Fall smallmouth and walleye bites hold as Hudson water cools
Fall smallmouth are the headline this week. Brookdog Fishing Co. out of Buffalo reports an excellent bass bite for the week of 10/05 to 10/11, including giant smallmouth fished through rough, windy conditions on Lake Erie and the Niagara River. Their earlier reports describe good walleye and lake trout action, with jigging becoming part of the program, and note that Lake Erie's temperature drop changed the pattern. That is western New York, but the fall transition it describes applies across the state's freshwater. Our readings show the upper Hudson system sitting in the low 60s. Gauge 01359139 reads 61°F, and gauges 01354230 and 01357500 both read 60°F. That range is comfortable for active bass and walleye and is the point where trout start to feel the seasonal shift. Gauge 01357500 shows 1,050 cfs and gauge 01358000 shows 5,420 cfs, so flows are moderate to strong depending on the stretch. Tactical Bassin points to jigs, soft jerkbaits and topwater near hard structure such as dock pilings, laydown trees and rocks as the fall pattern. Fishing the Midwest adds that the plain rig, a bottom bouncer with a snell and nightcrawler, is a go-to for fall walleyes.
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Expect the bass bite to stay strong while water holds in the low 60s. As nights cool further, smallmouth typically slide toward deeper rock and hold tight to structure, so jigs and slower presentations should gain ground over fast topwater. Midday is usually the best window once the sun warms the shallows, and a stable weather stretch is when the bite tends to be most consistent.
Walleye should keep feeding as baitfish move and light drops. Per Brookdog Fishing Co., jigging has been productive on Lake Erie walleye and lake trout, and that approach is worth carrying to other deep water. Fishing the Midwest notes that fall walleyes respond well to the plain rig worked slowly along the bottom.
If you chase trout, the cooling trend is what turns brown trout and brook trout more aggressive as fall spawning approaches. Streamers and egg patterns are typical choices this time of year. Check state regulations for open seasons and any special-regulation waters before you keep fish.
The moon is a waxing crescent, so dawn and dusk are likely to be the cleanest low-light periods early in the week. Watch the larger flows near gauge 01358000, where higher water can make wading difficult. Fish the softer seams and edges when current is strong.
Context
Mid-October is typically peak transition season for freshwater in the Hudson Valley and Finger Lakes. Surface temperatures have fallen out of the summer range, weeds are dying back, and baitfish and gamefish relocate toward remaining green vegetation and hard structure. Fishing the Midwest makes this point about finding green weeds in the fall, and it holds broadly.
This timing is on schedule for the region. Smallmouth and walleye are in their pre-winter feeding stretch, building reserves before water turns cold. Crappie and bluegill commonly gather in deeper cover as temperatures drop, and anglers who find them can often catch many in one spot. Lake trout and steelhead action builds in the Great Lakes watershed as the season moves toward November.
Synthesized from real-time NOAA buoy data, USGS stream gauges, and current reports across regional fishing blogs, captain updates, and angler forums. Check local regulations before keeping fish. Never trust a single source for a trip decision.
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