Walleye and lake trout turn on as NY waters slide into fall mode

What's biting

What's next

Expect Hudson Valley and Finger Lakes water temperatures to keep easing from the low 60s toward the upper 50s over the next few days as overnight lows drop, extending the deep-jigging pattern captains are already working on Lake Erie into the Finger Lakes' deeper basins. If that trend holds, walleye and lake trout activity should keep building regionally into the weekend.

With a waning crescent moon keeping night skies darker, dawn and dusk low-light windows are worth prioritizing for walleye. Flows on the Schoharie-system gauges remain moderate, so wading and shoreline access should stay comfortable into early next week barring rain.

Context

This tracks the typical October turn for Hudson Valley and Finger Lakes freshwater, with temperatures sliding from the 60s toward the 50s as the fall cooldown pushes baitfish and gamefish out of summer patterns, the same seasonal shift reflected in NY DEC's Fishing Line coverage of fall-run activity in Lake Ontario tributaries. Walleye and lake trout activity picking up as lake temperatures drop is standard for this point in the season and typically keeps building through late October.