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Hudson River Striped Bass Fishing



Hudson River Map

Hudson River Map


Hudson River


The Hudson River is a 325 mile river that runs through the eastern portion of New York State. The river drains the Adirondack Mountains. The Hudson is named after Henry Hudson, who first explored it, in 1609.

The river, and it's estuary, are the second most important nursery for the spawning of striped bass, second only to the Chesapeake Bay and it's river systems. Spawning stripers enter the Hudson River in late March and early April and can remain until late May. They follow, and feed, on shad and river herring, who also migrate up the river to spawn in the spring.

Tappanzee Bridge

Tappanzee Bridge as seen
from Piermont Pier

Hudson River above Bear Mountain Bridge

Hudson River View near
Bear Mountain Bridge

Striped bass go up the river in the spring as far as the Federal Dam at Troy N.Y. The eastern side of the river is relatively shallow and heats up first in the spring. The shad and herring take this route up the river and the striped bass follow them. Thus the striper fishing is best in the spring along the rivers east side. However the larger spawning females often stay in deeper water closer to the river channel. When the stripers come back down the river, later in the spring they will stay further out in the river and maybe nearer the west side, where the water is deeper.

Many stripers are caught from the shore, or from piers along the Hudson. Piermont and Croton Point are often hot spots for shore fishermen. However you can cover more water and catch more fish if you have a boat. There are numerous marinas and boat launching spots all along the river.

The section of river from the Tappan Zee bridge to Kingston is very popular with striped bass fishermen. The deep channel around the Bear Mountain Bridge, the deep water off of West Point, Newburg, Croton, and Haverstra Bay are spots often recommended. Many charters work the river all the way up to Albany.

In the Hudson River Fishermens Association's 2011 Striped Bass Derby held on April 16 & 17, 2011 most of the striped bass were caught at Haverstraw.

New York Bight

New York Bight

In the late spring, when the stripers come back down the river, into the area called the New York Bight. They will hang out there until the ocean water reaches temperatures of there liking. Then they will head up the East River into the Long Island Sound or out into the Atlantic Ocean. Then they go further north to spend their summer months.

When the stripers come back south in the fall, many again stop by this NY Bight area before heading further south. Excellent striped bass fishing is often experienced in the NY Bight, despite the usually heavy boat traffic.

According to the Hudson River Foundation's records of tags returned, some of the most productive fishing spots in the NY area are Liberty Island; South Street Seaport; Coney Island; 69th Street Pier, Brooklyn; and Liberty State Park, NJ.



Manhattan Cup


During the spring of each year the Manhattan Cup Striped Bass Fishing Tournament was held in the vicinity of the New York Bight, within sight of Manhattan.


Manhattan Cup





      



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