Fishing reports
19291 reports across all 50 states — current conditions and what's biting.
Oregon Coast Enters Prime Spring Window for Salmon and Bottomfish
Buoy readings from NOAA buoy 46029 and NOAA buoy 46002 put Oregon coastal water temps at 55–56°F as of early this morning — right in the bracket that typically pulls spring Chinook salmon toward nearshore feeding lanes. Wave heights of 5.6 to 6.9 feet across three offshore stations point to a moderately choppy surface, a condition that will favor protected-bay fisheries over open-ocean small-boat runs today. No Oregon-specific charter or tackle-shop reports surfaced in this cycle's regional intel, so conditions-based inference is guiding the outlook. For broader Pacific Coast context, Western Outdoor News — Saltwater notes that Half Moon Bay, California captains recently reported "vastly improved salmon conditions" as water temps there settled into the mid-50s — a similar thermal window to what our buoys are currently recording. Bottomfish such as rockfish and lingcod should remain accessible from jetties and rocky headlands even with elevated swell. Verify current regulations before targeting salmon or halibut; season windows vary by zone.
Spring stripers rolling on the Hudson; Finger Lakes walleye now in play
Water temperatures at the Catskill gauge are sitting at 62°F (USGS 01357500), placing the Hudson River squarely in its prime window for the spring striper run. On The Water's May 15 striper migration map confirms the Northeast push has fully extended — fish are now reaching Maine — putting the Hudson Valley corridor in the thick of the action. River flow at Catskill (4,000 cfs) and Green Island (12,700 cfs, USGS 01358000) reflects active spring runoff; expect some color in the upper sections. Up in the Finger Lakes, NY DEC's Fishing Line (April 24 issue) reports spring trout stocking is actively underway — brook, brown, and rainbow — and the coolwater sportfish season covering walleye, northern pike, and tiger muskie opened May 1, making mid-May an ideal early-season window for those fisheries. Tonight's new moon phase favors the low-light feeding bursts that Hudson stripers are known for; first and last light are the premium windows on the tidal river this week.
Jersey Shore Surf on Fire: Stripers and Black Drum Lead the Spring Charge
Water temps at NOAA buoys 44065 and 44091 sit at 54–55°F as of Monday morning, providing the backdrop for what Fishermans HQ LBI calls 'as good as it gets for surfcasters' — striped bass feeding up and down the LBI shoreline on fresh clam, frozen bunker, and glide baits. Grumpys Tackle confirms a 41-inch personal best at Seaside Park on an SP Minnow, while The Fisherman — NJ/DE Surf reports a 51-inch striper released from the surf on salted clam, with slot-to-overslot fish widespread coast-wide. Black drum have joined the surf mix alongside bass at multiple shore stretches, also responding to fresh clam in the wash. Sea bass season opened May 15 with a 12.5-inch minimum, per The Fisherman — New Jersey edition, but Capt Ron's Atlantic Highlands warns the bite started slow — water temps need to climb a few more degrees. Blue Chip Sportfishing calls this the best striper fishing possible, with open dates still available.
Nebraska Spring Bite Builds as Platte and Missouri Run Strong
Nebraska Game & Parks is signaling an active spring across the state, with their "Springing On" dispatch noting abundant time being spent in the field and on the water. USGS gauge 06796000 shows the system running at 1,930 cfs as of early Monday morning — a healthy late-spring flow that typically concentrates channel catfish and walleye in deeper current seams and slack-water pockets along the main channels. No water temperature reading is available from the gauge this week, but mid-May in Nebraska typically puts river temps in the upper 50s to low 60s — conditions that push channel cats into active feeding and draw white bass into upstream tributary flows. Fishing the Midwest highlights shallow presentations and drop-shot rigs as productive during this post-spawn transition window, while Tactical Bassin confirms the bluegill spawn is fully underway — a reliable trigger for largemouth bass in adjacent backwaters and coves. The New Moon this week adds favorable dark-night windows for catfish and walleye.
Big Stripers Flood Cape Cod Bay as the Spring Canal Run Ignites
Water temps running 53–56°F across Cape Cod Bay, per NOAA buoys 44013 and 44020, confirm the season is right on schedule — and the striper run has arrived in force. The Fisherman (Northeast) calls it a supercharged spring striper run across New England, with fish averaging upper-teens to 20 pounds and 40-pound-class stripers now entering local waters. Charley Soares in The Fisherman — Cape Cod & Islands reported schools of stripers very few of them below 37 inches crashing a topwater bite in upper Buzzards Bay and extending east toward the Canal. On The Water's May 15 migration map confirms the push has fully extended through the Northeast, with migratory fish recorded beyond Boston. The Canal is a prime convergence where Cape Cod Bay tides meet Buzzards Bay current. Tautog remain productive around Canal openings and the West Falmouth shoreline per The Fisherman — Cape Cod & Islands, the scup bite is just getting started on the rock piles, and black sea bass season opened May 16.
Black Drum Arrive and Spring Stripers Hold Strong in the Chesapeake
Water sitting at 59°F per NOAA buoy 44009, and the Chesapeake Bay region is hitting its mid-May stride. The Fisherman — DE/MD/Chesapeake reports that black drum have arrived at the Coral Beds area, taking clams, sand fleas, and female blue crabs — a textbook sign the Bay's late-spring run is on. Striped bass remain productive, with big fish caught and released on bloodworms and cut bunker at shoreline spots per Smith's Bait Shop coverage in The Fisherman — DE/MD/Chesapeake. White perch and catfish are holding in tidal creeks and rivers. OTW Saltwater's May 12 migration tracker noted that Chesapeake-class stripers — including 50-pound fish — were already staging off New Jersey and Long Island ahead of this week's new moon, confirming the spawn push is well underway. Wind and small craft advisories earlier in the week limited open-water access per The Fisherman — DE/MD/Chesapeake, but calmer windows are now opening up.
Spring Striper Migration Reaches Maine as Big Fish Lead the Push
NOAA buoy 44007 logged 49°F water in the Gulf of Maine this morning — cool but clearly not stopping the fish. Per On The Water's May 15 striper migration map, migratory striped bass have fully extended their northward push into Maine, completing a Northeast-wide run. The Fisherman (Northeast) described a "supercharged spring striper run" in New England as of mid-May, with fish averaging upper-teens to 20 pounds and some 40-pound class bass entering the region. The Fisherman — South Shore MA to ME's report from Surfland Bait and Tackle noted stripers exiting the Merrimack River alongside fresh migratory arrivals making landfall. Today's new moon brings stronger tidal exchanges that should concentrate bait and push feeding bass onto structure. Offshore, buoy 44027 registered 43°F, pointing to a thermal gradient that may hold fish along the warmer nearshore edge.
Bass Lock on Bluegill Beds as Kansas Rivers Hit Peak Late-Spring
Water temperature registered 76°F at USGS gauge 06892350 early Monday morning, placing the Kansas River squarely in the post-spawn feeding window most Midwest bass anglers target. Tactical Bassin reports the bluegill spawn is "in full swing" on comparable Midwestern fisheries, with largemouth moving into shallow cover and responding to topwater frogs, swimbaits, and chatterbaits worked tight to structure. River flow sits at 1,880 cfs — a moderate, fishable level that keeps current seams and channel edges productive. Fishing the Midwest confirms this is prime time for a shallow casting approach, with fish schooled and cooperative after the spawn. No species-specific intel arrived for channel catfish or white bass this cycle, but at 76°F both should be feeding actively along current breaks and deeper channel edges into the evening hours. Tonight's new moon typically sharpens the pre-dawn bite window — plan an early start if conditions allow.
Salmon push rebounds off Half Moon Bay as Central Coast cools
Cooler water along the CA Central Coast is translating directly to improved salmon fishing, per Western Outdoor News — Saltwater. Captain Jared Davis of the Salty Lady, working out of Half Moon Bay Sport Fishing, reports that water temperatures have dropped to 54°F — down from 58°F at the start of salmon season in April — and that the change "makes a huge difference on the water." Boats working the zone below Pigeon Point are finding "vastly improved salmon conditions," while bonita that congregated during the warmer early-season water have departed. Buoy readings confirm the temperature story: NOAA buoy 46042 logged 52°F offshore Monday morning, with buoy 46028 recording 55°F. The significant caveat is sea state — all three Central Coast buoys show wave heights between roughly 10 and 14 feet on sustained winds, making offshore runs a rough proposition today. Rockfish and lingcod remain typical mid-May nearshore targets, though no specific bite reports for those species are available from current sources.
Landlocked salmon prime window open on Moosehead as Penobscot runs high
The Penobscot above West Enfield (USGS gauge 01030500) was reading 3,310 cfs as of the evening of May 17 — solidly in spring runoff range, enough to keep the mainstem slightly off-color but not blown out. No water temperature readings were available from buoys or gauges this cycle, and no direct angler reports from Moosehead Lake or the upper Penobscot surfaced in this week's intel feeds; what follows draws on well-established seasonal patterns for mid-May Maine. Tonight's New Moon — generally a trigger for low-light feeding activity — falls squarely in the prime landlocked salmon window, when fish that stacked near river mouths and inlet areas after ice-out remain aggressive and accessible. Togue (lake trout) are still likely in the upper water column before summer stratification sets; brook trout concentrate at tributary mouths where current meets the warmer lake edges; and smallmouth bass are approaching or entering early spawn stages in the shallower, warmer coves.
Post-spawn bass and bluegill beds ignite the shallow bite at Lanier & Allatoona
Georgia Wildlife Blog — Fishing opened its May 15 dispatch with an encouraging signal: 'another great week of fishing gets underway across Georgia.' At Lakes Lanier and Allatoona, the post-spawn transition is the headline. USGS gauge 02334430 on the Chattahoochee below Buford Dam logged 48°F at 636 cfs on May 17 — cold tailwater from Lanier's deep reservoir releases that keeps anglers mindful of the thermocline. Tactical Bassin reports the bluegill spawn is 'in full swing,' driving big largemouth to prowl heavy shallow cover; topwater frogs and walking baits are drawing strikes. Georgia Wildlife Blog — Fishing documented an 8-pound, 11-ounce largemouth taken on a spinnerbait during post-rain conditions across the state in April, underscoring how effective power presentations remain when water carries color. GA Sportsman / Georgia Outdoor News warns that hot weather is approaching and fish will likely begin their push toward deeper structure — the shallow topwater window is open now but closing gradually.
Big Stripers and Black Drum Pile Into the NJ Delaware Bayshore
Water temperatures sitting at 58°F per NOAA buoy 44009 have Delaware Bay's NJ shoreline in prime mid-May form. Boulevard Bait & Tackle (via The Fisherman's Southern NJ desk) reported a 51-inch striped bass taken from the surf on salted clams this past week, with the run generally producing fish from slot keepers to fish pushing 48 inches. Black drum have arrived alongside them: Fin-Atics confirmed steady drum action along the oceanfront on fresh shucked clams, and One Stop Bait and Tackle described striper and drum areas as "on fire" with bloodworms, clams, and soft plastics turning fish from back bays to jetties. The Fisherman's NJ/DE surf column flagged a notable drum "push" and — with today marking the new moon — specifically called out this window as one to watch for weakfish moving into bay tidal waters. Flounder season has opened to mixed early reports, but the overall picture for the Delaware Bay NJ shoreline is one of the stronger spring starts in recent years.
Post-spawn walleye move to feed across Western Basin flats in mid-May calm
NOAA buoy 45005 recorded a 56°F surface temperature on the morning of May 18, placing Lake Erie's Western Basin squarely in the post-spawn walleye feeding transition. Wave heights were negligible at 0.7 feet with light winds around 4 m/s — comfortable trolling and jigging weather. The Maumee River (USGS gauge 04193500) is running at 2,000 cfs, adding some color to the shallowest inshore reaches but manageable for most boat fishing. No direct on-the-water walleye dispatches from charters or regional agencies surfaced in this week's intel feeds, so we're working from sensor data and seasonal benchmarks. Fishing the Midwest notes that jigs and slip-sinker live bait rigs remain the backbone of walleye presentations at this stage of the season. With a new moon on May 18, low-light windows at dawn and dusk are historically prime for walleye — plan early morning runs and stay flexible into the evening transition.
Chesapeake mouth stripers firing as spring migration peaks
Water at 58°F (NOAA buoy 44009) and today's new moon put the Chesapeake mouth in a prime late-spring window. Virginia DWR's spring striped bass fishing report confirms rockfish are actively schooling along channel edges, sandy flats, grass beds, and rocky shorelines across Virginia's tidal waters — the full spread of classic Chesapeake structure. The big picture migration-wise is telling: OTW Saltwater's May 12 migration report notes that large Chesapeake-origin fish in the 50-pound class have already pushed north and are now stationed off New Jersey and Long Island. That exodus leaves the Chesapeake mouth with slot-sized and post-spawn rockfish filtering back toward summer habitat — still a quality bite for most anglers. Light winds around 7 mph keep boat conditions comfortable. Virginia DWR's field reports suggest channel edges and hard structure near grass beds remain the most reliable spring targets right now.
Post-spawn largemouth on fire at Santee Cooper after Elite Series blowout
Chris Johnston's 113-pound, 12-ounce four-day total at the Yokohama Tire Bassmaster Elite at Santee Cooper Lakes underscores an elite-grade largemouth bite on these Clarendon County waters right now. Per B.A.S.S. News, Johnston broke away from the field by committing to urchin-style soft plastics — the Coike bait earning particular attention — while grinding heavy cover during the post-spawn transition. Runner-up Brandon Palaniuk and third-place Drew Cook (72-1) confirm multiple productive patterns were in play throughout the event. Tactical Bassin's recent coverage notes the bluegill spawn is in full swing across southeastern reservoirs, a calendar signal that largemouth are holding aggressively near shallow cover before beginning their deeper summer migration. USGS gauge 02160390 registered a steady 120 cfs on the evening of May 17, indicating stable inflow conditions across the watershed. With a New Moon phase overhead, low-light feeding windows at dawn and dusk should be particularly productive for anglers working both Santee Cooper and the Lake Murray system to the northwest.
Red drum charging OBX surf as May beach action heats up
Red drum are making a strong push onto Outer Banks beaches, with Ryan of Hatteras Jack (per Fisherman's Post NC) reporting active surf catches along the Hatteras/Ocracoke stretch. NOAA buoy 41025 recorded 74°F water off Diamond Shoals while buoy 41013 reads 76°F — prime late-spring temperatures for this run. Steve of Chasin' Tails (Fisherman's Post NC) confirms bull red drum working the Cape Lookout shoals alongside solid bluefish numbers. Atlantic bonito are excellent south of OBX — Tex of Tex's Tackle describes banner catches from the Liberty Ship out to the five-mile range near Wrightsville Beach — suggesting school fish are tracking north along the coast. Donald of Custom Marine Fabrication (Fisherman's Post NC) notes slot-sized reds spread across the Neuse River corridor. Today's New Moon brings the first spring tidal surge of this lunar cycle, a window drum anglers should plan around. Expanded red snapper EFP seasons for North Carolina are also coming this summer, per Saltwater Sportsman.
Central MA crappies at peak as post-spawn bass move into heavy cover
Jeff Sullivan reported a banner crappie session at Cook Pond in Massachusetts last week, pulling giants in the 18-to-19-inch bracket on NLBN 3- and 3.75-inch shad bodies and a Strike King spinnerbait, per The Fisherman — New England Freshwater. Spring trout stocking continues across the state, keeping rivers and ponds supplied with catchable fish through mid-spring. USGS gauges for the region show moderate flows — 16.6 cfs on gauge 01105500 and 95.9 cfs on gauge 01111500 — though no water temperature data is currently available. The Fisherman — Cape Cod & Islands noted that freshwater fishing has not missed a beat, with trout and largemouth delivering consistent action across MA. On the bass front, Tactical Bassin reports the bluegill spawn is now in full swing, with big largemouths responding aggressively to topwater frog presentations over shallow, weedy cover. The new moon phase supports low-light dawn and dusk feeding windows across warmwater and coldwater fisheries through the coming days.
Colorado River tailwater trout in prime form as Salt River bass turn post-spawn
USGS gauge 09380000 logged the Colorado River at Lees Ferry running 8,070 cfs at 56°F on the evening of May 17 — flows that push waders off the main channel but keep drift-boat anglers in a sweet spot. At 56°F, the tailwater sits squarely inside the rainbow trout feeding window, and mornings should be the most productive window before desert heat drives fish deeper. No regional shop or charter reports are available in this cycle, so species statuses below are grounded in water-temperature benchmarks and seasonal norms for mid-May in this watershed. On the Salt River system, largemouth bass have likely finished spawning and are transitioning into post-spawn grouping behavior. Tactical Bassin (blog) notes that across similar fisheries this week, post-spawn bass are bunching up and responding to swimbaits, chatterbaits, and finesse presentations — a pattern worth testing on the Salt's coves and shaded structure.
Big bass stack in heavy cover as bluegill spawn peaks on Alabama river systems
USGS gauge 02339500 recorded 5,800 cfs as of May 17, signaling healthy late-spring flow across the Tennessee and Coosa drainages as the region enters the post-spawn transition. The bluegill spawn is in full swing—Tactical Bassin reports big largemouth locked into heavy cover and hammering topwater frogs as bluegill crowd the shallows. Post-spawn bass are coming off beds and beginning to school, setting up one of the most reliable early-summer feeding patterns on these river systems. Tactical Bassin's recent Lake Chickamauga coverage—a Tennessee River impoundment with conditions comparable to Alabama's river lakes—shows a split bite: clear-water fish respond to finesse presentations including drop-shots and swimbaits, while murkier reaches favor chatterbaits and power-fishing approaches. Wired 2 Fish notes that smallmouth bass across Tennessee reservoir systems are receiving fresh scientific attention, underscoring the region's consistent bronzeback productivity. Crappie are expected to be in post-spawn recovery (rated Slow) and landlocked stripers seasonally active, though no direct reports on either species appeared in this cycle's intel feeds. Tonight's New Moon may prime low-light topwater action along the river flats.
Walleye on the Move: Spring Transition Window Open on Lake of the Woods
USGS gauge 05133500 on the Rainy River recorded 49°F water and 24,900 cfs flow on the evening of May 17 — elevated spring runoff conditions consistent with turbid water near the river mouth. Walleye are squarely in the post-spawn transition: Jason Mitchell Outdoors (YT) is publishing fresh content this week on trolling shallow walleye and a Canadian walleye camp trip that closely mirrors the border-water staging typically unfolding on Lake of the Woods right now. AnglingBuzz (YT) is also covering shallow-water walleye techniques across the Upper Midwest this week. Fishing the Midwest contributor Mike Frisch points to slip-sinker live-bait rigs and jigs on spinning gear as the most consistent walleye presentations as water temps approach 50°F. New Moon tonight reduces ambient light, sharpening the low-light dawn and dusk feeding windows. Fish the Rainy River mouth eddies and adjacent shoreline flats for concentrating walleye.
Finger Lakes bass enter post-spawn transition for mid-May push
USGS gauge 04232050 on Cayuga Inlet recorded 64°F water temperature and 50.9 cfs flow on May 17, placing Cayuga Lake tributaries squarely in a prime late-spring window. No local charter or tackle-shop reports are available in this cycle, but Tactical Bassin notes the bluegill spawn is in full swing right now — a classic trigger for largemouth and smallmouth to stage in shallow heavy cover. Post-spawn bass across the region should be completing their transition off beds and pushing toward early-summer structure in the 5–15 foot range. A New Moon on May 18 can amplify low-light and dawn feeding windows. Wired 2 Fish highlights ongoing smallmouth research confirming that Great Lakes-strain bronzebacks may represent a genetically distinct lineage — a reminder that Cayuga and Seneca hold some of the Northeast's most prized smallmouth water. Deeper-oriented species like lake trout will be retreating to cooler water as nearshore temps climb through the mid-60s. Check state regulations before targeting any species.
Spring Salmon and Perch Season Peaks on Lake Michigan's Indiana Shore
The WI DNR Lake Michigan Fishing Report documented a banner 2024 season across the lake — over 210,000 coho salmon and 160,000-plus Chinook harvested, the best Chinook tally since 2012 — a strong indicator that stocked populations supporting Indiana's offshore fishery remain healthy heading into 2026. No current NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings were available this cycle, and dedicated Indiana-shoreline charter or tackle-shop reports were absent from our intel pulls. That limits precision, but the seasonal calendar is well-established: mid-May is one of the sharpest action windows on the Indiana shore, with Chinook and coho mixing in nearshore staging areas, yellow perch drawing pier anglers, and smallmouth bass wrapping up or exiting their spawn around jetties and rocky breakwalls. Tonight's New Moon creates favorable low-light feeding windows at dawn and dusk — worth timing a launch around. Check local forecasts and current Indiana DNR regulations before heading out.
White River tailwaters running warm and slow — generation timing is everything
USGS gauge 07060710 on the North Fork below Norfork Dam recorded 72°F and just 4.64 cfs on May 17 — thin flow and rising water temperature that put a premium on dam-release timing. With generation near zero, the river is running low and glassy; rainbows and browns are pulling into deeper pools, shaded slots, and any seam where cooler bottom water persists. No charter, shop, or agency reports specific to the White River corridor appear in this week's intel feeds, so this read is grounded in the gauge data and typical mid-May tailwater behavior. When flows are this slim, the playbook calls for fine tippets, smaller presentations, and a slower retrieve — MidCurrent's tying coverage this week highlights sparse midge-style patterns that "excel in the clear, pressured water of tailraces," a description that maps squarely onto the North Fork right now. Verify Norfork and Bull Shoals generation schedules before you head out; a fresh release pulse rewrites the entire day.
VA reservoir stripers school up while bass chase the bluegill spawn
Virginia DWR's spring striped bass report highlights fish schooling along channel edges, sandy flats, and rocky hard structure across the Commonwealth's waters — a pattern well recognized at both Smith Mountain Lake and Buggs Island, where resident landlocked striper populations mirror this seasonal staging behavior. USGS gauge 02075045 recorded 507 cfs on the evening of May 17, reflecting moderate, fishable conditions in the regional watershed. No gauge water temperature is available this cycle; mid-May surface temps on both reservoirs typically run in the upper 60s to low 70s °F, historically one of the stronger striper-bite windows of the year. Meanwhile, Tactical Bassin blog reports the bluegill spawn is now in full swing — a classic trigger that draws big largemouth into shallow cover and makes topwater frogs especially productive. The New Moon on May 17 favors low-light feeding at dawn and dusk.