Fishing reports
19291 reports across all 50 states — current conditions and what's biting.
Big browns and a shad run fired up — CT inland waters hit their mid-May stride
Water temps registering 55°F on the Connecticut River (USGS gauge 01184000) confirm a classic mid-May window across Connecticut's inland fishery. The standout story this week comes from Rich at Fisherman's World, who reports two brown trout near 8 pounds pulled from Saugatuck Reservoir on shiners — caught by separate anglers fishing different sections of the same impoundment, per The Fisherman — New England Freshwater. That reservoir is also producing largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappie, and perch. Colin at Fishin' Factory 3 calls trout action outstanding at stocked ponds, lakes, and streams, naming the Salmon River, Coginchaug River, Day Pond Trout Park, and Chatfield Hollow Pond and Brook Trout Park as reliable producers. The Fisherman — New England Freshwater notes spring stockings continued through early May on the Hammonasset River, Bantam River, Saugatuck River, and several TMAs. On the Connecticut River, the Middletown-to-Rocky Hill stretch is yielding shad, carp, and striped bass on sandworms and chunks, per Fishin' Factory 3.
Half Moon Bay Salmon Improving as Chinook Move Below Pigeon Point
Captain Jared Davis of the Salty Lady, working out of Half Moon Bay Sport Fishing, reported 'vastly improved salmon conditions' below Pigeon Point this week, per Western Outdoor News — Saltwater. The catalyst: water temps have cooled to 54°F after sitting at 58°F when salmon season opened April 11, and Davis noted the bonita 'took a hike' with the drop — a shift that typically favors Chinook, which thrive in cooler water. NOAA buoy 46042 backs the trend at 52°F, with buoy 46028 reading 56°F to the north. The immediate concern is sea state: wave heights of 15–16 feet across the offshore buoy network, combined with sustained winds of 11–16 m/s, will sideline most private-boat anglers this weekend. When conditions ease, the new moon's strong tidal swings should concentrate baitfish along upwelling edges and structure below Pigeon Point — the same productive zone Davis flagged for this fleet.
Delta Bass On Fire as Bluegill Spawn Pulls Big Fish Into the Shallows
USGS gauge 11447650 logged the Sacramento at 69°F and 2,840 cfs early Sunday morning — water temperatures that put Delta largemouth squarely in post-spawn recovery mode with the bluegill spawn right on the doorstep. With no dedicated Delta captain or shop report arriving in this cycle, the clearest technique signal comes from Tactical Bassin, whose current coverage on bluegill-spawn bass fishing emphasizes shallow heavy cover and topwater frogs as the primary big-fish play right now. Striped bass remain an active presence across the Sacramento-Delta system at these temperatures, historically holding along channel edges and tidal rip points through late May. Catfish are coming alive with the warming trend. NorCal Fish Reports maintains a dedicated Delta regional section — pull their latest update before launching for the most current spot-specific intel. The new moon this weekend compresses the bite toward first and last light.
Arizona tailwater trout in form as Salt River bass scatter post-spawn
USGS gauge 09380000 recorded the Colorado River at 56°F and 6,150 cfs early Sunday morning — conditions that keep Lee's Ferry's rainbow trout in comfortable feeding territory and mark the tail end of the ideal pre-summer tailwater window. No local tackle-shop or charter reports for Arizona's river corridor surfaced in this week's feeds, so what follows blends gauge data with seasonal context. Mid-May typically finds the Salt River chain in the post-spawn bass transition, with largemouth and smallmouth scattering from beds into adjacent rocky structure. Tactical Bassin's current post-spawn breakdown points to topwater poppers and swimbaits as the high-percentage plays during this transition; that same read applies directly to the Salt River's shallow rocky flats. Tonight's new moon cuts ambient light; first light and the last hour before dark should be the most productive windows on both systems over the coming days.
Gulf of Alaska halibut season hits stride amid active offshore swell
Three NOAA buoys spanning the Gulf of Alaska are recording water temperatures of 41–43°F today (May 17), with significant wave heights between 10.8 and 14.8 feet — conditions that are keeping most small-boat operators dockside as of this morning. Direct charter, shop, or fishing-blog reports for this corridor are not represented in today's angler-intel feeds, so species outlooks below are calibrated to the live buoy data and mid-May seasonal norms. Pacific halibut is the anchor fishery right now: commercial IFQ and guided sportfish charters typically build through May, and the bottom-temperature shelf zones between 100 and 400 feet will be most productive. King salmon are likely entering coastal systems but may be holding deeper and offshore in this cold water column. AK Sea Grant noted active fleet engagement at Kodiak last month during the ComFish skills competition, signaling the community is geared up for the season. Watch the swell windows — 15-foot seas restrict safe offshore transit today.
Kenai builds toward king season as May snowmelt fills the river
USGS gauge 15266300 logged the Kenai system at 2,830 cfs and 44°F as of early May 17 — moderate spring-snowmelt flow consistent with mid-May in this drainage. None of the angler-intel feeds reviewed this week carried direct Kenai or interior Alaska river reports; coverage skewed heavily toward Lower-48 fisheries, so conditions here are grounded in gauge data and seasonal patterns typical for this point in the Alaska calendar. That acknowledged, the picture is familiar: water temperatures in the low-to-mid 40s keep fish active but deliberate, and rainbow trout and Dolly Varden char are the realistic targets ahead of the king salmon opener. Nymph and streamer presentations in softer current seams alongside the main push typically produce at these temps. The New Moon window (today) can suppress midday surface activity and concentrate feeding at dawn and dusk. Anglers planning early king salmon trips should check current state regulations for opener dates.
Post-spawn bass go shallow as bluegill spawn fires on Tennessee & Coosa
Bass fishing in Alabama's Tennessee and Coosa River systems is mid-transition off the spawn. Tactical Bassin's recent coverage of Lake Chickamauga — a benchmark Tennessee River impoundment near the state line — documents a split-personality fishery: finesse presentations including drop-shots and lighter swimbaits accounting for fish in clear-water stretches, while chatterbaits and heavier swimbaits draw reaction strikes in stained reaches. Most notably, Tactical Bassin reports the bluegill spawn is in full swing, pushing largemouth bass into shallow heavy cover to ambush prey; topwater frogs over matted vegetation and laydowns produced fish early morning. The Coosa River at Childersburg was running 836 cfs as of the morning of May 17, per USGS gauge 02339500, indicating moderate flow with readable current seams along channel edges. No water temperature reading was returned from the gauge this cycle. With bass largely through spawning, this is a high-opportunity window: fish are aggressive and positioned shallower than they will be by June.
Post-spawn bass and crappie dialing in across Toledo Bend timber edges
LakeForkGuy is calling the current window 'the most aggressive crappie bite of the year' in his post-spawn transition coverage — a pattern that historically tracks across southern impoundments right in line with Toledo Bend's mid-May schedule. With Sabine River inflow sitting at just 12.3 cfs per USGS gauge 08025500, the reservoir is receiving minimal runoff, which typically keeps water clarity stable and holds baitfish tight to structure. Surface water temperature data is unavailable from remote sensors this week, but seasonal norms for northwest Louisiana put surface temps in the low-to-mid 80s — squarely in post-spawn territory for largemouth bass. Tactical Bassin's latest sessions from comparable southern impoundments highlight the bluegill spawn as the key trigger driving topwater and heavy-cover bites right now. Louisiana Sportsman notes the LDWF Enforcement Division has stepped up patrols May 16–22 for National Safe Boating Week — wear your PFD and keep running lights handy for early dawn launches.
Post-Spawn Bass on the Move as Summer Heat Builds on Hartwell & Russell
GA Sportsman's May 10 Southern Waters report flagged that 'hot weather is now approaching and fish will probably start to move into deeper water' — a transition well underway on Lake Hartwell and Russell heading into the third week of May. Flow on the Savannah system reads 432 cfs at USGS gauge 02192000; no water temperature is on record, but ambient conditions leave little doubt that surface temps are climbing toward summer thresholds. Per Tactical Bassin's blog, the bluegill spawn is currently in full swing, pulling quality bass into shallow heavy cover — frog, popper, and swimbait presentations around laydowns and docks are the seasonal play. The Georgia Wildlife Blog's April reporting tracked crappie stacking on 3–8-foot brush and dock structure during the spawn wave; by mid-May that shallow crappie push is likely tapering. No charter captain or tackle shop reports specific to Hartwell or Russell surfaced in this week's feeds, so conditions here reflect the broader Georgia statewide signals and seasonal expectations for this fishery.
Delta bass and stripers entering post-spawn transition at new moon
USGS gauge 11455420 recorded a strong tidal backflow of roughly −80,300 cfs late on May 16, indicating pronounced tidal cycling across the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta — consistent with the new moon's amplified tidal swings. Water temperature was unavailable from the gauge. None of this week's citable regional feeds carried Delta-specific angler reports, so conditions here reflect seasonal patterns typical for mid-May in this system. Striped bass are typically winding down their spring spawning push by the third week of May and scattering from spawning reaches back into main channels and tule edges. Largemouth bass are similarly at or just past the spawn, staging near submerged structure in calmer sloughs. New moon transitions — particularly the first strong ebb-to-flood and flood-to-ebb windows each tidal cycle — traditionally concentrate feeding activity along current seams in the Delta, making timing your drift or anchor critical this weekend.
Green River Tailwater Primed as Late-Spring Hatches Build
USGS gauge 09234500 recorded 1,270 cfs and 49°F on the Green River below Flaming Gorge early Sunday — flows that keep the wading fishery accessible and water temperatures poised to trigger more consistent surface action as the week progresses. No direct shop or captain reports for the Green River corridor appeared in current intel feeds; the on-the-water picture here is built primarily from gauge data and seasonal context. MidCurrent's current tying coverage specifically calls out the GFC Fly — a sparse midge-style pattern — as a top choice for "clear, pressured water of tailraces," a description that fits this stretch precisely. Hatch Magazine's ongoing coverage of caddis emergences is well-timed: May is the traditional peak window for caddis and emerging mayfly activity on Western tailwaters. Brown and rainbow trout should respond well to sub-surface nymph rigs now, with opportunistic dry-fly takes picking up as afternoon temps climb. Target the classic 10 a.m.–2 p.m. window when hatches typically fire on high-altitude tailwaters.
Roosevelt Lake bass shift post-spawn as Salt River runs low and calm
USGS gauge 09498500 logged the Salt River at 84.5 cfs early this morning — a low, stable reading that typically pushes fish off current seams and into the reservoir's coves, points, and deeper structure. No Arizona-specific catch reports came through this week's national feeds, so conditions here are grounded in seasonal patterns and transferable bass intelligence. Mid-May puts Roosevelt Lake squarely in the post-spawn transition: males may still be loosely guarding fry near shallow cover, while larger females have likely begun staging along their first drops before summer heat sets in. Tactical Bassin (blog) notes that the early-summer transition can be exceptional once bass school up — 'when you locate them it can be fish after fish for hours' — and highlights topwater poppers, swimbaits, and chatterbaits as dependable producers at this stage. Tonight's new moon strengthens dawn and dusk feeding windows. Water temperature wasn't available from today's gauge; verify conditions at the ramp.
Lake Mead Stripers Shifting Deep as Post-Spawn Transition Takes Hold
USGS gauge 09421500 returned no readings this cycle, and the current intel sweep produced no direct reports from Lake Mead or the lower Colorado striper corridor — this report draws on established seasonal patterns rather than live angler testimony. That said, mid-May is a well-recognized turning point for Nevada's landlocked striper fishery. The spring spawn run, which typically peaks through late March into April in this system, is effectively over. Stripers that gathered in shallow coves and river-arm flats to reproduce are now scattering, with fish already sliding toward main-lake structure and channel edges as surface temperatures begin their summer climb. Early-morning topwater windows — dawn through roughly two hours after sunrise — remain the best shot at intercepting schooling fish before heat-driven stratification pushes bait and predators below the thermocline. Check current Nevada fishing regulations before heading out.
Post-Spawn Bass Move Shallow on the Ozarks as the Bluegill Spawn Peaks
At 69°F and 63,900 cfs, the Osage River is running warm and notably elevated this week (USGS gauge 06934500), flushing stained water into the upper coves of Lake of the Ozarks. That high flow is the key variable: expect off-color conditions in the upper lake arms while the main channel and lower lake body should hold cleaner water. The fishing picture is compelling despite it. Tactical Bassin's blog reports the bluegill spawn is in full swing across Midwest reservoirs right now, drawing big largemouth into shallow heavy cover—frogs, topwaters, and swimbaits are the featured presentations. Fishing the Midwest notes that spring shallow-water fishing remains highly productive, with bass often stacked when a school is located. Regionally, Missouri anglers Andrew Sell and Trevor Booth won the inaugural HOPE Classic on Table Rock Lake on May 9 (per Wired 2 Fish), a signal of healthy post-spawn bass populations across the state. New moon tonight sharpens those early-morning and evening feeding windows.
Upper Mississippi Walleye and Bass Active as Post-Spawn Transition Builds
Flow at USGS gauge 05344500 (Prescott) is registering 21,200 cfs as of May 17 — a moderate spring level pushing gamefish off main-channel banks and into the protected backwaters, sloughs, and slack-water seams that define the Prescott-to-La Crosse pool complex. AnglingBuzz's 'Hooked Up Wisconsin' episode this week spotlighted swimbaits as a consistent producer for walleye, crappie, and bass across Midwest river systems right now — a tactic well-suited to post-spawn fish scattered along wood-edge breaks and current transitions. Jason Mitchell Outdoors is also tracking shallow walleye as a primary mid-May target, with trolling highlighted as a viable approach when fish are spread across flats. On the bass front, Tactical Bassin reports the bluegill spawn is in full swing on comparable-latitude fisheries, which typically pushes largemouth tight into shallow timber and emergent vegetation. No water temperature was recorded at the Prescott gauge; mid-50s°F remain a reasonable expectation given regional mid-May patterns.
Caddis and streamers for Driftless browns as spring creeks hold clear
USGS gauge 05407000 recorded the Wisconsin River at 67°F and 10,500 cfs on the morning of May 17 — elevated mainstem flows that signal a wet stretch across the broader watershed. For Driftless trout anglers, the saving grace is the region's spring-fed stream network, which buffers against surface runoff and holds clearer, cooler water than the main drainages. MidCurrent's Tying Tuesday this week spotlighted Root River Rod Co's go-to Driftless streamer — a pine squirrel jig engineered to tick the rocky limestone bottom without snagging — as a confidence pattern for the region's tight, technical pocket water. Caddis emergences are the headline hatch right now; per Hatch Magazine, timing your approach to when caddis actually fire on your stream is a season-defining edge. Brown trout are the region's workhorse species, with brook trout anchored in the coldest spring-fed headwaters. The new moon tonight sets up extended low-light feeding windows at dawn and dusk that should reward early and late risers this weekend.
Mille Lacs walleye enter post-spawn transition — shallow bite in focus
With no water temperature sensor data available this reporting period, the strongest signal for Mille Lacs comes from regional content: Jason Mitchell Outdoors is actively covering "Trolling Shallow Walleye," and AnglingBuzz recently featured "Shallow Water Walleyes, Sturgeon & Lake Superior Tactics" — both pointing toward a shallow bite consistent with where mid-May post-spawn walleye typically hold on Upper Midwest lakes. The USGS gauge 05227530 registered 10.1 cfs early Sunday, indicating stable, low-flow tributary conditions that generally favor clearer near-shore water. Jason Mitchell Outdoors is also highlighting the "Importance of Mono Right Now," a tip that tracks with shallower presentations where line stretch aids hook-sets on light-biting fish. Fishing the Midwest covers spring walleye staples — jigs and slip-sinker live-bait rigs — as the post-spawn transition builds momentum. Tonight's new moon may extend low-light feeding windows into the early morning hours. Always verify current state regs before keeping fish on Mille Lacs.
Finger Lakes Smallmouth Hit Peak Spawn Mode as Mid-May Arrives
The USGS tributary gauge is reading 59°F with a steady 84.6 cfs flow — textbook conditions that typically place Cayuga, Seneca, and Skaneateles smallmouth bass squarely in pre-spawn to full-spawn mode. No Finger Lakes-specific charter or shop reports appear in this week's feeds, but adjacent regional signals are encouraging. On The Water observes that windy, unsettled conditions on nearby Lake Erie are putting smallmouth "on the feed," and Tactical Bassin confirms the bluegill spawn is in full swing across the region — a reliable trigger that draws bass onto shallow gravel beds and makes topwater productive. Wired 2 Fish published research this week suggesting smallmouth may represent multiple distinct evolutionary lineages, a useful reminder that local Finger Lakes fish — with ties to the Lake Ontario drainage — may pattern distinctly from southern or Ozark fish. With the New Moon falling today, dark nights are suppressing ambient light and concentrating the best action into low-light dawn and dusk windows. Lake trout are likely transitioning toward summer depths as surface temps approach 60°F.
Rangeley Lakes prime landlocked salmon window opens as spring advances
Ice-out arrived ahead of schedule in western Maine this year — Mainely Fly Fishing (ME) documented Dundee Pond clearing ice as early as April 4th, setting up an extended spring opportunity for landlocked salmon and brook trout. With six weeks of open water already logged, the Rangeley chain and Androscoggin headwaters are entering their classic mid-May sweet spot. USGS gauge 01054200 shows the upper Androscoggin running at 527 cfs pre-dawn on May 17, a level that keeps wade fishing viable in accessible reaches without blowing out conditions. No water temperature reading is available at this gauge. Tonight's New Moon creates a favorable low-light morning window — landlocked salmon tend to push toward the surface and into inlet currents in low-light conditions. On The Water's May 15 striper migration map confirms the seasonal push has fully reached coastal Maine, a broader indicator that the spring transition is well advanced statewide. Status for all key species is based on seasonal timing, as no Rangeley-specific catch reports appear in this week's intel feeds.
Landlocked salmon prime window opens on Moosehead as spring runoff peaks
The upper Penobscot is running at 3,660 cfs as of early Sunday morning per USGS gauge 01030500 — elevated spring runoff that typically positions landlocked salmon and brook trout tight to current seams and tributary mouths. No direct on-the-water reports from Moosehead Lake or the upper Penobscot drainage reached us in this cycle; species-status assessments below reflect seasonal norms for mid-May interior Maine rather than named-source angler testimony. Regionally, On The Water confirmed as of May 15 that the spring push has fully reached Maine's coast, consistent with the kind of statewide warming that accelerates post-ice activity on inland lakes. Moosehead ice-out typically wraps between late April and mid-May, and if it has completed on schedule, the lake should be entering its premier landlocked salmon window. Water temperature at the gauge was unavailable this cycle. The New Moon falls today — dawn and dusk feeding spikes are worth building a full day around.
Winnipesaukee Smallmouth Enter Pre-Spawn Window as Spring Warms
The Winnipesaukee River is draining at 1,180 cfs as of May 17 (USGS gauge 01081000), a level consistent with normal late-spring outflow from the lake. No water temperature reading was available this cycle. Our regional intel feeds carried no NH-specific angler reports this week; the closest freshwater read comes from The Fisherman — New England Freshwater, where Fisherman's World notes strong largemouth and smallmouth action at southern New England impoundments along with crappies and perch in season. The Fisherman — Cape Cod & Islands adds that area freshwater fishing "has not missed a beat," with big trout and largemouth active in local ponds and lakes. At Winnipesaukee in the third week of May, smallmouth bass are typically staged on rocky shoals in pre-spawn mode — the most reliably productive window of the season. Landlocked salmon remain accessible near mid-column depths before surface temps push them off the shallows entirely. The New Moon phase coincides with this mid-May transition, favoring low-light morning and evening bites.
Lake Champlain landlocked salmon in prime window as smallmouth stage pre-spawn
USGS gauge 04294500 recorded 49°F on Lake Champlain early Sunday — cold enough to keep landlocked salmon feeding aggressively, but a few degrees short of the 55–60°F threshold that typically sends smallmouth bass onto spawning shoals. At this temperature, landlocked salmon are squarely in their comfort zone, and baitfish-style presentations near the mid-water column should be productive. Smallmouth are in pre-spawn staging mode: look for concentrations on rocky gravel points and the slightly warmer, wind-sheltered bays where surface temps may nudge into the low 50s. On The Water reported this week that blustery conditions push big smallmouth onto the feed on large-water systems like Lake Erie — a comparable dynamic on Champlain's exposed northern basin. The New Moon on May 17 can concentrate feeding into low-light windows at dawn and dusk. No Lake Champlain–specific charter or shop reports were available this cycle; conditions are drawn from the USGS temperature reading and established regional patterns.
Low snowpack, early hatches: CO tailwaters fishing into a dry late May
Colorado Trout Hunters reported one of the strongest migratory brown trout runs in recent memory on the South Platte's Dream Stream section this spring — a bright note entering mid-May as midge and Blue-Winged Olive hatches take over as the primary driver. The USGS gauge at site 06701900 on the South Platte logged 307 cfs Sunday morning, a wading-friendly flow on the dam-regulated stretch. Water temperature data was unavailable. The larger context comes from Cutthroat Anglers' May update: "There is no sugar coating the fact Colorado snowpack is historically bad and we face a much different season this year." For tailwater anglers, dam regulation on both the South Platte below Cheesman Canyon and the Arkansas below Pueblo Reservoir blunts the worst of that signal — but plan accordingly. Pat Dorsey's spring report notes unusually warm temperatures have pushed midge hatches earlier than typical, with BWOs beginning to emerge alongside them. Come prepared to fish larvae, pupae, and adult stages across the same day.
Snake and Yellowstone hit peak runoff — edge-water cutthroat are the play
The USGS gauge at site 06192500 recorded 8,020 cfs and 46°F early on May 17 — classic peak-runoff signals that tell Yellowstone and Snake River anglers to abandon mid-river wading and work the slower margins. Water this cold and fast pushes trout into slack-water edges, behind boulders, and along undercut banks where they can hold without burning calories. Hatch Magazine's recent piece on Yellowstone caddis emergences is worth bookmarking now: salmonfly and early caddis activity will ramp up once flows ease and surface temps climb past 50°F, likely another two to three weeks out. Flylords Mag notes the Rockies entered spring with below-average snowpack, suggesting this runoff pulse could recede faster than typical — tightening the window but also potentially accelerating the season. Heavy beadhead nymphs and streamers stripped tight to the bank are the play right now. Anglers accessing backcountry water should note that Outdoor Hub is reporting a recent grizzly attack in Yellowstone National Park; carry bear spray.