Fishing reports
19070 reports across all 50 states — current conditions and what's biting.
Yellowtail and mutton snapper keep Keys anglers busy through summer
Snapper fishing remains red hot across the Florida Keys heading into mid-July, with ALL IN Key West reporting yellowtail snapper "practically jumping in the boat" alongside strong numbers of mutton snapper, plus a solid mixed bag of grouper, cobia, barracuda, and kingfish on recent Gulf-side trips. The captain says fishing has been as good as any stretch in 16 years running trips out of Key West, coming off a nonstop May and June with July openings now available. Live bait has also been producing king mackerel, tuna, and sailfish along the reef edges, per the same operator. On the regulatory side, CCA Florida reports a federal court granted a preliminary injunction blocking the 2026 South Atlantic red snapper Exempted Fishing Permit pilot programs just hours before Florida's Atlantic season was set to open, so anglers planning to target red snapper offshore should check current state and federal rules before harvesting. No live buoy or gauge readings were available for this report; conditions below reflect angler intel only.
Stripers hold strong in Buzzards Bay as sea bass action heats up
Westport River Outfitters is boating slot and over-slot striped bass on almost every trip this week, with black sea bass filling out the box and even a tautog taken on a live eel. Little Sister Charters out of Westport Harbor is finding legal sea bass mixed with breaking stripers, plus occasional bluefish and bonito joining the feed, and is eyeing a run to the offshore fluke grounds. Up the coast at the Cape Cod Canal, Red Top Sporting Goods says the bite has cooled some, though stripers to the high 30-inch class are still coming on white pencil poppers; bluefish have been scarce in the canal itself but showing off Wareham and the West Falmouth shoreline. Regionally, The Fisherman's July 2 forecast notes bonito racing around Cape Cod and fluke joining giant stripers at Block Island, a sign the summer pattern is filling in across the Sound.
Fluke bite builds along the Jersey Shore as summer settles in
Doug Itjen landed an 8.5-pound keeper striper on live spot while drifting for fluke, per Creekside Outfitters' Barnegat Bay report — a preview of the mixed-bag pattern locking in along the Jersey Shore this week. Fluke is the story of the moment: The Fisherman's Central and Southern NJ correspondents describe improving keeper ratios from Barnegat Light down to the back bays behind the Wildwoods, with bigger baits and jigged Gulp outproducing bait on cooler days. Striped bass linger in the surf on clams per Grumpys Tackle and Hook House, though shops call the remaining fish "remnants" as summer sets in — even as Blue Chip Sportfishing reports crushing stripers on every trip. Sea bass is a split story: Northern NJ party boats call this one of the poorest seasons in years, while Blue Chip logs limits regularly. Offshore, bluefin have pushed to within 15-40 miles per OTW Northern New Jersey, with footballs to 60 pounds working sand eel schools, and Blue Chip released three makos on a recent shark trip.
Hill Country bass shift to summer structure as lake levels run high
My Canyon Lake Fishing reports the nearby Hill Country reservoir sitting at 886.46 feet, roughly eight feet above this time last year, with boat ramps open and conditions still described as ideal for boating and fishing — a useful regional signal for the broader Hill Country chain that includes Travis, LBJ, and Buchanan, even though no direct buoy or gauge readings came through for those three lakes this cycle. With no hard temperature or flow numbers to lean on, technique guidance fills the gap: Texas Fish & Game Magazine points anglers toward brush piles worked with forward-facing sonar for bass and crappie, while Tactical Bassin (blog) is pushing July-specific baits built for aggressively feeding, high-metabolism summer bass. Expect the typical Hill Country summer pattern — largemouth and white bass pushed to deeper structure and main-lake points as surface temps climb, with early and late light the most productive windows. Water levels running healthy compared to last year is a good sign heading into peak summer traffic.
July heat sends Pearl River bass hunting shade and jigs
Tactical Bassin's latest July roundup calls out jigs and moving baits as the go-to picks for largemouth bass right now, and that lines up with what we'd expect on the Pearl River system as water temperatures push deep into summer mode. Fishing the Midwest's Bob Jensen is pushing anglers toward the weedline this week, a pattern that should translate well to Mississippi's river backwaters and oxbows where largemouth stack up on cover once the sun gets high. Field & Stream's rundown on bluegill fishing reinforces the same idea for bream: work the deepest emergent weed edges over mud bottom, especially early and late in the day. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for this stretch, so treat flow and clarity as unknowns until you're on the water. Crappie tend to slide deeper and slower this time of year, and that's the safe bet here too.
Georgia coast settles into summer rhythm as offshore rules shift
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for the Georgia Atlantic coast this cycle, so this week's picture leans on state and regional reporting rather than live numbers. The Georgia Wildlife Blog's June 26 fishing update confirms Georgia has moved fully into summer conditions and points anglers to its Angler Resources page for species forecasts and stocking news. Offshore, Anglers Journal reports Florida is pushing the Secretary of Commerce for state management of South Atlantic red snapper, with a proposed 39-day season split into two segments — a regulatory shift worth tracking since South Atlantic snapper rules typically extend along the Georgia coastline too. No shop, charter, or agency source in this week's feed logged a specific Georgia catch report, so inshore expectations here lean on typical July patterns: redfish and spotted seatrout working marsh creek edges and oyster structure as water warms, flounder holding tight to channel edges. Check current state regs before harvesting any species, especially with red snapper management in flux.
River smallmouth turn on as ND walleye key weedlines
Mid-summer heat has turned on river smallmouth across North Dakota's Red and Missouri systems, and Field & Stream's summer smallmouth guide this week pegs warming water as the trigger for peak feeding — expect the bite to hold in current seams and shaded cover into late July. No live NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came through for either river today, so treat flow and temperature as typical-for-season until a fresh reading posts. Walleye anglers should lean on the weedline pattern Bob Jensen details in Fishing the Midwest this week: working the outside edge of emerging weed growth as open-water season hits full stride. Channel catfish remain a solid summer bet in current breaks, though no source flagged a specifically hot bite for them. Northern pike typically slide into a slower, deeper pattern once surface temps climb through July, so don't expect fast action on them right now. Smallmouth and walleye are this week's plays.
Puget Sound salmon season builds as green crab watch expands north
Washington Sea Grant's latest dispatch flags a notable shift for Salish Sea watchers: the first confirmed European green crab molt was found on Orcas Island in May, pushing the invasive species' documented front further into the San Juans, and the agency's Third Annual Salish Sea-wide Molt Blitz on June 26 pulled in citizen-science crab data basin-wide. No NOAA buoy or USGS gauge telemetry came through this cycle, so today's read leans on typical early-July norms rather than a fresh temperature or flow trend. Summer Chinook effort is typically building through Puget Sound's marine areas this time of year, tracked through WDFW's ongoing creel and catch survey program, with lingcod holding steady off the Strait and outer coast. Coho usually lag behind until later in summer. Check current WDFW regulations and season dates before heading out, and boaters should note WA Sea Grant's reminder to use the Pumpout Nav app for holding-tank disposal now that the season is in full swing.
Door County lake trolling season swings into full gear
The Rowley's Bay boat launch near Newport State Park in Liberty Grove is back open after its scheduled ice off closure wrapped up May 31, per the WI DNR Lake Michigan Fishing Report, restoring a Door County access point right as the open water season hits its summer stride. No fresh buoy readings or on the water bite reports came through for the Door County to Sheboygan corridor this cycle, so this update leans on typical July patterns for the fishery: Chinook and coho salmon plus steelhead working the thermocline well offshore, a program the DNR notes produced a record 2024 harvest (over 210,000 coho and 160,000-plus Chinook). Smallmouth bass should also be active around nearshore structure; the DNR gathered angler input on Green Bay and northern Lake Michigan smallmouth management last fall. Lake whitefish quotas for 2026 remain under DNR review. Check current access status and regulations before you launch, and expect standard summer salmon trolling and smallmouth action along this stretch.
Charleston Harbor Summer Bite Holds Steady on Redfish, Trout
NOAA buoy 41004, sitting offshore of Charleston, logged 84°F water with seas building to 4.6 feet and wind near 22 mph as of early Tuesday morning — full summer heat offshore, but a chop that will keep smaller boats hugging the harbor and inlets rather than running out front. No Charleston-area shop or charter reports came through the feed this cycle, so the inshore bite picture here leans on general seasonal knowledge: redfish, spotted seatrout, and flounder are the Lowcountry's July mainstays, typically working grass-line edges, dock pilings, and inlet mouths as water temps hold in the 80s. To the north, Fisherman's Post reports Carolina surf anglers pulling a mixed bag of whiting, croaker, pompano, and sharks on live bait — a pattern that commonly extends down the South Atlantic coast into South Carolina's beaches this time of year. Expect harbor and marsh fishing to outperform the rough water offshore for now.
Calm Erie mornings keep smallmouth locked on summer structure
NOAA buoy 45132 logged a 73°F surface reading this morning with wave heights under half a foot and wind barely pushing 2 m/s — about as flat and glassy as Lake Erie gets in July. That kind of stillness usually pushes smallmouth bass tight to weedlines and current breaks rather than roaming open water, a pattern Fishing the Midwest's Bob Jensen flagged as a go-to summer approach: work the edges where healthy weed growth meets open water rather than assuming fish are suspended offshore. We didn't get a Western NY-specific "what's biting" report in today's feed, so treat species calls below as seasonal expectations rather than confirmed bites. Tactical Bassin's July bass roundup is a useful bait reference if you're bass-focused this week — moving baits and finesse presentations both have a place once the sun gets high and the lake lays down like this.
Susquehanna and Allegheny bass dial in as summer heat peaks
With no live buoy or gauge readings on Susquehanna or Allegheny tributaries this cycle, this report leans on seasonal technique intel from the feeds. Field & Stream's midsummer river-smallmouth guide flags mid-to-late summer as peak season, with warming water pushing fish onto shaded cover and current seams by day and into open pools by evening, a pattern that lines up well with Pennsylvania's warmwater rivers right now. Fishing the Midwest's weedline column is a good reminder to work healthy, green vegetation edges as water keeps warming through July. Tactical Bassin's July bait roundup points anglers toward faster, more aggressive presentations as bass metabolism peaks in the heat. Trout fishing likely slows as tailwaters and freestone stretches warm; anglers chasing stocked trout should target early morning or evening low-light windows and handle fish gently before release. Check PA Fish & Boat's Biologist Reports for the latest local stocking notes before heading out.
Smallmouth bass fire up on the Delaware as summer heat settles in
Field & Stream's smallmouth-focused summer advisory frames the pattern shaping up on the Delaware River this week: warming water is pushing river smallmouth into shaded cover and current seams by day, with the bite spreading into open pools come evening. No live buoy or gauge readings came through for New Jersey waterways this cycle, so this update leans on that seasonal read plus what's biting elsewhere in the region. Pine Barrens anglers chasing largemouth bass should lean into July's aggressive metabolism window; Tactical Bassin's rundown of top July baits lists moving baits and soft plastics worked over shallow cover as current producers. Chain pickerel, the signature Pine Barrens predator, stay active in the tannic, slow-moving rivers through summer, typically ambushing from weed edges. Catfish remain a reliable after-dark option in both systems as water temps climb. With a Last Quarter moon this week, expect moderate feeding windows rather than one dominant bite trigger.
Chattahoochee bass dial into docks and grass for July
Largemouth and spotted bass are keying on classic summer cover along the Chattahoochee River system, with GA Sportsman / Georgia Outdoor News reporting bass holding in grass beds, under docks, and along rocky banks at Bartletts Ferry (Lake Harding) this month. That combination of shallow vegetation and hard structure is the go-to July pattern on this stretch, built by Georgia Power's historic impoundment north of Columbus. No fresh buoy or stream-gauge readings came through for the Chattahoochee & Savannah basins this cycle, so treat water temperature and flow as typical for early July until updated data arrives. Georgia Wildlife Blog continues promoting the Georgia Bass Slam challenge, underscoring that Piedmont and coastal-plain waters here support a genuinely diverse bass fishery beyond largemouth alone. With summer heat locked in, expect bass to keep relating to shaded, current-broken cover through midday and push shallower onto docks and grass edges during the low-light dawn and dusk windows.
July bass bite favors docks, grass and Neko rigs on Georgia reservoirs
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for the Hartwell/Russell system this cycle, so this report leans on regional technique intel rather than hard numbers. GA Sportsman's Bartletts Ferry rundown notes Georgia reservoir bass stacking on docks, grass edges and rocky banks in the current summer pattern, a setup that should translate well to similar structure on the Savannah chain. Tactical Bassin's July baits roundup backs that up, pointing to peak bass metabolism and aggressive feeding this month, with the Neko rig called out as an underused, effective choice in clear water. Wired 2 Fish also flags forward-facing sonar, including Garmin's new LiveScope 2 series, as increasingly central to locating suspended fish around cover. Expect largemouth and spotted bass to be the most consistently active targets on Hartwell and Russell right now, with stripers and catfish settling into typical deep, cooler-water summer holding behavior. Check current Georgia regs before harvesting.
Summer bass patterns lock in on the Connecticut River and Champlain weed edges
Vermont's freshwater bite is settling into its classic mid-summer rhythm this week. On the Connecticut River, smallmouth are stacking on current seams and shaded cover as water temperatures push toward their summer peak, the pattern Field & Stream flags in its river-smallmouth guide this week. Largemouth are feeding aggressively as July heat spikes their metabolism, per Tactical Bassin, which lists topwater and moving baits among the top July producers along with a Neko rig for pressured fish in clearer water. Walleye anglers should lean into weed edges as that transition sets in, a technique Fishing the Midwest calls out as the versatile-angler move for this stretch of the open-water season. No fresh water-temp or flow readings came through our gauge feeds today, so treat these as seasonal-pattern calls rather than a live snapshot until we get updated numbers. Lake Champlain boaters should also keep an eye on invasive-species precautions, a timely reminder from Wired 2 Fish's coverage of the ongoing multi-state Landing Blitz effort.
Summer weedlines and July baits set the pattern at Mosquito, Pymatuning
Fishing the Midwest's Bob Jensen is steering anglers toward weedlines this week, a good signal that the classic mid-summer pattern has locked in across Ohio's inland reservoirs like Mosquito and Pymatuning. Weed edges and emerging cover are holding active fish as water warms, with moving baits over the tops of weeds drawing strikes, per Fishing the Midwest. On the bass side, Tactical Bassin's July roundup points to aggressive, high-metabolism feeding as the defining trait of the month, with anglers working shallow cover early and late and adapting bait selection to the heat. No direct buoy or gauge telemetry came back for this region today, so treat water temps and flow as typical for early July until fresh local reports land. Crappie tend to slide deeper and slow down this time of year, while catfish stay reliably active on summer patterns. Sharpen hooks and keep baits moving over the weed tops for the best shot at a mixed bag.
Moosehead smallmouth and togue settle into summer patterns
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came in for Moosehead Lake and the upper Penobscot this cycle, but the national angler intel lines up with what early July typically brings to Maine's big lake-and-river country. Field & Stream's river smallmouth guide this week notes fish peaking as water warms, holding tight to shaded cover and current seams by day before sliding into open pools at dusk — a pattern that translates directly to Penobscot-system smallmouth. Fishing the Midwest's Bob Jensen is preaching a similar message for summer bass and walleye: work the weedline, and versatile anglers willing to adapt technique and target species are consistently outfishing anglers locked onto one pattern. For Moosehead's deeper open water, togue (lake trout) and landlocked salmon typically slide toward the thermocline this time of year, making early morning and last light the more productive windows. Feeder-stream brook trout fishing tends to slow as surface temps climb through midsummer — check current state regulations before harvesting.
Kenai sockeye push hits its summer stride as interior rivers open up
Early July is peak window for the Kenai River sockeye run, the marquee freshwater fishery for this region, while king salmon effort is tapering as that run winds down for the season. Interior systems — the Chena, Tanana, and similar clearwater drainages — are typically fishing well for Arctic grayling and rainbow trout once summer flows stabilize. No buoy or stream-gauge telemetry came back for this cycle, and none of today's angler-intel feeds carried on-water reports specific to Kenai or interior Alaska fisheries, so this update leans on general seasonal patterns rather than fresh field testimony. Anglers should treat species status below as typical-for-date rather than confirmed-today. Standard tactics for this window include bait-under-bobber presentations near river seams for sockeye and small spinners or nymph patterns worked through riffles for grayling and rainbow trout. Check current Alaska Department of Fish and Game emergency orders and escapement counts before planning a trip, since sockeye and king regulations shift quickly through the season.
Summer bass and striper patterns take hold at Texoma and Eufaula
Tactical Bassin's latest roundup, 'Top 5 Baits For July Bass Fishing,' pegs this as peak feeding season for largemouth, and that tracks with what we'd expect on Lake Texoma and Lake Eufaula as water temperatures climb into full summer range. No buoy or gauge readings and no lake-specific angler reports came through for either fishery this cycle, so this outlook leans on seasonal norms rather than fresh local intel. Expect largemouth and smallmouth to feed aggressively during early morning and evening windows around shallow cover and emerging weed lines; Fishing the Midwest's advice to work the weedline and stay versatile applies directly to both reservoirs. Striped bass, the signature draw at Texoma, typically push deep and school on shad once summer heat sets in, while blue catfish stay dependably active on warm nights. Crappie tend to slow down and slide deep as surface temps climb. Check state regulations before harvesting, and check the local forecast before heading out since no direct weather data was logged for the region this week.
Bitterroot dry-dropper window opens as summer stonefly hatches roll on
No live buoy or gauge feed came back for the Flathead/Bitterroot corridor this cycle, so this update leans on seasonal pattern and the technique chatter making the rounds in the fly press. Caddis Fly's shop notes this week walk through a jigged Yellow Sally nymph built for exactly the kind of dry-dropper rig that carries Western freestone rivers through July as salmonflies fade into smaller stoneflies. Trout Unlimited's latest TROUT Tip leans the same direction, pointing anglers toward terrestrial patterns now that summer bugs are blowing and hopping off the banks into the current. Neither piece is reporting Bitterroot conditions directly, but the timing lines up with what's typical for a westslope cutthroat river in early July. On Flathead Lake, lake trout and kokanee stay a deep-water, structure-and-troll game through summer heat, with no specific bite reports in this cycle's feeds to confirm activity level.
Amberjack and mingos turn on off Pensacola as billfish season heats up
A July 4th trip out of Pensacola found the Gulf lying flat calm — "a pond," per one report on the Pensacola Fishing Forum — with a slow start that turned around once anglers scaled down to slow-pitch jigs and found amberjack and vermilion snapper ("mingos") stacked over bridge rubble. A follow-up post from the same forum two days later logged a personal-best Spanish mackerel, another sign the summer mixed bag is filling in along Panhandle nearshore structure. Offshore, the big-game scene is drawing attention too: Coastal Angler Magazine reports Fleur de Lis topped the 2026 Florida Panhandle Billfish Series out of the Emerald Coast circuit, confirming billfish opportunities off Destin and Pensacola are active this month. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for this update, so treat water temperature and swell as typical summer-Gulf conditions until the next check-in. Bridge rubble and reef structure remain the go-to for bottom species right now.
Summer smallmouth pattern holds strong on Potomac & Shenandoah rivers
Field & Stream's midsummer smallmouth guide, "How To Slam River Smallmouths All Summer Long," frames the signature bite on this stretch well: as water keeps warming through July, smallmouth feeding activity peaks, with fish tucking into shaded cover and current edges during the day before sliding into open pools at dawn and dusk. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for the Potomac/Shenandoah corridor this cycle, so treat flow and temp as unconfirmed and check a current USGS gauge before you launch. Virginia DWR's Wildlife Blog is also taking public comment on a draft Stocked Trout Management Plan right now, a reminder that put-and-take trout policy for the Shenandoah's coldwater tributaries is in flux and worth a read if you fish those headwaters. With mainstem water likely warm by now, expect trout action to stay confined to higher, cooler stretches while smallmouth, panfish, and catfish carry the bite through the heat. Crayfish and small baitfish imitations remain a safe starting point.
Delta anglers lean on summer patterns as stripers push upriver
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through this cycle, and this week's angler-intel sweep didn't turn up a Delta-specific dispatch from NorCal Fish Reports, which normally tracks the Sacramento-San Joaquin system as one of its regional beats. In the absence of a direct report, conditions line up with a typical early-July pattern on the Delta: warming water pushes striped bass and largemouth bass into low-light feeding windows, with stripers following bait schools upriver and largemouth sliding into tule lines and submerged structure during the heat of the day. Catfish typically turn more active as water temps climb, while sturgeon fishing tends to slow through peak summer compared to their stronger spring and fall bite. Anglers should treat these as seasonal expectations rather than confirmed bite reports this week, and check current NorCal Fish Reports Delta coverage before heading out for the latest firsthand intel on specific sloughs and channels.