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Today's fishing reports
Jumbo sea bass and keeper fluke headline a hot Raritan Bay bite
Capt. Ron's out of Atlantic Highlands logged genuinely good numbers this week, with quality fluke to 3-5 pounds, a mixed bag of keepers and shorts, and — after a quiet stretch — jumbo black sea bass finally showing around the boat, with the pool fish weighing in at 5 pounds 14 ounces. Just up the bay toward Sandy Hook, OTW Northern New Jersey's July 30 report has bluefin tuna hitting jigs and poppers inshore while party boats keep filling coolers with 6- to 10-pound bluefish on diamond jigs. The Fisherman's Northern NJ desk notes some boats have swapped over to targeting bigger bluefish as larger fish push into the area, while fluke fishing on other trips "finally came to life" after a slow midsummer lull. Sea bass remain structure-dependent, but boats working jigs and bait combos over hard bottom are connecting. With the full moon pushing bigger tidal swings this week, expect faster drifts and stronger current on the usual spots.
Low water tests South Platte and Arkansas trout, tricos keep firing
Pat Dorsey Fly Fishing calls the 2026 season one of Colorado's worst drought years on record, following a string of lean-water summers dating back to 1975-78, 2002, 2012, 2018, and 2020, and that scarcity is defining the bite on the South Platte and Arkansas tailwaters this week. Cutthroat Anglers reports more than 60% of the Lower 48 in some level of drought with Western snowpacks at historic lows, but notes the fish that remain are active, grouped up, and ready to bite for anglers willing to hike farther or downsize gear. AvidMax's Fly Tying Tuesday lineup of midge emergers and jigged tungsten nymphs reflects that low-water reality: small, natural, fished slow. Gink and Gasoline's account of a South Platte trico spinner fall is a reminder that dense summer mayfly hatches remain a hallmark of these tailwaters even in a dry year. Cutthroat Anglers also flags the welfare line: stop fishing once water hits 68°F.
St. Lucie Inlet snook rebound as Stuart dredging halts
Snook are stacking back up in the St. Lucie Inlet on Florida's Treasure Coast, per Snook Nook's July 2026 report: the bite started slow this summer while a dredging project churned the inlet, but numbers picked up markedly once that work paused, with anglers marking large schools on side-scan around the detached jetty and Hole in the Wall. Live croakers and pilchards are the key baits producing bites. Remember Atlantic-side snook season stays closed to harvest through August per Snook Nook, so it's catch-and-release only on these fish right now, and breeder-sized snook should be handled with extra care. Offshore, red snapper access is unsettled after CCA Florida reported a federal court granted a preliminary injunction against the 2026 South Atlantic red snapper Exempted Fishing Permit pilot programs, disrupting Florida's planned Atlantic season. Divers should also note the regular spiny lobster season opens statewide August 6, per Coastal Angler Magazine.
Mille Lacs walleye go vertical as summer sonar tactics take hold
No direct on-the-water reports from Mille Lacs Lake came through this week's feeds, so this update leans on general late-July walleye patterns for the region plus one relevant technique signal. Fishing the Midwest's Mike Frisch notes in "Up & Away!" that the old assumption of walleyes staying glued to bottom structure doesn't always hold anymore, with Forward-Facing Sonar now showing fish suspended off traditional break lines and weed edges rather than hugging points and turns (per Fishing the Midwest). That matters for Mille Lacs anglers working the lake's classic mud flats and rock reefs this time of year, where warm, sunny days typically push walleye into deeper, cooler water or suspended over open basins during daylight, sliding shallower to feed at dawn, dusk, and after dark. With tonight's full moon, expect a stronger low-light and overnight bite than usual. Live bait rigs and leeches remain a Mille Lacs staple; anglers running sonar to mark suspended fish may have an edge over structure-only approaches this week.
RI Bottom Bite Surges as Stripers Go Nocturnal in the Doldrums
Rhode Island saltwater fishing has settled into its typical late-July pattern this full moon week: Saltwater Edge reports striper action slowing during daylight as the "summer doldrums" set in, with the best bass bite now happening after dark on live eels. Quonnie Bait and Tackle notes quality stripers still holding in the breachways and rocky stretches for anglers willing to fish the night shift, while Snug Harbor Marina says solid bass are still coming from around Block Island, though sharks are becoming an issue for hooked fish there. The stronger story right now is on the bottom. Black sea bass fishing is described as "very good" and improving by both Frances Fleet and Snug Harbor, with more keepers moving into the area. Fluke reports are mixed but trending better, with Quonnie seeing more keepers in 50 to 60 feet off the beaches. Scup remain steady and plentiful throughout the bay.
White River trout bite holds steady through peak summer heat
Arkansas's famed White River and Norfork tailwaters keep pumping cold, oxygen-rich water below Bull Shoals and Norfork dams through late July, which is what keeps rainbow and brown trout active here even as regional air temperatures push toward 90 degrees. No fresh buoy or gauge readings and no Arkansas-specific shop or captain reports came through in this cycle's feeds, so we're leaning on general seasonal knowledge rather than fresh, source-attributed intel for the write-up below. Typically for this stretch of summer, trout fishing on the White and Norfork holds up well on generation days when current pushes bait and stacks fish below dam outflows, while low-water, non-generation stretches call for smaller nymphs and finesse presentations. Warm-water species on adjoining Arkansas River pools, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, and catfish, typically settle into a dawn/dusk pattern as midday heat sets in. Check current generation schedules and state regulations before heading out.
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