Fishing reports
15529 reports across all 50 states — current conditions and what's biting.
Outer Banks bottom bite holds as fall transition begins
NOAA CO-OPS readings this morning show water holding at 77.5°F at station 8658163 and 74.8°F at station 8656483, still solidly in late-summer territory as the calendar turns toward October. Eric, of Hatteras Jack, reports solid bottom-fishing action along the Rodanthe-area beaches, with surf anglers also finding sight-casting opportunities. That kind of shallow-water activity lines up with water temps holding steady rather than dropping fast. The waning gibbous moon means a moderate tidal swing rather than the bigger push a full or new moon would bring, keeping current manageable for anglers working the surf zone this week.
Texas Gulf Coast Still Running Summer-Warm as Fall Transition Nears
Water temperatures along the middle Texas coast are holding in the mid-to-upper 80s Fahrenheit, with NOAA CO-OPS stations reading 87.6°F at station 8771450, 86°F at station 8771341, and 87.1°F at station 8772471 as of early Monday morning. That is still summer-range warmth this late in September, a sign the seasonal cooldown has not taken hold yet on the upper Gulf. Texas Fish & Game Magazine reports a new executive order signed Sept. 17, "Restoring American Saltwater Angling and Recreation," could eventually convert decommissioned offshore oil and gas structures into artificial reefs along the Gulf, a development worth watching for anyone who fishes structure here.
Bluefish and false albacore fire up as fall transition hits Delaware Bay
Water at the NOAA Ship John Shoal station (8537121) read 66.7°F before dawn today, still holding the late-summer mix as the fall transition takes hold along the Jersey coast. Grumpys Tackle reports 'Blues Are In' this week, timing a 30% bucktail sale to the run, while Fishermans HQ out of Long Beach Island logged bluefish blitzes alongside false albacore and the last of the fluke worked on live peanut bunker. Up in Atlantic Highlands, Capt Ron's boat found black sea bass and fluke action swinging from a tough midweek to a banner Friday close to the fluke season. NJ Fish & Wildlife News notes the Delaware Bay's own juvenile finfish trawl survey, running since 1991, continues tracking the estuary's role as a nursery for the species moving through it now.
Fall Run Builds in Raritan Bay as Stripers and Blues Turn On
Water temperature at NOAA's Sandy Hook station reads 63°F this morning, and the fall transition anglers have been watching for is showing up in the reports. Capt Ron's out of Atlantic Highlands closed out fluke season with one of the best days of the year Friday, calling it 'game on right from the start to finish' with shorts, keepers, and quality black sea bass all day, after several days of tougher, picky action earlier in the week. Grumpys Tackle in NJ confirms bluefish are in and has bucktails on sale for the fall run they expect to build. Further south, Fishermans HQ LBI reports bonita, false albacore, and fluke still working the surf on unusually warm water. OTW Northern New Jersey's September 24 report notes a passing nor'easter briefly slowed the bite, but described fall-run striped bass as improving, with bluefish and false albacore lingering and black sea bass picking back up as conditions settle, a pattern Raritan Bay anglers should expect to see this week too.
Charleston Harbor holds late-summer warmth as fall push builds
NOAA CO-OPS readings out of Charleston Harbor this morning show water still holding at 77.7°F, with a second South Carolina station reporting 78.1°F, numbers more typical of high summer than late September. That lingering warmth is the story right now: the seasonal cool-down that usually pulls fall species into range along the Carolinas hasn't taken hold here yet.
Striper bite holds near Santa Cruz as NorCal water cools
NOAA CO-OPS stations bracket the region this week at 53.8°F and 55.6°F, a normal early-fall split between the sheltered water and the open coast. To the south in Monterey Bay, Allen Bushnell's report for Western Outdoor News — Saltwater flags a strengthening shoreline striped bass bite around Santa Cruz, alongside big bluefin potential once conditions cooperate. It's an early sign the fall push is underway along the central coast.
Delaware River smallmouth rebound as nor'easter floodwaters recede
A slow-moving nor'easter dumped days of rain and wind across the region before finally clearing this week, and anglers on the Delaware River are already benefiting. Dave's Sport Shop in Doylestown told The Fisherman — NJ/DE Freshwater that smallmouth bass turned in decent fishing on the river this past week, crediting higher water for giving boat anglers and waders better access. The same report noted crappie holding steady at Nockamixon, just over the river from the Pine Barrens watershed. Allen's Dock on Bass River described a similar fall turnover pattern before the storm shut most trips down, with boats pulled ahead of the blow only now easing back onto the water.
Redfish push toward Panhandle beaches as summer warmth lingers
Water temperatures across our three Panhandle tide stations are holding in the mid-80s this week, ranging from 83.3°F to 85.1°F, keeping the Gulf in late-summer mode even as the calendar turns toward October. That's warm enough to keep bait pods active and predators feeding aggressively before the seasonal cool-down really takes hold. One offshore angler posting to the Pensacola Fishing Forum described a tough Sunday trip out past the #3 red buoy: cigar minnows and hardtails on the bait grounds, fish marking well on sonar, but a reluctant bite on the bigger targets through the morning. Closer to shore, Coastal Angler Magazine reports a young Gulf-coast angler landing a 22-inch redfish in Coden, Alabama this week, a sign redfish are on the move as the water starts its slow cool-down.
Jersey Shore digs out from nor'easter as fall bite waits
Water temps hold at 65.7°F and 64°F on NOAA CO-OPS stations 8534720 and 8536110, still mild for a Waning Gibbous moon this late in September. The bigger story is the nor'easter that pinned the fleet to the docks all week: The Fisherman — Northern NJ reports the Ol' Salty II and Big Mohawk III sat tied up in Belmar as floodwater reached the parking lots, and The Fisherman — Central NJ notes Jingles Bait and Tackle and Surf City Bait and Tackle both took on water. Before the blow, fishing was strong. The Fisherman — Southern NJ relayed a very good nighttime striper bite on the sod banks during flood tide, fish from 16 to 29 inches with a few over 31, on quarter-ounce bucktails and 6-inch Mag Darters, plus a stacked sea bass bite on the Wildwood and Cape May reef sites. The Fisherman — NJ/DE Surf logged blackfish, weakfish, stripers and bluefish all in the mix on the surf side, and Grumpys Tackle (NJ) and OTW Northern New Jersey both flagged bluefish and false albacore still running the beaches into mid-September. Capt Ron's Atlantic Highlands NJ closed out a strong late-season fluke bite alongside quality sea bass, and The Fisherman — New Jersey edition confirmed fluke season closed statewide on September 25.
Northwoods Musky Bite Ignites as Fall Feed Kicks In
Wisconsin's Northwoods musky bite is heating up as October approaches, with Rollie & Helen's Musky Shop reporting the fall feed-bag transition is underway around Oneida and Vilas Counties. Elite local guides tell the shop that as summer's bucktail-burning gives way to bigger presentations, muskies are pushing onto deep edges, steep drop-offs, and rocky points, though the shop notes a strong topwater bite is still producing through late September before that full transition sets in. Walleye anglers aren't left out: Fishing the Midwest reports the "plain rig," a bottom bouncer paired with a plain snell and nightcrawler, is turning into a reliable fall producer as water cools, working the same classic structure that held fish all summer.
Sarasota snook bite builds as tarpon fade toward fall
Water sat at 83.1°F across Sarasota Bay and lower Tampa Bay this week, per NOAA CO-OPS stations 8726520 and 8726724, still solidly in the warm-season range. Snook season reopened September 1st, and Capt. Kelly Kurtz of CB's Saltwater Outfitters reports an active inshore bite in Sarasota Bay for snook and redfish. Capt. Rick Grassett's September forecast has adult migratory tarpon thinning out of the coastal Gulf, sliding into inside waters to rest before pushing on from the area.
Big Hole River reopens as Montana's fall closures approach
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks lifted the angling closure on Section 5 of the Big Hole River this week after weekend rain improved flows, per MT FWP Fishing News, welcome news as several state rivers head into the spawning-closure season that begins October 1. The Big Hole's Section 1 closure, from Saginaw Bridge to the confluence, remains in place. In Livingston, FWP has scheduled an October 1 public meeting to discuss removing illegally introduced bass from Sacajawea Lagoon, part of the agency's ongoing push to protect native fisheries in southwest Montana waters.
Pamlico Sound and Cape Lookout ease into the fall transition
NOAA CO-OPS station 8652587 read 71.1°F and station 8654467 read 73.4°F as of Monday evening, putting Pamlico Sound and the Cape Lookout approaches squarely into the cooling window that marks the start of North Carolina's fall run. Fisherman's Post's latest roundups from Hatteras down to Ocean Isle describe steady surf and nearshore action this week, with captains working bait and casting jigs along the beachfront as the seasonal turnover gets underway.
Oregon Coast conditions diverge as autumn cooling begins offshore
Water temperatures along the Oregon Coast show an early-fall split this week: NOAA's South Beach station (9435380) reads 56.3°F while the Astoria station (9439040) near the Columbia River mouth holds noticeably warmer at 62.1°F. That gap reflects river-mouth mixing still holding heat longer than the open coast, worth factoring in when deciding where to fish over the next few days. The waning gibbous moon is narrowing toward new moon, which should firm up tidal exchange through the week.
Outer Banks coast holds late-summer warmth as fall turn nears
NOAA CO-OPS station 8658163 read 78.1°F this evening while station 8656483 showed 75.6°F, both still sitting in late-summer range along the North Carolina coast. Fisherman's Post (NC) reports bottom fishing has stayed steady along the Rodanthe-area beaches, per Hatteras Jack, with anglers working the surf zone through the tide changes and finding extra sight-casting windows as bait pushes closer to the beach. The gap between the two readings points to a coast still transitioning, warmer water lingering south while the northern stretch starts to cool first.
Summer warmth lingers as Gulf Coast anglers watch for the fall turn
Water across the Galveston-Corpus corridor is still running summer-warm: our three CO-OPS stations read 85.3°F to 87.6°F as of this afternoon, with no meaningful cooling yet on the tide gauges. That's typical for late September before a real cold front moves through, and it keeps the bite pattern set more by tide stage than temperature swing right now. Texas Fish & Game Magazine notes a new federal executive order could eventually open more decommissioned oil and gas structures as artificial reefs for recreational saltwater anglers along the coast, a longer-term development worth tracking rather than an immediate on-the-water change.
Striped bass push through the SoCal Bight as warm water lingers
NOAA's San Pedro tide station (9410170) is reading 75°F this morning, with Santa Monica (9410230) trailing at 73°F, keeping the LA Bight solidly in warm late-September territory. Western Outdoor News — Saltwater's latest SoCal Bight report flags striped bass activity swarming the region this week, with action extending out toward the Channel Islands. It's a promising signal heading into the weekend, though anglers should treat it as an early-week read rather than a confirmed pattern until more reports come in.
Charleston Harbor still summer-warm as SC's fall red snapper window opens
Water temperatures at Charleston Harbor held at 77.7°F this afternoon, per NOAA CO-OPS station 8665530, with a matching 77°F reading up the coast at station 8661070. Both readings sit solidly in late-summer range for South Carolina's saltwater. The bigger news for SC anglers this week: Saltwater Sportsman reports NOAA approved a 14-day fall red snapper season off South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida under a newly issued exempted fishing permit announced September 21, giving bottom anglers a fall shot at the species after this year's summer season was canceled at the last minute.
Fall Run Builds in Narragansett Bay as Albies Push Inshore
Water temperatures read 64.4°F at NOAA CO-OPS station 8452660 and 63.3°F at station 8452944 as of this afternoon, marking the cooldown that's been triggering the region's fall bait exodus. Per Saltwater Edge (RI), false albacore have moved onto the oceanfront chasing peanut bunker and silversides pushing out of the salt ponds, while striped bass have been slower for most anglers on the open coast. The Fisherman — Rhode Island's shop roundup tells a different story closer to shore: Snug Harbor Marina and Quonnie Bait and Tackle both reported striped bass and some bluefish coming from the salt ponds, breachways, and beaches, with surfcasters finding fish tucked into areas sheltered from wind and swell.
Afternoon high tide sets the pace as Puget Sound eases into fall
Puget Sound's water read 50.9°F this morning at NOAA's CO-OPS station 9443090, in line with the seasonal slide from summer highs. Today's next high tide lands at 2:07 PM local, giving the early-afternoon hours the day's strongest current push.
Chesapeake blues bite the incoming tide as storm clears
Chesapeake Bay water sits at 66.2°F this afternoon per NOAA CO-OPS station 8570283, still solidly fall-transition territory. The nor'easter that pinned down Delaware and Chesapeake anglers all week is finally letting up: Eric Burnley (The Fisherman — DE/MD/Chesapeake) logged over three inches of rain and winds topping 50 knots that made fishing impossible for days. Where boats did get out, bluefish were the story. Old Inlet Bait and Tackle reported blues taken on metal lures during incoming water, and Captain Aaron Hurd's Gale Force had a group of kids box 11 blues between storm bands.
Rare Rust Tide Surfaces in Charlotte Harbor as Gulf Waters Stay Warm
Water on Florida's Gulf Coast is still running warm for late September. NOAA CO-OPS readings from this afternoon show 82.9°F at station 8725520 and 80.2°F at station 8727520, both consistent with an extended late-summer pattern holding into fall. The more notable development this week comes from Florida Sea Grant, which reports researchers have detected a rust tide alga (Margalefidinium polykrikoides), rarely seen in Southwest Florida, blooming in Charlotte Harbor. It's a different organism than red tide, but anglers working that stretch should watch water clarity and any changes in fish behavior while scientists continue monitoring the bloom. Separately, CCA Florida notes a new Gulf red snapper stock assessment is now underway, a process that could shape allocation decisions anglers should watch in the months ahead.
Shoreline stripers show near Santa Cruz as NorCal water cools
Water temperatures split across the region this morning: NOAA CO-OPS station 9416841 read 53.4°F and station 9418767 read 57.6°F, both logged around 10am, a gap consistent with typical late-September upwelling along this stretch. Per Western Outdoor News — Saltwater, Allen Bushnell reported a shoreline striper landed near Santa Cruz this week, with the angler working the surf line behind diving birds and bait. That pattern, bass keying on bait pushed tight to the beach, lines up with the cooler water now showing at the northern station.
Fall push builds along the Jersey coast as stripers move in
Delaware Bay water sits at 66.7°F this afternoon, with the next low tide at 6:17 PM. Fall migration signals are strengthening up and down the Jersey coast: OTW Northern New Jersey's September 24 report notes improving fall-run striped bass, lingering bluefish, and false albacore now that a nor'easter has moved through, with black sea bass expected to pick up once conditions settle. Grumpys Tackle (NJ) confirms 'Blues Are In' and is stocking bucktails ahead of the fall bass run. Fluke fishing is winding down statewide — Fishermans HQ LBI (NJ) called it the 'Final Days of Fluke' alongside bluefish blitzes, while Capt Ron's Atlantic Highlands NJ and Blue Chip Sportfishing (NJ) have both been running steady sea bass trips into the close of fluke season.