New York fishing reports
191 reports for New York — what's biting, water temps, and where to focus.
59°F Water and Active DEC Stockings Set Up Hudson Valley Trout Bite
Water at USGS gauge 01357500 is reading 59°F on the upper drainage — right in the prime zone for recently stocked trout. NY DEC The Fishing Line (April 24th issue) confirms hatchery crews are actively transporting and stocking brook, brown, and rainbow trout across the state, making stocked streams and ponds in the Hudson Valley and Finger Lakes region the obvious first stop this week. The statewide coolwater sportfish season also opened May 1, per NY DEC, unlocking walleye, northern pike, and other coolwater species after a winter hiatus. On the lower Hudson, the striper picture is building: On The Water's May 1 migration map reports the post-spawn push of large female striped bass moving north out of the Chesapeake, and the tidal Hudson is a proven waypoint on that corridor. Flow at USGS gauge 01358000 is running 7,700 cfs — elevated but fishable from shore at many access points. A waning gibbous moon supports active feeding through the early-morning window.
DEC Stocking Surge + 56°F Water: NY Trout and Walleye Season Opens Strong
Water temps on the Schoharie Creek hit 56°F as of early May 5 (USGS gauge 01357500), landing Hudson Valley tributaries in the heart of the productive spring window. NY DEC's The Fishing Line (Freshwater) reports that hatchery crews are actively hauling and releasing brook, brown, and rainbow trout across the region — stocked streams should be well worth a visit this week. The coolwater sportfish season opened May 1, per NY DEC, putting walleye, northern pike, and muskellunge into legal play across the Finger Lakes and Hudson Valley reservoirs for the first time this year. Bass are beginning to work into spawn mode: Wired 2 Fish notes that anglers at New York latitudes should expect fish in or near spawning phases through May, with big fish pushing shallow. The Hudson River is flowing at 4,300 cfs (USGS gauge 01358000), a healthy spring level. Time the next two weeks well — conditions are lining up.
58°F Water and DEC Stockings Drive the Spring Bite in Hudson Valley
Water temperatures registered 58°F at USGS gauge 01357500 on May 4 — a sweet spot signaling prime spring conditions across the Hudson Valley and Finger Lakes. NY DEC The Fishing Line (April 24) confirms hatchery crews are actively stocking brook, brown, and rainbow trout throughout the region, and the statewide coolwater sportfish season — walleye included — opened May 1. On The Water's May 1 striper migration map notes the post-spawn push out of the Chesapeake is gaining momentum, which typically drives improving action along the Hudson River corridor in the weeks ahead. Wired 2 Fish's May 2026 lure guide notes that bass across the Northeast are entering or approaching the spawn, pointing anglers toward shallow presentations. The Schoharie Creek is flowing at 1,510 cfs and the Hudson at Green Island at 5,150 cfs — elevated spring levels, but within fishable range for most presentations.
Lake Erie Smallmouth and Walleye Poised as Water Hits 53°F
Water temps at 53°F recorded at USGS gauge 04231600 on the morning of May 4 put Western NY's Lake Erie and Niagara fisheries squarely in spring transition territory. On The Water's recent podcast featuring Captain Joe Fonzi covers Lake Erie's trophy smallmouth bass and what Fonzi describes as a 'booming' walleye fishery, crediting the goby-driven forage base as a primary growth engine. Wired 2 Fish confirms the regional picture: Great Lakes bass are in some phase of the spawn this month, with the recommendation to target big fish shallow near hard structure. At 53°F, smallmouth are staging near pre-spawn areas — rocky points, gravel bars, and emerging weed edges — while walleye, typically post-spawn by early May, are actively feeding before dispersing to summer structure. Flow at USGS gauge 04231600 registers 7,280 cfs, suggesting active runoff that may affect nearshore clarity. The current waning gibbous moon favors dawn and dusk feeding windows for both species.
Lake Erie Walleye and Trophy Smallmouth Active as Water Hits 51°F
Water temperature is logging 51°F at USGS gauge 04231600 as of early May 4 — a benchmark reading that puts Lake Erie's western basin directly in the pre-spawn smallmouth staging window and signals walleye well into post-spawn feeding mode. On The Water's latest podcast features Captain Joe Fonzie, whose Lake Erie operation covers trophy smallmouth and a walleye fishery he describes as 'booming,' crediting goby-driven forage for accelerating fish growth across the western basin. Gauge flow is running 7,250 cfs, a typical spring volume for this corridor. No direct charter or tackle-shop dispatches from the Western NY shoreline surfaced in this update cycle, so verify hyper-local conditions with area shops before launching. That said, 51°F in early May is exactly when western Lake Erie traditionally turns on for both headline species. The waning gibbous moon through this week favors lower-light feeding pushes at dawn and dusk — worth building walleye and smallmouth trips around.
Beaverkill holding at 55 cfs as Catskills hatch season hits stride
USGS gauge 01415000 puts the Beaverkill at 55.2 cfs at Cooks Falls as of May 4 — a moderate-to-low flow that typically means clear, wadeable water on one of the Catskills' most fished trout streams. The East Branch Delaware is carrying 274 cfs at Margaretville (USGS gauge 01413500), fishable but with enough push to favor pocket-water and seam-line presentations. No water temperatures came through at either gauge; early May in the Catskills typically places stream temps in the 52–58°F range, prime for trout activity. Direct NY on-the-water reports didn't surface in this cycle's feeds, but MidCurrent's recent hatch-timing coverage notes this is exactly the window when hatches 'begin to fire' across the Northeast. Hatch Magazine highlights the importance of reading caddis emergence windows, and Field & Stream's aquatic-insect primer reinforces that mayflies, caddisflies, and midges are the go-to match for early May Catskills trout.
Salmon River Running 252 cfs as May Tributary Window Shifts Gears
USGS gauge 04250750 recorded the Salmon River at 252 cubic feet per second as of early May 4 — a moderate, wade-friendly flow suggesting the river is settling cleanly out of spring melt. No water temperature reading was available from the gauge this cycle. None of this week's angler-intel feeds carried specific reports from the Salmon River or Oswego system, so conditions here are built from the gauge reading and seasonal patterns typical for early May on Lake Ontario's southern tributaries. The spring steelhead window typically peaks in March and April and tapers through the first two weeks of May; any rainbows still in the system are likely post-spawn fish staging to drop back to the lake. Brown trout and walleye remain realistic targets on the tributaries and in Oswego Harbor. The Waning Gibbous moon aligns with active low-light feeding windows — early-morning and dusk runs are worth prioritizing this week.
Striper Bite Building Across Long Island, Water at 51°F
Water temperatures at NOAA buoy 44065 have reached 51°F as of May 4th, right in the productive early-spring striper window, and the fishing is responding. The Fisherman (Northeast)'s April 30 Long Island forecast reports stripers now spread from the East End back bays to the South Shore surf and into the western bays, with schoolies and slot-size bass becoming consistent and larger fish pushing 30-plus pounds. Bunker schools are holding fish in place, and anglers are scoring on a mix of plugs, soft plastics, bucktails, and fresh chunks. On The Water's April 30 Long Island report confirms steady action for both boat and shore anglers, with bunker schools along the South Shore and into Long Island Sound doing the heavy lifting. The bite is most reliably tied to tide changes — get on the water when the current is running.
Hudson River at 55°F: Stocked Trout Prime, Walleye Season Opens on Finger Lakes
Water temps have climbed to 55°F at USGS gauge 01357500 on the upper Hudson corridor, placing the region squarely in prime spring feeding territory for trout while setting the countdown on the bass spawning transition. NY DEC's The Fishing Line (April 24th issue) confirms hatchery crews are actively transporting and stocking brook, brown, and rainbow trout across New York — freshly stocked streams and pools are the most reliable path to consistent action right now for anglers working runs and eddies below stocking access sites. Equally significant: the statewide coolwater sportfish season opened May 1 per NY DEC, unlocking walleye fishing across the Finger Lakes for the first time this year. On the Hudson, On The Water's striper migration map from May 1 signals that post-spawn Chesapeake females are beginning their northward push — the corridor has been open since April 1 and conditions are tightening. The river is running at 4,850 cfs at the upper gauge (USGS 01357500) and 11,900 cfs downstream (USGS 01358000), manageable spring flows that keep most tributary access open.
Stripers Stacking on South Shore Bunker as LI Water Hits 51°F
Water at NOAA buoy 44065 is reading 51°F as of May 3 — right in the sweet spot for an active striper bite across Long Island. The Fisherman (Northeast)'s April 30 Long Island forecast confirms fish are now spread from the East End back bays to the South Shore surf and into the western bays, with schoolies and slot-size bass becoming consistent and larger fish pushing into the 30-inch class and beyond to 30-plus pounds. Bunker schools are the key driver: On The Water — New York / Long Island reports pods locked in both Long Island Sound and the South Shore surf, anchoring stripers in place. Anglers are connecting on plugs, soft plastics, bucktails, and fresh chunks, with the best action reliably tied to tide changes. With the full moon just passed and a waning gibbous overhead, the post-peak tidal windows are primed for the next few days of strong action.
Walleye Season Opens May 1 with Hudson at 57°F and Stocked Trout Biting
Water temps on the Hudson are reading 57°F (USGS gauge 01357500, May 3) right as New York's coolwater sportfish season opened statewide on May 1 — the biggest calendar turn of the spring. Per NY DEC The Fishing Line (April 24th issue), walleye, northern pike, and muskellunge are now legally in play for the first time this year across Hudson Valley and Finger Lakes waters. Spring trout stocking is running simultaneously: DEC hatchery crews have been actively transporting brook, brown, and rainbow trout since mid-April. Inland trout season has been open since April 1 (per the March 27th Fishing Line). At 57°F, water is squarely in the feeding zone for trout and beginning to warm into walleye territory. The Hudson is flowing at 4,870 cfs at gauge 01357500 and 13,100 cfs at downstream gauge 01358000 — elevated spring levels but well within fishable range at most access points.
Lake Erie Walleye & Smallmouth Firing as Water Hits 51°F Under Full Moon
Water temperature is reading 51°F at USGS gauge 04231600 this morning — right at the threshold where Lake Erie's walleye and trophy smallmouth shift into active feeding mode. On The Water's recent podcast episode featuring Captain Joe Fonzi spotlights the lake right now: Fonzi covers a booming walleye fishery and trophy-class smallmouth fueled by goby-driven forage growth, with forward-facing sonar as the key tool for locating fish. Tonight's Full Moon adds a productive low-light dimension; walleye are known to push shallow and feed aggressively under bright moon conditions, making dawn and dusk the premium windows this week. Tributary flows are elevated at 7,290 cfs per USGS gauge 04231600, which may push some turbid water into nearshore zones — fish could be staging slightly off inflow mouths on adjacent hard bottom waiting for clarity to improve. Overall, this is a high-potential early-May window: temps are in the productive range, the moon is aligned, and both walleye and smallmouth are positioned for action.