Smallmouth and walleye bite carries into mid-October
Gauge readings on the Hudson system show water temps of 60 to 62°F this week (USGS gauge 01357500 at 62°F, USGS gauge 01354230 at 60°F, USGS gauge 01359139 at 61°F), a comfortable range for fall bass and walleye. Flow on USGS gauge 01357500 is 2,370 cfs, while USGS gauge 01358000 shows 6,650 cfs, so the bigger water is running noticeably heavier. For what's biting across western New York, Brookdog Fishing Co. reported an excellent bass bite for the week of 10/05 to 10/11, including giant smallmouth, even in rough, windy conditions across Lake Erie and the Niagara system. The prior week they noted solid bass sessions on the Upper and Lower Niagara as Lake Erie's temperature dropped. Walleye were strong through mid-September, and lake trout fished well on deep jigs out of Barcelona. On the bass side, Tactical Bassin (blog) is pushing shallow tactics for October, with jigs, soft jerkbaits and topwater around hard structure like dock pilings, laydown trees and rocks. Fishing the Midwest recommends a plain snell rig with a nightcrawler on a bottom bouncer for fall walleyes, plus a bladed swim jig for multi-species coverage.
New to these readings? What water temp, tide, and moon phase mean for fishing →
What's biting
What's next
Expect the cooling trend to keep nudging fish toward their fall patterns. With water in the low 60s, smallmouth should stay willing to eat, and each cold front tends to sharpen the bite. Wired 2 Fish notes that crappie turn aggressive almost overnight once the first cool front arrives, so brush and deeper structure are worth a look on any still water you can reach.
Over the next few days, plan on bass staying tied to rock and wood. Per Tactical Bassin (blog), fish position predictably in fall, so a jig worked slowly along hard cover is a safe opening move, with a finesse option ready on tougher days. If wind picks up, as Brookdog Fishing Co. described last week, fish the leeward banks and be patient with presentations.
For walleye, evening and low-light windows are your best bet. Fishing the Midwest points to a plain rig with a nightcrawler as an easy, effective way to cover water. The waxing crescent moon gives darker late evenings, which can help low-light fishing.
Watch the Hudson system flow. USGS gauge 01358000 is reading 6,650 cfs, which is heavy water, so stick to eddies, seams and slower edges if you are wading or fishing from the bank. Check state regs before keeping any fish.
Context
Mid-October in the Hudson Valley and Finger Lakes typically sits right in the heart of the fall transition. Surface temps usually slide through the low 60s toward the 50s, baitfish bunch up, and bass shift from summer haunts toward rock, deeper edges and remaining green weeds. Walleye generally feed more actively in cooler, lower light conditions, and lake trout move shallower in many northeastern lakes as the season advances.
This timing looks on schedule for the region. Fall is widely regarded as one of the best stretches of the year for anglers who can handle a little wind and cooler mornings, and boat traffic drops off, which makes for quieter water.
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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