Fishing Reports

The USGS gauge at site 05586100 on the Illinois River shows flow at 16,000 cfs as of early Tuesday morning, May 26, an elevated reading that pushes bass and other species out of main-channel current and into calmer backwaters, wing dam eddies, and flooded timber edges. Wired 2 Fish notes that late May is the heart of the post-spawn transition for bass across the Midwest: some fish are aggressively chasing shad spawns and bream buffets, while others remain shallow and spooky as males guard fry. Tactical Bassin flags paddle-tail swimbaits and finesse presentations as reliable options for post-spawn smallmouth in clear Great Lakes-adjacent waters. On Lake Michigan, IL/IN Sea Grant confirms spring buoy deployment is underway, marking the seasonal ramp-up in nearshore monitoring along the Illinois shoreline. No water temperature is available from the gauge this cycle; channel catfish and walleye are moving into their typical late-May activity windows based on seasonal patterns, though no direct on-water reports from Illinois waters appeared in this week's feeds.

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Per GA Sportsman / Georgia Outdoor News (May 23), panfish and bass have been biting well across Georgia's river systems, with the Savannah River at Clyo holding steady at 3.0 feet. The shellcracker bite has been a standout: Phil Black of Clarkesville set a new Lake Tugalo record on May 20, landing a 2-lb., 3.26-oz. fish on a worm, per GA Sportsman. The Georgia Wildlife Blog flagged the week of May 22 as another strong period statewide, highlighting the Georgia Bass Slam as a timely challenge for anglers targeting Georgia's 10 black bass species. Bass are well into post-spawn mode, and GA Sportsman reports Jimmy Zinker boated a 6-lb. largemouth on a night fishing trip using a Muskie Jitterbug. Georgia Wildlife Blog also documented an 8-lb., 11-oz. Morgan County largemouth taken on a spinner bait just after rain cleared in late April: a productive pattern worth watching as GA Sportsman shows rain in the forecast through next week.

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Gulf water temperatures reached 80°F at NOAA buoy 42036 this morning, and Naples Offshore Fishing Charters confirms the on-water picture matches: the tarpon migration is fully underway, with captains intercepting fish as they push through the Naples area and reporting quality jumps throughout the week. After morning tarpon sessions, the fleet pivots to permit, with Naples Offshore describing consistent sight fishing on large fish. Kingfish have been steady on plugs and flies, while cobia and amberjacks are rounding out offshore spreads as bonus encounters. Sport Fishing Mag notes May through July is peak season for blackfin tuna to flood South Florida offshore waters, making them a legitimate offshore target. Coastal Angler Magazine flagged that grouper season reopened in the Keys on May 1st, drawing anglers back to reefs and wrecks for black, red, and gag grouper. With warm water locked in and multiple target species stacked on the same grounds, late May on the Gulf Coast is delivering one of the year's most diverse fishing windows.

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At 62 degrees Fahrenheit (USGS gauge 01184000, recorded this morning), Connecticut's inland waters are in full late-spring transition. Colin at Fishin' Factory 3 in Middletown reports plenty of trout still around on the Salmon River, with one angler catching as many stockies as he wanted, but notes customer interest has shifted toward shad, stripers, and carp on the Connecticut River plus largemouth in local ponds. Those largemouths are now largely on beds or just transitioning off, making them trickier to entice than they were in prespawn, per Fishin' Factory 3. Up at Saugatuck Reservoir, Fisherman's World in Norwalk says largemouth and smallmouth action keeps steadily improving, with shiners the top bait and Keitech swim baits and Lunker City paddletails also producing. The Salmon River TMA and TTA were stocked on May 13, giving trout fans a fresh target even as bass and shad command most of the attention heading into the Memorial Day holiday weekend.

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USGS gauge 09095500 is registering 61°F and 2,740 cfs on the Colorado River as of May 26, a temperature that puts trout solidly in feeding mode heading into Memorial Day weekend. The defining story for 2026, however, is Colorado's snowpack: Cutthroat Anglers (CO) reports this winter was "historic for all the wrong reasons," with snowpack at its lowest in recent memory and a much different season taking shape. Their guides note that fish are already grouped in predictable lies and willing to bite for the angler willing to fish lighter and probe deeper. Midge and nymph presentations remain the go-to approach on tailwater stretches, per AvidMax Blog (CO), while Pat Dorsey Fly Fishing (CO) confirms a reliable spring midge hatch is underway with BWO and caddis activity emerging alongside it. Expect clear, lower-than-average flows that reward precise presentations and downsized tippet.

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USGS gauge 11447650 logged Sacramento-Delta water at 69°F and 1,650 cfs on the morning of May 26, placing conditions squarely in the late-spring transition zone. NorCal Fish Reports carries a dedicated Delta section in its weekly rundown, though specific on-the-water dispatches from that feed were not captured in this reporting cycle. At 69°F, largemouth bass have typically completed their spawn across the Delta's tule margins and backwater sloughs, and fish are now consolidating on adjacent structure to feed aggressively on shad and hitch ahead of the summer heat. Striped bass, which push into the Delta system through spring, are winding down the run at these temperatures and beginning to stage back toward the Bay. Channel catfish activity typically picks up as water climbs through the upper 60s. Flow at 1,650 cfs is a moderate late-spring level, keeping tidal influence meaningful through the lower channels and creating clean current breaks for staging fish.

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USGS gauge 09380000 clocked the Colorado River at 57 degrees F and 6,470 cfs before dawn on May 26, confirming the cold, consistent tailwater flows that define the Lees Ferry trout fishery. No region-specific angler intel arrived in this week's feeds for the Arizona Colorado or Salt River drainages, so conditions here blend gauge data with patterns typical for late May at this latitude. At Lees Ferry, 57 degrees F sits squarely in rainbow trout comfort territory; nymph rigs drifted along current seams and streamers worked near canyon structure are the standard plays for this stage of the season. On the Salt River reservoirs, largemouth and smallmouth bass are in the post-spawn transition. Per Wired 2 Fish this week, post-spawn fish split into two camps: aggressive feeders gorging on shad, and shallow, spooky fish that reject fast or oversized presentations. Downsize your retrieve and match forage size to what each zone shows you. The waxing gibbous moon should push evening feeding windows later into the night.

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NOAA buoys across the Gulf of Alaska recorded water temperatures of 42-44°F this morning, with buoy 46066 showing 16.4-foot seas and winds of 15 m/s indicating rough offshore conditions through the holiday weekend. Buoys 46001 and 46080 are calmer at 8.9-foot swells and lighter winds of 8-11 m/s, pointing to better inshore and protected-water access. AK Sea Grant's current reporting highlights Kodiak's active commercial fishing community following last month's ComFish gathering, though no catch-specific field reports are flowing through regional intel feeds today. Based on typical late-May patterns, king (Chinook) salmon are staging near river mouths as early runs begin their approach, and Pacific halibut fishing remains productive on calm days with the season well underway. Lingcod and rockfish offer solid inshore options along rocky structure for anglers sitting out the offshore swell. Verify current bag limits and open seasons with state regulations before heading out.

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USGS gauge 15266300 on the Kenai clocks water at 44°F with flows at 2,940 cfs as of May 26, elevated spring runoff that puts the system in classic late-May transition mode. The first run of king (Chinook) salmon typically arrives on the lower Kenai at this point in the season, with fish staging in softer water and back-eddies away from the main current push. No charter or shop reports were available in this intel cycle to confirm active catch rates, so treat the king opener as early-stage until more specific intel surfaces. Per Wired 2 Fish, a University of Alaska Fairbanks study published in Biological Invasions found that invasive northern pike in Alaska freshwaters are consuming significantly more prey as water temperatures rise, context worth noting for anglers targeting interior drainages this summer. Rainbow trout and Dolly Varden remain available throughout the Kenai corridor, with late May being a traditional pre-run warm-up period before the summer salmon fishery fully ignites.

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Tactical Bassin's recent trip to Lake Chickamauga, a Tennessee River impoundment just upstream of the Alabama line, found bass responding to both power and finesse presentations: chatterbaits and swimbaits produced in dirtier water while finesse baits carried the clear-water sections. That split matches what Wired 2 Fish describes in its current post-spawn breakdown, with aggressive fish gorging on shad spawns and bream beds while a second cohort stays shallow and spooky, not prone to chasing reaction baits. USGS gauge 02339500 shows the corridor running at 845 cfs this morning, a moderate and fishable level heading into the holiday weekend. No water temperature came through with this reading, though late-May conditions in Alabama's river systems typically push surface temps into the low-to-mid 70s. The B.A.S.S. Open just wrapped on Kentucky Lake with a 62-pound, 2-ounce winning three-day bag, signaling healthy bass production across the broader Tennessee system. The waxing gibbous moon extends productive feeding windows through the week.

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USGS gauge 11455420 recorded a strong reverse tidal flow of approximately -101,000 cfs through the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta on the evening of May 25, signaling a powerful incoming tidal push running through the channels. No water temperature was available from the gauge, though late May typically carries main-channel readings into the low-to-mid 60s°F across the system. Delta-specific biting reports were sparse in this week's feeds, so the species outlook below reflects seasonal patterns rather than confirmed on-water testimony. The most relevant angler intel comes from Wired 2 Fish, whose current post-spawn bass coverage maps directly onto what Delta largemouth are doing right now: after the spawn, some fish chase shad aggressively near flats and vegetation edges, while others stay shallow and spooky, requiring slower finesse presentations. The waxing gibbous moon is amplifying tidal energy, which typically concentrates both largemouth and striped bass on current seams and channel edges during tidal transitions.

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USGS gauge 12372000 on the Flathead River recorded 24,900 cfs and 54°F on May 25, placing northwest Montana squarely in peak snowmelt territory. River conditions across the Bitterroot and Flathead drainages are running high and likely off-color, pushing trout out of the main current and into slower eddies, side channels, and tailout seams. MidCurrent's recent fly-tying coverage notes that late spring is the window when hatches begin to fire and predatory fish start pushing into the shallows, though in swollen runoff rivers the productive holding water flips: fish stack in the margins, not the riffles. Flathead Lake offers a cleaner alternative, with mackinaw (lake trout) in their post-spawn phase and typically retreating to 60-120 feet over rocky points and structural drop-offs. Westslope cutthroat and bull trout in the Bitterroot remain accessible with heavy nymph rigs worked tight to slower edges. Check state regulations before targeting bull trout, as special rules typically apply in this drainage.

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MLF News reports this week that Oklahoma's Arkansas River out of Muskogee is 'currently on a high, with big bags more common now than they have ever been on the river,' a strong signal for the broader state freshwater bite heading into Memorial Day weekend. That momentum carries to Lake Texoma and Lake Eufaula, both entering peak late-May windows. USGS gauge 07331600 is reading 1,630 cfs, indicating moderate tributary inflow that tends to concentrate baitfish near creek mouths and main-lake points. No water temperature is available at that gauge, though late-May surface temps in this region typically reach the upper 70s to low 80s. Per Wired 2 Fish's post-spawn breakdown, largemouth across the region are in transition: aggressive fish stacking near shad spawns and bream beds, others shallow and spooky coming off the bed. Texoma's landlocked striper fishery is historically active in this window. The waxing gibbous moon supports evening and early morning feeding pushes through the holiday weekend.

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USGS gauge 07060710 on the North Fork (Norfork) tailwater logged 70°F and just 11.7 cfs on May 26, the clearest signal this week that the White River system has shifted into low-generation, late-spring territory. At 70°F, rainbow trout are approaching the upper edge of their comfort zone, making first and last light the most productive windows before afternoon temperatures push fish deep. With flows this light, wading is accessible across much of the system, but fish are not spread out; they will be stacked in the deepest available pools and near any cold spring seeps that buffer the warmth. No White River-specific charter or shop reports surfaced in this week's angler intel feeds. General tailwater guidance from MidCurrent, which highlighted midge and nymph patterns built for "clear, pressured water of stillwaters and tailraces," translates directly here: small scuds, midges, and caddis larvae in the size 16 to 20 range are the safe baseline when conditions run clear and thin.

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USGS gauge 03512000 recorded 66°F water and 656 cfs late Sunday night, placing Smokies streams at the warm edge of prime trout range as spring runoff keeps flows elevated. The late-May calendar aligns with peak green drake season; Flylords Mag notes the East Coast emergence runs early May through late June, making dry-fly opportunities genuinely worth pursuing this week. With water temperatures brushing the mid-60s, trout are likely holding in well-oxygenated riffles and near tributary confluences where cooler inflows provide relief. The waxing gibbous moon this week extends low-light feeding windows into morning and evening. Plan to fish sulphur and green drake dries during midday hatches, then drop to nymphs as afternoon temperatures climb. As Gink and Gasoline noted this spring, warmer-than-average conditions can accelerate hatch timing across mountain streams, so pay attention to what is actually emerging each day. No direct tackle-shop or guide reports for the Smokies were available this cycle; conditions are inferred from gauge data and regional hatch context.

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Buoy 44014 recorded 63°F water off the Virginia coast at dawn on May 26, marking the full swing of the late-May inshore transition along the Eastern Shore. Virginia DWR's spring striped bass report highlights rockfish schooling along channel edges, sandy flats, and grass beds, with coastal fish holding tight to rocky structure and hard bottom, classic late-spring behavior for the Chincoteague barrier island zone. On The Water's striper migration map from May 22 confirms the spring push is at or near its peak across the Mid-Atlantic, with fish in the 20-to-30-pound class well-represented across the region. Summer flounder are beginning to show as the water climbs, and with Memorial Day weekend here, the combination of building tidal swells from a waxing gibbous moon and improving weather windows makes this a prime moment to work the nearshore rips and back-bay channels. Check local regulations before keeping any stripers, as Virginia's rockfish size and bag rules shift throughout spring.

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NOAA buoy 45005 logged a 57°F lake surface on May 26, with light winds at 2 m/s setting up comfortable open-water conditions in the Western Basin. The Maumee River at Waterville (USGS gauge 04193500) is running 9,130 cfs with tributary water at 67°F, a full ten degrees warmer than the main lake. That volume of warm, potentially turbid inflow typically pushes a plume into the near-shore western end, which often shifts walleye off the traditional Maumee reef structure and onto cleaner hard-bottom transitions further east and deeper. Direct angler reports for this specific area were sparse in this week's feeds, but Fishing the Midwest notes that jigs and slip-sinker live bait rigs remain dependable walleye presentations as fish settle into post-spawn patterns. The waxing gibbous moon supports strong low-light feeding windows at dawn and dusk. Yellow perch and smallmouth bass should also be staging in similar water columns as surface temps continue to climb.

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USGS gauge 03036500 logged 30,300 cfs on the Allegheny River at 1 a.m. on May 26, a notably elevated pulse that will crowd fish off mid-channel and into slack-water refuges along wing dams, bridge pilings, and inside bends. Water temperature data was unavailable from the gauge this cycle; check local sources before rigging up. Wired 2 Fish's post-spawn bass breakdown (published this week) notes that late-May bass are in recovery mode yet actively targeting shad spawns and shallow baitfish concentrations, a pattern that tracks for the Allegheny's tailwater smallmouth when accessible slack water exists. Tactical Bassin (blog) reinforces that finesse presentations (swimbaits, paddle-tail rigs, and drop-shots) consistently outperform power tactics on post-spawn fish dealing with variable high-water conditions. PA Fish & Boat Biologist Reports did not yield species-specific field notes for this area this cycle. The waxing gibbous moon supports pre-dawn and last-light feeding pushes; plan your launch times accordingly.

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NOAA buoys 46041 and 46087 registered light winds of just 1-2 meters per second off Washington's Pacific coast early this morning, with air temperatures in the low 50s Fahrenheit. Conditions point to a comfortable surface window for nearshore and offshore anglers heading into the Memorial Day holiday. Water temperature readings were unavailable from either buoy this cycle, limiting our picture of the thermal layer that drives salmon and baitfish distribution. WA WDFW Fishing Reports did not surface specific catch data in this feed, so real-time biting conditions across Puget Sound and the coast cannot be directly attributed in this update. Based on typical late-May patterns for Washington waters, spring Chinook should be accessible in Puget Sound, the Pacific halibut season is generally active and productive around this period, and rockfish remain reliably present on nearshore structure. Anglers should check WA WDFW Fishing Reports directly for the latest creel data and stocking updates before launching.

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Water temperature holding at 58°F per NOAA buoy 44009, the Virginia DWR Wildlife Blog is spotlighting spring striped bass action across Virginia's tidal rivers this week, with fisheries biologists observing rockfish schooling along channel edges, sandy flats, grass beds, and near rocky shorelines and hard structure. Conditions match a broader mid-Atlantic pattern: The Fisherman (Northeast) is reporting a spring push of 20- to 30-pound stripers it calls among the best in years, a signal that the Chesapeake mouth bite should be running strong through Memorial Day weekend. Bluefish are beginning to show along the Northeast coast per The Fisherman, and those fish work southward quickly. Expect them to join the mix at the mouth. Light overnight winds kept the surface calm for early-morning presentations. A waxing gibbous moon is building tidal pressure that should concentrate baitfish and the gamefish chasing them along drop-offs and inlet mouths.

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Virginia DWR Wildlife Blog's spring striped bass report confirms rockfish are schooling along channel edges, sandy flats, grass beds, and rocky shorelines in Virginia's tidal rivers right now. On the Potomac mainstem, USGS gauge 01646500 logged 34,900 cfs before dawn Tuesday, a notably elevated reading that pushes smallmouth bass off mid-channel structure and into slack-water eddies, seams, and tributary mouths. On The Water's May 22 Striper Migration Map notes the spring striper run peaks near moon phases, and the current Waxing Gibbous window heading toward full moon is historically a productive period for tidal-Potomac striper work. Post-spawn bass, per Wired 2 Fish, are showing a split personality: some gorging aggressively on shad and bream beds, others turning spooky in clear shallows. No water temperature reading was available at the gauge this cycle; check conditions locally before launching. No Shenandoah-specific reports appeared in this data pull.

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Over Memorial Day weekend, Duain Cagle and his son Chris landed solid black drum and speckled trout fishing live shrimp under popping corks in upper Galveston Bay, per the Galveston Daily News Reel Report. It is a strong sign the inshore bite is humming as late May shifts toward summer. Baffin Bay is drawing attention as well, with Capt. Reanna Yaklin reportedly spending considerable time on the water there, according to the same source. Along marsh edges, Texas Fish & Game Magazine describes anglers working spartina-grass shorelines at first light for redfish, flounder, and specks: a classic late-May pattern on the upper Texas coast. Offshore, the federal red snapper season opened May 22, per Lone Star Outdoor News, giving Gulf-capable boats a fresh target. Current readings from buoy 42035 show calm conditions: 1.6-foot swells and light winds, a favorable window before summer afternoon weather builds.

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USGS gauge 14211720 recorded 66 degrees Fahrenheit and 15,200 cfs on the evening of May 25, placing the Columbia and Rogue system squarely in the post-spawn smallmouth window. On the Rogue, bass have likely finished their nesting phase and are moving into the aggressive recovery feeding that defines the best of the late-May bite. Wired 2 Fish notes that post-spawn bass split into two camps: some gorge actively on forage concentrations in open water, while others linger shallow and spook easily, calling for patient finesse presentations. For spring Chinook, warming temperatures typically signal the closing stretch of the productive upriver push; what action remains concentrates in cooler tailwater pockets. Summer steelhead are expected to begin their early showing on the lower Rogue as the season transitions. Direct on-water reports specific to the Columbia and Rogue were limited in this cycle; conditions here are grounded in gauge data, seasonal timing, and applicable technique coverage from regional fishing media.

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USGS gauge 05054000 logged 63°F and 729 cfs on the evening of May 25, placing North Dakota's river corridor squarely in the post-spawn transition phase. Fishing the Midwest reports that spring river conditions favor walleye on jig-and-live-bait rigs along shallow flats, with spinning-gear setups delivering consistent results as fish recover from spawn and return to feeding lanes. Wired 2 Fish notes that post-spawn bass can run the full behavioral spectrum right now: some fish gorging actively near bait concentrations, others spooky and reluctant in skinny water. Covering water efficiently with swimbaits or finesse rigs is the recommended approach for finding the active fish. Northern pike and channel catfish are both typical late-May players on these systems. A waxing gibbous moon building toward full should extend evening low-light windows, making dusk-to-dark runs worth the extra effort across all target species.

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