water is fully in its mid-summer thermal groove, with light 6 m/s winds keeping the nearshore relatively calm. Charleston-specific 'what's biting' chatter is thin in this week's feeds, so we're leaning on the broader Carolinas coastal picture and typical July patterns for the harbor. Up the coast, Fisherman's Post reports Carolina Beach and Oak Island surf anglers pulling a mixed bag of whiting, croaker, pompano and bluefish, with sharks mixed in, a pattern that typically holds true along SC beaches too this time of year. Sport Fishing Mag notes North Carolina's summer tarpon migration continuing to build northward from Southport, a run that often extends down toward the South Carolina coast by midsummer. Inshore, expect redfish and spotted seatrout to carry the Charleston Harbor bite, with Salt Strong's calm-water finesse approach worth trying given the flat conditions the buoy suggests.
Seatrout bite stays hot in Sarasota Bay as summer tarpon run continues
Spotted seatrout are biting aggressively on Sarasota Bay's grass flats and mangrove shorelines right now, per Capt. Brandon Naeve of CB's Saltwater Outfitters, who called it the peak of the summer trout bite this week. Gulf buoy readings back up the warm-water picture: 86°F offshore of Tampa (buoy 42036) and 88°F off the central Gulf (buoy 42013), with light wind under 10 knots keeping seas calm. Tarpon remain a strong target too — Capt. Rick Grassett's July forecast has spin anglers drifting live bait under floats in travel lanes and fly anglers working bar edges, noting July fish tend to hit more aggressively than earlier in the season. Capt. Chuck Cress also put a client on a red working an upper-bay oyster bar thick with mullet and bait. Shark activity (Bull, Blacktip, Lemon) typically holds through Sarasota Bay and nearshore Gulf water into fall. New moon tides should sharpen the bite on passes and flats this week.
Croaker and Flounder Stack Up on Chesapeake Reef Sites and Jetties
Water temps sit at 73°F off the Delaware-to-Chesapeake corridor per NOAA buoy 44009, and the summer pattern anglers described through June is holding into mid-July. Per The Fisherman — DE/MD/Chesapeake, slot stripers are coming off peeler crab and bloodworms at the Augustine Wall, while Delaware Bay reef sites and oyster beds are giving up croaker, flounder and blues on peeler crab. The Bowers Beach jetty has been a steady producer of croaker and small stripers on bloodworms and Fishbites. Sources note June brought more croaker, spot, sheepshead, bluefin tuna and flounder than the entire prior year, calling it a typical, productive summer week with fish being caught just about everywhere. Offshore, boats working the canyons are bringing back yellowfin tuna and tilefish, and the Old Grounds continue producing sea bass, flounder and croaker on squid and clam baits. Expect that broad multi-species mix to keep rolling through the new moon.
Delaware Bay flounder bite accelerates as croaker flood the flats
Water temps sit at 73°F on the Delaware coast per NOAA buoy 44009, right in the summer sweet spot that's pushing keeper flounder into the Bay. Big Dave's Tackle reports the Delaware Bay bite has "really accelerated" over the past few weeks, with keeper flatties running 20 to 22 inches, while boaters working the reef sites and oyster beds are stacking croaker, flounder and blues on peeler crab per Smith's Bait Shop. Slot stripers (20-24 inch, per Delaware Surf Fishing's coverage of the DNREC rule change) are coming off the Augustine Wall on peeler crab and bloodworms, and the Bowers Beach jetty is holding croaker and small stripers on bloodworms and Fishbites. Offshore, Delaware Bay boats working the canyons are bringing back yellowfin tuna and tilefish per The Fisherman's DE/MD/Chesapeake report. Light winds and calm water should keep the bite steady into the weekend.
Striper bite slides into summer mode across the Gulf of Maine
Buoy 44007 has Gulf of Maine water sitting at 61°F with light 5 m/s wind and mild 73°F air, conditions that push striped bass into a classic summer pattern. No angler intel filed directly from the NH coast this cycle, but the closest regional read comes from The Fisherman — South Shore MA to ME feed: Dave Anderson notes the striper bite has "begun to slide into summer patterns," with deeper water producing best and surf/inshore action largely relegated to overnight hours. Beauport Fishing Adventures reports bass still biting well on the turns of the tide, both inshore and offshore, with some fish pushing into the mid-40-inch class, while mackerel remain thick along ledges holding bait. Belsan's Bait and Tackle adds that inshore blitzes have thinned as the bite pushes offshore to bait-rich ledges, and blackfish are starting to show at local jetties. Cod remain catch-and-release only; haddock is inconsistent but findable with some searching.
Lake Mead stripers slide deep as summer heat locks in
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came back for Lake Mead or the lower Colorado this cycle, and none of today's angler-intel feeds touched Nevada water, so this report leans on typical mid-July patterns rather than a live bite report. By mid-summer, Lake Mead's surface layer is usually well into the 80s, pushing striped bass and baitfish schools down into deeper, cooler water during daylight hours, with the best windows for topside activity compressed into dawn and dusk. Largemouth and smallmouth bass follow a similar heat-driven shift: shallow fish tuck into shade and cover while deeper fish group up on structure, a pattern Tactical Bassin's recent hot-weather breakdown described as typical once summer temperatures peak. Catfish tend to stay consistent through the heat, feeding actively after dark on bottom presentations. With no NOAA buoy or USGS gauge data available for this stretch, anglers should verify current surface temps and flow conditions locally before planning a trip.
Cold upwelling keeps Central Coast rockfish and salmon in play
Central Coast buoys are reading a cool 56 to 60°F this week, with warmer numbers off Monterey Bay (46042) and Cape San Martin (46028) than the more exposed 46026 reading further north, a classic sign summer upwelling is still running strong along this stretch. Wind is building into the moderate range, 9 to 12 meters per second at the two nearshore stations, so plan around morning calm before afternoon chop sets in. This cycle's angler intel feed doesn't include a Central Coast-specific shop or charter report, so this leans on seasonal knowledge rather than a fresh bite report: cool, nutrient-rich upwelling water like this typically keeps rockfish and lingcod biting steadily on bottom structure while Chinook salmon and California halibut stay in play through midsummer. Worth checking a local Central Coast shop directly before committing to a target species this week.
Yellowtail Bite Fires Up at Catalina as Surf Species Stir to Life
Yellowtail put on a strong showing around Catalina this week, with anglers aboard Dana Wharf Sportfishing's Clemente staying within casting range of big, breezing mossbacks while also picking off decent numbers of quality calico bass, per Western Outdoor News — Saltwater. Offshore, NOAA buoys read 70-71°F across the LA Bight, with buoy 46221 showing a moderate 3.3 ft swell and buoy 46025 reporting light wind, comfortable summer conditions overall. From the beach, Surf Fishing in So Cal describes July as a slow start finally showing signs of life, with spotfin croaker and corbina beginning to move as surf calms from June's rough stretch. Regulatory news is active right now too: California's emergency wire leader and large-hook ban took effect this month for shore anglers within 1,000 yards of the coast south of Pigeon Point, and the Fish and Game Commission's Marine Resources Committee meets July 16 on related seabass measures. Check current regs before targeting sharks or seabass from shore this week.
Summer structure bite settles in around SF Bay and Bodega
Buoy 46026 off Bodega Bay read 56°F Tuesday afternoon, a fairly typical mid-July mark for the outer coast, with winds staying light and manageable at 4 m/s (about 9 mph). Conditions were noticeably breezier up at buoy 46013, running 9 m/s (roughly 20 mph) with air temps near 55°F, a reminder that afternoon wind can build quickly along this stretch of coast. Specific bite intel was thin this cycle — NorCal Fish Reports, the primary outlet tracking Bay Area and saltwater conditions for this region, didn't surface a detailed bite breakdown in this pull, so we're leaning on typical mid-summer seasonal patterns for the region. Striped bass and California halibut are the bread-and-butter summer targets around the Bay and Bodega, with rockfish and lingcod holding on deeper structure offshore. This week's new moon should push stronger tidal current, generally a plus for bait movement and current-fishing around structure.
Newport salmon effort holds steady as light winds favor OR Coast trollers
NOAA buoy 46029 near the Columbia River bar logged 59°F water Tuesday morning, a touch cooler than the 62°F reading recorded well offshore at buoy 46002 — a normal north-to-south split for mid-July upwelling along the Oregon Coast. Winds stayed light across the network, 5 m/s at both 46002 and 46050 and just 3 m/s at 46029, conditions favorable for small-boat trollers working the salmon grounds. Chatter from IFish.net Fishing Reports this week — a rod bounced off a flasher rig near Newport, a box of filet knives turning up at the Newport cleaning station — points to steady boat traffic and fish hitting the dock, though no shop or charter report confirmed specific numbers this cycle. Chinook and coho salmon remain the headline draw close to the bar, while lingcod and black rockfish stay the dependable bread-and-butter bite over nearshore structure. A new moon is pushing bigger tide swings this week worth planning around.
Mobile Bay anglers ease into a slow, hot-weather summer pattern
Buoy 42012 logged 82°F water and a light 4 m/s breeze off the Alabama Gulf coast this morning, a solid mid-July reading that keeps Mobile Bay's warm-water species locked into their usual summer rhythm. Direct Alabama bite reports were thin in this cycle's intel sweep, so we're leaning on regional guidance that still applies here: Salt Strong's latest seatrout piece notes that calm, hot stretches like this one call for quieter approaches and downsized lures, since fish feel angler presence more easily in flat water, advice that carries straight over to Mobile Bay's grass flats and back-bay pockets. Redfish and king mackerel should be holding to their typical warm-water haunts around structure and bait pods. On the Pensacola Fishing Forum, one angler flagged a new Gulf conditions-tracking site worth watching, though no fresh bite reports have circulated there yet. Expect a fairly standard late-July Gulf pattern: better action early and late, a midday lull.
Finger Lakes bass and walleye settle into deep summer patterns
Fishing the Midwest's midsummer walleye dispatch this week flags a shift away from bottom-hugging assumptions, with anglers running forward-facing sonar increasingly finding suspended fish off points and weed edges rather than glued to bottom, a pattern that tracks well onto how Cayuga and Seneca walleye typically behave once deep summer sets in. On the bass side, Tactical Bassin's latest breakdown of strolling a jig-and-minnow combo through the heat, plus notes on shaded weedlines and deep cover, lines up with what smallmouth and largemouth do on the Finger Lakes once surface temps push into the 70s. No buoy or gauge feed returned for this Finger Lakes cycle, and no shop or charter report specific to Cayuga, Seneca, or Skaneateles surfaced in this week's intel sweep, so treat the species status below as seasonal-pattern guidance rather than a confirmed on-the-water bite report until a local source checks in.
Door County, Sheboygan ride a record salmon class into midsummer
Wisconsin DNR's Lake Michigan report notes 2026 anglers are picking up where 2024 left off, when Lake Michigan produced a record salmon and trout harvest — over 210,000 coho and 160,000-plus Chinook, the best Chinook take since 2012, per the WI DNR Lake Michigan Fishing Report. That strong year class, aided by better alewife survival, keeps Chinook, coho, and steelhead the headline draw off Door County and Sheboygan through midsummer. Access has also improved: the Rowley's Bay boat launch near Newport State Park in Liberty Grove, closed for concrete work since ice-off, reopened around May 31 per the same DNR release. Meanwhile DNR continues reviewing lake whitefish total-allowable-catch levels and smallmouth bass management in Green Bay and northern Lake Michigan, both signs of a fishery under active stewardship. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through this cycle, so treat water temp as an on-the-water check rather than a locked number.
Shrimp season opens as South Texas bite holds steady
Shrimp season has opened along the Texas coast, and Capt. Cliff Fleming, who has guided the Port Isabel waters for decades, tells the Galveston Daily News Reel Report that South Texas fishing remains decent through this stretch of July. Closer to Galveston, word is more scattered: several contributors filed reports this week, and one crew fished Trinity Bay out of Eagle Point on Thursday, though without much detail on what actually bit. The same column's advice rings true right now: timing is often the deciding factor between a good box and a slow one. With no fresh buoy or gauge readings available for this cycle, we're leaning on angler word of mouth more than instrumentation this week. Expect the usual mid-summer Gulf Coast lineup, speckled trout, redfish, and flounder, to stay catchable for anglers working low-light hours and the moving tide rather than the flat middle of the day.
Lake of the Ozarks bass settle into summer shade-and-structure mode
No fresh buoy or gauge data came back for the Lake of the Ozarks and Osage River system this cycle, so today's read leans on the seasonal pattern national bass coverage is emphasizing right now. Tactical Bassin's latest hot-weather bass roundup notes that shallow fish are tucking into shadows while deeper fish group up around structure once surface temps climb into midsummer ranges, a pattern that tracks closely with what Lake of the Ozarks largemouth typically do by mid-July. Fishing the Midwest's recent notes on working weedlines and adjusting to forward-facing sonar also apply broadly to Missouri reservoir summer patterns, where suspended baitfish schools pull both predators and finesse anglers off the bank. With a new moon this week, expect stronger low-light bite windows at dawn and dusk. Crappie should be tucked deep and sluggish in the heat; catfish and white bass tend to stay the most consistent producers through the dog days. Check local conditions before you launch.
Summer heat pattern takes over Champlain and CT River bass
Tactical Bassin's latest breakdown on beating summer heat lines up well with what Vermont's Connecticut River and Lake Champlain bass fisheries typically do in mid-July: shallow fish tuck into shade and cover early, while deeper schools group up on current breaks and structure once the sun gets high, per the blog's heat-pattern rundown. No NOAA buoy or USGS gauge is currently reporting for this stretch, so this outlook leans on regional technique intel and seasonal norms rather than a hard temp or flow number — check a local forecast and the nearest USGS gauge before you launch. Field & Stream's new spin-fishing-for-trout guide is a solid refresher for anglers working Vermont's cooler tributary water, where light line and small-profile lures keep drawing strikes even as the Champlain and CT River main-stem bite shifts into a classic summer pattern. Tonight's new moon should help sharpen the low-light bite, so plan around dawn and dusk if you can.
Western Basin walleye anglers lean on open-water tactics as summer settles in
No buoy or gauge readings came back for the Western Basin this cycle, and none of today's angler-intel feeds carried a direct Lake Erie walleye report, so this update draws on general seasonal know-how rather than day-of bites. Fishing the Midwest's Mike Frisch notes that forward-facing sonar has changed where anglers find summer walleye, showing fish suspended well off bottom and away from classic structure like points and weedlines rather than glued to them as older wisdom assumed. That shift matters for the Western Basin's open, relatively shallow water, where summer walleye commonly scatter to chase baitfish rather than hold tight to cover. With a new moon overnight, low-light bites around dawn and dusk should be the strongest windows. Absent fresh, location-specific reports, treat today's outlook as a seasonal baseline: check the latest state fishing report and local conditions before running out, especially given the lack of buoy or gauge data this cycle.