New York Fishing Reports

USGS gauge 04231600 logged 63°F water and a flow of 4,600 cfs on May 18 — conditions that place Western NY's Lake Erie tributaries and Niagara-corridor waters squarely in the heart of the smallmouth bass prespawn window. At this temperature range, smallmouth stages on shallow rocky structure and outside weed edges ahead of the spawn. Tactical Bassin's Great Lakes content highlights swimbaits and finesse presentations as high-percentage plays during this prespawn phase, noting that fish school tightly — locating one often means locating many. Walleye, typically in a post-spawn feeding mode by mid-May on Lake Erie, should be working tributary mouths and nearshore flats aggressively. Yellow perch remain a reliable all-day target through this stretch. No charter or regional tackle-shop reports reached our feeds this cycle; conditions described here reflect gauge data and seasonal norms — verify current activity with a local shop before launching.

May 19

Water temps of 56–57°F per NOAA buoys 44025 and 44065, and the Long Island striper bite is firing on all cylinders from the surf to the back bays. Chasing Tails Bait & Tackle (per The Fisherman — Long Island South Shore) called the past week "one for the books," with solid schools working the bays and beaches responding to swim shads, SPs, and bucktails. Out east, The Fisherman — Long Island East End correspondent Matt Broderick reports steady Montauk action with slot fish and occasional larger bass on diamond jigs, bucktails, and surface plugs from both boat and surf. River Bay Outfitters (West End) notes big fish keying on bunker, sand eels, and spearing — early mornings and moving tides delivering the most consistent shots at trophy class fish. Fluke season is officially open, and Sea Rogue Charters (West End) put four anglers on nine bay keepers Saturday. Porgies are running strongly at Shinnecock, and black sea bass season opened May 16 with South Shore wrecks already producing.

May 19

Water temperature at 65°F as of May 18 (USGS gauge 04232050) places the Finger Lakes — Cayuga, Seneca, and Skaneateles — squarely in the post-spawn transition for smallmouth bass. At this temperature, most fish have completed their spawning cycle on rocky shoreline flats and are now feeding aggressively to recover weight. Tactical Bassin reports that the bluegill spawn is currently in full swing across freshwater bass fisheries, drawing big bass into shallow cover with topwater frogs, swimbaits, and chatterbaits proving most effective. Walleye, which typically spawn in early-to-mid April in the Finger Lakes, should be actively feeding on transition structure between shallow and mid-depth zones. Lake trout are retreating toward thermocline depth as surface temps push past the 60°F comfort threshold. Low tributary inflow on the gauge (39.7 cfs) points to excellent water clarity — a distinct advantage for finesse presentations and sight-fishing along rocky shorelines. The waxing crescent moon favors low-light windows at dawn and dusk.

May 18

Water temperatures have hit 64°F at the upper Hudson (USGS gauge 01357500), landing squarely in the prime late-spring window for this region. NY DEC The Fishing Line (Freshwater) confirmed that hatchery crews have been actively transporting and stocking brook, brown, and rainbow trout throughout the spring — a strong foundation for tributary fishing across the Hudson Valley and Finger Lakes. The coolwater sportfish season opened statewide May 1 per DEC, adding walleye and northern pike to the mix just as water temperatures reach their active feeding range. On The Water's May 15 striper migration map reports the spring push has fully extended through the Northeast, meaning Hudson River striped bass should be well into their upriver run. Main-stem flows are elevated — 3,620 cfs at the upper gauge (USGS 01357500) and 9,880 cfs downstream (USGS 01358000) — so tributary mouths and sheltered coves will offer the most productive access for anglers this week.

May 18

Water temperatures on the Finger Lakes watershed have reached 60°F, recorded at USGS gauge 04232050 early this morning — a threshold that marks the tail end of smallmouth bass spawning on Cayuga, Seneca, and Skaneateles. Post-spawn fish are leaving the beds and beginning to stage on adjacent structure. Per Tactical Bassin's recent on-water coverage, the bluegill spawn is in full swing, pulling big bass into shallow heavy cover and making topwater frogs and walking baits productive right now. Lake trout and brown trout remain active as surface temps move through the low 60s, and caddis emergences are beginning to fire; MidCurrent's current fly-tying roundup features sparse nymph and emerger patterns well-suited to this transition window. Walleye on Seneca are in post-spawn recovery and will likely be found on deeper structure. New Moon conditions today extend the low-light feeding window at dawn and dusk. No local shop or charter reports were available in this feed cycle.

May 18

Water temperatures at the Catskill gauge are sitting at 62°F (USGS 01357500), placing the Hudson River squarely in its prime window for the spring striper run. On The Water's May 15 striper migration map confirms the Northeast push has fully extended — fish are now reaching Maine — putting the Hudson Valley corridor in the thick of the action. River flow at Catskill (4,000 cfs) and Green Island (12,700 cfs, USGS 01358000) reflects active spring runoff; expect some color in the upper sections. Up in the Finger Lakes, NY DEC's Fishing Line (April 24 issue) reports spring trout stocking is actively underway — brook, brown, and rainbow — and the coolwater sportfish season covering walleye, northern pike, and tiger muskie opened May 1, making mid-May an ideal early-season window for those fisheries. Tonight's new moon phase favors the low-light feeding bursts that Hudson stripers are known for; first and last light are the premium windows on the tidal river this week.

May 18

USGS gauge 04232050 on Cayuga Inlet recorded 64°F water temperature and 50.9 cfs flow on May 17, placing Cayuga Lake tributaries squarely in a prime late-spring window. No local charter or tackle-shop reports are available in this cycle, but Tactical Bassin notes the bluegill spawn is in full swing right now — a classic trigger for largemouth and smallmouth to stage in shallow heavy cover. Post-spawn bass across the region should be completing their transition off beds and pushing toward early-summer structure in the 5–15 foot range. A New Moon on May 18 can amplify low-light and dawn feeding windows. Wired 2 Fish highlights ongoing smallmouth research confirming that Great Lakes-strain bronzebacks may represent a genetically distinct lineage — a reminder that Cayuga and Seneca hold some of the Northeast's most prized smallmouth water. Deeper-oriented species like lake trout will be retreating to cooler water as nearshore temps climb through the mid-60s. Check state regulations before targeting any species.

May 18

Water temperatures reached 59°F on May 17 per USGS gauge 04231600 — right in the sweet spot for pre-spawn smallmouth and largemouth staging across Lake Erie and the Niagara corridor. On the Michigan Sportsman Forum, anglers reported first largemouth bites of the year on tubes in Erie-adjacent water; with no charter or shop corroboration in this cycle, treat that as early-bird chatter rather than confirmed testimony, but it tracks with what 59-degree conditions typically produce here in mid-May. The New Moon phase this weekend suppresses ambient light, tightening the most productive windows to low-light morning and evening sessions for most species. Walleye, which spawn considerably earlier than bass in this system, should be entering post-spawn feeding mode and moving back toward mid-lake structure and ledges. No charter or tackle-shop reports were available in our current pull for this specific stretch — anglers are encouraged to check with local bait shops in Erie County or the Niagara Falls area before launching.

May 17

Water temps hitting 63°F on the Hudson at Catskill (USGS gauge 01357500) as of May 17 put the river squarely in prime striper territory. On The Water's May 15 migration map confirms the spring push has extended fully through the Northeast, with fish now moving well into the lower and mid-Hudson corridor. The NY DEC coolwater sportfish season has been open since May 1, making walleye, bass, and pike legal targets across the region. NY DEC's April 24 Fishing Line reports active spring stocking of brook, brown, and rainbow trout throughout the state's streams and Finger Lakes tributaries. In a notable development, Wired 2 Fish reports that New York health officials have eased Hudson River fish consumption advisories on select species for the first time in roughly 50 years — a meaningful recovery milestone, though anglers should consult the current NY DEC guidance before keeping any fish.

May 17

Water at 53–54°F off New York's south shore — per NOAA buoys 44025 and 44065 — and big striped bass are the undeniable story heading into this weekend. On The Water's May 14 Long Island report had 'very big bass' coming from the South Shore surf and Western Sound, a finding corroborated across the entire island. The Fisherman — Long Island North Shore logged fish to 45 inches from Cold Spring Harbor and Huntington Bay on trolled umbrella rigs and parachutes, while The Fisherman — Long Island West End reported a boat limit of keepers out of Oceanside. The Fisherman — Long Island South Shore noted Captain Paul Nilsson of Just One Bite Charters landing seven to eleven bass per morning-tide session. Fluke season is officially open per NY DEC, and the bite is building: Great South Bay has already produced a doormat past 8 pounds. Bluefish are trickling in at Shinnecock Inlet, Breezy Point, and the Narrows, per The Fisherman — Long Island Surf.

May 17

The USGS tributary gauge is reading 59°F with a steady 84.6 cfs flow — textbook conditions that typically place Cayuga, Seneca, and Skaneateles smallmouth bass squarely in pre-spawn to full-spawn mode. No Finger Lakes-specific charter or shop reports appear in this week's feeds, but adjacent regional signals are encouraging. On The Water observes that windy, unsettled conditions on nearby Lake Erie are putting smallmouth "on the feed," and Tactical Bassin confirms the bluegill spawn is in full swing across the region — a reliable trigger that draws bass onto shallow gravel beds and makes topwater productive. Wired 2 Fish published research this week suggesting smallmouth may represent multiple distinct evolutionary lineages, a useful reminder that local Finger Lakes fish — with ties to the Lake Ontario drainage — may pattern distinctly from southern or Ozark fish. With the New Moon falling today, dark nights are suppressing ambient light and concentrating the best action into low-light dawn and dusk windows. Lake trout are likely transitioning toward summer depths as surface temps approach 60°F.

May 17

Water temperature has reached 56°F along the Western NY corridor (USGS gauge 04231600, read May 16), putting Lake Erie smallmouth bass squarely in prime feeding range. On The Water reports that windy conditions are driving the legendary Erie smallies onto an aggressive feed near Buffalo — a classic pattern in which wave action concentrates baitfish against windward rocky shorelines and points. At 56°F, smallmouth are transitioning out of pre-spawn staging toward shallow structure; the full spawn push typically arrives when temps crest the low 60s. The New Moon tonight eliminates ambient light, extending feeding windows at dawn and dusk. Tributary flows are running at 7,170 cfs per the gauge, signaling continued spring runoff that can affect clarity in the Niagara River corridor. Walleye and yellow perch — Erie staples — should also be building activity as the lake continues its mid-May warm-up. Target rocky points and wave-washed banks for the smallmouth action.

May 17