New York fishing reports
283 reports for New York — what's biting, water temps, and where to focus.
Catskill & Adirondack Trout Shift to Terrestrials as Early July Heat Arrives
Trout Unlimited's midsummer guidance is direct: 'now that summer is in full swing, you're sure to find terrestrials crawling and hopping along the banks,' with trout treating these bugs as big meals when they reach the current. No USGS gauge data or NOAA readings are available for this report cycle, so we cannot confirm specific flows or temperatures on individual streams. The seasonal calendar points to a familiar pattern: freestone streams in the Adirondacks and Catskills typically run lower and warmer through July, and Trout Unlimited cautions that trout are cold-blooded, meaning warm water carries less dissolved oxygen and causes real physiological stress. Trico spinner falls on classic pool water are a hallmark of early-July mornings. Per Flylab's John Juracek on reading rises, calm sipping rises signal small, slow-drifting food: spinners and midges. Splashier, bolder strikes indicate caddis or stonefly activity still in play on faster pocket water. Fish early, fish shaded, release quickly.
Stripers Dominate Long Island as Canyon Tuna Bite Kicks Into July
Big stripers remain the headliner across Long Island entering July. Per The Fisherman — Long Island East End, outstanding bass action continues around Montauk Point, Southwest Ledge, and the local rips, where both slot and trophy-class fish are keeping the fleet busy on squid, sand eels, jigs, and trolling gear. On the South Shore, The Fisherman — Long Island South Shore relays that Just One Bite Charters in Center Moriches reported limit striped bass catches over the weekend with releases up to 45 inches, while Dick's B&T in Mastic Beach confirms steady day-and-night inlet fishing on eels, live spot, and bunker chunks. Fluke is gaining traction — Chasing Tails Bait & Tackle in Oakdale reports warmer water has pushed flatties into their summer staging areas, and Hi-Hook Bait and Tackle in Huntington logged a 7.85-pound fish on Spro Bucktails. Offshore, West Atlantis is producing yellowfin tuna to 90 pounds plus bluefin and bigeyes, per multiple East End marina sources in The Fisherman — Long Island East End.
Lake Ontario salmon running strong as charters report hot early-July action
Strike Zone Charters (Lake Ontario) reported this week that 'salmon are here!!' with fishing described as very good over the past several days, brown trout and lake trout rounding out every spread. The fleet is finding fish in 100 to 160 feet of water, though productive depth shifts daily as wind repositions the thermocline. Mag Dipsey Divers are the lead presentation when temperature has pushed deep, with green, white, and chartreuse e-chip combinations drawing consistent strikes, per Strike Zone Charters. On the tributary side, USGS gauge 04250750 logs the Salmon River at 820 cfs as of July 1 — a serviceable summer flow, though the main action right now is on Lake Ontario's open water rather than the rivers. A full moon this week can tighten the best feeding windows to dawn and dusk, making early-morning departures worth prioritizing.
Bass bite peaks in Hudson Valley and Finger Lakes as July heat sets in
Water temperature on the Hudson River near Waterford reached 79°F at USGS gauge 01357500 as of midday July 1, marking the heart of summer conditions for Hudson Valley and Finger Lakes anglers. NY DEC The Fishing Line confirmed black bass season is fully underway, noting in their June 12th issue that 'the fish bite is picking up with the warmer summer weather.' Tactical Bassin's July bass outlook reinforces that picture: bass metabolisms are running at peak, with fish feeding aggressively across shallow cover and deeper structure alike. The full moon overnight adds a prime nighttime window. Bass and walleye push shallower after dark when surface temps ease. Trout anglers should temper expectations at 79°F; browns and rainbows are stressed at these temperatures and will seek cold-water refuges or the thermocline in deeper Finger Lakes basins. Target bass early morning, at dusk, or after dark for the best action.
Walleye and smallmouth bass prime on Lake Erie heading into the holiday weekend
NOAA buoy 45132 logged Lake Erie surface water at 70°F on July 1 with wave heights near 1.3 feet and winds around 6 meters per second — comfortable conditions for both nearshore and open-water runs. A local tributary gauge (USGS 04231600) is recording 963 cfs and a warm 75°F, signaling settled inflows through the July 4th weekend. No charter-captain or tackle-shop reports are available in today's intel feeds to confirm an active bite firsthand, but Tactical Bassin notes July is when bass 'metabolisms are at an all-time high,' with fish 'aggressively feeding on a variety of prey species' — a pattern that maps directly onto Lake Erie's resident smallmouth population. Fishing the Midwest reinforces targeting weedline edges for walleye and bass during this precise summer window. At 70°F, Lake Erie surface temps sit squarely in walleye's preferred thermal band, and tonight's full moon sets up a strong low-light feeding push for anglers who can time an evening or early-morning run.
July bass bite peaks across Cayuga, Seneca, and Skaneateles
Water temperatures logged at 67°F by USGS gauge 04232050 on July 1 confirm the Finger Lakes are firmly in summer mode. Tactical Bassin identifies July as the peak month for aggressive bass feeding, with fish metabolisms running at their highest point of the year and prey distributed across multiple depth zones. Smallmouth bass, for which Cayuga, Seneca, and Skaneateles are regionally renowned, should be staged on rocky points, shoals, and mid-lake structure from 10 to 25 feet. Largemouth favor emergent weedlines at dawn and dusk. Fishing the Midwest contributor Bob Jensen highlights working weedline transitions as a top mid-summer tactic for both bass and walleye. Tonight's full moon adds a variable: walleye and yellow perch typically push shallower under lunar light during overnight feeding windows. With tributary flows running low at 17.8 cfs, water clarity across the major basins should be favorable for sight presentations and finesse approaches.
Catskills & Adirondacks: summer low water calls for terrestrials at dawn
The two USGS gauges reading this morning tell the midsummer story clearly: the drainage at gauge 01413500 is running 47.1 cfs and the smaller tributary at gauge 01415000 has dropped to just 7.65 cfs, placing Adirondacks and Catskills streams in classic July low-water condition. Trout Unlimited's current editorial flags warm-water thermal stress as the dominant concern for cold-water species right now, noting that trout struggle to thrive when temperatures climb and dissolved oxygen drops. With no water temperature recorded at either gauge this morning, anglers should carry a stream thermometer. If readings top 68°F, the ethical call is to rest the fish and move on. On the positive side, Trout Unlimited also highlights that summer terrestrials are now in full swing. Pink terrestrials, beetles, and ants blown off streamside vegetation are drawing trout to the surface, especially during the cooler bookend hours around dawn and dusk. The full moon tonight may push some feeding activity deeper into low-light windows.
East End stripers feeding heavy as full moon peaks off Montauk
Big stripers are stacked up feeding on a buffet of bait off Long Island's East End, with Montauk delivering an excellent bass bite on squid and sand eels, per On The Water's June 25 Long Island report. Keeper fluke are showing better in the Sound and from the South Shore to the Peconics, while sea bass continue to fire on rigs and jigs across the South Shore reefs. In a story that grabbed attention this past weekend, a father and his two sons live-lining bunker for stripers off Moriches Inlet on June 28 ended up battling a hammerhead shark instead (On The Water). Today's full moon brings the month's strongest tidal push to the East End rips and inlets. Per NY DEC, summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass seasons are all open, and bluefish carry no size limit with a 5-fish daily bag — a deep lineup heading into July.
Lake Ontario kings firing strong; Salmon River awaits fall run
Strike Zone Charters (Lake Ontario) is reporting that salmon fishing has been "very good" this past week, with brown trout and lake trout mixing in throughout catches. Kings are concentrated in 100 to 160 feet of water, though preferred depth shifts daily as wind-driven temperature changes move the thermocline. Per Strike Zone Charters, Mag Dipsey Divers are producing when the bite runs deeper, with green, white, and chartreuse e-chips paired with Atomic-style attractors as the presentation of the moment. No USGS gauge readings or NOAA buoy data were collected for this cycle, so current water temperatures and river flows on the Salmon River and Oswego River are unknown. Both tributaries are in a natural pause between seasonal runs: spring steelhead have retreated to the lake, and the fall chinook migration to the river systems typically does not begin in earnest until late August. Tonight's full moon may extend productive trolling windows into low-light hours.
Black bass bite surges across the Finger Lakes and Hudson Valley
NY DEC's Fishing Line confirmed the bass bite is picking up with summer's arrival, timing that aligns with the current full moon. Black bass season is now in full swing across New York's freshwater lakes and rivers, and both largemouth and smallmouth are transitioning from post-spawn recovery into aggressive summer feeding mode. Wired 2 Fish notes that across northern bass country, a brief spring is quickly giving way to full summer patterns, with fish splitting between shallow cover and deeper weedlines. Musky season is open on prime Finger Lakes waters, which host some of the top muskellunge fisheries in the Northeast. Trout stocked heavily across the region this spring, per NY DEC reports, are likely retreating to deeper, cooler water as surface heat builds. No USGS gauge or NOAA buoy data was available for this reporting period, so check local conditions before heading out.
Salmon Are On: Kings, Browns, and Lake Trout Active off Oswego
Strike Zone Charters (Lake Ontario) is putting it plainly: 'salmon are here!!' Kings, brown trout, and lake trout are all in play this week out of the Oswego area. The fleet is working 100–160 feet of water, where the thermocline holds temperatures cool enough to concentrate fish. Preferred depth shifts from day to day as wind displaces the temperature break, so staying dialed in on the thermal zone is the key variable right now. Mag Dipsey Divers are the go-to delivery system when the bite is running deep, with green, white, and chartreuse e-chips drawing strikes. Lake surface temperature checked in at 70°F per NOAA buoy 45142 this morning, with wave heights a calm 0.7 feet, pointing to favorable trolling conditions overall. The full moon (June 30) should extend productive feeding windows into low-light hours, making early morning runs worth the alarm clock.
Montauk stripers at peak form as offshore canyons ignite with tuna action
Water temps holding at 71°F (NOAA buoys 44025 and 44065) are anchoring Long Island in prime early-summer fishing. The standout is striped bass: West Lake Marina, Star Island Yacht Club, the Montauk Anglers Club, and Marlena's Yacht Club all report outstanding action around Montauk Point and Southwest Ledge, where squid concentrations are holding both slot and overslot fish. Just One Bite Charters out of Center Moriches recorded limits with released bass up to 45 inches across multiple trips. Surfcasters are finding fish from Shinnecock Inlet to the North Shore beaches on bucktails, swim shads, and plugs during mornings and after dark, per The Fisherman's Long Island Surf reports. Fluke momentum is building: Chasing Tails Bait and Tackle in Oakdale reports warming temps have flatties moving into their summer spots, and Hi-Hook Bait and Tackle in Huntington landed a 7.85-pounder out of Smithtown Bay. Offshore, West Atlantis and the canyons are producing yellowfin tuna to 90 pounds, bluefin, bigeye, and occasional swordfish per multiple East End sources.