Fishing reports
19070 reports across all 50 states — current conditions and what's biting.
Blue cats stay locked in at Eagle Mountain Lake as summer heat holds
Our USGS gauge is reading 87°F with flow holding low and steady at 56.7 cfs, classic mid-July dog-days conditions across Texas lakes and rivers. Up at Eagle Mountain Lake near Fort Worth, North Texas Catfish Guide has been riding fresh water pushing into a nearly full lake, which the guide credits for keeping blue catfish moving and feeding aggressively into early summer, calling it one of the best windows of the year. That same guide's prior spring reports described channel catfish biting hard and white bass working the main lake once water temperatures climbed, a pattern that typically carries into July once things stabilize in the upper 80s. Expect the bite to hold but compress toward dawn, dusk, and overnight as fish slide into deeper, cooler water during peak heat. No Texas-specific source this cycle flagged largemouth bass activity, so treat that bite as a wait-and-see until a shop or captain report confirms a pattern. New moon skies should help low-light bites.
Western NC trout dial in early mornings as summer flows hold steady
The USGS gauge covering this stretch of Western North Carolina trout water logged 68°F with flow holding near 538 cfs as of Tuesday evening, a stable, moderate-flow stage typical for mid-July. That reading sits right at the edge of comfortable trout water — cool enough for solid activity in shaded, spring-fed sections, but warm enough that fish will crowd deeper runs and undercut banks once the sun climbs. Field & Stream's current spin-fishing guide for trout streams is a useful baseline for water like this: a 5.5- to 6.5-foot ultralight rod with 2- to 4-pound fluorocarbon and small inline spinners or jigs for tight mountain water, stepping up to a 7- to 7.5-foot medium-action setup on bigger runs. No Smokies-specific catch reports came through our feeds this cycle, so treat today's outlook as seasonal-pattern guidance grounded in the gauge data rather than fresh on-the-water intel. Early mornings and evenings remain the highest-percentage windows at this water temperature.
Summer heat pushes Santee and Lake Murray bass into shade and depth
The USGS gauge on the Santee system (station 02160390) logged a steady 198 cfs this afternoon, with no runoff spike or drop-off to suggest recent rain moved through the watershed. Water temperature wasn't reported on today's read, but with a New Moon overhead and mid-July heat locked in across the SC midlands, Santee and Lake Murray are settling into a classic peak-summer pattern. We don't have a direct shop or charter report out of the Santee-Cooper system this cycle, so lean on proven hot-weather tactics: per Tactical Bassin's current summer bass coverage, shallow fish are tucking into shade while deeper schools group up around structure, and a well-worked jig stays a reliable choice when the bite gets tough in the heat. Largemouth should still feed around cover and depth transitions; blue catfish typically stay active on current in these conditions. Crappie and open-water stripers tend to slide deep and go quiet through the hottest stretch of July until conditions ease.
Guntersville and Wheeler bass lean into summer bluff-and-shade patterns
USGS gauge 03575100 posted a steady 695 cfs flow into Monday evening, a workable, moderate-current read for late July on the Tennessee River system that feeds Lake Guntersville and Wheeler. Water temperature wasn't available from today's pull, but expect summer-standard highs typical for this stretch in mid-July. Bass intel skews national rather than hyper-local this week: Tactical Bassin's summer heat breakdown is a solid template for these lakes right now, shallow fish tucking into shade and cover, deeper fish grouping on predictable structure, both patterns holding through the hottest stretch of the day. B.A.S.S. News profiled Alabama pro Wes Logan (Springville) on how main-river bluffs produce bass on southern river systems essentially year-round, a pattern that translates directly to Guntersville and Wheeler's bluff walls and creek channel swings. No forum chatter or shop reports specific to these two lakes surfaced today, so treat species status below as season-typical rather than confirmed-hot.
Smallmouth bite heats up on the Merrimack as shad run wraps
Flows on the Merrimack are running light, with the USGS gauge at 01073500 reading 28.8 cfs, typical for a mid-July low-water stretch. Per The Fisherman — New England Freshwater, the spring shad run has wrapped up for the season, with a recent Methuen outing yielding just four fish, but striped bass are still holding at the river's mouth. The bigger freshwater story right now is smallmouth: anglers are finding loads of them on topwater lures, jigs, and spinnerbaits through the Lowell and Lawrence stretches. Around Winnipesaukee and the broader NH lake country, bass fishing continues to churn out fish, though results are uneven, with small ponds reportedly outproducing bigger water at the moment. With a new moon overhead and light flows across the watershed, early morning and low-light windows should be the highest-percentage play into the weekend.
Warm South Fork flows push Yellowstone-area trout to dawn and dusk bite
The South Fork Snake gauge near Yellowstone and the Tetons read 72°F with flow holding at 4,210 cfs as of Tuesday afternoon, typical irrigation-season releases for mid-July. Water in the low seventies is on the warm side for cutthroat and rainbow trout, and readings like this are exactly when interior West fisheries lean on early and late-day fishing to avoid stressing fish during the hottest hours. No shop or agency report specific to the Yellowstone or Snake drainages came through today's intel sweep, so this update leans on the gauge reading and general seasonal knowledge rather than a fresh bite report. Elsewhere in the West, Caddis Fly (OR) notes golden stonefly and yellow sally patterns are a staple summer dry-dropper setup right now, a pattern that typically holds across Rocky Mountain freestone rivers this time of year. Expect the best action on cool mornings before the water climbs toward its afternoon peak.
Chickamauga, Watts Bar bass settle into summer shade pattern
USGS gauge 03578500 on the Tennessee River system is holding at a modest 122 cfs as of Tuesday afternoon, signaling stable, low-flow conditions typical of mid-July on Chickamauga and Watts Bar. Water temperature wasn't reported at this gauge, but expect the classic dog-days pattern: per Tactical Bassin (blog), shallow bass push into shadows and shaded cover during peak heat while deeper fish group tightly around structure, rewarding moving baits at first light and jigs once the sun climbs. B.A.S.S. News notes that on southern river systems like this one, bluff walls tapering toward creeks and pockets play a natural, often-overlooked role even outside the spawn, worth working through midday. Field & Stream's reminder to fish big baits and stay patient through slow stretches applies directly here; summer largemouth and spotted bass reward commitment over quick pattern-hopping. Catfish typically stay active through the heat, while crappie slow down and push deeper.
Catfish carry the Platte and Missouri bite through peak summer heat
USGS gauge 06796000 logged Missouri River flow near 1,500 cfs Tuesday evening (July 14), a moderate summer stage with no live water-temperature reading in this cycle. Direct angler reports for the Platte and Missouri stretches were thin in today's intel sweep, so we're leaning on regional patterns and Nebraska Game & Parks' ongoing sampling and forecast work, which tracks fish populations across the state's public waters each season. Nebraska Game & Parks also flagged a recent fish die-off at Timber Point Reservoir near Brainard, a reminder to check current advisories before choosing a NE water this week. For technique, Fishing the Midwest's recent notes on locating summer walleye and sauger with forward-facing sonar apply well to deeper river holes on days like this. Expect catfish to lead the bite in typical mid-July heat, with white bass scattered until temperatures ease. Confirm local conditions before you launch.
Black bass bite heats up across NY as summer settles in
USGS gauge 01357500 logged water at 83°F Tuesday afternoon, firmly into summer-pattern territory for Hudson Valley and Finger Lakes freshwater, while gauge 01358000 nearby is running a stronger 2,360 cfs. Black bass are the story right now: the NY DEC's Fishing Line noted in mid-June that "the fish bite is picking up with the warmer summer weather," and a month of heat since has only reinforced that for largemouth and smallmouth statewide. Musky anglers should be dialed in too, DEC flagged musky season opening around this point on the calendar back in May. Trout are a different story, 83°F is well above the comfort range for stream trout, so expect sluggish action anywhere without spring-fed cooling. Elevated flow at both gauges suggests recent rain or upstream release, worth checking before wading skinny water this week. Tactical Bassin's current advice on hot-weather bass, working shade and deeper cover, applies directly to conditions like these.
Summer trout rhythm holds on the Hiwassee and Caney Fork tailwaters
Real-time flow and temperature data from USGS gauge 03565000 didn't come through this cycle, and none of today's angler-intel feeds reported specifically from the Hiwassee or Caney Fork, so this update leans on typical mid-July patterns for Smokies-region tailwaters. Generation-fed rivers like these usually stay cool and clear through summer even as air temps climb, keeping rainbow and brown trout workable on nymph rigs during scheduled dam releases and in the low-light hours before and after. Smallmouth bass in the lower, warmer stretches tend to key on shade and current breaks once the sun gets high, a pattern Tactical Bassin's summer-heat coverage this week echoes for warmwater species generally: shallow fish tuck into shadows while deeper fish group around structure. Expect a midday lull with the best windows bunched around release timing and dawn/dusk. Check the generation schedule and current flow before heading out, since tailwater fishability swings hard with water releases.
Low flows keep Cumberland tailwater trout bite manageable
The Cumberland River tailwater below Wolf Creek Dam is running lean this week, with USGS gauge 03413200 clocking flow at just 18 cfs as of Sunday evening — a minimal-generation reading that typically means calmer, more wadeable water in the tailrace. No water-temperature reading came through with this update, and none of today's angler-intel feeds carried a direct report from Lake Cumberland or the tailwater itself, so this update leans on general seasonal knowledge rather than fresh local testimony. Mid-July on this fishery usually means low-flow windows favor rainbows and browns holding in slower tailrace runs, main-lake stripers pushing deeper and feeding hardest around dawn and dusk to dodge summer heat, and smallmouth working bluff walls and rocky points on the lake proper. The new moon this week can sharpen low-light bites across the system. Treat today's numbers as a flow-and-season baseline rather than a confirmed hot bite until more local reporting comes in.
High, warm Kansas River flows put catfish on the prowl
The Kansas River gauge (USGS 06892350) read 86°F with flow running elevated near 10,800 cfs as of this afternoon, a combination that favors catfish over most other species right now. Warm, high, off-color water is textbook summer catfish country: channel cats and flatheads push shallow to feed on drifting bait when a river runs up, and stink bait or cut bait fished on the bottom near current breaks should produce. White bass typically slow down once water pushes past the mid-80s, so expect a tougher bite there until temperatures ease. No angler-intel feeds specific to the Kansas or Arkansas Rivers came through today's sweep, so the species calls below lean on seasonal norms for warm, high Plains rivers rather than fresh local reports. Tactical Bassin's general hot-weather playbook still applies here: shift to shade and deeper cover once the sun gets high, and slow way down.
Summer heat pushes Deschutes, Klamath trout to dawn and dusk bites
USGS gauge 14070500 came back with no flow or temperature reading this cycle, and no NOAA buoy covers this inland region, so today's numbers are thin for Deschutes and Upper Klamath anglers. None of this week's angler intel feeds carried a direct report from either fishery; coverage skewed toward Midwest bass tactics, saltwater striper and tuna pieces, and general gear reviews instead of Oregon trout intel. That leaves us leaning on typical mid July patterns: redband and rainbow trout in the Deschutes system, plus Upper Klamath's rainbow fishery, both tend to bite hardest in the low light hours once afternoon water warms, with fish sliding deeper or into shaded runs once the sun is up. Kokanee in Klamath basin reservoirs usually hold a steadier summer pattern on downrigger trolling. Treat today's report as a conditions placeholder; check a local shop's report or current regulations before you head out.
White River trout play it cool as summer heat tightens the bite
USGS gauge 07060710 logged 82°F water and just 8.32 cfs of flow on the White River system Monday evening, a signal that hydro generation was largely off through the day and let the tailwater warm well past the cold, oxygen-rich range Bull Shoals and Norfork trout prefer. No shop or captain report specific to this stretch came through this cycle, so treat what follows as conditions-based guidance rather than a confirmed bite. Field & Stream's summer trout primer recommends scaling gear to the water and working small inline spinners or nymphs slow and tight to structure, advice that applies directly when warm, low-flow conditions push fish tight to whatever cover and current they can find. Expect the better windows to bookend the heat: early morning, dusk, and any stretch of active generation when cooler dam-released water first pushes through.
Striped bass explode at the Race as porgy bite booms across CT shore
Fresh striped bass pushed into the Race midweek, and J&B Tackle called Wednesday and Thursday's topwater action the best of the season, with anglers three-waying Storm Wild Eye Swim Shads and Tsunami Sand Eels through the tide changes. Tartan II is putting anglers on boat limits of slot-sized stripers plus larger fish for fun, especially on afternoon trips, while black sea bass are starting to mix into the bottom-fishing catch. On the porgy front, AW Marina says sandworm, squid, and clam sales are "through the roof" as the shore-based scup bite lights up Fort Trumbull Pier, Avery Point, and Pleasure Beach; Black Hawk backs that up with boat limits of jumbo porgies on recent trips. Fluke has been the softer spot, with Black Hawk noting a slower trip this week. Regionally, The Fisherman (Northeast) still lists striped bass as the headline species from Montauk into Long Island Sound.
Low summer flows push Catskills and Adirondack trout to dawn and dusk
On Baker's Creek in North Bangor, near the Adirondack foothills, sulfur mayflies were popping on the surface this week, per Field & Stream's regional dispatch — a solid sign summer hatch activity is running on schedule across small feeder streams. Our gauge readings back that up: flow at USGS gauge 01413500 sits at 84.9 cfs and 01415000 has dropped to just 5.28 cfs, typical mid-July low water for Catskills and Adirondack trout streams. With water temperature unread at both stations, treat any afternoon warmth as a risk to trout — fish early or late and handle fish gently. Field & Stream's spin-fishing guide recommends scaling down to 2- to 4-pound fluorocarbon and small inline spinners on tight, quartered streams like these, a solid match for low, clear summer flows. Brown and rainbow trout should still take dries and light spinners on overcast mornings, but expect a slower midday bite until water cools.
Cool tailwater keeps Green River trout active through summer heat
The Green River's tailwater below Flaming Gorge Dam is holding at a trout-friendly 57°F with flow steady near 2,010 cfs as of Tuesday afternoon, per USGS gauge 09234500. That's classic bottom-release behavior — the dam keeps this stretch running cool even as July temperatures spike across the Mountain West, one of the reasons the Green stays a year-round blue-ribbon fishery. We don't have a fresh on-the-water bite report specific to this stretch this cycle, so treat the species notes below as seasonal expectation rather than a confirmed account. Golden stoneflies remain one of the most reliable summer bugs on Western tailwaters this time of year, per Caddis Fly (OR), and that pattern typically carries over to the Green as well — big attractor dries and dry-dropper rigs are worth having rigged. Rainbows and browns should both be feeding steadily in this temp range; whitefish are around but less targeted. Check current Utah fishing regulations before keeping fish.
Ozark trout parks fish steady as spring-fed flows hold firm
The Current River gauge at Van Buren (USGS 07067000) logged 994 cfs as of Tuesday afternoon, a solid mid-summer flow for the Current and Niangua trout-park systems that keeps wading and float access manageable without blowing conditions out. Water temperature wasn't reported at the gauge, but Missouri's spring-fed trout parks — Montauk on the Current, Bennett Spring on the Niangua — typically hold in the low-to-mid 50s through July regardless of air temperature, which is exactly why they stay the go-to cold-water fishery once freestone streams elsewhere warm past comfortable trout range. We don't have a direct angler report from either park this cycle, so treat the species notes below as seasonal expectation rather than a confirmed bite. Rainbows should still take small nymphs and bait worked slow through the deeper spring-fed pools; browns typically go quieter and more selective in summer's warm, bright water; smallmouth in the Current's lower, warmer stretches should stay active as temps climb.
Warm Water Tests Columbia and Rogue Salmon as Summer Heat Builds
USGS gauge 14211720 logged water at 75°F on July 14 with flow still running strong at 9,050 cfs, conditions typical of a Columbia and Rogue system easing into full summer heat. That reading sits at the upper edge of comfort for coldwater fish: Chinook and steelhead typically hold deeper or slow their upriver push once water climbs into the mid-70s, while smallmouth bass in the Rogue's warmer stretches tend to turn more active in this range. We came up empty on Columbia or Rogue specific bite reports in today's intel sweep — regional shops and forums were quiet on species-level chatter — so this update leans on the gauge reading and typical seasonal behavior rather than fresh angler testimony. Early morning and last light should be the highest-percentage windows as fish seek cooler water and lower light ahead of the midday heat.
Low water settles North Shore streams into steady summer trout mode
A USGS gauge on a Lake Superior North Shore tributary (site 04015330) logged just 3.11 cfs this afternoon, confirming the thin, clear flows typical of mid-July on these streams; no water temperature reading came back with it. This week's angler-intel feeds leaned heavy on ice-fishing recaps, generic bass tactics, and Wisconsin-side Lake Superior notes from WI DNR Lake Superior Fishing on the Chequamegon Bay whitefish fishery and an ongoing burbot study, none of it a fresh, on-the-water report for the Minnesota North Shore itself. With no direct bite reports to lean on, we're treating today's species notes as seasonal generalities rather than confirmed catches: lake trout and coho salmon typically hold in cooler deep water off the North Shore through summer and respond to deep trolling, smallmouth tuck into warming sheltered bays, and steelhead/rainbow trout run slow between the spring and fall tributary pushes. Low, clear tributary flow argues for stealthy approaches and early/late light if you're working stream mouths.
Barren River bass bite builds momentum across Kentucky's rivers
Kentucky's river fisheries got a spotlight moment on July 11 when the Phoenix Bass Fishing League held its Barren River weigh-in out of Scottsville, per MLF News — a solid signal that river bass are biting well enough to support tournament-grade catches heading into peak summer. Flow at our tracked river gauge is running elevated, which typically pushes bass and baitfish toward current breaks, laydowns, and shaded bank cover rather than open flats. Tactical Bassin notes that in summer heat, shallow bass tuck into shadows while deeper fish group tight around structure, a pattern that should carry over well to the Ohio and Cumberland systems right now. Catfish typically feed aggressively on elevated summer flows, and crappie tend to slide deep and go quiet this time of year. No direct water-temperature reading came through today, so plan around typical mid-July river warmth and always check current conditions before you launch.
Summer ledge bite holds up on Kentucky Lake and Barkley
Kentucky's bass scene stayed active into mid-July, underscored by the Phoenix Bass Fishing League's July 11 weigh-in out of Scottsville on the Barren River, per MLF News, a signal the state's reservoir bite is still productive as summer peaks. Direct on-the-water reports from Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley specifically were thin this cycle, and our USGS flow gauge for the watershed came back without a fresh reading, so treat conditions as typical for the season rather than confirmed. Tactical Bassin's current summer coverage points anglers toward jig fishing and Neko-rigged soft plastics worked tight to cover as water warms, while B.A.S.S. News highlights bluffs and rock walls as reliable holding structure on southern reservoir systems this time of year, a pattern that lines up well with Kentucky Lake and Barkley's famous ledges. Expect largemouth and smallmouth to sit shallow at dawn and dusk, sliding onto bluffs and ledges through midday heat.
Bass and pickerel keep biting as Delaware creeks run low and clear
Largemouth bass are chewing Chatterbaits around vegetation at Garrisons Lake, with crappie and bass working the rocks at Silver Lake and decent evening spillway action for white perch, panfish, and crappie, per this week's The Fisherman — NJ/DE Freshwater report out of the lower-state shops. The same report notes pickerel still willing on live killies in the recharged, cedar-stained waters near the Nanticoke drainage, though a slow stretch was interrupted by weekend storms that also nudged water levels and the salt line around. USGS gauge 01493500 is reading a scant 2.26 cfs, underscoring how low and clear Christina-basin creeks and impoundments have run through mid-July. Expect the bite to stay concentrated at dawn, dusk, and along shade and vegetation edges until the next rain resets flows — this is finesse-presentation water right now, not power-fishing water.
Mississippi Sound settles into a summer trout-and-redfish rhythm
The clearest signal from the coast this cycle isn't from the water, it's onshore: the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources confirms its Licensing Office reopens in Biloxi's Bolton Building on July 16 after a one-day closure for the move, per MS DMR. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for Mississippi Sound this update, and none of today's regional captain, shop, or state feeds logged a specific Sound catch report, so this update leans on typical mid-July patterns rather than fresh on-the-water testimony. That means speckled trout and redfish stay the default summer targets around grass flats, marsh edges, and current breaks, with the bite historically sliding toward dawn and dusk as Gulf Coast water temperatures climb through July. Flounder and black drum tend to be slower players this time of year. Anglers headed out this week should square away license renewals before Wednesday's office closure and check a live local forecast, since no wind or sky data came through with this report.