New York fishing reports
283 reports for New York — what's biting, water temps, and where to focus.
Big Stripers Blanketing Long Island as Fluke Season Gets Rolling
Water temps of 53–54°F at NOAA buoys 44025 and 44065 provide a cool but productive backdrop as Long Island enters a strong stretch for spring bass. Per On The Water's May 7 report, a wave of big bass has hit the South Shore surf while fish topping 25 pounds are chasing bunker east along the North Shore. Cow Harbor Bait and Tackle in Northport confirms mixed-size stripers from 30 to 44 inches inside Huntington Bay and Cold Spring Harbor, with trolled Mojo rigs and popper plugs producing. On the East End, Star Island Yacht Club reports slot-size bass near the Montauk lighthouse on diamond jigs and bucktails fished on moving tides. The season's second headline: New York's fluke season opened May 4, and Sea Rogue Charters out of Freeport returned from early exploratory runs with keepers to 5 pounds. Porgies are slow but WeGo Bait and Tackle on the North Fork reports fish beginning to trickle in at Cedar Beach in Southold.
Spring trout stocking peaks as walleye opens and stripers push north
Water temperature at 59°F (USGS gauge 01357500, May 10) puts Hudson Valley and Finger Lakes waters squarely in prime spring territory. NY DEC's April 24 Fishing Line reports hatchery crews have been actively stocking brook, brown, and rainbow trout across the region — stream trout fishing is at its seasonal peak. The statewide coolwater season opened May 1, unlocking walleye and northern pike across eligible waters. On the striper front, On The Water's May 8 migration map shows post-spawn bass pushing hard out of the Chesapeake and spreading from New Jersey to Rhode Island — the Hudson River's annual spring push typically tracks closely behind this coastal surge. Bass are transitioning out of the spawn, with bluegill beds drawing fish into shallow cover, per Tactical Bassin's early-May reports. Flows are elevated with spring runoff — 4,340 cfs at gauge 01357500 and 15,700 cfs downstream at gauge 01358000 — but conditions remain fishable.
Finger Lakes bass prime up as May prespawn window opens across the region
USGS gauge 04232050 recorded 54°F water and 44.3 cfs flow in the Finger Lakes watershed this morning — water right at the prespawn staging threshold for smallmouth and largemouth bass across Cayuga, Seneca, and Skaneateles. On The Water spotlights Central New York's renewed bass scene this week, profiling Onondaga Lake's transformation into a trophy bass fishery, a signal of rising productivity across the broader CNY corridor. Tactical Bassin documents several productive early-May patterns: topwater frogs and swimbaits drawing fish over shallow heavy cover, with drop-shots and finesse rigs picking up post-spawn fish moving off deeper structure. At 54°F, the Finger Lakes sit right on the cusp of the smallmouth spawn — staging fish are feeding aggressively before committing to beds. Lake trout and rainbow trout remain viable targets in the deep basins of Cayuga and Seneca at these temperatures, though no local charter intel is available this week. The Last Quarter moon dampens midday feeding; plan around first light and dusk.
Lake Erie walleye on the troll as smallmouth post-spawn peaks in Western NY
Water temperature at 54°F (USGS gauge 04231600, recorded May 10) puts Western New York squarely in the prime spring window for walleye and smallmouth bass. A Michigan Sportsman Forum report from May 8 describes anglers trolling crankbaits (bandits) 25 feet back on planer boards along the Canadian side of Lake Erie, finishing the afternoon with six walleye — a result suggesting post-spawn fish are positioned and actively feeding. Perch were staging in about 21 feet of water in the same area, though the bite faded after a modest flurry. On the bass front, Tactical Bassin's early-May breakdown highlights that smallmouth and largemouth are split between post-spawn shallow cover and transitional open-water zones right now, with topwater and swimbait presentations both drawing strikes. The Last Quarter moon sets up favorable low-light feeding windows at dawn and dusk — plan your launch time accordingly.
Catskill and Adirondack streams primed for May caddis and evening rises
Flows on Catskills-area streams are running at moderate-to-elevated spring levels this morning — USGS gauge 01413500 posted 437 cfs and gauge 01415000 registered 118 cfs at 06:45 ET, with no water temperature readings available at either site. MidCurrent's recent Tying Tuesday roundups highlight that Northeast trout hatches are "beginning to fire," spotlighting caddis-pupa and CDC emerger patterns alongside high-floating attractors for fish that have started looking up — consistent with what mid-May typically brings to Catskills freestone streams. Field & Stream's spring stocked-trout feature is a timely reminder that DEC-stocked reaches are currently holding fresh rainbows. No direct shop, charter, or guide reports from the Adirondacks or Catskills appear in our feeds this week; these conditions are grounded in gauge data and regional seasonal patterns. Verify locally before committing to the drive, and rig both a heavy nymph setup and a caddis dry for the evening window.
Salmon and Browns Active on Lake Ontario; Tributaries Running Clear and Fishable
Strike Zone Charters out of Lake Ontario reported an excellent salmon bite this past week, with brown trout and lake trout rounding out catches across 100–160 feet of open water. Mag Dipsey Divers in green, white, and chartreuse — paired with e-chips — were the productive trolling combination, with productive depths shifting day to day as wind repositions the thermocline, per Strike Zone Charters. On the tributary side, USGS gauge 04250750 logged 259 cfs Sunday morning — a low, settled flow pointing to clear, wader-friendly conditions on the Salmon River and Oswego drainages. At those levels, any late-season steelhead still holding in the system will be more visible and considerably more selective; downsizing to lighter tippets and smaller presentations is the practical adjustment. Water temperature data was unavailable from the gauge this cycle. Whether you're running dipseys on the open lake or wading the Salmon River's deeper pools, mid-May conditions this week call for precision over brute-force coverage.
Stripers Blow Up Across Long Island as Fluke Season Opens
Water temps are holding at 50–51°F per NOAA buoys 44025 and 44065, and the cool water is proving no obstacle to a red-hot striper bite. On The Water's May 7 report puts big bass on the South Shore surf — fish exceeding 25 pounds — while North Shore fish are chasing bunker east through Long Island Sound. Per The Fisherman's North Shore correspondents, Cow Harbor Bait and Tackle and Campsite Sport Shop both confirm 30- to 44-inch stripers stacked inside Huntington Bay and Cold Spring Harbor, responding to Mojo rigs, popper plugs, and bunker chunks. Around Montauk, Star Island Yacht Club reports slot-size fish in front of the lighthouse on moving tides, with diamond jigs and bucktails working near the bottom. New York's summer flounder season officially opened May 4, and Sea Rogue Charters out of Freeport is already logging keepers to 5 pounds on early exploratory fluke runs.
Stripers moving up the Hudson as spring trout stocking peaks across NY
USGS gauge 01357500 logged 56°F on the water Sunday morning — a sweet spot that has stocked trout actively feeding and migrating stripers pushing into the Hudson corridor. On The Water's May 8 striper migration map puts post-spawn bass spreading across the Northeast in full force, with New Jersey to Rhode Island all firing and the lower Hudson well within the leading edge. NY DEC The Fishing Line reports hatchery crews have been actively transporting and stocking brook, brown, and rainbow trout statewide — timing that lines up with current water conditions perfectly. The coolwater sportfish season opened May 1, per NY DEC, making Finger Lakes walleye a newly legal target just as ice-out patterns fade and fish settle into early-season structure. Combined Hudson flows stand at 12,700 cfs (USGS gauge 01358000), elevated from snowmelt but well within fishable range at most access points.
Walleye Post-Spawn Window Opens as Finger Lakes Smallmouth Stage Pre-Spawn
Water temperature on USGS gauge 04232050 came in at 51°F this morning (May 7), a reading that reflects early-May conditions across the Finger Lakes basin. At this temperature, walleye have typically just wrapped their spawn — completion usually occurs in the 44–50°F band — and post-spawn fish are expected to be actively chasing bait on adjacent flats and depth breaks. Smallmouth bass are staging pre-spawn on rocky structure; Field & Stream's spring fishing roundup notes that early-season fish in cold, clear water consistently reward slow presentations over fast-moving gear. No direct on-the-water reports from Cayuga, Seneca, or Skaneateles appeared in this week's feeds, so we're drawing on the temperature signal and established seasonal patterns rather than captain or shop testimony. Lake trout and brown trout remain comfortable in the still-cool water column. The gauge also shows flow at 102 cfs — moderate and fishable for anglers targeting tributary mouths.
Lake Erie: Smallmouth Spawn Peaks, Post-Spawn Walleye Stage Offshore
USGS gauge 04231600 recorded 52°F water and 10,400 cfs on the morning of May 7, placing the Lake Erie and Niagara corridor squarely in the prime smallmouth bass spawn window. Smallmouth are staging on rocky shoals and nearshore structure, with fish spread across every phase from active bedders to early post-spawn migrants. Walleye, which complete their tributary-shallows spawn earlier in spring, are now shifting toward deeper open-water holding zones. Tactical Bassin's early-May coverage notes that multiple patterns coexist simultaneously right now — topwater, swimbaits, and finesse rigs each produce depending on where individual fish sit in their cycle. Fishing the Midwest highlights that jig-and-slip-sinker rigs remain dependable walleye producers during post-spawn transitions. Yellow perch should remain active in nearshore zones at these temperatures, typical for the region in early May. The waning gibbous moon supports productive low-light windows at dawn and dusk. Always verify current NY regulations before harvesting.
Catskill Mother's Day Caddis window opens
Two USGS gauges checked at dawn May 7 put the Beaverkill at Cooks Falls at 104 cfs and the East Branch Delaware at Margaretville at 387 cfs — flows that keep both Catskill drainages in fishable territory, though the East Branch is running on the fuller side. No water temperature readings came through from either site, so thermal conditions will need to be verified on the water. The timing matters: this week sits squarely on the doorstep of the Mother's Day Grannom caddis hatch, arguably the most anticipated emergence on classic Catskill water, and Hatch Magazine's current coverage of caddis emergences underscores how much hinges on this window for northeastern trout streams. MidCurrent's latest fly-tying roundup — addressing surface, film, and subsurface presentations — is a timely signal that hatches are beginning to fire across the region. On the Adirondacks side, Flylords Mag recently highlighted the Raquette River as a multi-species draw, with northern pike a post-spawn target alongside native brook trout.
Oswego Basin Enters Late-Spring Transition
USGS gauge 04250750 logged the Oswego basin at 512 cfs in the early hours of May 7 — a moderate, wading-friendly flow as spring runoff begins to ease. Water temperature data was not returned by the gauge. At this point in early May, the Lake Ontario tributary spring steelhead run is typically past its peak; fish that entered the Salmon River and Oswego systems through March and April are increasingly returning to the lake as water warms. Smallmouth bass are the emerging target. Tactical Bassin (blog) notes that early May places bass in a clear post-spawn transition, split between shallow staging cover and open-water edges — a pattern that maps well onto the rocky runs and pool tailouts of the Salmon River corridor. No regional charter, tackle-shop, or state agency reports for this specific area were available in this data pull; verify current local bite conditions with Pulaski or Oswego-area sources directly before making the trip.