Fishing reports
19273 reports across all 50 states — current conditions and what's biting.
Lake Michigan Salmon Season in Full Swing for Door County and Sheboygan
The WI DNR Lake Michigan Fishing Report documented a banner 2024 on the big lake, with anglers landing over 210,000 coho salmon (a new record) and more than 160,000 Chinook, the highest total since 2012. Those strong year-classes factor into 2026 expectations as mid-June arrives, historically the core window for open-water salmon trolling off Door County and Sheboygan. In Door County, the Rowley's Bay boat launch was closed through late May for concrete improvements. Per the WI DNR Lake Michigan Fishing Report, it should now be back in service. No live buoy or USGS gauge data was available for this report cycle, so current surface temps and wave heights are unconfirmed. Check local conditions before launching. Smallmouth bass in the Green Bay and northern Lake Michigan corridor remain an active target, with the WI DNR actively managing that population. New Moon phase this week can favor dawn and dusk feeding windows across species.
Rangeley brook trout and landlocked salmon enter prime mid-June window
With no NOAA buoy or USGS gauge data available for the Rangeley Lakes basin this cycle, this report draws on seasonal patterns and the spring 2026 record. Mainely Fly Fishing (ME) noted ice-out on Dundee Pond arriving April 4 — a typical seasonal start — suggesting spring progression ran on schedule. Mid-June on the Rangeley chain sits in a reliable sweet spot: snowmelt flows have settled, main-basin temps typically reach the mid-50s to low 60s Fahrenheit, and surface insect activity builds toward its summer stride. Field & Stream's trout temperature guide flags 65°F as the threshold where heat-stress behavioral shifts begin — generally not a mid-June concern for highland Maine lakes, but worth monitoring as summer advances. The new moon this week removes nighttime light competition, often nudging brook trout and landlocked salmon into shallower daytime feeding lanes. No current tackle-shop or charter intel from the region reached our feeds; verify local conditions before heading out.
Toledo Bend bass shift offshore as summer heat builds
No buoy or gauge readings are available for Toledo Bend this cycle, so the clearest regional signal comes from competition results: MLF's Toyota Series Southwestern Division just wrapped on the Arkansas River in Muskogee, Oklahoma — a comparable mid-South river-reservoir system — where Rodney Copeland of Sallisaw won with local-knowledge offshore fishing, totaling 40 pounds, 13 ounces over three days (per MLF News). On Toledo Bend itself, mid-June is a classic post-spawn transition: largemouth bass scatter from shallow bedding flats to main-lake humps, points, and submerged timber in 12–20 feet. Tactical Bassin calls crankbaits "awesome in early summer" for targeting bass in ambush positions along drops and structure. Today's new moon aligns with historically strong early-morning and late-evening feeding windows. Blue and channel catfish are entering their prime summer run. Check LDWF and TPWD for current pool levels before launching.
Smallmouth Stack on Quabbin Island Structure as Drawdown Reshapes the Bite
Water at Quabbin Reservoir is sitting roughly ten feet below normal this season, leaving much of the classic smallmouth and largemouth habitat high and dry. Reporting in The Fisherman's New England Freshwater column, Rod Teehan and partner John Chrisant made the long boat run from Gate 31 in New Salem out to Fishing Area 3 on June 4, concentrating on the big-water islands where they had located smallmouth during a May 22 visit, the only reliable smallie zone they had found all season. The low-water pattern is pushing bass away from shoreline structure and into the main basin, favoring anglers willing to cover open water. With today's New Moon offering low-light windows at dawn and dusk, expect active feeding periods along deep island edges and drop-offs. No USGS or NOAA gauge data is currently available for either reservoir; check with local launch facilities for current conditions before heading out.
Mid-June Hatch Transition Under Way on Spring Creek and Penns Creek
Field & Stream's water temperature guide for trout, circulating this week, flags mid-June as the onset of summer heat-stress conditions on regional trout streams. The concern is tempered considerably on Spring Creek and Penns Creek, where constant-temperature limestone spring inputs typically hold water in the upper 50s to low 60s°F through the heart of summer. No USGS gauge readings or direct on-water reports from either stream arrived in this cycle, but seasonal patterns suggest the sulphur spinner fall is in its closing phase, with the morning Trico rotation likely weeks away. Flylords Mag this week featured technique guidance on PMD hatches: precise drag-free drifts, fine tippet, and downstream positioning. Those principles translate directly to conditions on these technical, heavily fished limestone waters. The new moon this weekend may open brief windows of improved surface activity. Tight presentations on 6X or finer remain the rule on both streams.
Columbia Basin bass tournaments heat up at Moses Lake, Potholes, and Banks Lake
Bass season is rolling across Washington's Columbia Basin, with tournament action slated through August at Moses Lake, Potholes Reservoir, and Banks Lake, per Outdoor Hub — the heart of Eastern WA's warmwater fishery. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Inland Empire Bass Club have a full calendar of open and club events on these waters, a reliable signal that fish are active and accessible. Today's new moon keeps overnight skies dark, concentrating feeding into dawn and dusk windows. Broader Western drought conditions, flagged by Wired 2 Fish as impacting reservoirs across the West, are worth monitoring this season. On river systems, Field & Stream's summer temperature guide warns that warming water can trigger hoot owl restrictions on trout reaches — confirm regulations each morning before heading out. Per WA WDFW Fishing Reports, statewide stocking continues, keeping managed-lake trout options in play through the summer.
Mutton and Yellowtail Snappers Firing Hard as Florida Keys Summer Offshore Heats Up
Mutton snappers are 'chewing like crazy' off Key West right now, per ALL IN Key West, with yellowtail snapper described as practically jumping into the boat. The same crew puts May through July in the same 'lights out' category across the full offshore menu — grouper, cobia, barracuda, and kingfish all showed on a recent Gulf-side run, with live bait doing the heavy lifting for kings, tuna, and sailfish near the reef edge. Over in Marathon, Coastal Angler Magazine documented a mahi caught while trolling offshore and a keeper mangrove snapper in inshore waters, confirming the bite is broad across the Keys chain. With today's new moon setting up favorable low-light tidal movement and stronger current pulses through passes and reef structure in the coming days, the window for active structure fishing and offshore trolling looks productive heading into the week.
New Moon Tides Fuel Striper Push Into Maine River Systems
Per On The Water's June 12 striper migration update, striped bass remain widespread from New Jersey through Maine, with this weekend's new moon driving strong tidal flows expected to push bait and bass further into river mouths and tidal reaches. The Fisherman (South Shore MA to ME) corroborates a productive run in coastal river systems to our south, with fish to 47 inches documented and shad arriving in greater numbers alongside the bass. On the Kennebec and Penobscot, this new moon window typically funnels migratory stripers into the tidal freshwater zones — historically one of the better short windows of the season for upriver bass action. Smallmouth are entering their prime mid-June period on both rivers. No NOAA buoy or USGS gauge data were available for this report cycle; water temperature and flow conditions are unconfirmed. Landlocked salmon and brook trout are likely transitioning toward deeper, cooler water as midsummer approaches.
Tarpon Schools Peak for New Moon Along Sarasota's Beaches
Capt. Rick Grassett's June 2026 forecast from CB's Saltwater Outfitters calls for the strongest tarpon fishing of the year along Sarasota's beaches, with schools building in size as fish stage offshore to spawn around lunar cycles. Today's new moon puts anglers in that prime window right now. Grassett advises setting up in travel lanes along the beach at first light and casting live crabs, baitfish, or DOA Baitbusters, with heavy enough tackle to land fish quickly and ample courtesy space between boats. Inshore, CB's Saltwater Outfitters captains are posting solid action across multiple species. Capt. Chuck Cress reported catching and releasing upper-slot redfish, 20 to 25 inches, along Sarasota Bay oyster bars, with trout and bluefish also in the mix. On the shark front, Capt. Brandon Naeve reports Bull Sharks, Blacktips, and Lemon Sharks active throughout Sarasota Bay and the nearshore Gulf off Siesta Key, a pattern that typically peaks from late spring through fall.
Great Lakes smallmouth peaking as Indiana's summer bass window opens
Tactical Bassin reports Great Lakes smallmouth bass responded well to swimbaits during recent windy outings, with the Dark Sleeper and Spark Shad combo producing "a big bag of fish, including two trophy Smallmouth." Fishing the Midwest confirms the 2026 open water season is "in full swing," with weedline edges flagged as a productive early-summer structure. No NOAA buoy or USGS gauge data arrived for this reporting cycle, so precise water temperatures and Wabash River flow readings are unavailable — check local conditions before launching. Today's new moon traditionally compresses active feeding into dawn and dusk windows, making those low-light periods the priority this week. On the Wabash, June typically sees channel catfish and river smallmouth transition into summer feeding patterns as water warms. Crankbaits and swing-head jigs are producing on nearby Midwest waters, per Fishing the Midwest and Tactical Bassin — worth dialing in before the heat of summer fully sets in.
New Moon Tides Push Stripers in Tidal Potomac; Shenandoah Smallmouth at Peak
On The Water's June 12 striper migration update reports the run remains widespread from New Jersey to Maine, with the new moon and building tidal swings pushing bass and bait toward summer holding grounds — a pattern that extends into the tidal Potomac's lower reaches. No USGS gauge readings or NOAA buoy data were available for this reporting cycle, so flow conditions on the Potomac mainstem and Shenandoah tributaries are unconfirmed; check USGS WaterWatch before heading out. Upriver, mid-June is historically prime for Shenandoah Valley smallmouth bass as water warms and crawfish dominate the forage base. Trout anglers should note rising thermal pressure: Field & Stream's water-temperature guide highlights fish stress above 68°F, a threshold many Shenandoah freestone streams reach by mid-morning in mid-June. Channel catfish on the Potomac mainstem typically turn active as summer heat builds. The new moon window is the week's most fishable highlight.
New Moon Tides Energize Eastern Shore Stripers and Red Drum
On The Water's June 12 striper migration map puts bass 'widespread from New Jersey to Maine' with new moon tides expected to move fish toward summer haunts, a signal that some fish are likely still transiting the Virginia Eastern Shore near Chincoteague. No NOAA buoy data is available this cycle for a water temperature reading; anglers should verify conditions dockside. For flounder, The Fisherman's June 11 NJ/DE Bay forecast flagged 'a tough fluke bite out back in many areas' but anticipated warming water would turn things around. Red drum along the barrier island surf and bluefish through the inlets are both typical mid-June targets at Chincoteague, and The Fisherman cited 'surprisingly good' nearshore squid regionally, with squid-driven action potentially extending into the Eastern Shore zone. Today's new moon represents the peak tidal exchange of the lunar cycle, making dawn and dusk windows around strong tide pushes the prime times to be on the water. No direct Chincoteague charter or tackle-shop intel was captured in this cycle's feeds.
Puget Sound salmon and crab fishing builds into the early-summer window
Washington Sea Grant's announcement of the June 26 Salish Sea-wide Molt Blitz is this week's clearest on-water signal: Dungeness crab are actively molting across Puget Sound, making now a prime window to target recently hardened crabs before they retreat to deeper water. No direct catch reports from charter captains or tackle shops were available for this report cycle. Mid-June is typically when chinook salmon begin asserting themselves in Sound channels and river mouths, with tide-driven bites building during low-light windows across the Strait of Juan de Fuca and south Sound marine areas. Pacific coast halibut fishing typically reaches a seasonal peak this month, with outer-coast boats working the 30 to 60 fathom zone. The WA WDFW Fishing Reports page tracks statewide creel data from angler interviews; consult it directly for current catch rates before heading out. With a new moon on June 15, tidal exchange is strong and early-morning windows are historically productive for chinook.
Lake Erie Smallmouth Heating Up as New Moon Opens Prime Summer Window
Tactical Bassin's Great Lakes crew recently turned in a solid bag of smallmouth during a windy outing, crediting a power-and-finesse one-two punch: the Dark Sleeper for triggering larger fish and the Spark Shad for drawing consistent bites once the school fired up. That kind of smallmouth action lines up with what Lake Erie anglers typically expect heading into mid-June. No NOAA buoy readings or USGS gauge data were available for this update, so verified surface temperatures are not on hand; anglers should confirm lake conditions at the ramp before heading out. Pennsylvania Sea Grant is hosting a free harmful algal bloom webinar on June 25, a timely heads-up as HABs historically emerge in Erie's warmer embayments through summer. Today's new moon is worth noting: moonless nights tend to concentrate walleye in shallower structure at dawn and dusk, making early morning runs particularly productive for Erie regulars this week.
Post-Spawn Bass Pattern Kicks In on Pittsburgh Tailwaters
Tactical Bassin's early-summer roundup puts swing jigs and wobble heads at the top of the list as bass push from post-spawn staging areas toward offshore structure and current seams, a pattern that reads directly onto the mid-river ledges and boulder fields of the Allegheny and Pittsburgh tailwaters. No USGS gauge data or water temperature readings were captured for this report cycle, so anglers should verify current pool levels and flow directly before launching. Field & Stream's water temperature guide flags the low-70s threshold as critical for stocked trout: above that mark, tailwater releases that stay cold enough to hold fish are worth seeking out. Fishing the Midwest notes that rivers across the region offer reliable summer structure action, and mid-June on the Allegheny corridor fits that profile. The new moon today sharpens dawn-and-dusk feeding transitions. Check PA Fish & Boat Commission biologist reports for the latest region-specific updates.
Trophy Snook Running as South Atlantic Red Snapper Season Hits Legal Snag
Snook Nook's June 2026 report out of Stuart puts the Treasure Coast in prime trophy snook territory right now. The snook season closed June 1 — typically through late August, check state regs before harvesting — but that closure lines up with some of the best catch-and-release fishing of the year: large breeder fish are staging near inlets, bridges, and the Indian and St. Lucie Rivers ahead of the annual spawn, with 40-inch-plus fish a realistic target through the month. Handle these breeders carefully and release them quickly. Offshore, the season hit a significant legal obstacle: CCA Florida reports a U.S. District Court issued a preliminary injunction blocking the South Atlantic red snapper EFP pilot programs just hours before Florida's Atlantic season was set to open. Atlantic-side red snapper is effectively unavailable pending further legal proceedings. Mahi trolling along color lines and weed edges, plus kingfish nearshore as noted by Coastal Angler Magazine, round out the offshore options for June.
Summer bass pattern locks in on the Catawba and Roanoke
B.A.S.S. News reported Jason Christie's dominant four-day performance at the Bassmaster Elite on the Pasquotank River/Albemarle Sound this week — 92 pounds, 7 ounces of largemouth bass across the event — confirming that NC bass are locked into productive mid-June feeding windows across the state's major waters. On the Catawba and Roanoke systems, the summer transition is in full effect: largemouth are expected to retreat to deeper offshore structure by midday but push shallower at dawn and dusk. Tonight's new moon should sustain elevated feeding activity through first light over the next several days. No USGS gauge or NOAA buoy readings were available for this report cycle, so direct water temperature and flow figures are absent. Field & Stream's coverage of a new South Carolina state-record 110-pound flathead catfish pulled from the Pee Dee River — caught on a Santee rig in a 40-foot deep back eddy — is a useful regional cue: big cats are holding deep in Carolina river systems right now.
Seatrout Running Well Along the Georgia Coast as June Heat Sets In
Captain Travis Harper has been consistently putting clients on quality spotted seatrout along the Georgia coast, per Joshua Barber's Southern Waters Fishing Report in GA Sportsman / Georgia Outdoor News (June 13). River gauge readings from the same report show the Savannah River at Clyo holding steady at 3.9 feet while the Altamaha at Doctortown has fallen to 7.2 feet and continues dropping; receding river levels typically improve estuary water clarity as runoff retreats, a favorable trend for inshore sight-fishing. No NOAA buoy temperature data is available this cycle, so anglers should verify current conditions locally. The Georgia Wildlife Blog notes National Fishing and Boating Week concluded June 14, a period that traditionally draws heavy angler traffic to Georgia's coastal waterways. A New Moon on June 15 sets up strong tidal exchanges through the week, which should push baitfish deep into marsh creeks on the flood and concentrate predators on oyster bar edges and creek-mouth drop-offs on the ebb, an ideal inshore setup for both seatrout and redfish.
Stripers Push Deep Into Gulf of Maine on New Moon Tides
The striped bass migration has arrived in force along the Gulf of Maine. On The Water's June 12 migration map confirms stripers running from New Jersey all the way to Maine, and the new moon on June 15 is driving the strongest tidal exchanges of the cycle — prime conditions for pushing bass and bait into summer staging areas. The Fisherman — South Shore MA to ME reports stripers to 47 inches throughout the north-of-Cape corridor, with the Merrimack River producing some of the season's strongest scores this week. Mackerel are the dominant forage holding quality bass in the area, per Dave Anderson in The Fisherman — South Shore MA to ME. Eel-like soft plastics and live eels are drawing the biggest fish, per Belsan's Bait and Tackle. Upriver action in the Lawrence area has softened, per Surfland Bait & Tackle, with fish shifting toward coastal structure. Maine DMR Commissioner Carl Wilson's June 8 open letter to Saco River striper anglers — reported by OTW Saltwater — underscores elevated pressure on this fishery during the migration window.
Saugatuck shines for bass and walleye as CT River shad run tapers
Fisherman's World in Norwalk, per The Fisherman — New England Freshwater, calls fishing at Saugatuck Reservoir "great" this week, with walleyes, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, and brown trout all producing. The north end where the Saugatuck River enters has been the hot zone, especially during early and late windows; a live shiner under a slip bobber has been "hard to beat," though paddletails, spinners, and spoons are all drawing fish. On the Connecticut River, Fishin' Factory 3 in Middletown (per The Fisherman — New England Freshwater) reports the shad run is "tailing off" but still reasonably productive, with river temps sitting at 61–63°F last week and a solid supply of striped bass still available. No NOAA buoy or USGS gauge data is available this cycle. Air temperatures forecast into the high 80s and low 90s this week will accelerate the transition to summer patterns across the state's lakes and rivers, compressing the morning and evening feeding windows for coolwater species.
Smallmouth reach peak window at Moosehead as togue push deep
The Fisherman's New England Freshwater column shows smallmouth bass actively working island structure and open-water mid-depths across the Northeast this week — a regional signal that tracks closely with typical mid-June behavior for Moosehead Lake and the upper Penobscot drainage. No NOAA buoy readings or USGS gauge data were available for this specific area at report time, and no direct Maine freshwater shop or charter reports appeared in this cycle's feeds. With the new moon falling on June 15, low-light feeding windows at dawn and dusk should favor smallmouth pushing onto rocky points and submerged structure in the 8-to-20-foot range. Lake trout (togue) typically retreat below the forming thermocline by this point in June, making deep jigging and lead-core trolling the most productive approach. Landlocked salmon follow a similar depth migration. Brook trout remain available in cold tributary mouths entering both Moosehead and the upper Penobscot system. Verify current Maine state regulations before harvesting any species.
Lake Michigan Salmon Trolling Hits Mid-June Stride off Chicago
The WI DNR Lake Michigan Fishing Report's 2024 harvest summary offers the best available benchmark heading into this season: anglers pulled over 210,000 coho salmon (a record) and more than 160,000 Chinook, the highest count since 2012. The WI DNR attributes both surges to strong recent alewife year-classes, a forage base benefiting the entire southern Lake Michigan basin including Chicago's offshore waters. No current buoy readings are available this report cycle, so surface temperatures are unconfirmed. Tactical Bassin notes Great Lakes smallmouth are responding to swimbait presentations on windy days, a pattern that applies to Chicago's rocky breakwalls and pier pilings. Today's New Moon is a timing asset: low-light feeding windows at dawn and dusk tend to be most productive for salmon and bass this week. Check the IL/IN Sea Grant nearshore buoys for updated lake conditions before heading out.
Shad peak hits the Columbia; summer steelhead beginning to show on the Rogue
Shad are in peak run on the mid-Columbia as of mid-June, a reliable seasonal window that typically holds through late June before fish thin and begin moving further upriver. No NOAA buoy readings or USGS gauge data were available for this reporting period, and no Oregon-specific charter or tackle-shop intel appeared in this week's feeds, so status assessments reflect mid-June seasonal norms rather than live testimony. The new moon today (June 15) is worth timing around: shad and early summer steelhead commonly show stronger feeding behavior in low-light conditions. On the Rogue, summer steelhead are beginning their early push into the lower river, with numbers expected to build through July. Spring Chinook on the Columbia are closing out their run. Wired 2 Fish noted this week that drought-driven fish kills are affecting western reservoirs; watch ODFW advisories if flows tighten in the weeks ahead.
Smokies wild trout shift to early-morning windows as summer heat arrives
Field & Stream's recent guide on water temperature and trout fishing arrives at a timely moment for Smokies anglers: mid-June is when rising stream temps begin compressing active feeding windows toward dawn and dusk. No gauge readings are available for this report, so anglers should check flows before heading out. Below 3,000 feet, Smokies streams typically push above 65°F by afternoon, a stress threshold Field & Stream flags as the onset of reduced trout activity. Higher-elevation tributaries within the park, including native brook trout streams, hold cooler water longer into the day. Hatch Magazine's coverage of trout fishing through drought conditions reinforces the importance of minimizing handling time and keeping fish in water during warm spells. Dry fly fishing with caddis and yellow sally patterns in riffled pocket water early in the morning is the standard approach for Smokies rainbows and browns at this time of year, with evening rises possible on cooler, overcast days.