New York fishing reports
185 reports for New York — what's biting, water temps, and where to focus.
King Salmon Running Hot on Lake Ontario as the Summer Bite Peaks
Strike Zone Charters is reporting some of the best salmon action of the season on Lake Ontario, with kings, brown trout, and lake trout all active in 100- to 160-foot water. Depths are shifting daily as wind repositions the thermal layer, but Mag Dipsey Divers are the go-to delivery when fish hold deep; green, white, and chartreuse e-chips are the hot color choices, per the charter. On the tributary side, the USGS gauge at the Salmon River (site 04250750) shows a modest 102 cfs — typical low-summer flow well ahead of the fall salmon run. No water temperature reading is available from the gauge, but late-June conditions in the Salmon River corridor generally mean warm, low water that keeps tributary action quiet. The real show right now is offshore: anglers launching out of Oswego and nearby ports should be targeting the open-lake bite.
Black bass season hits stride as summer warmth arrives in Hudson Valley
Water temps clocking 71°F (USGS gauge 01357500) confirm that summer has fully arrived in the Hudson Valley corridor, and the timing lines up with what NY DEC's Fishing Line reported in its June 12th issue: the black bass bite is picking up as warmer weather takes hold. Largemouth and smallmouth are the headline species right now, staging on points, submerged weed edges, and river channel structure as bass season hits full stride. River flows are substantial, with 2,390 cfs at the upper gauge and 10,900 cfs downstream, so anglers targeting moving water should look for slack pockets and seams behind current breaks. With a first quarter moon overhead, dawn and dusk feeding windows are worth prioritizing this week. Trout anglers should exercise caution: at 71°F, coldwater species are under thermal stress in main river channels and will seek cold springs, tributary mouths, and the thermocline in deeper Finger Lakes basins.
Montauk Striper Bite Running Hot; Keeper Fluke Chewing Well Across the Bays
Water temps at 68°F, per NOAA buoy 44065 at the NY Bight, put Long Island in a strong late-June window across multiple species. The headline is On The Water's June 18 Long Island and NYC Fishing Report: keeper fluke are chewing better in the bays from the South Shore through the Peconics, stripers are sliding east in the Sound, and Montauk continues to see an excellent bass bite on squid and sand eels. The On The Water Striper Migration Map (June 19) adds that bigger bass have been locking onto concentrations of sand eels, squid, bunker, and herring as the season shifts into summer patterns. NY DEC Saltwater Fishing and Boating confirms recreational summer flounder, scup, and striped bass seasons are all open, and a bluefish regulation change is now in effect: no size limit, five fish per person. With a First Quarter moon providing steady tidal movement, rips and structure off Montauk are the prime targets this week.
Beaverkill in summer low-water mode — terrestrials take center stage
The Beaverkill clocked 36.5 cfs at Cooks Falls (USGS gauge 01415000) on June 22, and the East Branch Delaware sat at 155 cfs at Margaretville (USGS gauge 01413500) — flows signaling the Catskills have entered summer low-water conditions. Neither gauge returned a water temperature reading. With streams running lean and clear, fish are predictably tucked into shaded lies, deep pools, and cold tributary confluences. Flylords Mag notes this is the season to stock up on terrestrials, highlighting the Chugger as a must-tie "for the summer heat" — foam-style beetle and ant patterns become the daylight workhorse as canopy insects fall to the surface. MidCurrent's current tying lineup spans the full water column, from high-riding dry-fly attractors to subsurface nymph rigs, a useful reminder that late June demands versatility as hatch timing shifts later into the evening. No regional charter or tackle-shop reports were available for this update; anglers should verify local conditions before heading out.
King salmon arrive in force on Lake Ontario as offshore trolling peaks
Strike Zone Charters on Lake Ontario is reporting that salmon have arrived in force, with fishing 'very good' this past week and browns and lake trout rounding out the catch. The productive zone sits in 100 to 160 feet of water, though preferred depths shift day to day as wind moves the temperature layer around the basin. When the thermocline runs deep, Mag Dipsey Divers are producing reliably, with green, white, and chartreuse e-chips drawing strikes. USGS gauge 04250750 shows the tributary system at 99.8 cfs as of June 22, a low-to-moderate summer reading that keeps salmon holding offshore in the main lake rather than pushing into the Salmon River or Oswego. No water temperature reading was available from the gauge. The first-quarter moon on June 23 may concentrate near-shore brown trout activity during evening hours for anglers working shoreline structure.
Lake Erie walleye and smallmouth prime up as mid-summer heat sets in
Water at USGS gauge 04231600 reads 70°F with flow at 788 cfs as of June 22 — conditions typical of peak mid-summer on the Lake Erie and Niagara corridor. Direct local angler intel for this region is limited in current feeds, but Fishing the Midwest confirms the 2026 open-water season is "in full swing" and points to weedlines and structure transitions as the go-to summer pattern. Tactical Bassin underscores that summer bass behavior becomes highly predictable once temps stabilize, with fish pulled toward depth transitions, baitfish, and shaded cover. Walleye, smallmouth bass, and yellow perch are the anchors for late June on Lake Erie — seasonal norms suggest walleye keying on mid-lake humps in 20–35 feet, perch hanging over nearshore gravel flats, and smallmouth active along rocky current seams in the Niagara. The First Quarter moon tonight can trigger walleye to push shallower after dark. Check NYS DEC regulations before harvesting.
Bass Season Opens Strong Across Hudson Valley and Finger Lakes
NY DEC's June 12th Fishing Line reported the black bass bite is 'picking up with the warmer summer weather' — and with the season now open and the Hudson registering 73°F (USGS gauge 01357500), largemouth and smallmouth across the Hudson Valley and Finger Lakes are fully into summer feeding mode. Bass are splitting predictably after the spawn: shallow fish holding on dock lines, laydowns, and weed edges through low-light windows; midday fish pushing deeper onto mid-lake structure as surface temps peak. The Hudson is running at 1,200 cfs on the upper gauge and 7,940 cfs downstream — moderate, fishable levels that concentrate baitfish in current seams and eddy pockets. Musky season is underway across eligible NY waters per NY DEC, with fish settling into summer ambush zones. Trout fishing has become a cooler-water proposition: 73°F readings push browns and rainbows into shaded tributary heads and deeper lake sections. Verify seasons and bag limits with current NY DEC regulations before heading out.
Finger Lakes Smallmouth Prime as Post-Spawn Bass Shift to Summer Structure
Water temperature logged at 62°F by USGS gauge 04232050 on the morning of June 22 confirms the Finger Lakes are crossing into early-summer fishing patterns. Smallmouth bass are the primary near-term target: post-spawn fish are recovering and migrating toward rock points, submerged ledges, and weedline transitions in 8 to 20 feet of water. Wired 2 Fish highlights the Senko worm as a go-to finesse option when bass turn picky in shallow water, and Tactical Bassin notes that summer bass split predictably between shallow feeders active in low-light windows and deep-structure fish hugging bottom during midday heat. On Cayuga and Seneca, cold-water species including lake trout and landlocked salmon are likely pressing below the developing thermocline as surface layers warm. No local charter or tackle-shop intel specific to the Finger Lakes appeared in this week's feed; anglers should check with local shops before heading out to confirm the latest bite windows.
King salmon firing on Lake Ontario as midsummer trolling heats up
Strike Zone Charters reports salmon fishing has been very good on Lake Ontario this past week, with brown trout and lake trout rounding out the mix. Trollers are finding fish in 100 to 160 feet of water, though the productive depth shifts day to day as wind-driven temperature movement reorganizes the thermal column. Mag Dipsey Divers are the go-to presentation when the temperature break runs deep, paired with green, white, and chartreuse e-chips. No USGS gauge data is available for the Salmon River or Oswego River this cycle, so in-tributary conditions cannot be assessed directly. Tributary steelhead runs typically wind down by late June in this region, making the offshore lake trolling bite — which Strike Zone Charters confirms is producing — the primary draw for the coming week.
Montauk Bass Bite Excellent as Keeper Fluke Heat Up Across the Bays
Per On The Water's June 18 Long Island report, Montauk is delivering an excellent striped bass bite on squid and sand eels, while keeper fluke are chewing better throughout the South Shore bays and into the Peconics. Stripers are also sliding eastward through Long Island Sound as the spring run transitions to summer patterns, a shift reinforced by On The Water's June 19 striper migration map, which notes bigger bass are now concentrating on sand eels, squid, bunker, and herring. For bottom anglers, NY DEC has confirmed that the recreational summer flounder (fluke) and scup (porgy) seasons are now open. Bluefish regulations have also changed this season: NY DEC reports no size limit and a 5-fish individual bag limit, though anglers should verify current regs before heading out. The First Quarter moon this weekend sets up moderate tidal swings, which should help time rip-line sessions at Montauk.
Montauk striper bite peaks as bluefish arrive and yellowfin hit the docks
Multiple East End sources are confirming this is some of the best striped bass fishing Montauk has seen all season. The Fisherman — Long Island East End reports fish to 40-plus pounds on bucktails, jigs, and live eels in front of the Point, while The Fisherman (Northeast) puts quality bass to 50 pounds in the hands of both boat and shore anglers across Long Island. On The Water — New York / Long Island adds that Montauk's excellent bass bite is keying on squid and sand eels, with stripers also sliding east through the Sound. Bluefish have arrived in force around the Point, per multiple East End marina reports through The Fisherman — Long Island East End, while porgies are starting to show. Fluke has been slow this season; The Fisherman (Northeast) calls it "painfully inconsistent," though first doormat reports emerged from Nantucket Shoals and LIS catch counts are ticking up near Port Jefferson. Offshore, The Fisherman — Long Island East End confirmed the season's first yellowfin tuna reached the docks from the canyons.
Terrestrials take over as Adirondack and Catskill streams enter summer mode
Field & Stream's summer terrestrial guide points squarely at the seasonal moment on Adirondack and Catskill trout streams: beetles, ants, and grasshoppers move into the drift as aquatic hatch activity cools, and that transition arrives right at the solstice. No gauge readings or water temperature data were available for these drainages in our current pull, so verify flows before heading out. Flylords Mag reinforces the timing, spotlighting the Chugger this week as a foam terrestrial "every trout angler should be tying up for the summer heat." Hatch Magazine's recent piece on fishing through drought adds an important caution: if June precipitation has run below average, expect lower flows and fish stacked in the deepest, most shaded pools by midday, with productive windows compressed to first light and the last hour before dark. The First Quarter moon and long solstice light favor feeding surges at both ends of the day.