Fishing reports
15529 reports across all 50 states — current conditions and what's biting.
Delaware River and Pine Barrens ease into fall's transition window
Late September marks the turn from late-summer to fall patterns on the Delaware River and through the Pine Barrens, as shorter days and cooling nights ease water temperatures down from their summer highs. That shift typically favors low-light windows, dawn and dusk, over the midday lull that dominated through August, and it's the stretch freshwater anglers in this region watch closely for the first real signs of a fall bite building.
Panhandle anglers grind through a slow full-moon bite
Water held in the low-to-mid 80s across the Panhandle this week, per our tide-station readings, typical for late September before fall's cooldown begins. One angler fishing out of Pensacola described a tough Sunday on the water, according to a report on the Pensacola Fishing Forum: an early bite on bait around the #3 red can gave way to fish that marked on the sounder but wouldn't commit through the morning, with the bite finally turning on over deep bottom structure by early afternoon. The angler tied the slow start to Saturday night's full moon, a pattern familiar to anyone working nearshore reefs and deeper structure this time of year.
Fall stripers build as bluefish and albies linger on the Jersey Shore
NOAA CO-OPS readings put Jersey Shore water at 65.7°F off Sandy Hook and 63.1°F off Cape May, still comfortably in the fall-transition window. Northern New Jersey Fishing Report (Sept. 24) notes last week's nor'easter slowed the bite locally, but fall-run striped bass are improving as bluefish and false albacore linger before pushing out. Fishermans HQ LBI is still finding bonita and albies on live peanut bunker out of Long Beach Island, and black sea bass charters remain strong per Blue Chip Sportfishing and Capt Ron's out of Atlantic Highlands. Fluke, meanwhile, is closing out its season — Capt Ron's called one recent day possibly "the last day of Fluke fishing for 2026."
Sea bass and fluke close strong as fall stripers build off Sandy Hook
Water temperatures off Sandy Hook are holding near 63°F this morning per the NOAA CO-OPS tide station there, and the fall transition bite is staying lively in Raritan Bay. Capt Ron's out of Atlantic Highlands has been running fluke and sea bass trips through the tail end of fluke season, posting steady keeper counts alongside a mix of shorts most days, with sea bass turning into what Capt Ron called "all day long action" on the better drifts. Blue Chip Sportfishing echoes the sea bass strength, calling recent charters "very good." Bluefish remain in the mix too — Grumpys Tackle NJ reports blues are in along the beaches, and OTW's Northern New Jersey fishing report (published Sept 24) notes lingering bluefish and false albacore even after a recent nor'easter slowed the early fall action. That same report points to fall-run striped bass as the pattern to watch once conditions settle.
Cape Cod Bay stripers stall, tautog bite turns on
Cape Cod Bay water sat at 62.8°F this morning per NOAA CO-OPS station 8449130, still mild for the turn toward fall. Southern New England reports read mixed for striped bass this week: Saltwater Edge Blog (RI) called the striper bite lackluster for most anglers, though the shop expects it to pick up once nights cool and northerly winds arrive. Tautog fishing is trending the other way, with the same report noting the bite picking up as bass rafts begin showing over structure.
Musky topwater bite ignites as Northwoods walleyes settle onto fall structure
Late-September conditions across Wisconsin's Northwoods lake country are triggering the seasonal push anglers wait all year for. Rollie & Helen's Musky Shop, working the Oneida and Vilas County flowages, reports an ignited topwater musky bite as recreational boat traffic thins and cooler air settles over the region. Guides and shop staff are still finding fish willing to blow up on surface baits even as classic fall tactics, like deep edges and rocky points, start taking over. On the walleye side, Fishing the Midwest notes the old-school 'plain rig,' a bottom bouncer rigged with a plain snell and crawler, producing again as water eases toward typical fall temperatures, with fish sliding back onto the structure that held them through summer. Field & Stream's fall rig roundup backs up the musky pattern, pointing anglers toward a quick-strike sucker rig suspended under a balloon for this stretch of the season.
Snook and redfish stay active in Sarasota Bay as fall settles in
Tampa Bay water sat at 82.4°F this morning at NOAA CO-OPS station 8726520, with the Clearwater Beach station reading 81.5°F, still solidly summer-warm for late September. Inshore, Capt. Kelly Kurtz of CB's Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key reports an active bite on snook and redfish in Sarasota Bay this week. Capt. Brandon Naeve notes the Gulf Coast fall snook season, which opened September 1, is drawing anglers south toward Fort Myers. Florida Sea Grant also flagged a rare rust tide algae detection in nearby Charlotte Harbor, worth watching before a trip that direction.
Gulf Snook Push Toward Winter Grounds as Fall Tides Turn
Gulf water is holding in the upper 80s across all three Galveston-Corpus CO-OPS stations this morning, with readings of 88°F, 87.3°F and 86°F confirming warm early-fall conditions are still in play. That's squarely the window Sport Fishing Mag describes for Gulf snook, which feed up hard as the days shorten and begin drifting toward their winter holding areas — the piece calls out swimbaits like Z-Man's Mulletron and the Diezel MinnowZ as producers on aggressive fish working the transition. All three stations show a midday low tide between roughly 10:25 and 11:35 a.m. CDT today, setting up an outgoing push worth timing around; Sport Fishing Mag's tide piece notes that falling water concentrates feeding activity at inlets and current breaks.
Big-Game Gains Continue Off San Diego as Bight Water Warms
NOAA's CO-OPS gauge off San Diego (station 9410170) read 76.3°F this morning, while station 9410230 farther north came in cooler at 71.2°F, the kind of temperature split typical across the SoCal Bight in late September. Western Outdoor News — Saltwater reports at least three trophy-class gamefish over 400 pounds landed off San Diego in the past two weeks, with strong big-game activity continuing throughout the Bight, including waters off the Channel Islands.
SC's 14-Day Red Snapper Season Opens as Charleston Harbor Cools Toward Fall
Charleston Harbor's water held at 77°F this morning per NOAA CO-OPS station 8665530, with a second regional station (8661070) reading a similar 76.5°F — saltwater still solidly in late-summer range as the calendar turns toward October. The bigger story for South Carolina anglers is regulatory: Saltwater Sportsman reports NOAA approved a 14-day fall red snapper season for South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida under newly approved exempted fishing permits, a real improvement over the one- or two-day seasons anglers have had in recent years.
Warm nearshore water holds steady as Hawaii's tides ease
NOAA CO-OPS readings taken this morning put water temperatures at 82.8°F off Honolulu and 79.2°F off Nawiliwili, Kauai, both squarely in the warm range that carries through Hawaii's late summer and early fall. The islands are moving through a waning gibbous moon, with tidal swings still relatively modest at both stations. Honolulu's tide peaks around 5:08 a.m. HST and bottoms out by late morning near 11:39 a.m., while Nawiliwili runs roughly two hours ahead, cresting near 3:26 a.m. and dropping through to 9:23 a.m. Those early windows are worth planning around for anyone working nearshore structure or channel edges this week.
False Albacore Hold Steady as Striper Bite Turns in Narragansett Bay
Newport's NOAA CO-OPS gauge (station 8452660) read 64°F this morning, with offshore buoys 44097 and 44085 showing a lingering 3-5 ft wind swell. The fall run has settled into Narragansett Bay: Saltwater Edge Blog (RI) reports false albacore holding over the oceanfront and around the islands, and The Fisherman — Rhode Island's Quonnie Bait and Tackle report describes daytime surface feeds mixing striped bass, bluefish, and false albacore along local beaches and breachways after dark. Fluke numbers have thinned but quality fish remain, per Snug Harbor Marina, while Frances Fleet is still limiting out on black sea bass on full-day trips.
Rolling Pacific ground swell frames a wide tide swing off Washington
Buoy 46041 measured a 6.9-foot swell this morning with water at 60°F, while buoy 46087 to the north showed a smaller 4.6-foot swell and cooler 53°F water, both under light wind near 2 m/s. That's a solid, well-organized ground swell running with calm air on top of it. Closer to shore, the NOAA CO-OPS station at Neah Bay reads a notably cooler 50.9°F, underscoring the temperature split between open coastal water and the entrance to the Strait this time of year. WDFW's statewide creel and catch survey program continues tracking angler effort and stocking activity across Washington waters through the fall.
Cooling Yellowstone flows set up a fall brown trout push
USGS gauge 06192500 logged 53°F water and 1,710 cfs early this morning, right in the range that signals the fall cool-down anglers wait for across the Yellowstone and Snake (Tetons) drainage. Cooling water pushes brown trout into more aggressive, opportunistic feeding as they stage ahead of their spawn, and Field & Stream's fall live-bait rig roundup this week points anglers toward a bottom-bouncing minnow rig on a barrel swivel to keep bait pinned in the strike zone as browns key on baitfish moving through slower runs.
Fall cool-down takes hold across Green River and Uinta Lakes
Water temperatures are settling into fall range across the Green River system: 59°F at the upper Uinta-area gauge (404417108524900), 62°F on USGS gauge 09261000 running 2,780 cfs, and 58°F on USGS gauge 09234500 running 2,180 cfs. Flows on both mainstem gauges are steady and well within normal late-September range for the watershed. The three-to-four degree spread between readings reflects the mix of higher-elevation lake drainage and downstream river water typical of this system as autumn cooling works through the basin. No storm or wind data accompanies today's readings, so conditions on the water itself remain the clearest signal for planning a trip this week.
Green River browns dial in as Flaming Gorge tailwater cools
The Green River is holding steady this morning: 58°F and 2,180 cfs immediately below Flaming Gorge Dam, warming to 62°F and 2,790 cfs by the time it reaches the Jensen stretch downstream. That's the classic fall tailwater signature, cooling water pulling brown trout out of summer lies and into feeding mode ahead of the spawn. Field & Stream's fall live-bait roundup this week points to a bottom-bouncing minnow rig on a barrel swivel as the go-to setup for big fall browns, keeping bait pinned low and slow through exactly the kind of current seams this stretch of river offers. With flows sitting in the 2,100-2,800 cfs range across both readings, wading conditions stay manageable, and the temperature gradient between the dam and Jensen gives anglers a way to chase the warmer water if fish seem sluggish higher up.
Kansas River Flow Holds Steady as Fall Cooldown Takes Hold
USGS gauges on the Kansas River mainstem near Kansas City are reading strong, steady flow — 3,400 cfs at gauge 06892518 and 3,360 cfs at gauge 06892350 — with water temperatures holding in the low 70s (73°F and 71°F). A third gauge, 06893100, is running far lower at just 19 cfs and 69°F, typical of a smaller tributary this late in September. The mainstem's steady volume and 70-degree water mark the early edge of the fall cooldown for this stretch of river.
Cooling Rivers Signal Fall Walleye Shift in Erie's Western Basin
The Maumee River is running 64°F at Waterville and the Tiffin River sits at the same mark, while the Sandusky River near Fremont has cooled to 60°F. All three tributaries feeding Lake Erie's western basin are sliding into fall walleye-run territory. NOAA buoy 45005 shows a light west wind near 7 m/s with air near 62°F, comfortable conditions for a day on the water. Fishing the Midwest points to the "plain rig," a bottom bouncer rigged with a plain snell and nightcrawler, as a go-to producer once water cools into the 60s, working equally well on classic summer structure or the weed edges fish are starting to transition toward.
Fall transition settles in as Cumberland-system flows hold steady
Three USGS gauges across the Cumberland-system watershed are reporting stable, low base flows this week: 32.7 cfs at gauge 03433500 with water at 66°F, and 47.6 cfs at gauge 03434500. A third station, gauge 034324146, reads 68°F. Those readings put local water squarely in the transitional window fishing writers are flagging nationally this week: Wired 2 Fish's October lure roundup and Tactical Bassin's early-fall coverage both point to a shift toward baitfish-matching presentations as water cools, and Fishing the Midwest's latest piece on this stretch of the season notes that live-bait rigs and crankbait trolling still produce as clear, cooling water sets in.
Blues and fluke hold on as Chesapeake water cools into fall
NOAA's CO-OPS station 8570283 logged Chesapeake-area water at 61.7°F this morning, a clear sign the fall cooldown is underway, with wind holding light-to-moderate near buoy 44009 (6 m/s) and air near 76°F. Along the Delaware Bay approaches to the Chesapeake, Smith's Bait Shop in Port Mahon reports bluefish still biting off structure on cut bait and metal lures. Eric Burnley notes fluke fishing held strong through mid-September, headlined by Frank Falcone's 13-pound flatfish taken aboard the Grizzly with Capt. Cary Evans out of Lewes, though wind canceled a string of open-water trips as this week's nor'easter moved through.
Snook Push Toward Winter Grounds as Gulf Bite Builds
Gulf water held summer-warm this week, with NOAA buoy 42036 reading 85°F under light 9 to 11 mph winds and calm seas across the offshore buoys. Buoy 42039 showed similarly settled conditions, with winds near 4 meters per second and air temperatures close to 28°C, underscoring how calm the pattern is across both buoys right now. Sport Fishing Mag reports Gulf snook are already feeling the shorter days and starting to migrate toward their winter holding areas, calling this stretch one of the year's best fishing opportunities as swimbaits like Mulletron and Diezel MinnowZ start producing on aggressive fish. Salt Strong's latest fall lure guide lists redfish among the species anglers are targeting as they size up their lures for the season. Closer to shore, CO-OPS station 8725520 read 82.6°F and station 8727520 read 80.4°F, both a few degrees cooler than the offshore buoy, a sign the fall cooldown is starting nearshore first.
Western NY rivers cool into prime fall bass, walleye window
Water temperatures across the Genesee River watershed sit in the high 50s to mid 60s this week: USGS gauge 04231600 reads 62°F on 618 cfs, gauge 04218700 is at 65°F on 140 cfs, and gauge 04232050 is running low and cool at 6.3 cfs and 59°F. That spread, a near-dry feeder creek alongside two rivers still carrying solid flow, is a classic early-fall signature for this region. Wired 2 Fish and Tactical Bassin both describe bass keying on baitfish and sliding toward deeper structure as mornings cool, while Fishing the Midwest reports walleye responding to bottom-bouncer rigs and bladed swim jigs as the fall transition takes hold.
Browns running deep as Lake Ontario tributary bite holds strong
Strike Zone Charters (Lake Ontario) is reporting a strong week on the Lake Ontario tributaries, with Brown Trout mixed in through 100 to 160 feet of water. Preferred depth has been shifting day to day as wind moves the temperature layer, and Mag Dipsey divers paired with green, white, and chartreuse e-chip flashers have been the go-to setup.
Walleye bite firms up as Saginaw Bay water cools into fall
Saginaw River water is holding at 64°F at USGS gauge 04157005 (Saturday night reading), with flow running 1,900 cfs, a typical early-fall signature for Lake Huron and Saginaw Bay. Walleye anglers are adjusting accordingly. Fishing the Midwest's Mike Frisch points to the "plain rig," a bottom bouncer paired with a bare snell and nightcrawler, as a go-to for this cooler-water stretch of the season, noting it earns its keep once temperatures ease out of summer highs.