Fishing reports
15529 reports across all 50 states — current conditions and what's biting.
Mississippi Sound holds summer warmth as oyster season nears
Water in Mississippi Sound is still running in summer territory, with NOAA CO-OPS readings of 84.9°F and 82.2°F taken this afternoon at the Sound's two monitored stations. That's warm for the final week of September, and it comes as MS DMR announces the 2026–2027 Mississippi oyster season opens at legal sunrise on Thursday, October 1, running to a noon check-out and closed Sundays across the approved and conditionally approved reef areas. Tonight's full moon strengthens the tidal push through the Sound, the kind of current anglers rely on to concentrate bait around passes and reef edges as the water begins its slow turn toward fall.
Weakfish and tog stack up in Delaware Bay ahead of nor'easter
Delaware Bay water held at 64°F this afternoon per NOAA station 8557380. Higbee's Bait and Tackle reports a mixed bag of spot, croakers, kingfish, bluefish and weakfish for anglers drifting smaller baits, with tautog now stacked on the bay's structure, taking sand fleas, green crabs and fiddlers, fish to 4 pounds. Big Dave's Tackle adds that weakfish are showing more consistently, with a targeted bite building on soft plastics near the lighthouses. At the bay's mouth, Pier 47 Marina says striped bass to 31 inches are feeding hard after dark on peanut bunker and mullet pushed from the back bays, working paddletails, rubber shads and Mag Darters around lighted docks and sod banks, with higher tides outproducing the daytime bite. Port Mahon is also giving up bluefish on cut bait and metal, per Smith's Bait Shop.
Tog and weakfish turn on as fluke season closes on Delaware Bay
Delaware Bay's NOAA station 8537121 read 66.9°F this afternoon, with low tide due around 5:30 PM local under this week's Full Moon. The Fisherman's Southern New Jersey report has Higbee's Bait and Tackle seeing a mixed bag of bluefish and weakfish for anglers drifting small baits, while fish anchored on structure are finding tautog moving in heavy on sand fleas, green crabs and fiddlers. The same report has Big Dave's Tackle noting weakfish building on soft plastics fished near the lighthouses, and Pier 47 Marina seeing striped bass feed hard after dark on staging peanut bunker and mullet around lighted docks and sod banks, with fish to 31 inches on paddletails, rubber shads and bucktails. Higher tides are producing the better numbers on that night bite.
Fall cooldown arrives for Rio Grande and San Juan waters
Late September marks the seasonal turn for New Mexico's Rio Grande and San Juan fisheries, as cooling water begins shifting fish out of the sluggish late-summer pattern and into the more active feeding windows typical of fall. Both systems stay freshwater through this stretch, and the coming weeks typically bring steadier action as temperatures keep sliding toward winter norms.
Oregon Coast rides a full-moon spring tide into fall
Our two coastal tide stations are reading 56.8°F and 62.4°F this morning, a meaningful spread between the outer coast and a more sheltered bay setting that's typical as summer upwelling gives way to fall stratification. Tonight's full moon is pulling a spring tide, and both stations show a pronounced swing between this morning's low and this afternoon's high, worth building a trip around rather than fishing through slack water, whichever stretch of coast you're working this week.
False albacore signal fall's arrival off Charleston Harbor
Charleston Harbor sits at 77°F this morning, with the tide building toward a midday high near 8:43 AM and running back out to a low around 3:08 PM under a full moon, a strong swing that should push bait through the inlet on both ends of the cycle. Offshore, Saltwater Sportsman reports a 14-day fall red snapper season has been approved for South Carolina waters under a new exempted fishing permit, giving bottom anglers a real window this fall. Closer to shore, Sport Fishing Mag's seasonal roundup notes false albacore starting to feed on the surface as water temperatures ease, a signal the fall transition is underway along this stretch of coast.
Full Moon Sets Up Bigger Tide Swings on the Panhandle
Water across the Panhandle is running warm for late September. Three NOAA CO-OPS stations covering this stretch of coast are reading between 82.4°F and 84.4°F as of this morning, water that reads more like high summer than the tail end of the month. A full moon tonight is stacking bigger tidal swings on top of that warmth. Station 8728690 shows its next low at 10:07 a.m. local, building to a high around 4:37 p.m., while station 8729108 is already sliding toward a low before 6:30 a.m. and station 8729840 follows with a late-morning low near 8:38 a.m. Those staggered lows and highs give anglers a workable tide window on either end of the day rather than one narrow one for the whole coast.
Albies, Blues Linger at Jersey Shore as Striper Push Builds
NOAA's tide stations at Sandy Hook and Atlantic City are both reading water in the low 60s this morning, 62.2°F and 61.9°F, the clearest sign yet that the seasonal cooldown has taken hold along the Jersey Shore. Capt Ron's out of Atlantic Highlands has strung together several solid days of fluke and black sea bass on the drift, with quality fish coming right around the tide change. Fishermans HQ LBI is finding bonita, false albacore and fluke stacked up on live peanut bunker off Long Beach Island, and Grumpys Tackle confirms bluefish have moved into the surf. OTW's Northern New Jersey report notes bluefish and false albacore still working the beaches even as last week's nor'easter took some steam out of the striper bite.
Fall run builds in Raritan Bay as sea bass, blues turn on
Water at Sandy Hook's NOAA CO-OPS station 8531680 read 62.4°F this morning. Per Capt Ron's out of Atlantic Highlands, black sea bass have been running very good, with full-boat limits on calmer days, while fluke swung from a tough midweek bite to a strong all-day pick by Friday. Grumpys Tackle (NJ) reports blues are in along the beaches, and OTW Northern New Jersey's latest weekly note has fall-run striped bass improving alongside lingering bluefish and false albacore, even after a nor'easter briefly slowed things down.
Full moon tides set the pace as Georgia coast waits on fall
Water at NOAA's Fort Pulaski tide station (8670870) is holding at 77.4°F as of this morning, still solidly in late-summer territory for the Georgia coast. High tide arrives around 8:53 a.m. local time, falling to low near 3:26 p.m., and with a full moon overhead this week's tides are running on the stronger end of the monthly cycle, worth planning around at current-dependent spots. Georgia Wildlife Blog's weekly report flagged National Hunting and Fishing Day on September 26, a statewide free fishing day meant to pull new anglers onto the water, and its recent posts have repeatedly pointed to the seasonal shift now underway as days shorten and mornings cool. GA Sea Grant's coastal research updates this month also center on the state's estuaries, a reminder that the fall transition is the story on this coast right now more than any single hot bite.
Full moon tides set the tempo for Pamlico Sound's fall turn
Water temperatures are sitting in the upper 60s across the region, 66.6°F at NOAA CO-OPS station 8652587 and 69.1°F at station 8654467 as of this morning, still warm enough to hold the current pattern together. A full moon is amplifying the tidal swing through Pamlico Sound and Cape Lookout this week: the northern station's next high lands near 8:47 a.m. Eastern with a low around 3:35 p.m., while the southern station runs roughly an hour behind on both. Fisherman's Post (NC) reports out of the Hatteras/Ocracoke and Morehead/Atlantic Beach stretches describe steady nearshore and surf activity building through September as the water eases toward its seasonal cool-down.
Cape Cod Bay stripers hold steady as tautog bite turns on to the south
Water at NOAA's Cape Cod Bay station (8449130) read 60.1°F early this morning, still on the mild side after the weekend storm that forced organizers to cancel Falmouth's StriperFest 2026. Striped bass remain in the mix around the Cape: a hidden-compartment poaching case at the Smugglers Beach ramp in South Yarmouth this week confirmed anglers are still connecting with bass locally, even as Saltwater Edge Blog (RI) describes the striper bite one region south as lackluster for most through late September. The same report notes the tautog bite is picking up, a pattern worth watching as it works its way up the coast toward Cape Cod Bay.
Full-moon tides mark shift toward Maine's fall striper run
Our three Maine tide stations read 59.4°F, 57.4°F and 54.3°F this morning, holding in the upper-50s band typical of late September as Gulf of Maine waters begin their fall cool-down. Farther south on the same coast, Saltwater Edge (RI) reports the striped bass bite has been lackluster through most of September but expects it to sharpen with the first truly chilly nights and northerly winds, while tautog action there is already picking up as the water cools. Today's full moon adds a stronger tidal push behind both patterns.
Fall snook run heats up in Sarasota Bay and Tampa Bay flats
Water temperatures are holding warm at 83°F in Tampa Bay and 81°F off Clearwater Beach, and CB's Saltwater Outfitters reports the fall snook season is in full swing across the Sarasota-to-Fort Myers stretch, calling it some of the best snook water anywhere. Capt. Kelly Kurtz, fishing out of CB's on Siesta Key, describes an active inshore bite in Sarasota Bay this week for snook and redfish. Capt. Rick Grassett's outlook for the month has snook staging around docks and bridges in the Intracoastal as fish move away from passes toward their wintering areas, with live shrimp near structure and pilchards on the shallow flats doing the work. Tarpon, by contrast, are thinning out of the coastal Gulf as the migratory push winds down, with stragglers holding around bridges and deep grass flats before clearing out for the season. It's a full moon this week, adding extra push to the tide swings anglers are working around.
Full moon tides set up a striper shift in Buzzards Bay
Water temperatures read 64°F across Buzzards Bay and Vineyard Sound this morning, and tonight's full moon is amplifying tidal currents through both bodies of water. Striped bass fishing has been lackluster for most anglers in the region, per Saltwater Edge Blog (RI), while tautog action is reportedly picking up as the water continues to cool.
Upper Coast Snook Push Builds as Texas Gulf Cools Into Fall
Water temperatures along the upper Texas coast are still summer-warm this morning: 89.2°F at Galveston Bay Entrance (NOAA CO-OPS 8771450), 85.8°F at Eagle Point (8771341), and 86.7°F near Freeport (8772471). That lingering heat, paired with this week's Full Moon tide swing, sits right in the window Sport Fishing Mag flags for Gulf snook this fall: as summer's grip breaks, snook feed up before migrating toward winter holding areas, with aggressive fish responding to swimbaits like the Z-Man Mulletron or Diezel MinnowZ. Texas Fish & Game Magazine adds that upper coast snook aren't confined to the Lower Laguna Madre, so anglers working structure well north of the traditional grounds have a real shot at them through this stretch.
Snook Feed Up as Fall Transition Arrives in Lower Laguna Madre
NOAA's tide stations covering this stretch of coast are reading 87.1°F and 89.4°F this morning, still summer-warm water under a Full Moon high tide before sunrise. Sport Fishing Mag reports Gulf snook 'feeding up on fall's bounty' as shortening days push them toward winter holding areas, with swimbaits like Z-Man's Mulletron and Diezel MinnowZ working on aggressive fish. Texas Fish & Game Magazine's coverage of Lower Laguna Madre snook confirms this stretch of coast is the established center of Texas snook fishing, not an incidental producer. With overnight water still warm and holding, early tide movement is doing the work anglers need this week.
Shoreline stripers surface near Santa Cruz as fall tides build
Central Coast water eased into the low-to-mid 60s this weekend, with Monterey Harbor reading 62.8°F and Port San Luis at 64.8°F as of Saturday night. Western Outdoor News — Saltwater reports a striped bass taken along the surf near Santa Cruz this week, with local angler Malakai Armenta working the beach by following diving birds and bait schools pinned tight to shore.
Striped bass push through the SoCal Bight toward the Channel Islands
NOAA CO-OPS station 9410170 is reading 76°F this morning, while station 9410230 nearby runs noticeably cooler at 69°F, a real thermocline split across the Bight this week. Western Outdoor News — Saltwater reports striped bass activity swarming throughout the SoCal Bight, with fish showing as far out as the Northern Channel Islands. That's the headline for anglers working the surf line and nearshore structure right now: stripers are moving, and the warmer pocket is likely concentrating bait and predators tighter than usual this week. Anglers working the beach should lean on the trough-and-rip structure identification tactics Surf Fishing in So Cal has been detailing this season, especially with the surf running rougher than usual most of this year.
Albie blitzes light up Long Island as the fall run kicks off
False albacore are thick off the North and South Forks and pushing west into Long Island Sound, per On The Water's Long Island and NYC report from September 24, which also has striped bass picking up steam in the Sound as anglers expect this week's nor'easter to kickstart the broader fall run. Water read 64.6°F at Montauk (NOAA CO-OPS 8510560), 65.1°F at Kings Point in the Sound (8516945), and 67.1°F at the Battery (8518750), all typical for the tail end of September. Big fluke continue working out of South Shore inlets as they exit the backwaters for deeper water, a pattern On The Water has tracked through its September 10 and 17 reports.
Fall Walleye and Bass Patterns Take Hold Across Michigan Waters
Michigan anglers are shifting into the fall pattern this week, and coverage across bass- and walleye-focused outlets points the same direction: baitfish schools pulling predators shallow as water cools. Tactical Bassin's early-fall notes stress watching for surface baitfish activity and using electronics to key onto schools holding over deeper structure. Wired 2 Fish reports bass hunting hardest during the low-light morning and evening hours as summer patterns break down. On walleye water, Fishing the Midwest highlights a bottom-bouncer-and-nightcrawler rig as a dependable fall producer, alongside a bladed swim jig that pulls largemouth, pike, and walleye off the same weed edges. Field & Stream's fall live-bait roundup adds a bottom-bouncing minnow rig for browns working faster current, plus a weightless crayfish presentation for finicky smallmouth.
Keys anglers eye the turn from summer heat toward fall
Water is still holding onto summer heat across the Keys: 86°F at NOAA CO-OPS station 8724580 in Key West and 85.5°F at station 8723970 up the chain, both read this morning. Captains are already talking about the shift ahead of the numbers catching up. ALL IN Key West reported this week that "the weather is finally starting to break" after a long, muggy stretch, and the captain is gearing back up for trips through the cooler months to come after taking September off for boat upgrades. Today's full moon is stacking the tides toward the high end of the cycle: at Key West, low water falls near 4:28 a.m. with the next high around 11:14 a.m., while the Vaca Key gauge shows low tide near 7:27 a.m. and high near 4:14 p.m.
Bull Redfish Run Hits Its Peak on the LA Coast
Water is holding warm along the Louisiana coast this morning, with NOAA CO-OPS stations reading 84.4°F and 85.5°F. That warmth lines up with what Louisiana Sportsman is reporting for reds right now: the outlet notes that redfish generally spawn from mid-August through mid-November, with the peak running through September and October, meaning the run is at its height this week. With a Full Moon overhead, expect stronger tidal swings to push bait around and concentrate reds on the usual fall staging grounds along the coast and delta.
Smokies trout streams settle into their fall rhythm
Western North Carolina's Smokies streams are entering the seasonal shift that defines early fall fishing in the Southern Appalachians: shorter days and cooling nights nudge wild and stocked trout back toward consistent morning and evening activity after the sluggish stretch of late summer. The full moon this week adds extra low-light feeding windows, particularly around dawn.