Fishing reports
19295 reports across all 50 states — current conditions and what's biting.
Columbia and Rogue Spring Chinook Hit Mid-May Stride
USGS gauge 14211720 on a Columbia tributary logged 64°F and 17,300 cfs early Sunday morning — water temperatures squarely in the prime spring Chinook migration window for both the Columbia and Rogue systems. At 64°F, salmon are typically pushing upriver at a brisk clip, with fish concentrating in lower mainstem pools before warming surface water triggers faster movement toward cooler upstream lies. Regional angler chatter on IFish.net has been limited this week to lost-and-found notices — no fishing reports for the Columbia or Rogue surfaced, suggesting a quiet reporting cycle. In the absence of direct charter or shop intel, conditions here are assessed on seasonal and temperature grounds. White sturgeon typically remain productive on the lower Columbia through late May, and smallmouth bass in warming side-channel sloughs are benefiting from temps well above the 60°F activation mark. Verify ODFW regulations before retaining salmon, steelhead, or sturgeon, as season rules shift frequently in spring.
Bluegill spawn ignites Lake Eufaula bass bite through May transition
USGS gauge 07247500 on the Red River recorded just 3.88 cfs Sunday morning — far below typical spring flows — pointing to low, clear conditions that concentrate fish along deeper channel edges and submerged structure. Despite the sparse gauge data, the fishing picture is encouraging for bass: Tactical Bassin confirms the bluegill spawn is in full swing, with big largemouth pushing into shallow heavy cover to feed. Frogs, hollow-body poppers, and finesse rigs are all producing depending on light levels and fish mood. The post-spawn transition is layered right now — some fish still on beds, others scattering toward main-lake structure — which means multiple patterns are producing simultaneously. Catfish anglers have a window too; Wired 2 Fish highlighted cut bait on Santee rigs drifted along channel ledges as a proven blue catfish approach this time of year. No water temperature readings are available from our sensors this cycle.
Post-spawn bass and walleye on the move across Ohio's major waters
Tactical Bassin reports the bluegill spawn is in full swing across the Midwest, pulling big bass into heavy shallow cover and making topwater and frog presentations especially productive for anglers targeting largemouth right now. No live USGS flow or temperature readings are available from Ohio River gauge 03271601 today, so verifying current conditions locally before launching is essential. On Lake Erie, mid-May is the classic window when walleye shift off their spawning reefs and turn aggressive along mid-lake structure — Fishing the Midwest confirms that jigs and slip-sinker live bait rigs remain a preferred approach for walleye guides working similar Midwest waters this week, with spinning gear gaining renewed favor for finesse presentations. Bass on Ohio River backwaters and tributaries are in the post-spawn transition: some fish holding shallow around wood and points, others beginning to track baitfish toward deeper summer haunts. Multiple presentations are in play, with topwater, swimbaits, and soft-plastics all producing per Tactical Bassin.
Shore Walleye Bite Heating Up Across ND's Red and Missouri Rivers
With USGS gauge 05054000 logging 54°F water and a moderate 1,150 cfs on May 10, North Dakota's river corridors are primed for one of spring's best walleye windows. Jason Mitchell Outdoors is calling the shore walleye bite live right now — a recent feature specifically targets bank anglers with current lure and gear recommendations. That timing aligns with the gauge reading: walleye feed most aggressively in the 50–60°F band, and this flow keeps current fishable from shore without pushing fish off structure. On the Missouri system, Lake Audubon is drawing Jason Mitchell Outdoors' attention for smallmouth bass, a species that thrives in warming rock-and-gravel habitat as May advances. Fishing the Midwest's Mike Frisch is championing spinning gear for walleye jigs and live-bait rigs this spring — a timely reminder as post-runoff clarity returns and fish begin to feed in earnest. Both windows should hold through mid-month if temperatures continue their gradual climb.
Red drum push onto OBX beaches as the spring surf bite comes alive
Water temps confirmed at 72°F across NOAA buoys 41025 and 41013 have the Outer Banks surf in prime spring shape. Ryan of Hatteras Jack (via Fisherman's Post) reports that red drum are making a strong push along the Hatteras and Ocracoke beach faces, with anglers posting consistent numbers in the surf. That bull drum activity extends toward Cape Lookout Shoals, where Steve of Chasin' Tails notes schools showing alongside plenty of good-sized bluefish, per Fisherman's Post. Farther back into the sounds, Donald of Custom Marine Fabrication reports slot-sized red drum moving through the Pamlico/Neuse corridor with the bite spread across most of the Neuse. In the surf along Swansboro and Emerald Isle, Morgan of The Reel Outdoors adds catches of sea mullet, black drum, and early pompano. With multiple species showing simultaneously across the beach, inlet, and sound, this is a strong start to the May surf season.
Blue cats firing on Lake Gaston as Catawba flows run lean
USGS gauge 02142900 showed just 10.1 cfs at dawn on May 10, signaling lean, clear conditions across monitored Catawba-area drainages heading into mid-May. The more compelling story is on the Roanoke system: Wired 2 Fish reports that Zakk Royce of Blues Brothers Guide Service drifted cut bait on Santee Rigs along a channel ledge in 10 to 20 feet of water on Lake Gaston and released close to 300 pounds of blue catfish in roughly two hours, using fresh-cut white perch and crappie as bait. Both systems are deep into the post-spawn bass transition; Tactical Bassin blog notes that the bluegill spawn is now fully underway, pulling bass back into shallow heavy cover and off the beds. Low water on the Catawba concentrates fish in fewer, deeper holding areas, making ledge presentations and finesse approaches the logical strategy across that side of the region. Overall, anglers who can locate structure are best positioned right now.
Stripers Blow Up Across Long Island as Fluke Season Opens
Water temps are holding at 50–51°F per NOAA buoys 44025 and 44065, and the cool water is proving no obstacle to a red-hot striper bite. On The Water's May 7 report puts big bass on the South Shore surf — fish exceeding 25 pounds — while North Shore fish are chasing bunker east through Long Island Sound. Per The Fisherman's North Shore correspondents, Cow Harbor Bait and Tackle and Campsite Sport Shop both confirm 30- to 44-inch stripers stacked inside Huntington Bay and Cold Spring Harbor, responding to Mojo rigs, popper plugs, and bunker chunks. Around Montauk, Star Island Yacht Club reports slot-size fish in front of the lighthouse on moving tides, with diamond jigs and bucktails working near the bottom. New York's summer flounder season officially opened May 4, and Sea Rogue Charters out of Freeport is already logging keepers to 5 pounds on early exploratory fluke runs.
Stripers moving up the Hudson as spring trout stocking peaks across NY
USGS gauge 01357500 logged 56°F on the water Sunday morning — a sweet spot that has stocked trout actively feeding and migrating stripers pushing into the Hudson corridor. On The Water's May 8 striper migration map puts post-spawn bass spreading across the Northeast in full force, with New Jersey to Rhode Island all firing and the lower Hudson well within the leading edge. NY DEC The Fishing Line reports hatchery crews have been actively transporting and stocking brook, brown, and rainbow trout statewide — timing that lines up with current water conditions perfectly. The coolwater sportfish season opened May 1, per NY DEC, making Finger Lakes walleye a newly legal target just as ice-out patterns fade and fish settle into early-season structure. Combined Hudson flows stand at 12,700 cfs (USGS gauge 01358000), elevated from snowmelt but well within fishable range at most access points.
San Juan midges and caddis building as Rio Grande holds low and clear
USGS gauge 08330000 logged the Rio Grande at just 54.2 cfs before dawn on May 10 — a notably low reading for a month that typically marks the peak of snowmelt runoff in New Mexico. Low, clear water on the Rio Grande gorge section can concentrate trout but demands fine tippet and precise presentations. No direct on-water reports from New Mexico waters appeared in this week's intel feeds, so conditions here draw on gauge data and seasonal patterns for context. MidCurrent noted this week that midge patterns excel in "the clear, pressured water of stillwaters and tailraces" — a description that fits the San Juan River near Navajo Dam as well as any fishery in the Southwest. Hatch Magazine also published a fresh look at caddis emergence timing, and early May is squarely within that window for Southwest tailwaters. With a Last Quarter moon and temperatures rising into late spring, early-morning and late-afternoon feeding windows are likely the most productive slots right now.
Delaware shad and spawning stripers pushing past Trenton in strong spring run
American shad hauls of 30 to 65-plus fish are coming in at the Lewis Shad Fishery, and spawning stripers have pushed well past Trenton into the non-tidal stretch of the Delaware River, according to JB Kasper via The Fisherman — NJ/DE Freshwater. A 35-inch striper was reported in catch-and-release nets near Lambertville this past week — a strong indicator of upriver migration. Old School Outdoors in Ewing corroborates the picture, noting good-sized crappies in the river alongside shad action and solid trout fishing in the canal since the latest stocking. On the Pine Barrens side, USGS gauge 01408000 is reading a steady 37.1 cfs as of Sunday morning — modest, stable flow that keeps wading and small-boat access straightforward. Fairfield Fishing Tackle notes that bass are cycling on and off spawning beds as water temps fluctuate, while northerns and smallies continue producing in upper-river tributaries on a mix of live bait and soft plastics.
Spring striper push closes in on NH coast — arrival imminent
A 35-inch striper pulled from the mouth of the Merrimack River on a paddletail shad — reported this week by The Fisherman — South Shore MA to ME — signals the spring migration is at New Hampshire's doorstep. Water temps at NOAA buoy 44007 are running at 45°F, still cold, but the fish aren't waiting. Fresh bass have now reached the South Shore of Massachusetts and are moving further north with each passing day, per Dave Anderson in that same outlet. On The Water's May 8 migration map shows the 2026 push running at full speed from the Chesapeake through Rhode Island, and The Fisherman (Northeast) logged stripers to 47 inches in Narragansett Bay last week. NH river mouths, estuary edges, and rocky headlands are the prime targets as the first real arrival window of the season approaches.
Shad run crests and stripers push north as NH spring migration peaks
A 35-inch striped bass pulled from the mouth of the Merrimack River on a paddletail shad — reported this week by a Surfland Bait clerk via The Fisherman — South Shore MA to ME — marks the first confirmed migratory fish reaching the NH border zone. Shad are building fast: North Andover is the current hot zone on the lower Merrimack, per the same report, with numbers climbing daily. On The Water's May 8 striper migration map confirms post-spawn bass are pouring out of the Chesapeake and spreading northeast from New Jersey to Rhode Island at full speed. Dave Anderson's dispatch in The Fisherman — South Shore MA to ME calls for a rapid increase in striper numbers and size over the next ten days. Farther inland, Lake Winnipesaukee's post-spawn bass transition is underway — Tactical Bassin notes the bluegill spawn is in full swing, a reliable cue that largemouth are cruising shallow heavy cover — though no specific NH lake reports appear in this week's feeds.
Truckee trout active at moderate spring flows; Tahoe Mackinaw in transition
USGS gauge 10311000 recorded the Truckee River running at 576 cfs at 3:35 AM this morning — a manageable spring flow that keeps wading viable while moving enough water to concentrate trout in predictable seams and pocket water. No shop, charter, or agency reports from this specific corridor appear in this cycle, so the read below leans on seasonal patterns and fly-fishing technique guidance from national fly fishing media. For trout on the Truckee, sub-surface nymph presentations and swinging soft hackles through runs are the reliable approach this time of year; Hatch Magazine notes that caddis emergences are a key late-spring trigger worth tracking as river temperatures begin to climb. On Lake Tahoe, Mackinaw are in their spring transition from deep wintering zones, and kokanee salmon are beginning to stage in shallower water. MidCurrent's current pattern coverage highlights midge and nymph rigs for clear, pressured stillwaters — a description that fits Tahoe closely. The Last Quarter moon tonight supports low-light feeding windows at dawn and dusk.
Phillips Canyon Access Opens as Platte & Missouri Enter Prime May Window
Phillips Canyon Boat Ramp reopened this week — Nebraska Game & Parks confirmed the road, parking, vault toilet, and ramp are all operational, giving anglers a fresh access point along the Platte River corridor. The USGS gauge 06796000 recorded 1,760 cfs early Sunday morning, reflecting moderate spring flows that typically position channel catfish and white bass along current breaks and channel edges. No water temperature reading was available from our gauge network at this time. In a notable early-season marker, Nebraska Game & Parks reports that the only state record submission for 2026 so far is a saugeye caught through the ice last winter — a reminder that saugeye are a legitimate target in these systems as waters continue warming through May. Nationally, Tactical Bassin is tracking the post-spawn bass transition, with largemouth beginning to move off shallow cover toward deeper structure — a shift that commonly plays out across Platte and Missouri River access points at this point in the season. Check local regulations before harvesting any species.
Spring trout window open on the Yellowstone ahead of peak runoff
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks has joined state health and environmental agencies in releasing PFAS fish consumption advisories for certain Montana waterbodies — per MT FWP Fishing News, anglers who regularly keep their catch should consult the current advisory list before their next outing. On the water, the Yellowstone River at Corwin Springs is recording 1,070 cfs as of May 10 (USGS gauge 06043500), a moderate pre-runoff flow that keeps the upper system accessible before peak snowmelt pushes levels significantly higher. Anglers heading to the Billings-area stretch should note that Grey Bear Fishing Access Site remains under partial closure — boat ramp and parking area restricted — with MT FWP targeting completion by May 21. No specific guide or tackle-shop bite reports for the Yellowstone or Missouri corridors surfaced in this week's feeds; conditions described here reflect typical early-May patterns for the region, with trout likely holding in moderate runs and inside bends as emerging hatches begin to build.
Post-spawn bass transition heats up on Missouri & Ozark Rivers
Water temperatures at 65°F recorded at USGS gauge 06934500 on the Missouri River signal that bass are in full post-spawn transition mode region-wide. Tactical Bassin's early-May coverage confirms the bluegill spawn is in full swing, with largemouth pushing into shallow heavy cover and responding to topwater, frog, and finesse presentations — the blog reports a Karashi bite alongside topwater action has been productive for post-spawn fish. On Ozark tributary streams, 65-degree water puts smallmouth in a prime feeding window following spawning. The Missouri main stem is running at 101,000 cfs, a vigorous late-spring pulse that pushes gamefish away from the main thread and into wing dam eddies, backwater sloughs, and current breaks. Channel catfish should be holding near channel ledge drop-offs in these conditions, as high, warming water concentrates fish on predictable structure. Fishing the Midwest notes that jig and live-bait rigs on spinning tackle remain productive for Midwest river species.
Speckled trout and redfish active as Mississippi Sound inshore bite builds
NOAA buoy 42067 logged calm Gulf conditions this morning — 1.6-foot seas and winds near 8 knots — with air temperatures around 72°F. Water temperature data was unavailable from the buoy this reading cycle, though mid-May conditions in the Sound typically push surface readings into the upper 70s, well within the strike zone for inshore species. Direct captain or tackle-shop reports from Mississippi Sound were not available in this cycle's feeds; MS DMR sources this week address wetland permit applications in Bay St. Louis, Ocean Springs, and Pascagoula rather than catch updates. Salt Strong's spring fishing coverage consistently highlights topwater plugs as the go-to Gulf Coast inshore technique right now, with speckled trout and redfish the primary targets across shallow grass flats. Anglers should verify conditions with Sound-area tackle shops before launching — the buoy paints calm, fishable water, but local ground-level intel will confirm what's actively eating.
Post-Spawn Bass Target Flooded Timber as Mississippi River Surges
USGS gauge 07289000 logged the Mississippi River at Vicksburg at 824,000 cfs early on May 10 — a reading well above typical spring-pulse levels that signals high, turbid water pressing into oxbows and flooded timber throughout the Delta and Pearl River corridor. Elevated flows of this magnitude tend to push largemouth bass off main-channel banks and into shallower, wood-heavy backwater pockets. Tactical Bassin's early-May reporting confirms the post-spawn transition is underway regionally, with bass scattering from beds toward adjacent structure; topwater frogs and swimbaits around heavy cover are the go-to patterns where the bluegill spawn is fully active. Alligator gar, a fixture of the lower Mississippi drainage, characteristically spread into flooded margin habitat during high-water events. No Mississippi-specific charter or tackle-shop reports appeared in this cycle's feeds — local conditions intel is thinner than usual, so check with area bait shops before launching. No water temperature reading was available from the gauge.
North Shore steelhead and smelt peak as Twin Cities rivers run high
The May 7 MN DNR North Shore Fishing Report signals a peak smelt run as imminent, with steelhead still actively being caught in every lower shore river from Lester to Stewart. Stream levels have been gradually declining after back-to-back rain events in late April—the Knife River alone surged from 370 to 4,690 cfs following two inches of rain on April 23, per the DNR—and clarity is steadily improving. Water temperatures remain cold after a stretch of below-normal air temps, which is slowing the smelt arrival but keeping steelhead in the rivers longer. In the Twin Cities corridor, USGS gauge 05331000 shows the Mississippi system at 20,600 cfs and USGS gauge 05288500 at 12,100 cfs, indicating fast, elevated water that will push most fish to backwater seams and slack-water edges. Jason Mitchell Outdoors has flagged the shore walleye bite as active right now—a productive angle when main channels are running hard and fish seek refuge off the primary current.
Grand River levels off as walleye and bass enter prime May window
The Grand River is running at 4,720 cfs as of May 10 (USGS gauge 04119000)—still elevated from the severe flooding that had Michigan rivers breaching their banks in mid-April, per the MI DNR Weekly Fishing Report, but dropping toward fishable levels. As currents moderate and water clarity improves, walleye are firmly in their post-spawn feeding phase, concentrating around current seams and gravel transitions in the Grand and along western Lake Michigan tributaries. Smallmouth bass are staging pre-spawn in Saginaw Bay and river systems; Michigan Sea Grant recently launched new research tracking their seasonal movements in the bay. Largemouth are sliding into warming shallows ahead of the bluegill spawn—Tactical Bassin notes topwater and frog presentations are producing around heavy cover right now as that cycle ramps up. Steelhead stragglers may still hold in the lower Grand, but the main spring push has wound down. Last Quarter moon this weekend favors low-light feeding windows at dawn and dusk.
Canal herring run fires; stripers and flounder hot in Cape Cod Bay
The Canal herring run fired up last Friday with fresh migratory stripers — over-slot fish were caught and released and bass were breaking visibly near the run, per Red Top Sporting Goods via The Fisherman — Cape Cod & Islands. Plymouth Harbor is also reporting fresh arrivals, and On The Water confirms the broader striper migration is hitting full speed as post-spawn fish spread rapidly across the Northeast. Meanwhile, The Fisherman (Northeast) singles out Cape Cod Bay for an especially good flounder bite this week, making the sandy flats a productive alternative for anglers avoiding Canal crowds. Tautog action throughout Buzzards Bay is building toward a seasonal peak — green crabs are the hot ticket, per The Fisherman — Cape Cod & Islands. Water temps are running 49–53°F across the region (NOAA buoys 44013 and 44020), still on the cool side but climbing, with seas of 1.6–2.6 ft keeping conditions manageable.
Cook Pond 7-pounder leads a hot early-May bass bite across Central MA
Jeff Sullivan recorded a 7.25-pound largemouth bass on a bladed jig from Cook Pond in Massachusetts last week, with white perch and crappie adding consistent panfish action at multiple sites, per The Fisherman — New England Freshwater — a clear signal that Central MA's warm-water bite is well underway heading into mid-May. Tactical Bassin reports the bluegill spawn is in full swing, pushing big largemouth into shallow, heavy cover where topwater presentations, frogs, and swimbaits are all drawing strikes. Spring trout stocking continues across Massachusetts waters, per The Fisherman — New England Freshwater, keeping hatchery rainbows and browns available for those who prefer a cooler-water option. USGS gauges recorded flows of 26.7 and 105 cfs early this morning, indicating moderate, fishable conditions with no flood-stage runoff concerns. Water temperature sensors returned no data today — anglers should carry a thermometer and check pond surface temps before committing to a shallow bed-fishing approach, as conditions vary significantly across impoundments.
Post-Spawn Stripers Stack Chesapeake Bay Shorelines for May
Water temp is 53°F (NOAA buoy 44009, May 10) as striped bass headline the Chesapeake Bay. The Fisherman — DE/MD/Chesapeake reports Smith's Bait Shop is seeing fish above, below, and within the 28–31-inch slot at Collins Beach, Greens Beach, and Woodland Beach on bloodworms and cut bunker. Old Inlet Bait and Tackle ran a surf tournament with more than 200 anglers and noted impressive stripers throughout. On The Water's May 8 migration map puts the 2026 post-spawn push in full swing — bass pouring out of the Chesapeake and spreading up the coast, so fish on Bay shorelines may not linger long. White perch are holding in tidal creeks and spillways on bloodworms and minnows, and a few tautog have shown at the inlet on sand fleas and green crab (The Fisherman — DE/MD/Chesapeake). Federal black sea bass season was delayed to May 15 by a late regulatory approval; check state regs before targeting flounder offshore.
Post-spawn stripers and white perch active in Potomac and Patapsco tidal waters
Striped bass are showing across the upper Chesapeake tidal system — The Fisherman — DE/MD/Chesapeake confirms fish above, below, and within the 28-to-31-inch slot at Collins Beach, Greens Beach, and Woodland Beach on bloodworms and cut bunker. White perch and catfish are feeding actively in tidal creeks and spillways, with both species responding to bloodworms and minnows per the same source. On The Water's May 8 striper migration map confirms post-spawn bass spreading out of the Bay and into Northeast tributaries — a pattern that reaches into the Potomac and Patapsco corridors as May advances. The Patapsco (USGS gauge 01589000) is running at 58.6 cfs as of early Sunday morning — a moderate, fishable level for wade and bank anglers. No water temperature was available from the gauge this week. Largemouth and smallmouth bass in the non-tidal reaches are on a typical mid-May post-spawn schedule; no specific local reports came in for those fisheries this week.