New York fishing reports
191 reports for New York — what's biting, water temps, and where to focus.
Finger Lakes bass and trout on the move as post-spawn May window opens
Water logged at 52°F by USGS gauge 04232050 on the morning of May 11 puts the Finger Lakes — Cayuga, Seneca, and Skaneateles — squarely in a productive early-May window. Tactical Bassin reports the bluegill spawn is fully underway across the region, a key trigger that pushes largemouth bass into shallow, heavy cover and fires up aggressive surface feeding; frogs and topwaters are the standout presentations right now. Smallmouth are working through the post-spawn transition, with Tactical Bassin noting fish are splitting between shallow structure and open water, making swimbaits and finesse drop-shots productive depending on where individual schools settle. On The Water's recent feature on the Onondaga Lake bass resurgence — just north of the Cayuga basin — reinforces that Central New York's bass fishery is in strong shape this spring. Lake trout and rainbow trout remain actively feeding at 52°F; the thermocline on Cayuga and Seneca is positioning fish within reach of standard wire-line and lead-core trolling rigs.
Catskills streams fishable as mid-May hatch transition takes hold
USGS gauge 01413500 logged 373 cfs on Catskills trout water early on May 11, with gauge 01415000 recording 97.9 cfs — both reads placing area streams at elevated but fishable spring levels. No water temperature data was available from this morning's sensor pull. MidCurrent's current Tying Tuesday roundups describe hatches beginning to fire across Northeastern trout fisheries, flagging a full water-column lineup from buoyant deer-hair attractors riding fast surface water to beaded nymphs built for overcast, low-contrast conditions — a pattern spread directly applicable to Catskills and Adirondacks stream fishing through mid-May. Field & Stream's recent coverage of Hendrickson hatches on Northeastern trout streams provides a useful seasonal anchor: the Catskills traditionally see Hendricksons taper in early May before March Browns and early caddis carry the calendar forward. Trout Unlimited is circulating nymph-casting tips via the Orvis Learning Center, timely technique grounding for fishing the deeper seams that elevated spring flows push trout into.
Hudson stripers surging as walleye season opens on the Finger Lakes
Water at 56°F on the upper Hudson (USGS gauge 01357500) puts the region squarely in prime spring territory. Per On The Water's May 8 striper migration map, post-spawn bass are pouring out of the Chesapeake in force and spreading across the Northeast — the Hudson River's legendary spring striper run should be in full stride right now. NY DEC's April 24 Fishing Line confirmed hatchery crews completed spring deliveries of brook, brown, and rainbow trout to streams statewide, giving anglers plenty of freshly stocked water to work. Critically, the coolwater sportfish season — covering walleye, northern pike, and tiger muskellunge — opened statewide on May 1 per DEC, unlocking the Finger Lakes walleye fishery for the first time this season. Flows are elevated on the Hudson (18,900 cfs at the lower tidal gauge per USGS 01358000), but with temps in the mid-50s the region is firing across multiple fronts. This week's waning crescent moon favors low-light feeding windows at dawn and dusk.
Lake Erie walleye and smallmouth heating up as Western NY hits mid-May
USGS gauge 04231600 logged water at 56°F on May 10, landing squarely in the temperature band that historically triggers active post-spawn walleye feeding and prespawn smallmouth bass activity across the Lake Erie system. No charter or tackle-shop reports are in our current feed for the Lake Erie and Niagara corridor this week, so specific bite details from the open lake and river remain unconfirmed from on-the-water sources. Tactical Bassin notes that in early May, bass are split between late-spawn holdouts and post-spawn fish moving to transition areas — a pattern consistent with what Western NY smallmouth typically show at this water temperature. The gauge records 7,820 cfs, elevated spring flow that tends to concentrate predators near tributary mouths and slack-water eddies where bait stacks up. Last Quarter moon sets up decent low-light windows at dawn and dusk for walleye jigging and trolling presentations.
Big Stripers Blanketing Long Island as Fluke Season Gets Rolling
Water temps of 53–54°F at NOAA buoys 44025 and 44065 provide a cool but productive backdrop as Long Island enters a strong stretch for spring bass. Per On The Water's May 7 report, a wave of big bass has hit the South Shore surf while fish topping 25 pounds are chasing bunker east along the North Shore. Cow Harbor Bait and Tackle in Northport confirms mixed-size stripers from 30 to 44 inches inside Huntington Bay and Cold Spring Harbor, with trolled Mojo rigs and popper plugs producing. On the East End, Star Island Yacht Club reports slot-size bass near the Montauk lighthouse on diamond jigs and bucktails fished on moving tides. The season's second headline: New York's fluke season opened May 4, and Sea Rogue Charters out of Freeport returned from early exploratory runs with keepers to 5 pounds. Porgies are slow but WeGo Bait and Tackle on the North Fork reports fish beginning to trickle in at Cedar Beach in Southold.
Spring trout stocking peaks as walleye opens and stripers push north
Water temperature at 59°F (USGS gauge 01357500, May 10) puts Hudson Valley and Finger Lakes waters squarely in prime spring territory. NY DEC's April 24 Fishing Line reports hatchery crews have been actively stocking brook, brown, and rainbow trout across the region — stream trout fishing is at its seasonal peak. The statewide coolwater season opened May 1, unlocking walleye and northern pike across eligible waters. On the striper front, On The Water's May 8 migration map shows post-spawn bass pushing hard out of the Chesapeake and spreading from New Jersey to Rhode Island — the Hudson River's annual spring push typically tracks closely behind this coastal surge. Bass are transitioning out of the spawn, with bluegill beds drawing fish into shallow cover, per Tactical Bassin's early-May reports. Flows are elevated with spring runoff — 4,340 cfs at gauge 01357500 and 15,700 cfs downstream at gauge 01358000 — but conditions remain fishable.
Finger Lakes bass prime up as May prespawn window opens across the region
USGS gauge 04232050 recorded 54°F water and 44.3 cfs flow in the Finger Lakes watershed this morning — water right at the prespawn staging threshold for smallmouth and largemouth bass across Cayuga, Seneca, and Skaneateles. On The Water spotlights Central New York's renewed bass scene this week, profiling Onondaga Lake's transformation into a trophy bass fishery, a signal of rising productivity across the broader CNY corridor. Tactical Bassin documents several productive early-May patterns: topwater frogs and swimbaits drawing fish over shallow heavy cover, with drop-shots and finesse rigs picking up post-spawn fish moving off deeper structure. At 54°F, the Finger Lakes sit right on the cusp of the smallmouth spawn — staging fish are feeding aggressively before committing to beds. Lake trout and rainbow trout remain viable targets in the deep basins of Cayuga and Seneca at these temperatures, though no local charter intel is available this week. The Last Quarter moon dampens midday feeding; plan around first light and dusk.
Lake Erie walleye on the troll as smallmouth post-spawn peaks in Western NY
Water temperature at 54°F (USGS gauge 04231600, recorded May 10) puts Western New York squarely in the prime spring window for walleye and smallmouth bass. A Michigan Sportsman Forum report from May 8 describes anglers trolling crankbaits (bandits) 25 feet back on planer boards along the Canadian side of Lake Erie, finishing the afternoon with six walleye — a result suggesting post-spawn fish are positioned and actively feeding. Perch were staging in about 21 feet of water in the same area, though the bite faded after a modest flurry. On the bass front, Tactical Bassin's early-May breakdown highlights that smallmouth and largemouth are split between post-spawn shallow cover and transitional open-water zones right now, with topwater and swimbait presentations both drawing strikes. The Last Quarter moon sets up favorable low-light feeding windows at dawn and dusk — plan your launch time accordingly.
Catskill and Adirondack streams primed for May caddis and evening rises
Flows on Catskills-area streams are running at moderate-to-elevated spring levels this morning — USGS gauge 01413500 posted 437 cfs and gauge 01415000 registered 118 cfs at 06:45 ET, with no water temperature readings available at either site. MidCurrent's recent Tying Tuesday roundups highlight that Northeast trout hatches are "beginning to fire," spotlighting caddis-pupa and CDC emerger patterns alongside high-floating attractors for fish that have started looking up — consistent with what mid-May typically brings to Catskills freestone streams. Field & Stream's spring stocked-trout feature is a timely reminder that DEC-stocked reaches are currently holding fresh rainbows. No direct shop, charter, or guide reports from the Adirondacks or Catskills appear in our feeds this week; these conditions are grounded in gauge data and regional seasonal patterns. Verify locally before committing to the drive, and rig both a heavy nymph setup and a caddis dry for the evening window.
Salmon and Browns Active on Lake Ontario; Tributaries Running Clear and Fishable
Strike Zone Charters out of Lake Ontario reported an excellent salmon bite this past week, with brown trout and lake trout rounding out catches across 100–160 feet of open water. Mag Dipsey Divers in green, white, and chartreuse — paired with e-chips — were the productive trolling combination, with productive depths shifting day to day as wind repositions the thermocline, per Strike Zone Charters. On the tributary side, USGS gauge 04250750 logged 259 cfs Sunday morning — a low, settled flow pointing to clear, wader-friendly conditions on the Salmon River and Oswego drainages. At those levels, any late-season steelhead still holding in the system will be more visible and considerably more selective; downsizing to lighter tippets and smaller presentations is the practical adjustment. Water temperature data was unavailable from the gauge this cycle. Whether you're running dipseys on the open lake or wading the Salmon River's deeper pools, mid-May conditions this week call for precision over brute-force coverage.
Stripers Blow Up Across Long Island as Fluke Season Opens
Water temps are holding at 50–51°F per NOAA buoys 44025 and 44065, and the cool water is proving no obstacle to a red-hot striper bite. On The Water's May 7 report puts big bass on the South Shore surf — fish exceeding 25 pounds — while North Shore fish are chasing bunker east through Long Island Sound. Per The Fisherman's North Shore correspondents, Cow Harbor Bait and Tackle and Campsite Sport Shop both confirm 30- to 44-inch stripers stacked inside Huntington Bay and Cold Spring Harbor, responding to Mojo rigs, popper plugs, and bunker chunks. Around Montauk, Star Island Yacht Club reports slot-size fish in front of the lighthouse on moving tides, with diamond jigs and bucktails working near the bottom. New York's summer flounder season officially opened May 4, and Sea Rogue Charters out of Freeport is already logging keepers to 5 pounds on early exploratory fluke runs.
Stripers moving up the Hudson as spring trout stocking peaks across NY
USGS gauge 01357500 logged 56°F on the water Sunday morning — a sweet spot that has stocked trout actively feeding and migrating stripers pushing into the Hudson corridor. On The Water's May 8 striper migration map puts post-spawn bass spreading across the Northeast in full force, with New Jersey to Rhode Island all firing and the lower Hudson well within the leading edge. NY DEC The Fishing Line reports hatchery crews have been actively transporting and stocking brook, brown, and rainbow trout statewide — timing that lines up with current water conditions perfectly. The coolwater sportfish season opened May 1, per NY DEC, making Finger Lakes walleye a newly legal target just as ice-out patterns fade and fish settle into early-season structure. Combined Hudson flows stand at 12,700 cfs (USGS gauge 01358000), elevated from snowmelt but well within fishable range at most access points.