Fishing reports
11019 reports across all 50 states — current conditions and what's biting.
Delaware Bay flounder bite runs hot as croakers flood the back bays
Delaware Bay flounder action is running hot, per The Fisherman's Southern New Jersey report — Higbee's Bait and Tackle says customers are boating limits to 23 inches, with the EP Tower and waters near the lighthouse consistently giving up keepers, while Big Dave's Tackle adds that flounder, croakers, and spot are showing everywhere from the beaches out to the shipping channel. On the Delaware side, per The Fisherman's DE/MD/Chesapeake report, Smith's Bait Shop notes striped bass in the 20-to-24-inch range coming out of tidal creeks and rivers on sandworms and shrimp, plus solid croaker numbers at the Woodland Beach pier and Bowers Beach jetty. Hook 'em and Cook 'em is seeing flounder, sea bass, and croaker off the Old Grounds, with September historically improving all three. Structure fishing is productive too — tog and sheepshead are taking green crabs and sand fleas around bay rockpiles. No buoy or gauge telemetry was available this cycle, so lean on these shop reports and check conditions locally before you head out.
Spanish Mackerel Fire Up Around Cape Lookout
Spanish mackerel are the story on the Central Coast right now. Dave at Chasin' Tails in Morehead/Atlantic Beach tells Fisherman's Post (NC) that nearshore anglers have been on a good spanish mackerel bite, with the bigger fish showing up around Cape Lookout itself, and bottom fishing producing further out. Down at Swansboro/Emerald Isle, Morgan of The Reel Outdoors reports anglers throwing casting jigs and Gotcha plugs off the pier are hooking spanish mackerel and bluefish, with a few king mackerel mixed in. To the north, Hugh at TW's Bait and Tackle (OBX/Northern Beaches) has surf anglers picking up sea mullet, bluefish, and croakers on bottom rigs, with inshore action finally picking up. Water temps aren't in from local buoys this update, but the pattern reads like typical late-August Pamlico/Cape Lookout conditions — mackerel schools working the nearshore structure and pier lines staying busy into the evening.
Drought Grinds On, But CO Trout Keep Biting for Early Risers
Colorado's Western Slope rivers are running low and clear this week, and shops are adjusting tactics accordingly. Crystal Fly Shop reports the Roaring Fork sitting near 113 cfs at Aspen, 242 cfs at Basalt, and 410 cfs at Glenwood Springs, with water staying cool especially above Carbondale — CPW has enacted a daily afternoon voluntary closure on that stretch, and anglers are downsizing flies as fish push off the banks. The Crystal River is faring similarly, with the upper 30-plus miles still open and fishing well in low, clear, cold water, per the same shop. On the Frying Pan below Ruedi Reservoir, water stays in the 40s year-round, so PMD, BWO, and Green Drake hatches are firing in the afternoons — light 6X fluoro tippet is standard there. Cutthroat Anglers (CO) is reminding anglers this is a record-low water year and to stop fishing once temps hit 68°F. Pat Dorsey Fly Fishing (CO) calls 2026 among the driest on record for the state.
Chesapeake tributaries turn on for stripers as croaker fishing firms up
Striped bass in the 20-to-24-inch range are showing in the tidal creeks and rivers, with anglers taking them on sandworms and shrimp, per Smith's Bait Shop in The Fisherman's DE/MD/Chesapeake column this week. Croaker are mixed in around the same pier and jetty structure, and flounder are cooperating on live minnows or bucktails tipped with squid strips or Gulp crawfish. Eric Burnley's report for the same region notes croaker have been running small lately, with many falling short of legal size, even as the broader bite from freshwater ponds out to the canyons stays productive. Offshore, boats working the canyons are picking away at tuna and tilefish. With water still carrying summer warmth and the waxing gibbous moon building toward full, expect activity around structure and tidal current to stay the most consistent pattern through the rest of August into the September transition.
Bluefin Jig Bite Stays Red-Hot as Fluke Rolls Across Long Island
The jig bite for bluefin tuna remains red-hot and fluke fishing is excellent off the South Shore, per On The Water's August 20 Long Island and NYC report, with weakfish, bluefish, and porgy keeping east-end anglers busy. Offshore, Tyalure Professional Tackle in Rye reports bigeye and yellowfin biting well at the Atlantis Canyon, with bluefin and longfin holding along the 30 Fathom Line. Inshore at Montauk, Double D Charters says savage light-tackle bluefish blitzes have become the norm, with jumbo porgies on jigs and strong offshore bluefin rounding out the mix. Porgy fishing is running hot up and down the Sound, from Shamrock Charterboat's big weakfish in New Rochelle to Cedar Beach action reported by Miller Place and WeGo Bait and Tackle. Fluke remain abundant nearly everywhere, though several South Shore and East End shops note keeper-sized fish require working the reefs, wrecks, and backside rocks rather than open sand.
Early starts still rule for Catskills and Adirondacks trout
Direct on-the-water reports for Catskills and Adirondacks trout streams were thin this cycle, but the pattern holding across freshwater trout fisheries this week points the same direction locally: late-August water is warm enough that the most productive windows are early morning and last light, before the day's heat pushes fish into deeper, shaded holding water. Hatch Magazine's terrestrial countdown, tracking the Yellowstone region this week, is a good reminder that hopper, ant, and beetle patterns are worth carrying on Catskills freestone stretches and Adirondacks headwaters alike, since land insects fall into the current through late summer regardless of region. Brown and rainbow trout should still take well-presented nymphs and terrestrials in faster riffles and shaded runs; brookies, the most temperature-sensitive of the three, are the likeliest to sulk until flows cool. Check current state regulations and any warm-water fishing advisories before targeting stressed water this week.
Deep summer trout bite holds as Tahoe kokanee begin staging
Late August on Lake Tahoe and the Truckee River typically pushes rainbow and brown trout into deeper, cooler water as surface temperatures peak, while Mackinaw (lake trout) continue holding near structure well below the thermocline. No buoy or streamflow readings came through for this region this cycle, and none of this week's angler-intel feeds covered the Truckee/Tahoe area directly, so this report leans on typical late-summer basin patterns rather than fresh on-the-water accounts. Anglers chasing Mackinaw are typically working deep with downriggers or jigging spoons near known drop-offs and ledges, while kokanee salmon begin staging ahead of their fall spawning push up tributaries like the Truckee River. Rainbow and brown trout activity generally slows during the heat of the day and picks up in low light, early morning and dusk. Check with local shops and the Nevada Department of Wildlife for current conditions before heading out, since no direct reports were available this week.
Record Blue Catfish on Lake Lanier Signals Strong Late-Summer Bite
GA Sportsman / Georgia Outdoor News reports the standout freshwater story for the Chattahoochee system this week: Anthony Scroggins of Gainesville boated a new Lake Lanier blue catfish record on Aug. 19, a 22-pound fish weighed on certified DNR scales. No fresh NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came through for this cycle, so this update leans on angler intel and seasonal pattern rather than hard numbers for current conditions. The Georgia Wildlife Blog's fishing team has also announced it's shifting its weekly report to a rotating regional format, so expect more granular Chattahoochee- and Savannah-specific detail in upcoming updates. Typical for late August in north Georgia, largemouth and spotted bass are pushing to deeper structure and feeding tightest around dawn and dusk while surface temps stay high, and Lanier's striper and hybrid schools should be holding tight to thermocline edges. Check current state regulations before harvesting anything you land.
Highland Lakes anglers work deep for late-summer stripers
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came in for Lake Travis, Lake LBJ, or Lake Buchanan this cycle, and this week's angler-intel feeds didn't turn up a shop or captain report specific to the Highland Lakes chain either, so this update leans on typical late-August patterns for the region rather than a fresh bite report. Water on all three Colorado River reservoirs normally runs low and warm by this point in summer, pushing striped bass and white bass deep and tight to river-channel edges, main-lake humps, and submerged roadbeds, with the most consistent bite window sliding to first light and again after dark. Largemouth bass tend to follow the same clock, dropping to deeper brush piles and dock pilings once surface temperatures climb through the afternoon. Catfish remain the most dependable producer through the heat, working channel bends and flats on cut bait. The waxing gibbous moon this week should give a modest boost to low-light and after-dark feeding activity for stripers working over suspended baitfish schools.
Eufaula and Red River bass slide deep as late-summer heat holds
No direct dispatches from Lake Eufaula or the Red River came through this reporting cycle, so this update leans on late-August seasonal patterns plus a couple of nationally relevant technique notes worth trying locally. Fishing the Midwest is still highlighting how forward-facing sonar keeps changing where anglers find bass and walleye, noting fish are showing up 'in places we didn't used to look' once anglers can see suspended fish instead of just bottom contour. Wired 2 Fish also flags a newer soft-plastic style, urchin-style baits, picking up momentum with bass anglers this season. On Eufaula and the Red River, typical late-summer patterns should hold: largemouth and hybrid striper activity concentrates around deep structure, ledges, and current breaks through the heat of the day, with better shallow and topwater action in the low-light hours around dawn and dusk. Blue catfish remain a dependable deep-water option through the hottest stretch. Check current Oklahoma regulations before harvesting.
Green River tailwater trout settle into late-summer rhythm
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came in for the Flaming Gorge stretch this cycle, and this week's angler-intel feeds didn't include direct reports from Utah waters, so this update draws on general seasonal knowledge for the Green River tailwater rather than fresh field reports. Late August here typically brings steady, cold, clear flows released from Flaming Gorge Dam, with rainbows, browns, and Colorado River cutthroat holding in classic tailwater seams and feeding on midges and the tail end of the summer PMD hatch. Smallmouth bass in the reservoir above the dam are typically still active in warm shallows this time of year. Expect a technical, low-light bite: fish feeding hardest in the cool early morning and again at dusk as afternoon heat pushes the strongest activity to the margins of the day. Check current dam-release flow before heading out, since Green River fishing conditions swing directly with the release rate.
Outer Banks surf turns on with croaker, bluefish and sea mullet
Surf anglers on the Outer Banks are into a solid bottom-fishing bite right now, with Hugh at TW's Bait and Tackle reporting sea mullet, bluefish, and "plenty" of croakers coming off the beachfront, and inshore action reportedly picking up as well (per Fisherman's Post – Carolinas). Further down the NC coast the same late-summer pattern is playing out: Morehead/Atlantic Beach is seeing a good nearshore spanish mackerel bite that gets better around Cape Lookout, Swansboro/Emerald Isle anglers are working casting jigs and Gotcha plugs off the pier for spanish and blues with a few kings mixed in, and Carolina Beach surf is producing red drum, flounder, croaker, and sharks. Together it reads as a typical high-summer NC coastal pattern — steady bottom fishing in the wash, mackerel working the nearshore edge, and drum starting to show inshore. Check state regs before harvesting any of the above, especially red drum slot limits.
Late-summer patterns hold for Wabash River and Lake Michigan anglers
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came back for the Wabash River or southern Lake Michigan this cycle, and this week's angler-intel sweep didn't surface a shop, charter, or agency report specific to Indiana waters, so this update leans on typical late-August patterns rather than confirmed local intel. By this point in the season, Wabash River water typically sits in the mid-to-upper 70s, keeping channel and flathead catfish feeding aggressively after dark and smallmouth bass holding tight to current breaks and rocky structure. On Lake Michigan, yellow perch fishing is usually solid over deeper structure as summer winds down, while the Chinook salmon push that draws crowds to harbor mouths and pierheads is typically still weeks off, building through September. Check Indiana DNR regulations before harvesting, and confirm current river stage and lake conditions locally before planning a trip, since this report could not verify live numbers today.
Potomac and Patapsco bass settle into dawn-dusk pattern as heat holds
No environmental telemetry came back for the Potomac or Patapsco this cycle, and none of our regional network filed a direct report, so this update leans on typical late-August patterns for Mid-Atlantic tidal-freshwater fishing. Largemouth and smallmouth bass typically slide into a dawn-and-dusk pattern as water warms through late summer, holding tight to grass edges, laydowns, and current breaks during the heat of the day. Nationally, bass anglers are leaning hard on a new lure category this season — per Wired 2 Fish, "urchin" baits have become a go-to for their versatility across conditions, and it's worth having a few in the box for Potomac largemouth. Blue and channel catfish stay dependable through late summer on cut bait in deeper holes, and northern snakehead remain a wildcard around shallow vegetation, especially early and late in the day. Check water clarity and flow locally before heading out, since no gauge data was available for this report.
UP trout streams and Lake Superior ease into early-fall transition
No NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came back for the Upper Peninsula this cycle, and none of this week's angler-intel feeds actually covered UP trout streams or Lake Superior — the MI DNR Weekly Fishing Report page returned no actionable detail, and the closest regional chatter (Michigan Sportsman Forum) was either about Lower Peninsula streams like the Betsie and Little Manistee or unconfirmed forum banter about "lakers or browns" near Frankfort, which sits on Lake Michigan, not Superior. With no direct reporting to lean on, this write-up falls back to typical late-August patterns for the region: brook trout water generally perks up as overnight temps start easing summer heat stress, early mornings tend to outfish midday, and Lake Superior lake trout are usually still holding on deep structure ahead of the fall shallow push. Coho and steelhead activity in Superior tributaries is normally still building toward its September run. Treat this as seasonal expectation, not confirmed on-the-water intel — check the DNR report directly before planning a trip.
Ozark trout parks settle into a quiet late-summer pattern
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came back for the Current and Niangua systems this cycle, and none of this week's angler-intel feeds cover Missouri's Ozark trout parks directly, so this update leans on typical late-August behavior for these spring-fed tailwaters rather than fresh field reports. These rivers run cold and clear off their spring sources year-round, which keeps trout feeding even as Ozark air temps climb into late summer. Expect the bite to concentrate in early morning and last light, with fish sliding into faster, more oxygenated runs and riffles as the day warms. Small natural-drift presentations, scuds, and midge patterns typically outproduce bigger offerings on these clear, heavily-fished flows this time of year, and stocked sections generally still respond to bait and spinners under normal park rules. Check current Missouri trout-park regulations, stocking schedules, and seasonal catch-and-keep windows before heading out, since they vary by park.
Late-summer walleye and bass patterns hold across NY waters
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came in for the Hudson Valley or Finger Lakes this cycle, but the broader New York walleye bite stayed strong through late August. Brookdog Fishing Co., working the Buffalo/Niagara/Lake Ontario corridor, reported walleye limits coming easily most days over the past several weeks, with smallmouth bass cooperating whenever wind and waves allowed. That same deep-structure pattern typically carries into Finger Lakes basins and Hudson Valley smallmouth water this time of year, as fish push off summer haunts into cooler, deeper water during peak daytime heat. Largemouth bass remain a solid bet around weedlines and drop-offs, especially in the low-light hours. With a waxing gibbous moon building toward full, expect stronger dawn and dusk feeding windows over the next few nights. No direct local water reports came through this cycle, so treat the species notes below as seasonal expectation rather than confirmed local activity.
CT inland bass and panfish settle into dog-days rhythm
Connecticut's lakes, ponds and rivers are running through classic late-August patterns right now, with water temperatures near their seasonal peak and most inland gamefish sliding into tighter dawn-and-dusk feeding windows as the heat holds on. No live buoy or stream-gauge readings came through in today's data pull, and none of this cycle's angler-intel feeds carried a Connecticut-specific freshwater report, so this update leans on general seasonal knowledge rather than a fresh local tip. Largemouth and smallmouth bass remain the most dependable inland target through this stretch, typically working shaded structure, weedlines and points in the low-light hours before sliding deeper as the sun climbs; per Wired 2 Fish, the soft-plastic "urchin" bait trend that's been producing bass nationally this season is worth trying on CT water if you haven't yet. Stocked and holdover trout tend to be the slowest bite of the year in lowland Connecticut water in late August, with better odds in deeper, spring-fed or tailwater stretches. Panfish stay a reliable, easy option in weedy coves most of the day.
Taneycomo trout settle into late-summer generation-driven pattern
Lake Taneycomo's trout fishery runs on Table Rock Dam's generation schedule as much as the calendar in late August, with cooler tailwater discharges typically holding rainbow trout shallow during high-flow periods and pushing them to deeper seams when generators shut down. No buoy or gauge readings came through for this update, and this week's angler-intel sweep turned up no reports specific to Missouri's White River trout fisheries or Table Rock Lake bass action, so the notes below lean on typical late-summer patterns for this fishery rather than fresh on-the-water accounts. Expect rainbows to respond to small scuds, worms, and jigs fished near bottom during generation, with brown trout still in a summer holding pattern ahead of the fall spawning run. On Table Rock itself, largemouth and spotted bass are typically working summer thermoclines and deeper brush by this point in August. Check current generation schedules before planning a trip.
Tennessee River bass sink into summer ledges as dog-days heat holds
No buoy or gauge readings came back for the Chickamauga/Watts Bar stretch this week, and none of the angler-intel feeds filed a direct report from the Tennessee River chain, so this update leans on late-August seasonal patterns plus one national trend worth noting. Wired 2 Fish reports the 'urchin' soft-plastic bait genre is dominating bass fishing across the country right now and is expected to stay hot through next year — a style worth having in the box for anglers working weed edges and dock pilings on Chickamauga and Watts Bar. Locally, typical dog-days conditions on these TVA reservoirs push largemouth and smallmouth onto river-channel ledges, main-lake points, and current seams below the dams, while stripers and hybrids tend to stack near cooler, oxygenated discharge water. Crappie usually slide deep and go quiet in the heat this time of year. Check TVA generation schedules before you launch, since current strongly dictates where fish stage on this chain.
Trout hold on Galveston wells as heat, STAR grind on
Trout are still biting despite the late-August heat along the upper Texas coast. Per the Galveston Daily News Reel Report, Ed Lantz and Armando Huereca worked a gas well in the middle of Galveston Bay through choppy water this past weekend and found a decent trout bite, while anglers working the lower bay with soft plastics are fighting southwest winds but still coming back with limits of speckled trout. The same Reel Report points to a stubborn pattern parked over the coast, with southwest winds building through the afternoons and essentially no rain in the extended outlook. Redfish are worth targeting too: Salt Strong's summer heat breakdown notes reds pushing into deeper, moving water as bay temps climb into the 90s, favoring a slow presentation with blue crab or soft artificials. The CCA-Texas STAR tournament remains in full swing across Galveston-Corpus, per Texas Fish & Game Magazine, keeping plenty of boats out chasing trout, reds and flounder.
Western Basin walleye settle into a quiet late-August stretch
No buoy or gauge readings and no angler reports specific to Ohio's Lake Erie Western Basin came through in this cycle's data pull, so this update leans on typical late-August patterns for the fishery rather than confirmed on-the-water accounts. By this point in summer, Western Basin walleye are generally scattered over open-water structure and reef complexes as the lake stratifies, with crawler harnesses and worm harnesses pulled over deeper humps a standard producer once surface temperatures peak. Yellow perch typically hold tight to reef edges and hard-bottom transitions through late summer, and smallmouth bass activity around rocky structure usually stays consistent into early fall. White bass action tends to taper this time of year after the spring-into-early-summer run. Treat the species notes below as seasonal expectation rather than verified reports, and check the latest local conditions and regs before heading out, since none of this cycle's feeds carried Erie-specific intel to confirm current bite quality.
Delaware River smallmouth trend up as Pine Barrens pickerel bite holds
Smallmouth fishing on the Delaware River is trending up heading into September, per Dave's Sport Shop's report carried in The Fisherman — NJ/DE Freshwater, with the shop expecting the liveline bite to strengthen if conditions hold. Largemouth bass are showing at Lake Nockamixon on weedless plastics fished around vegetation, and Smith's Bait Shop notes early topwater largemouth activity plus snakeheads in the weeds, with perch and panfish stacking up in spillways at Garrisons Lake, Massey Mills, and Silver Lake. Down in the Pine Barrens' cedar waters, Allen's Dock describes the bass bite as picky but still producing, with chain pickerel coming on killies. Freshwater levels are holding good across the region, though recent heat has kept some anglers off the water. No live buoy or gauge readings came through for this cycle, so treat flow and temperature as unknowns until fresh data lands.
Sea Bass Stack Up While Fluke Frustrates Off the Jersey Shore
Every bottom drop out of Atlantic Highlands is loaded with sea bass right now, per Capt Ron's Atlantic Highlands NJ's latest Sunday report — the trouble is keeper fluke, which stayed frustratingly short despite power-drifting through several areas. That fluke-versus-sea-bass split is showing up shorewide: Grumpys Tackle (NJ) notes warm water pushing Spanish mackerel and bonito into range, with epoxy jigs the go-to lure, while Fishermans HQ LBI (NJ) reports 25-to-40-pound bluefin tuna within 30 miles of Barnegat Inlet on trolled ballyhoo and live-jigged squid. Sand eels have held near Barnegat Inlet for nearly two months, with spearing, mullet, and peanut bunker now filling in behind them, per The Fisherman — Central NJ — bait signs multiple Northern NJ boats are reading as a good omen for September. Down south, back-bay tog and sheepshead are thick on green crabs and sand fleas, and Delaware Bay flounder stays strong with fish to 23 inches, per The Fisherman — Southern NJ.