Fishing reports
19291 reports across all 50 states — current conditions and what's biting.
Delaware Shad Run Fading as Bass Hit Spawning Beds
Largemouth bass are locked onto spawning beds across NJ lakes and ponds as Memorial Day approaches, while the Delaware River's shad run enters its final weeks. The Fisherman — NJ/DE Freshwater collected reports from multiple shops this week showing scattered but quality catch-and-release largemouth action through May, with fish visible on beds as spring temperatures fluctuated. Old School Outdoors in Ewing reports striped bass running well from the Trenton area down through Lambertville in the tidal Delaware — good news for freshwater bass anglers — while confirming the shad bite will begin winding down by early June. Chain pickerel remain active in Pine Barrens cedar-water fisheries per JB Kasper. Crappie have been a consistent bright spot all month, with Dow's Boat Rentals noting fish beginning to school up and shift toward summer haunts as June nears. USGS gauge 01408000 recorded 24.9 cfs on the evening of May 19; Tackle World flags falling stream levels from a dry spring stretch as a concern heading into June.
Spring Stripers Arrive on the NH Coast as Migration Hits Full Stride
Water temps have climbed to 51°F per NOAA buoy 44007, and the milestone anglers have been anticipating is official: fresh stripers have reached New Hampshire, confirmed by OTW Saltwater's May 19 migration report. The spring run is now fully extended through the Northeast, with the NH coast firmly in the mix. The Fisherman — South Shore MA to ME is logging stripers into the 40-inch class along the Merrimack River, with the herring run still very much active and fueling the bite — herring imitations near river mouths are a reliable starting point. Mackerel are also closing in, reported close to shore and biting well per The Fisherman — South Shore MA to ME. Offshore, the haddock bite has been exceptional: Beauport Fishing Adventures, reporting to The Fisherman — South Shore MA to ME, called the last 10 days "some of the best they've seen in years," with limit catches now common. Multiple fisheries are converging in a single productive window.
Late-May push: walleye and catfish finding rhythm on the Platte and Missouri
USGS gauge 06796000 recorded the Platte River at 3,360 cfs on May 19 — a strong late-spring volume keeping current moving through the main channel. No water temperature was logged at the gauge, but late-May conditions across Nebraska typically push surface readings into the low-to-mid 60s°F, a window that accelerates channel catfish feeding and moves post-spawn walleye back toward structure. Regionally, Wired 2 Fish this week highlighted a crappie rebound at Tuttle Creek Reservoir in northeast Kansas, noting that fish stacked shallow once floodwaters stabilized — a pattern worth watching along oxbow lakes and backwater pockets tied to both the Platte and Missouri. Per Fishing the Midwest, jigs and slip-sinker live-bait rigs remain the trusted walleye setup through the post-spawn transition, with spinning gear earning renewed confidence among Midwest guides this season. With a waxing crescent moon, low-light bites at dusk and dawn deserve priority.
Great Lakes bass entering peak window as Grand River settles
The Grand River is running at 3,840 cfs as of May 19, per USGS gauge 04119000 — elevated but retreating steadily from the severe flooding MI DNR documented in mid-April when rivers were breaching their banks. That improving trend is welcome news for late-spring anglers across the region. Tactical Bassin's Great Lakes smallmouth coverage notes that prespawn fish in clear-water systems respond best when you cover water quickly, with swimbaits and finesse rigs doing the heavy lifting as fish school and scatter across structure. Tactical Bassin also reports the bluegill spawn as in full swing — a reliable trigger for largemouth action in heavy cover and along weedlines. On the open Great Lakes, MI DNR's May 13 weekly report flags active commercial netting operations near several popular ports; gear is marked with tall orange-flag buoys that can be widely spaced, so boat anglers should stay sharp. No water temperature data is available from our sensor network this week; check local conditions before heading out.
Stripers Flood Cape Cod Bay as the Spring Push Hits Full Stride
Water temps of 53°F at NOAA buoy 44013 haven't cooled the action — striped bass have made 'impressive appearances' along the Cape Cod Bay shoreline, per The Fisherman — Cape Cod & Islands contributor Charley Soares. Schools of bass are working bait across Buzzards Bay, and Red Top Sporting Goods (via The Fisherman — Cape Cod & Islands) reports good numbers at both ends of the Canal, with stripers confirmed in Plymouth Bay as well. The Fisherman (Northeast) calls it a 'supercharged spring striper run' across New England, with fish averaging upper-teens to 20 pounds and 40-inch-class fish now entering the picture. Bluefish are beginning to appear — Soares spotted spotty schools, and AJ at Red Top noted blues off Mattapoisett and Wareham. Tautog remain active, though green crab supply may be a limiting factor. Black sea bass are around but legal-sized fish are scarce, per Soares. A worm hatch sparked a topwater striper bite in adjacent waters this past week.
Stocked trout hold deep as Central MA bass move onto spawning beds
The most current Massachusetts freshwater report in this week's feeds comes from Hampton (Pequot) Pond in Westfield, where Rod Teehan found brook and rainbow trout stacked over deep water on May 13 — connecting on trolled Bobby Garland Baby Shad and inline spinners before surface conditions warmed (The Fisherman — New England Freshwater). Central MA rivers are running clear and accessible, with our USGS gauges showing 21 cfs at gauge 01105500 and 72.3 cfs at gauge 01111500; no water temperature readings are currently available from either site. The bass picture is shifting: Fishin' Factory 3 reports largemouths have entered full spawn mode and become "trickier to entice than prespawn" — a classic nest-guarding posture familiar to any late-May angler (The Fisherman — New England Freshwater). Tactical Bassin (blog) flags that the concurrent bluegill spawn is pushing big bass shallow into heavy cover, making a frog or topwater walked through emergent vegetation at dawn the primary surface play right now. Stocked trout remain a reliable early-morning option on deeper stillwaters through the Memorial Day weekend.
Black Drum Arrive and Rockfish Bite Builds Across Chesapeake Bay
Water temperatures at NOAA buoy 44009 reached 59°F on May 20, confirming the warming trend that Chesapeake-Delaware corridor anglers have been waiting for. The Fisherman — DE/MD/Chesapeake reports black drum have settled in at the Coral Beds off Slaughter Beach and at Broadkill Beach, responding to clams, sand fleas, and female blue crabs fished near bottom at dusk. A flounder tournament at the Lewes and Rehoboth Canal drew 596 anglers and produced a 5.13-pound winner, per the same publication — though correspondent Eric Burnley cautioned that through mid-May "waters have been too rough and cold for much quality fishing," with improvement arriving only when conditions calmed. The waxing crescent moon delivers manageable tidal swings this week. Striped bass remain the Chesapeake's signature spring target; with post-spawn dispersal underway and water at 59°F, we're entering the window when rockfish scatter from spawning tributaries into prime main-stem feeding zones.
Maine Stripers Running Strong as Haddock Lights Up the Grounds
NOAA buoy 44007 is logging 50°F water in the Gulf of Maine — chilly but no longer a barrier for the spring push. Per The Fisherman — South Shore MA to ME, stripers into the 40-inch class have reached the Merrimack River, with fish confirmed as far north as the Saco River in Maine and the spring run called "fully underway." OTW Saltwater's May 19 migration update put it plainly: fresh fish have arrived in New Hampshire and Maine. The groundfish side is equally strong — Beauport Fishing Adventures' Capt. Tom Lukegord (The Fisherman — South Shore MA to ME) reports haddock action "caught fire" over the last 10 days with limit catches common, calling it some of the best fishing in years. Belsan's Bait and Tackle (The Fisherman — South Shore MA to ME) adds that mackerel are pressing close to shore, a bait concentration that should keep pulling stripers north. With the herring run still active, bait-match presentations are the clear play.
Kennebec running full as late-May landlocked salmon season hits its stride
The USGS gauge on the Kennebec recorded 7,190 cfs on the evening of May 19 — a robust spring flow keeping current brisk and visibility reduced in main-channel runs. No water temperature was captured at this station, though mid-to-late May in the Kennebec and Penobscot drainages typically sees river temps climbing through the upper 40s into the low 50s°F, prime territory for landlocked salmon and brook trout. Direct on-the-water reports for interior Maine freshwater are absent from this cycle's intel feeds, so specific bite conditions cannot be attributed this week. The broader regional picture is encouraging: The Fisherman — South Shore MA to ME confirms the spring coastal push has reached at least the Saco River in Maine, with stripers in the 30-inch class reported, signaling that seasonal bait migrations are broadly on schedule across New England. With flows elevated, anglers targeting salmon and trout should focus on slower water — back eddies, inside bends, and pool tailouts — where fish will stack to avoid fighting the current.
Gulf Coast Speckled Trout Trophy Window Open as Tarpon Season Kicks In
Water temps at 81°F (NOAA buoy 42001) confirm full summer conditions across the Louisiana Gulf Coast, and the bite is following. Coastal Angler Magazine calls May an underrated window for trophy speckled trout — most anglers have already moved on from the spring rush, but big fish remain accessible through early June. Offshore, Coastal Angler points to gag and scamp grouper staging on structure wherever schools of cigar minnows and sardines are stacked; a live sardine on a knocker rig reportedly has a life expectancy of "under ten seconds around any kind of fish." Tarpon are entering passes and staging points as Gulf surface temps push into the low 80s — Field & Stream's tarpon primer is timely as the silver king season ramps up across the Gulf. Winds are holding near 12 knots across both buoys, with 3-foot wave heights recorded at NOAA buoy 42067. LA Sea Grant's active coverage of the commercial shrimp sector points to healthy forage in the nearshore system.
Bass and gar on the move as Mississippi and Atchafalaya warm into summer
USGS gauge 07374000 clocked the Mississippi at 73°F and 465,000 cfs on the evening of May 19 — water warm enough to have largemouth well past their spawn and into early-summer patterns. Louisiana Sportsman ran a bass-fishing piece this week spotlighting the Black Label Piglet, a soft-plastic creature bait built for slow retrieves through heavy cover; that lure selection is telling for this part of the season, when post-spawn fish stage on woody edges and current breaks. Hatch Magazine's current issue features an in-depth essay on alligator gar fishing on slow Southern river systems, a timely read as the Atchafalaya drainage warms toward prime gar season. With the river running at 465,000 cfs, the main channel carries a heavy push — best water is wherever current slacks off: flooded cypress edges, oxbow cuts, and interior basin lakes. No direct charter or tackle-shop reports were available for this specific window.
Wabash smallmouth and post-spawn bass heat up for late-May Indiana anglers
The Wabash River is running at 4,890 cfs as of May 19 (USGS gauge 03335500), a brisk late-spring elevation that concentrates smallmouth bass in current seams, eddy pools, and the downstream sides of any submerged structure. With the bluegill spawn now in full swing across the broader Midwest, Tactical Bassin reports big largemouth are actively prowling shallow heavy cover — frogs and topwater presentations triggering the most explosive strikes of the season so far. Fishing the Midwest confirms this is a prime window for crappies on shallow flats and slow-trolled walleye rigs as fish recover from the post-spawn lull. On Lake Michigan's Indiana shoreline, IL/IN Sea Grant notes spring is prime buoy-deployment season for the southern lake nearshore array, though no temperature readings were available from that network for this report. Wired 2 Fish flags topwater walking baits as a high-confidence go-to for post-spawn bass right now. Verify current size and bag limits with Indiana fishing regulations before harvesting any species.
Bass locked onto the bluegill spawn as Illinois River runs high
Tactical Bassin's recent on-water footage confirms the bluegill spawn is in full swing across Illinois and the broader Midwest — the annual trigger that pulls largemouth bass into shallow heavy cover and makes them highly catchable on surface presentations. A topwater frog worked over spawning bluegill beds is the featured pattern, with fish actively committing in the shallows. On the Illinois River, USGS gauge 05586100 recorded 25,800 cfs on May 19 — elevated spring flow that pushes river bass, crappie, and catfish out of the main channel and into flooded timber, backwater sloughs, and slack-water pockets. Fishing the Midwest notes that shallow flats casting has produced solid spring mixed bags, with crappies showing alongside bass. Lake Michigan's nearshore buoy network is entering its spring deployment window per IL/IN Sea Grant, signaling improving real-time conditions data ahead for southern basin anglers.
Chinook on the Move: Snake & Salmon Rivers in Prime May Form
USGS gauge 13340000 clocked the Snake system at 15,900 cfs and 49°F on the afternoon of May 19 — elevated spring-runoff conditions but not out of range for productive fishing. No Idaho-specific reports surfaced in this cycle's angler intel feeds; what follows draws on gauge readings and established seasonal patterns for the Snake and Salmon river corridors. Spring Chinook salmon are the headline species in May, with fish entering the system from the lower Snake and pushing up the Salmon drainage through the month. At 15,900 cfs, fish hold tight to current seams, inside bends, and bank-side eddies rather than fighting mid-channel flows. Water at 49°F is on the cooler end for trout activity but sits within the workable range for salmon. Check current regulations before retaining any salmon, as retention rules shift with run strength throughout the spring season.
Marlin and ahi season building as warm water fills Hawaii's offshore grounds
NOAA buoy 51004 recorded 79°F sea surface temperatures off the southeastern Hawaiian Islands on May 19, sitting squarely in the warm pelagic corridor that draws ahi (yellowfin tuna), ono (wahoo), and mahi-mahi to productive offshore grounds. Northwest readings at buoy 51001 showed slightly cooler 76°F water with moderate 6 m/s trade winds—conditions that can concentrate baitfish along temperature breaks between the two zones. Hawaii Fishing News tracks the current waxing crescent moon phase on its monthly tide calendars; local captains widely favor this darker-dawn window for early-morning trolling bites. Significant wave heights of 8.9 ft at buoy 51002 and 8.5 ft at buoy 51004 signal active south-side swells requiring careful harbor-crossing timing this weekend. With summer's blue marlin season approaching, late May traditionally marks when offshore action begins its seasonal climb. Angler-intel feeds were light on Hawaii-specific bite reports this cycle, so species outlooks lean on buoy readings and established seasonal patterns rather than fresh captain testimony.
Georgia coast heats up: tripletail biting and red snapper season expands
A 12-pound tripletail caught by Joe Thompson and his dad — reported by GA Sportsman / Georgia Outdoor News — headlines the Georgia Atlantic Coast this week, confirming that the late-May nearshore and offshore push is fully underway. With hot weather arriving, GA Sportsman notes fish are beginning to move into deeper water, making offshore runs and deeper nearshore structure the priority. The big regulatory news: Sport Fishing Mag and Saltwater Sportsman both report that South Atlantic states — including Georgia — received federal approval for greatly expanded red snapper seasons in 2026 via exempted fishing permits, giving anglers extended access this summer. Coastal Angler Magazine flags May as a quietly underrated month for trophy speckled trout, while also noting that gag and scamp grouper are stacking on structure loaded with cigar minnows and sardines. NOAA buoy 41008 recorded light winds around 8 knots and warm air temps near 77°F on May 19, suggesting manageable offshore windows.
Georgia freshwater bass active as bluegill spawn peaks on the Savannah
The bluegill spawn is in full swing across Georgia, and largemouth bass are taking full advantage — Tactical Bassin reports fish actively hunting frog and topwater presentations in shallow, heavy cover. Joshua Barber's May 10 Southern Waters report in GA Sportsman / Georgia Outdoor News flags that hot weather is now arriving and bass will begin migrating toward deeper water, making the current window a closing-out period for shallow topwater action. The Savannah River at Clyo was sitting at 3.6 feet and falling as of May 14 per Barber's gauges, and USGS gauge 02197000 now shows the river running at 3,830 cfs — a moderate, fishable level. Georgia Wildlife Blog — Fishing noted another strong week of fishing across the state as of May 15. Earlier in April, the blog documented a post-rain largemouth bite that produced an 8-pound, 11-ounce fish from Morgan County — a reminder of how productively Georgia bass respond to barometric-change windows heading into summer.
Bass Locked on Bluegill Beds as Post-Spawn Peaks on Okeechobee & St. Johns
Tactical Bassin (blog) reports the bluegill spawn is in full swing, and largemouth bass across Florida's freshwater systems are capitalizing — frogs and topwater presentations over heavy cover have been producing aggressive strikes with fish stacked shallow. On the St. Johns, USGS gauge 02232000 logged 119 cfs as of Tuesday evening, a moderate and stable flow that keeps backwater access open along much of the corridor. Water temperature data is unavailable from current gauge readings; mid-May surface temps in both Okeechobee and the St. Johns system typically run upper 70s to low 80s°F. Catfish anglers have extra motivation: Field & Stream recently highlighted a new Florida state-record blue catfish, 73.6 pounds, caught on live bream — a reminder that Okeechobee's deeper basin holds trophy-class fish. The waxing crescent moon sets up solid pre-dawn and dusk feeding windows, prime timing to work frog gear over pad edges before the mid-morning sun pushes fish to deeper structure.
Snook Pre-Spawn and Blackfin Tuna Mark Peak May Action on FL's Atlantic Coast
Per Snook Nook out of Stuart, May is historically one of the best inshore months on the Treasure Coast — and the 2026 pre-spawn push is delivering. Slot-sized and over-slot snook are appearing with increasing frequency along the Indian and St. Lucie Rivers as fish stage ahead of the June spawn. Offshore, Sport Fishing Mag reports that blackfin tuna have flooded South Florida Atlantic waters from the Keys up to Palm Beach — their annual May arrival kicking off a multi-month run for these hard-fighting fish. Fort Lauderdale charters reporting through Tidal Fish found active sailfish action and productive natural-reef bottom fishing under 2–3 foot seas. Adding to the excitement, federally approved state Exempted Fishing Permits — tracked by CCA Florida and covered by Sport Fishing Mag — will give Florida's Atlantic-coast anglers a significantly expanded red snapper season in 2026. Winds are running 9–13 mph with 3-foot offshore swells per NOAA buoys 41009 and 41008.
Tarpon Migration Peaks as Permit and Grouper Round Out Gulf Coast Bite
Water temps at 80°F (NOAA buoy 42036) signal peak late-spring conditions on Florida's Gulf Coast. Naples Offshore Fishing Charters confirms the tarpon migration is fully underway, with boats intercepting silver kings as they push through the Naples area — mornings devoted to sight-casting and jumping quality fish before afternoons pivot to permit, which have been responding to sight-fishing presentations consistently. The same captain also reports cobia, kingfish, and amberjacks rounding out a highly varied offshore spread. Inshore, Coastal Angler Magazine highlights May as an underrated window for trophy speckled trout, while the same source flags gag and scamp grouper stacked on ledges, wrecks, and rocky structure wherever cigar minnows and sardines are concentrated. Light winds of 7–9 mph and 2–3 foot seas across both Gulf buoys (42036 and 42039) make for comfortable running, and the waxing crescent moon sets up productive tidal transitions on the flats.
Big Stripers and Black Drum Running Delaware Bay as Spring Push Peaks
Water temps at NOAA buoy 44009 have climbed to 59°F as of May 19, and the Delaware Bay is delivering outstanding striped bass action. Big Dave's Tackle (via The Fisherman — Southern NJ) reports both sides of the bay producing oversize fish to 46 inches from bayfront beaches — bloodworms, bloodworm balls, and clam baits are the top producers. Higbee's Bait and Tackle out of Fortescue backs that up, noting "all oversize fish from 36 to 46 inches" on the same bloodworm bite this week. The Fisherman — DE/MD/Chesapeake correspondent Eric Burnley described rough, small-craft-advisory conditions through May 17, but when windows eased, stripers showed at the beaches and Indian River Inlet. Black drum are holding at the Coral Beds off Slaughter Beach and at Broadkill Beach, per Smith's Bait Shop, best at dusk on clams and sand fleas. Flounder are present — the Lewes and Rehoboth Canal Flounder Tournament drew 596 anglers per The Fisherman — DE/MD/Chesapeake — but the bite has lagged in cold, wind-churned conditions.
Long Island Sound Lights Up: Big Stripers Crushing Bunker After New Moon Surge
'Long Island Sound is loaded with big bass on bunker' — that was OTW Saltwater's lead line in its May 19 Striper Migration Report, and every Connecticut shop this week confirms it. The May new moon acted as a catalyst: Aaron Swanson, writing in The Fisherman — Connecticut, reported that the moon 'seemed to supercharge striped bass activity in Long Island Sound and its tributaries,' with a full buffet of bait — squid, bunker, mackerel, herring, silversides, and rain bait — now spread across the Sound. Fisherman's World summed up their week simply as 'bass, bass, bass,' with fish responding to every technique across all structure types. Captain Morgan's Bait and Tackle added that artificials and even flies are 'easily keeping pace' with live bait as 'the big gals' tear up the shallows, with tide dictating the bite more than time of day. Water temperature at NOAA buoy 44065 is holding at 56°F — prime range for aggressive striper feeding.
Spawn-mode largemouth and shad run headline CT's inland May
Fishin' Factory 3 in Middletown — per The Fisherman — New England Freshwater — reports the Salmon River TMA and TTA received fresh stockings on May 13, and at least one local angler pulled as many trout as he could handle from those stocked stretches. But the broader freshwater picture has shifted: largemouth bass across Connecticut's inland ponds are now deep into the spawn and proving "trickier" to entice than they were during prespawn, according to the same source. Customer interest has notably pivoted toward shad, stripers, and carp working the Connecticut River main stem. At Saugatuck Reservoir, Fisherman's World in Norwalk notes largemouth and smallmouth bass action steadily improving as the water warms — shiners lead the lineup, with Keitech swim baits and Lunker City paddletails also drawing bites. USGS gauge 01184000 puts Connecticut River water at 62°F and a robust 20,400 cfs, flows that concentrate shad in slack-water pockets and eddy lines along the main stem.
Colorado & Arkansas trout active through low-snowpack runoff window
At 3,060 cfs and 57°F on the Colorado River (USGS gauge 09095500, May 19), flows have risen well above the 1,380 cfs Crystal Fly Shop reported on the river near Glenwood Springs in late April — peak spring runoff is building. Per Cutthroat Anglers' May 2026 update, 2026's historically low Colorado snowpack means the blown-out window will be shorter than usual, and fish are already grouped in softer holding water and actively feeding. Pat Dorsey notes reliable midge hatches have been the early-season backbone, with BWO and caddis patterns gaining ground as temperatures climb. AvidMax highlights midge emerger patterns — particularly tailwater-specific ties — as especially effective right now. Adaptable anglers targeting slack pockets, inside bends, and eddy lines are finding willing trout even as main-stem flows run brisk. At 57°F, water temperatures sit squarely in the prime trout feeding zone for the week ahead.