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Bass Fishing Report Weekend Outlook - Regional Conditions, Bite Ratings & Hot Tips:

August 13th - August 17th, 2026

The national bass-fishing story for August 13-17 is the New Moon. It arrives Wednesday, August 12, placing the entire report window inside the darkest lunar period of the month. For bass anglers, this is the premier moon-phase setup, especially for night fishing on overheated lakes where daytime sun keeps fish deep, shaded or inactive. Cooler air, clouds, wind and scattered storms will add weather-driven feeding windows across much of the West, Rockies, northern Plains, Midwest and Northeast. The Deep South is the outlier, with expanding heat and mostly stable pressure.

Let's break it down in the Bass Feeding Activity Ratings map below. Scroll down to see how this weekends bass reports impacts your region with the Seasonal Pattern Heat Map.

Quick links to your specific regional fishing forecast below

Pacific Northwest | Southwest | Southeast | Rocky Mountains | Great Plains | Midwest | Northeast

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Your Regional Weekend Bass Fishing Report

Think low light, nighttime and safe pre-storm windows. When temperature, pressure and light levels fall together, bass can rise from deep cover and feed aggressively. After storms, or under hot bluebird skies, expect shorter windows and deeper fish. In the Bass Forecast Mobile app, compare the hourly Temperature, Wind Speed, Barometric Pressure and Rainfall charts for each saved lake. Also check Past 10 Days rainfall before choosing water; this week’s storms will be highly localized, and one lake may be prime while another nearby is muddy or blown out.

Before you head out, take a few minutes with the Seasonal Bass Pattern Detector on Bass Forecast to see how baits, locations, and presentations are trending with the conditions. Read the full weekend outlook to know exactly what to expect on the water.

Check your local Bass Forecast ratings and intel report for your specific 10-day outlook, bite time windows, and bait recommendations tailored to your location.

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Pacific Northwest

(Washington, Oregon, Idaho)

How will bass fishing be this weekend in the Pacific Northwest?

Bass Bite: Epic → Good
Pattern: Summer

A trough brings cooler, cloudier weather into the region entering the report period. Western Washington stays near seasonal normals with onshore flow, while southwest Idaho and eastern Oregon see showers and storms Thursday through Saturday, locally heavy rain, and Friday temperatures near 5°F below normal. A modest warming and drying trend begins Sunday into Monday.

The New Moon makes Thursday night through Saturday morning the best window, especially where cloud cover, rain-cooled water and a breeze overlap. Fish windblown rock, weed edges, current seams and moderate inflows, then slide deeper after clearing. HOT TIP: In the BassForecast Mobile app, compare hourly wind and rainfall with Past 10 Days totals before picking a lake; avoid waters hit repeatedly by heavy cells.

Check Bass Forecast to get the exact bass fishing intel for this weekend.

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Southwest

(California, Arizona, Nevada, West Texas, New Mexico)

How will bass fishing be this weekend in the Southwest?

Bite: Good → Epic
Pattern: Summer → Dog Days

Arizona enters the period cooler and wetter, with its strongest storm and rain potential around Wednesday night into Thursday. Much of Arizona dries Friday and Saturday before warming again Sunday and Monday, while New Mexico stays in an active monsoon pattern through the weekend with locally heavy rain and flash-flood risk.

The New Moon should magnify evening and nighttime opportunities, but conditions will vary sharply. On clear desert lakes, fish low-light topwater and roaming bait, then drop deeper as heat rebuilds. In stormier New Mexico and higher terrain, target the safe leading edge of clouds and cooling. HOT TIP: In the BassForecast Mobile app, look for a four-hour window when temperature and pressure fall while wind or rain increases. Check Past 10 Days rainfall to avoid dangerous runoff or blown-out water.

Check Bass Forecast to get the exact bass fishing intel for this weekend.

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Southeast

(Alabama, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Mississippi, East Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Kentucky)

How will bass fishing be this weekend in the Southeast?

Bite: Good → Fair
Pattern: Summer → Dog Days

Heat is the regional story. North and Central Texas and the Lower Mississippi Valley remain hot and mostly dry as the ridge strengthens, while Georgia and the Carolinas retain scattered storm and outflow chances. Florida is mostly hot and stable, with Friday offering its best rain and cloud interruption before calmer weekend conditions.

Because midday water temperatures are already high, the New Moon night bite is the best opportunity. Fish sunrise, after sunset and any safe cloud or wind window; expect the rating to fade as weekend heat intensifies. HOT TIP: In the BassForecast Mobile app, watch hourly Temperature and Wind Speed. If the surface stays slick and hot, use the DOG DAYS playbook—deeper, slower and tighter to shade, grass, docks, current or aeration. Summer lightning and downbursts can arrive quickly; get off the water early.

Check Bass Forecast to get the exact bass fishing intel for this weekend.

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Rocky Mountains

(Colorado, Montana, Wyoming, Utah)

How will bass fishing be this weekend in the Rocky Mountains?

Bite: Epic → Tough
Pattern: SUMMER

Monsoon moisture and a strong cooldown create the most dramatic early-window opportunity. Colorado turns cooler Thursday and Friday with scattered storms through the weekend; Utah runs 10-15°F cooler with widespread rain and storms before drying and warming Saturday and Sunday.

That combination—New Moon, falling temperatures, cloud cover, wind and rain—supports the EPIC start. The risk is too much cooling, heavy runoff or post-front clearing later, which can push the bite toward TOUGH. HOT TIP: In the BassForecast Mobile app, use the hourly Temperature, Pressure and Rainfall charts to separate the active pre-storm window from the post-storm slowdown. Target windblown points, grass and rock transitions before the front; after passage, move deeper and slow down. Monitor flash-flood and lightning alerts.

Check Bass Forecast to get the exact bass fishing intel for this weekend.

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Great Plains

(Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas Panhandle, South Dakota, North Dakota)

How will bass fishing be this weekend in the Great Plains?

Bite: Epic → Good
Pattern: Summer

Expect a sharp north-to-south split. North Dakota cools Thursday and Friday, then gradually warms with daily storm chances. Nebraska and parts of the central Plains face repeated nighttime storms and heavy rain through Saturday before cooler high pressure arrives Sunday. Kansas may finally get better storm chances into the weekend. Oklahoma and the Texas Panhandle stay hot, breezy and mostly dry.

New Moon nights plus front-driven wind should create the best action in the northern and central Plains; the southern Plains need a dawn or nighttime approach. HOT TIP: In the Bass Forecast Mobile app, check your lake’s hourly timing, this is not one uniform front. Use Past 10 Days rainfall to distinguish productive stain from repeated runoff, and shift to deeper shade or channel structure where the ridge keeps conditions hot and stable.

Check Bass Forecast to get the exact bass fishing intel for this weekend.

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Midwest

(Missouri, Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota)

How will bass fishing be this weekend in the Midwest?

Bite: Fair → Good
Pattern: Summer

An active frontal boundary keeps the region stormy, but the Upper Midwest will also enjoy cooler conditions. Minnesota and Wisconsin trend into the 70s, with another rain chance Saturday. Farther south and east, repeated storms may produce heavy rain and flooding through the weekend before high pressure brings a drier break around Monday.

The New Moon should strengthen nighttime and low-light feeding, while clouds and wind can extend the bite during the day. HOT TIP: In the BassForecast Mobile app, use hourly Wind Speed and Pressure to identify the calmer post-storm lull versus the next pre-storm surge. Check Past 10 Days rainfall before launching; moderate inflow can activate fish, but repeated storms may make a nearby lake the better choice. Never fish through lightning or damaging winds.

Check Bass Forecast to get the exact bass fishing intel for this weekend.

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Northeast

(New York, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, Delaware, New England)

How will bass fishing be this weekend in the Northeast?

Bite: Good → Epic
Pattern: Summer

A Friday front ends the muggy pattern and delivers a cooler, drier weekend across much of the Northeast. Pennsylvania and New York trend cooler late week, while New England sees its best shower and storm chance Friday, followed by sunny, comfortable Saturday and Sunday and another possible disturbance late Sunday into Monday.

This is a strong setup for the GOOD-to-EPIC trend: the New Moon supports night feeding, and falling water temperatures can pull bass from their hottest summer holds. Fish the front’s safe leading edge, then target sunrise, sunset and nighttime after conditions stabilize. HOT TIP: In the Bass Forecast Mobile app, watch hourly Temperature and Wind Speed; under bright, calm high pressure, move to deeper grass, rock, current or shade.

Check Bass Forecast to get the exact bass fishing intel for this weekend.

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Bass Fishing Report FAQs

When is the best time to fish bass during spawn?

The best time to fish bass during the spawn depends on your region and the current spawn phase. As of mid-June, only the highest-elevation Rocky Mountain and Pacific Northwest lakes still have active spawn fishing remaining. Most of the country has moved into post-spawn recovery or full summer patterns. For lakes still in spawn, midday fishing during stable weather produces best when sun angle allows sight fishing on beds. Check the Bass Forecast regional report above for the current spawn stage in your area.

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How does a new moon affect bass feeding activity?

A new moon produces strong solunar major feeding periods that can concentrate bass activity into predictable daily windows, typically lasting 60 to 90 minutes. During stable weather, new moon major periods are worth planning around, particularly in the post-spawn and summer phases when bass are actively feeding during specific windows. The effect is most reliable when weather conditions have been stable for 48 hours or more. A pre-front feeding window or post-front grind will override solunar timing regardless of moon phase.

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What is a Bass Forecast Rating and how is it calculated?

The Bass Forecast Rating, or BFR, is a daily fishing quality score that combines barometric pressure trends, moon phase, wind speed and direction, air and water temperature, sky conditions, and GPS-specific solunar data into a single predictive score for your exact location. The BFR is validated through a six-month study with a professional fishing guide that documented catch rates up to four times above average on days rated GOOD and EPIC. It is not a weather forecast. It is a bass behavior forecast built specifically to tell you when and how to fish, not just what the sky is doing.

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What bass pattern should I be fishing right now?

It depends on your region. The Southeast and Southwest are in full summer with offshore structure and topwater windows producing best. The Mid-South, Mid-Atlantic, and Ozarks are in the early summer transition with main lake points, channel swings, and offshore brush holding fish. The Great Lakes and Upper Midwest are in late post-spawn with the feeding window opening on many waters. The Northeast is moving from post-spawn into early transition. Only the highest-elevation Rocky Mountain and Pacific Northwest lakes are still in spawn or late post-spawn. See the regional breakdown above for your current BFR range and recommended patterns.

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Region-Specific: Spawn Seasonal Pattern
Frequently Asked Questions - FAQs

What bass pattern should I be fishing in the Southeast right now?

Southeast bass are in full summer patterns as of mid-June. Thermal stratification has developed on most reservoirs and fish are on offshore brush, ledges, and deep structure in 15 to 25 feet of water. A football jig like the Dirty Jigs Casting Jig and a deep crankbait like the Strike King 10XD are the primary deep-water producers. Topwater windows are open at dawn and dusk on shallow flats and grass edges. Frogs over hydrilla mats and lily pads are producing some of the best surface fishing of the year. Night fishing is becoming productive as midday heat compresses the productive windows.

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What bass pattern should I be fishing in the Southwest right now?

Southwest bass are entering full summer in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana. Offshore ledge fishing is the primary pattern on larger impoundments like Lake Fork and Texoma. Deep brush piles in 12 to 20 feet are holding fish. A Texas-rigged worm or a football jig on offshore structure produces during midday. Walking baits and buzzbaits at first and last light over offshore brush and main lake points are productive when bass push shallow to feed on schooling shad.

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What bass pattern should I be fishing in the Mid-South right now?

Mid-South bass are in the early summer transition across Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, and North Carolina. Fish are off the post-spawn cover and on main lake points, channel swings, and offshore brush in 10 to 15 feet of water. Mid-depth crankbaits like the Rapala DT-10 and Carolina rigs with a Zoom Brush Hog on transition zones produce consistently. Topwater is at full stride right now, with walking baits, buzzbaits, frogs, and poppers all producing on the right water during low light windows.

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What bass pattern should I be fishing in the Mid-Atlantic right now?

Mid-Atlantic bass are transitioning from post-spawn recovery to summer patterns across Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. Fish are on main lake points and channel swings adjacent to spawning coves. Mid-depth cranking with a Rapala DT-10 and Carolina rigs on transition zones produce. Topwater windows at low light are growing each week. Highland reservoirs like Lake of the Ozarks and Bull Shoals are at the heart of the phase 2 transition window right now.

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What bass pattern should I be fishing in the Midwest right now?

Midwest bass are in late post-spawn with the feeding window opening on many lakes. Fish on weed edges, secondary points, and outside grass lines in 8 to 14 feet of water. This is one of the best fishing windows of the year for this region. Walking baits and buzzbaits along grass at dawn produce for largemouth. Topwater walking baits over rocky structure produce explosive smallmouth fish. A Strike King KVD Finesse Swim Jig along grass edges is the consistent subsurface producer.

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What bass pattern should I be fishing in the Great Lakes right now?

Great Lakes bass are in late post-spawn moving into early summer transition across Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, and New York. Natural lake shallow weed flat edges, sand points, and protected bays are holding the most active fish in 8 to 14 feet of water. Topwater is hitting its stride this week. Walking baits over rocky smallmouth structure and frogs along largemouth grass are both producing. The post-spawn feeding window is open on most waters, making this one of the best fishing periods of the entire year for this region.

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What bass pattern should I be fishing in the Northeast right now?

Northeast bass are moving from post-spawn recovery into early summer transition across New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New England. Fish on first depth break off spawning flats are starting to push to secondary cover and main lake points. Finesse presentations like a Roboworm drop shot are still producing on staging structure, but moving baits including spinnerbaits, swim jigs, and crankbaits are starting to work consistently. Topwater windows at dawn and dusk are opening fast and will be at full production within two weeks.

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What bass pattern should I be fishing in the Pacific Northwest right now?

Pacific Northwest bass are elevation-dependent in mid-June. Low-elevation lakes in western Washington and Oregon are in early summer transition with offshore patterns developing. Higher elevation lakes are in late post-spawn or finishing spawn. Water temperature is the reliable indicator. At lower elevations, a spinnerbait or swim jig along flat edges and a walking bait at dawn produce well. Clear water in Pacific Northwest lakes means fish run deeper than equivalent Southern reservoirs. Search 8 to 15 feet on offshore structure rather than the shallower ranges that produce in stained water.

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What bass pattern should I be fishing in the Rocky Mountains right now?

Rocky Mountain bass are in late spawn at lower elevations in Colorado, Utah, and Idaho with high-elevation reservoirs still in pre-spawn or early spawn. Lower elevation lakes are seeing post-spawn fish on first depth breaks adjacent to spawning flats. High elevation lakes still have active bed fishing in the warmest protected areas. Water temperature is the only reliable timing indicator. When temps in your specific body of water reach the mid-60s consistently, transition tactics including walking baits at dawn and Carolina rigs on points become productive.

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