Fishing reports
19295 reports across all 50 states — current conditions and what's biting.
Outer Banks Spring Drum Run in Full Swing as Warm May Waters Arrive
Red drum have made a strong push onto Hatteras beaches — Ryan of Hatteras Jack, reporting via Fisherman's Post (NC), says good numbers are being caught along the surf this month in one of the Outer Banks' signature spring events. Water temperatures of 76°F at NOAA buoy 41025 (Diamond Shoals, off Cape Hatteras) confirm the warm-water trigger these fish follow north. The drum run extends to the back side as well: Donald of Custom Marine Fabrication reports slot-sized red drum blanketing the Pamlico Sound from end to end of the Neuse River corridor, per Fisherman's Post (NC). Bluefish are showing strongly near Cape Lookout shoals, per Steve of Chasin' Tails via Fisherman's Post — Carolinas saltwater — a pattern that typically precedes blues pushing north along the Banks. Boat anglers should note that 2026 brings expanded red snapper seasons for North Carolina under federally approved pilot programs, according to Saltwater Sportsman.
Lake Gaston Blue Cats Running Big as Roanoke Bass Turn Post-Spawn
Zakk Royce of Blues Brothers Guide Service reported blue catfish stacked tight on channel ledges in 10–20 feet of water at Lake Gaston, landing nearly 300 pounds in under two hours on cut bait, per Wired 2 Fish. The Roanoke River–fed reservoir is producing blue cats up to 50 pounds, with white perch and crappie active enough to pull for fresh live bait — a healthy forage sign heading into summer. On the Catawba side, USGS gauge 02142900 is reading just 1.29 cfs, an extremely low figure that suggests fish are concentrated in deeper holes and channel structure rather than spread across the shallows. Tactical Bassin reports the bluegill spawn is firing region-wide, triggering aggressive topwater strikes from largemouth in shallow cover. Bass across both drainages are wrapping up the spawn and entering the post-spawn transition, a window that typically rewards anglers who can locate and follow fish as they push toward main-lake structure.
Stripers Running Hard From Jamaica Bay to Montauk as Fluke Season Opens
Water at 53°F per NOAA buoy 44065, the spring striped bass run has gone wall-to-wall across Long Island. Duffy's Bait and Tackle in Glenwood Landing is reporting excellent bass to 45 inches on trolled mojos, parachutes, and umbrella rigs per The Fisherman — Long Island North Shore, while Jamaica Bay is still firing for schoolies and slot-size fish according to The Fisherman — Long Island West End. On the South Shore, Just One Bite Charters out of Center Moriches is putting clients on 7 to 11 bass per morning tide session per The Fisherman — Long Island South Shore. The newly opened fluke season is off to an encouraging start despite rough weather — Super Hawk in Pt. Lookout landed flatties to 8.5 pounds and Great South Bay yielded an 8-pound doormat per The Fisherman — Long Island South Shore. Bluefish are beginning to trickle into Shinnecock Inlet and Breezy Point per The Fisherman — Long Island Surf, and porgy action is building across the Peconic Bay system.
Stripers Running Strong as Hudson Valley Trout and Walleye Seasons Peak
Water temps on the Hudson River registered 59°F at Catskill (USGS gauge 01357500) on May 11, placing conditions squarely in the multi-species sweet spot for the Hudson Valley. On The Water's May 8 Striper Migration Map reports that post-spawn bass are charging out of the Chesapeake and spreading fast across the Northeast — and the Hudson River corridor is historically one of the premier spring striper runs in the region. NY DEC's Fishing Line (April 24 issue) confirms that spring hatchery stocking of brook, brown, and rainbow trout is well underway, with fresh fish deployed to accessible streams and tributaries throughout the region. Coolwater season opened statewide May 1 per NY DEC, giving Finger Lakes walleye anglers their first shots at rocky shoals and windswept points. With flows at 1,570 cfs at Catskill and elevated at 15,600 cfs near Green Island, the Hudson is carrying spring volume but remains fishable on inside seams and slack-water pockets.
San Juan tailwater and Rio Grande enter prime mid-May caddis window
USGS gauge 08330000 recorded the Rio Grande at 46.5 cfs as of midday May 11 — notably lean for mid-May and a sign that snowmelt hasn't yet pushed flows into the heavy-turbidity range that locks down the river. That low, clear-water window is exactly what brings trout to the surface. Flylords Mag flags this week as the heart of the Mother's Day Caddis Hatch window — the unofficial pre-runoff kickoff — when every day on a New Mexico freestone stretch could be your last clean-water shot until late June. On the San Juan tailwater below Navajo Dam, dam-regulated flows mean far less volatility; MidCurrent's recent tying coverage highlights midge and caddis pupa patterns as the go-to for clear, pressured tailrace water. A waning crescent moon through the week generally extends low-light feeding activity into dawn, well-timed for working dry-dropper rigs before midday boat traffic builds.
Jersey Shore Spring Bass Run Hits Full Stride
Water temps at 53°F (NOAA buoy 44065) are sustaining one of the strongest spring striper runs the Jersey Shore has seen in years. Fishermans HQ LBI's May 11 update called it "as good as it gets for surfcasters," with bass working every cut, bowl, and gutter along Long Beach Island on fresh clam, glide baits, and bunker. Per The Fisherman — Central NJ, Yakitty Yaks Kayaks rates this among "the best spring bass seasons they've seen in years" across Barnegat and Raritan bays. The Fisherman — Southern NJ (Boulevard Bait & Tackle) reported a 51-inch surf fish this week; Grumpys Tackle logged a 41-inch personal best at Seaside Park on an SP Minnow. Black drum have joined the parade — clam baits are producing fish to 38 inches alongside the bass. Fluke season opened May 4 but remains slow, with most shops reporting mostly shorts while water temps hold in the low 50s. Sea bass opens May 15.
Pine Barrens pickerel sizzling as stripers reach Trenton on the Delaware
Dave's Sport Shop (via The Fisherman — NJ/DE Freshwater) reports mixed-size striped bass at Trenton on the Delaware River, with a handful of fish pushing as far north as Lambertville — a timely signal as the coastal spring run matures. In the Pine Barrens, Creekside Outfitters confirms cedar-water chain pickerel are producing steadily on killies, swimbaits, and spinners, while largemouth bass are active in local ponds on spinnerbaits. Hands Too Bait and Tackle echoes the same picture: pine-stained streams are yielding solid pickerel and campground ponds are "full of nice bass." Trout action has quieted since the April 11 opener, per Dave's Sport Shop and Creekside Outfitters, though Ponderlodge Lake continues to give up holdovers alongside catfish and bass. Allen's Dock on Bass River notes white perch have been unusually absent from tidal streams this spring. USGS gauge 01408000 recorded a manageable 50.3 cfs on May 11, keeping access comfortable for kayak and small-craft anglers.
Merrimack Stripers on the Move as NH Bass Post-Spawn Transition Begins
Striped bass that overwintered in the Merrimack River are actively pushing downriver this week, per The Fisherman — South Shore MA to ME's Surfland Bait report — a reliable mid-May movement that brings quality fish through accessible stretches of the river. USGS gauge 01073500 registered 195 cfs at midday on May 11, indicating moderate, fishable spring levels in the drainage. For bass anglers, the picture is similarly encouraging: Tactical Bassin reports the bluegill spawn in full swing across the Northeast, a reliable cue that largemouth are clearing their beds and shifting into opportunistic post-spawn feeding with topwater and swimbait patterns producing well. Lake Winnipesaukee-specific conditions data was unavailable this reporting cycle; typical mid-May patterns for the lake have landlocked salmon and lake trout pulling toward transitional depths as surface temps climb. The waning crescent this week supports early-morning low-light windows for surface-oriented fish.
Truckee running high as snowmelt pushes spring trout season into gear
USGS gauge 10311000 logged the Truckee River at 649 cfs this morning — elevated spring runoff signaling that Sierra snowpack is actively draining into the system. No water temperature was captured at the gauge today, but flows at this level in mid-May typically hold in the upper 40s to low 50s°F range, keeping trout metabolically engaged. No Truckee- or Tahoe-specific angler intel surfaced in regional feeds this cycle; conditions here draw on gauge data and seasonal patterns typical for this drainage. Hatch Magazine's recent coverage of spring caddis emergences is a useful frame: as flows ease and midday water warms, look for caddis and midge activity in riffled reaches — a soft hackle or emerging pupa fished just below the surface film is a proven producer. MidCurrent's current Tying Tuesday lineup echoes the same theme, highlighting CDC emergers and high-visibility attractors for clear, pressured water. Confirm conditions locally before heading out; flows can shift noticeably day-to-day during active snowmelt.
Phillips Canyon Ramp Opens as Nebraska Bass Begin Post-Spawn Push
Nebraska Game & Parks has opened the new Phillips Canyon boat ramp — road, parking area, vault toilet, and launch all ready to go — delivering a fresh access point to the Missouri River corridor right as conditions enter a productive late-spring window. USGS gauge 06796000 is reading the Platte at 2,380 cfs as of mid-morning May 11, a moderate seasonal flow that can push fish toward slack-water pockets and secondary channels. Nebraska Game & Parks also notes that the lone state-record submission for 2026 so far was a saugeye taken through the ice this past winter — a reminder that this system carries real trophy potential heading into open-water season. Tactical Bassin's early-May breakdown describes bass now moving out of beds and staging near transitional structure, with topwater patterns firing at dawn and swimbait or finesse approaches taking over as the day brightens. Water temperature is unavailable from current gauge data; sampling multiple depth ranges is the safest bet.
Yellowstone trout enter peak caddis window before spring runoff arrives
Running at 1,330 cfs as of May 11 (USGS gauge 06043500), the Yellowstone is holding at a moderate spring level that still favors both wade and boat access — a window that could narrow quickly as upper-drainage snowmelt accelerates. Hatch Magazine's coverage of Yellowstone-system caddis emergences and Flylords Mag's notes on the Mother's Day Caddis hatch together frame this as the pivotal pre-runoff window for dry-fly fishing. MT FWP Fishing News reports the Grey Bear Fishing Access Site near Billings remains under a partial boat ramp and parking closure through approximately May 21 due to construction delays — scout alternate launch points if trailering a boat to that stretch. MT FWP has also issued PFAS fish consumption advisories for select Montana waterbodies; verify your specific stretch at myfwp.mt.gov before keeping fish. No water temperature reading was available from gauge telemetry today.
Missouri & Ozark Rivers bass hit post-spawn transition as bluegill spawn fires
Water temperature logged at 65°F this morning at USGS gauge 06934500 on the Missouri River, with flow running elevated at 90,900 cfs — a combination that is pushing river bass off the main-channel scour and into backwater sloughs, tributary mouths, and current-break eddies. Tactical Bassin reports the bluegill spawn is in full swing at these temperatures, with big largemouth actively hunting shallow heavy cover and responding to topwater frogs, swimbaits, and finesse presentations like the Karashi. On a river running this high, any slack-water pocket off the main stem becomes a high-percentage target. Fishing the Midwest highlights that walleye in Midwest river systems in May remain catchable on jigs and live-bait rigs worked along current seams, a pattern directly applicable here. Crappie are likely wrapping the spawn at 65°F — typical for mid-Missouri — so brush piles and submerged timber in calmer backwater should still be holding fish. Check current Missouri state regulations before harvesting.
Mississippi Sound Inshore Bite Builds in Mid-May Ahead of Gulf ARS Season
With 1.3-foot seas and light winds on NOAA buoy 42067, Mississippi Sound is sitting in a comfortable mid-May window for both inshore and nearshore fishing. Direct local catch reports from charter captains or tackle shops were not available this week, so conditions are assessed from buoy data and regional context. Salt Strong's current technique content highlights topwater plugs and wake baits as productive for shallow-water inshore species during spring warm-up — relevant for the Sound's grass flats and shoreline structure. On the offshore side, the Pensacola Fishing Forum confirms that Gulf American red snapper (ARS) season dates for 2026 are now set, with Saltwater Sportsman, Coastal Angler Magazine, and Sport Fishing Mag all noting expanded snapper programs across the Gulf and South Atlantic this year. Anglers targeting ARS should verify current MS state-waters and federal season windows with MS DMR before heading out.
High Water Pushes Mississippi Bass Into Backwater Timber
USGS gauge 07289000 at Vicksburg is recording 803,000 cfs as of midday May 11 — flood-range flow on the lower Mississippi that is the dominant fishing story this week. With the main stem running high, fast, and turbid, largemouth bass, crappie, and catfish have pushed into backwater sloughs, oxbow lakes, and the flooded timber lining the floodplain margins. Tactical Bassin's early-May on-water coverage confirms the bluegill spawn is in full swing across the mid-South, making shallow flooded wood prime largemouth habitat right now — hollow-body frogs, topwater poppers, and swimbaits skipped into flooded brush have all been producing. No water temperature was available from the USGS gauge this cycle. The Pearl River, typically running lower and clearer than the main stem during high-water episodes, may offer more fishable spring bass and crappie conditions for anglers willing to shift systems. Verify ramp access before launching — flood levels shift bank access quickly.
North Shore Steelhead Peaking as Shore Walleye Bite Lights Up MN
The MN DNR North Shore Fishing Report (May 7) signals the smelt run is approaching its peak on North Shore tributaries while steelhead continue to hold and spawn through the lower shore rivers from the Lester to the Stewart. Flows have been gradually declining following April rain events and clarity is improving, though cold air temperatures have kept water temps persistently low across the region. On the inland front, Jason Mitchell Outdoors reports the shore walleye bite is on — a signal consistent with fish completing their post-spawn transition and beginning to scatter off shallow structure. AnglingBuzz echoes the shallow-water walleye theme this week. USGS gauge data shows rivers in the Twin Cities corridor running at elevated spring flows — 18,900 cfs and 10,900 cfs at monitored sites — with no water temperature readings currently available. The waning crescent moon this week favors pre-dawn and early-evening bites for walleye, bass, and pike across metro and North Woods lakes.
Michigan walleye bite delivers Mother's Day limits as Grand River clears
Michigan Sportsman Forum anglers capped Mother's Day weekend with a four-man walleye limit in 40 feet of water, crediting 1.5 oz. jigheads for staying on the bottom through blustery conditions. The day before, a separate crew reported five walleye on trolled bandits in 16 feet before crawler harnesses closed out the session. Both accounts align squarely with what AnglingBuzz and Jason Mitchell Outdoors are highlighting this week: the walleye bite across Michigan's Great Lakes shallows and mid-depth zones is producing, and the shore bite is building. On the Grand River, USGS gauge 04119000 logged 4,480 cfs on May 11—elevated, but well off the severe flood levels MI DNR flagged through mid-April, signaling improving river access. Bass anglers will find the bluegill spawn firing in earnest, pushing largemouth into heavy shallow cover where frog and topwater presentations shine, per Tactical Bassin. The Waning Crescent moon keeps nighttime light minimal, tightening top feeding windows to dawn and dusk.
Flounder running hot in Cape Cod Bay as Canal stripers hit the 40-pound mark
Water temperatures read 51°F at NOAA buoy 44013 in Massachusetts Bay and 54°F at buoy 44020 on the Nantucket Sound side — a spread that tells most of the story for Cape Cod Bay right now. The Fisherman (Northeast) calls the flounder bite in Cape Cod Bay 'really good' this week, making it one of the most reliable targets for anglers launching from the inner bay. Striper fishing has moved into high gear: The Fisherman (Northeast) reports fish to the low 40-pound class at the Cape Cod Canal, while Charley Soares of The Fisherman — Cape Cod & Islands describes schools of stripers in upper Buzzards Bay — nearly all above 37 inches — breaking on bait in a topwater bite stretching from Fairhaven east to the Canal's west end. Tautog is building around the canal openings and West Falmouth shoreline, and the scup bite has officially turned on across the region's rocky structure, per The Fisherman — Cape Cod & Islands.
Crappie slabs and post-spawn bass firing up Central MA ponds
Jeff Sullivan found outsized crappie action at Cook Pond in Massachusetts this week — giants in the 18-to-19-inch range hitting NLBN shads and a Strike King spinnerbait from shore in daylight hours, per The Fisherman — New England Freshwater. Spring trout stocking continues across Massachusetts waters, with Rod Teehan's column in the same publication confirming active programs keeping ponds and streams well-supplied. USGS gauges show 21 cfs at gauge 01105500 and 117 cfs at gauge 01111500, indicating low-to-moderate late-spring flows with no water temperature readings currently available. Red Top Sporting Goods notes freshwater is "not missing a beat," with big trout and largemouth both active across the region. Post-spawn bass are entering the early-summer transition: Tactical Bassin describes this window as one of the most predictable stretches of the year, with topwater and finesse plastics both producing for anglers willing to move and locate fish.
Post-Spawn Rockfish and White Perch Active in Maryland's Tidal Rivers
Big striped bass are still being caught and released at Chesapeake-area tidal access points, with bloodworms and cut bunker producing fish at Greens Beach and the Woodland Beach fishing pier, per The Fisherman — DE/MD/Chesapeake. The Patapsco River is running at a low 58.6 cfs as of Monday afternoon (USGS gauge 01589000), a sign of settling late-spring flows that typically concentrate fish in deeper pools and tidal channel edges. Tidal creeks and river margins in the region are also holding white perch and channel catfish willing to take bloodworms or prepared catfish baits, again per The Fisherman — DE/MD/Chesapeake. Regionally, On The Water's May 8 striper migration map confirms post-spawn rockfish are pouring out of the Chesapeake proper and pushing up tributaries — a movement that historically carries fish into the Potomac's tidal reaches through mid-May. A waning crescent moon keeps early-morning windows productive for anglers targeting all three species.
Spring Striper Push Closing In on Gulf of Maine Waters
NOAA buoy 44007 recorded 47°F water temps off Portland this week, with the outer Gulf running a colder 42°F at buoy 44027 — a snapshot of where the 2026 striper migration stands for Maine. Per The Fisherman — South Shore MA to ME, stripers are actively exiting the Merrimack River (fish that overwintered there and are now pushing coastal), while fish nearing 20 pounds have been confirmed as far north as Boston Harbor. On The Water's May 8 striper migration map places the main post-spawn push at full speed between New Jersey and Rhode Island, with the leading edge pressing into Massachusetts Bay. Rough conditions have complicated access — both NOAA buoys reported wave heights of 5-plus feet this week, keeping many Maine boats docked. The main wave is close; plan around a calmer weather window to intercept the first solid Gulf of Maine stripers of the spring.
Penobscot Flows Ease as Post-Spawn Bass and Incoming Stripers Define Mid-May
The Penobscot River at USGS gauge 01046500 logged 6,520 cfs on the morning of May 11 — a moderately elevated but receding spring flow as the snowmelt taper continues across central Maine. Water temperature data was unavailable from this station. For freshwater anglers, the post-spawn smallmouth bass transition is the prime story right now: Tactical Bassin confirms that across the region bass are schooling on predictable post-spawn staging structure, calling this one of the most reliable catch windows of the year, with topwater and swimbait patterns both producing. Meanwhile, the broader New England striper migration is pressing toward Maine tidal rivers — On The Water's May 8 migration map tracks post-spawn bass from New Jersey through Rhode Island, and The Fisherman — South Shore MA to ME reports early arrivals already crowding the Merrimack corridor with scouts pushing toward Boston Harbor. First-wave stripers should be knocking on the lower Kennebec's tidal door within days. Landlocked salmon reports from the upper Penobscot were not available in this intelligence cycle.
May warmth puts Louisiana Gulf specks and redfish in aggressive mode
NOAA buoy 42001 logged 80°F water temps in the central Gulf this afternoon, placing Louisiana's coastal passes and marsh systems squarely in prime late-spring territory. Conditions are cooperative: buoy 42067 shows wave heights of just 1.3 ft nearshore, and winds across both stations hold at a mild 4–5 m/s — comfortable for bay boats and nearshore skiffs alike. Salt Strong's current inshore lineup makes the case for topwater plugs when warming temps push speckled trout shallow, a technique that translates directly to Louisiana's tidal grass edges and shell reef cuts. Louisiana Sportsman confirms May is "game on" for area predatory fish — even their inland Chicot Lake report has Brad Romero calling the bite wide open as the water column finishes warming. With the waning crescent moon keeping nights dark, the first-light window should concentrate topwater action before Gulf heat pushes fish off the skinny. Direct charter and tackle-shop reports for the delta were not available in this cycle; species forecasts below lean on buoy readings and mid-May Gulf Coast patterns.
Louisiana backwaters fire up for bass as May post-spawn rolls in
USGS gauge 07374000 logged 68°F on the Mississippi at Baton Rouge on May 11, right in the sweet spot for Louisiana's post-spawn bass transition across backwater lakes and Atchafalaya Basin flats. Louisiana Sportsman reports that guide Brad Romero declared it 'game on' for largemouth at Chicot Lake near Ville Platte the moment May arrived, and regional momentum appears to be tracking with that call. With the river running at 601,000 cfs, elevated spring flows are pushing fish into flooded timber corridors and oxbow lakes — classic ambush conditions. Tactical Bassin notes the bluegill spawn is in full swing at temperatures like these, concentrating largemouth around heavy shallow cover; frog and topwater patterns are producing. Crappie (sac-a-lait) have completed their spawn and are beginning the transition to deeper adjacent structure. Catfish remain active on channel ledges throughout the system. A waning crescent moon extends the productive low-light window into early morning.
Post-Spawn Bass Locking onto Shallow Cover Along the Ohio River
Per MLF News, boater Chris Wilkinson recently claimed a BFL win at the Ohio River at Tanners Creek — catching five bass weighing 14 pounds, 13 ounces by running a shallow-cover pattern, his 12th career BFL victory. That result is the clearest on-water signal we have for Kentucky's stretch of the Ohio right now: largemouth are in or just past the spawn and pulling toward structure in skinny water. USGS gauge 03301500 logged 248 cfs in the region as of midday May 11, reflecting moderate, fishable flows on area tributaries. With the bluegill spawn now in full swing — confirmed by Tactical Bassin — big bass are positioning over shallow beds and turning aggressive on topwater. Frogs, poppers, and swimbaits are producing, while finesse rigs clean up when the bite goes soft, per Tactical Bassin's post-spawn breakdown. Water temperature is unavailable from the regional gauge at this time.