New York fishing reports
434 reports for New York — what's biting, water temps, and where to focus.
Finger Lakes bass dial into summer patterns under the full moon
USGS gauge 04232050 logged 66°F and just 8.7 cfs on June 29 — drought-level flow signaling the Finger Lakes watershed is running well below normal for late June. With water this warm, bass are most active during low-light windows at dawn and dusk. Wired 2 Fish reports fly-rod anglers catching good numbers of largemouth bass on handmade dice and urchin-style surface bugs — a pattern that translates directly to the poppers and soft surface presentations that draw Cayuga and Seneca smallmouth off rocky drop-offs. Tactical Bassin confirms that July's elevated water temperatures push bass metabolism into overdrive, with fish feeding aggressively but retreating to thermal breaks and deeper weedlines by midday. Fishing the Midwest points to weedline edges as the key summer structure target. Tonight's full moon favors nocturnal feeding runs — plan your best sessions for first light over the next two days.
Low flows and long hatches: Catskills trout enter summer's technical stretch
Two USGS gauges tracking Catskills trout water registered notably lean flows on the morning of June 29: USGS gauge 01413500 came in at 56.7 cfs and USGS gauge 01415000 at just 8.94 cfs. Water temperature readings were unavailable from both sites. Chatter on The Fly Fishing Forum already has anglers noting drought conditions arriving early in June, and the low gauge numbers back up that concern. With no significant rain in the immediate forecast and the season pushing deep into summer, expect clear, slow-moving water where presentations need to be precise and tippets fine. This is the time of year when Catskills streams shift from mayfly-heavy evenings to trico-dominated mornings, with terrestrials — ants and beetles — filling the midday hours. Full Moon tonight can push nocturnal feeding and suppress daytime activity on flatter stretches. Fish early, fish late, and give low-pressure pools a wide berth.
King salmon firing on Lake Ontario as summer deepwater bite heats up
Strike Zone Charters reports outstanding salmon fishing on Lake Ontario this past week, noting "salmon fishing has been very good" with brown trout and lake trout rounding out most trips. The productive zone sits in 100 to 160 feet of water, though the ideal depth shifts daily as wind repositions the thermocline. Mag Dipsey Divers are the go-to rig when the preferred temperature layer sits deep, with green, white, and chartreuse e-chips drawing consistent strikes. On the tributary side, USGS gauge 04250750 shows the Salmon River running at 66.1 cfs this morning, a manageable and wade-friendly flow. Water temperature data was unavailable from monitoring stations at report time. With a full moon this weekend, low-light windows are worth prioritizing on both the open lake and in tributary reaches, where smallmouth bass are a reliable late-June option alongside the lake action.
NY Bass Season in Full Stride as Summer Patterns Lock In
NY DEC's June 26th Fishing Line confirms largemouth and smallmouth bass season is running strong across New York, with the June 12th issue noting 'the fish bite is picking up with the warmer summer weather.' For Hudson Valley and Finger Lakes anglers, late June means bass have finished spawning and are settling into predictable summer routines: shallow cover and weed edges at first light, then retreating to deeper structure as midday heat builds. Tonight's full moon will push the most aggressive feeding into dawn and dusk windows. No NOAA buoy or USGS flow readings were available for this cycle — verify local water conditions before heading out. Spring-stocked trout from DEC's active hatchery program remain catchable in shaded tributary streams, though warming temps have likely pushed them toward spring holes and deeper runs. Check current NY DEC regulations before harvesting any species.
Walleye and smallmouth peak on Lake Erie as late-June patterns set in
Wired 2 Fish this week spotlighted round gobies as a cornerstone of Great Lakes productivity, and the implications land directly on Lake Erie's eastern basin and the Niagara River corridor. Gobies now anchor the forage chain that drives walleye, smallmouth bass, and yellow perch across Western NY waters. No NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings were available for this report, so surface temperatures remain unconfirmed; check local marina boards before heading out. Seasonal expectation for late June: walleye have pushed into the 25-40 foot range over hard-bottom and rocky structure, smallmouth are in prime feeding condition on boulder fields and shoals from Buffalo toward the Pennsylvania line, and yellow perch are scattered across mid-lake transitions and deeper humps. The full moon peaking June 28 historically compresses walleye feeding into tight low-light windows at dawn and dusk, and can briefly pull fish shallower overnight before they retreat to summer depths.
Finger Lakes Smallmouth Peak as Full Moon Sets Up Prime Midsummer Windows
Tonight's full moon (June 28) coincides with the peak of the post-spawn smallmouth season across the Finger Lakes — the strongest setup on the calendar for dawn and dusk surface action on Cayuga, Seneca, and Skaneateles. No NOAA buoy or USGS gauge data were available this reporting cycle, and angler-intel feeds provided no direct Finger Lakes coverage this week, so this report draws on seasonal norms. Late June typically puts post-spawn bass onto rocky points, shoals, and weed-line transitions in 8–20 feet — fish that have recovered from the spawn and are now feeding aggressively. Lake trout and rainbow trout retreat to 40-plus-foot depths as surface temps climb into the upper 60s and low 70s. Landlocked Atlantic salmon on Cayuga and Seneca can be reached by trollers working the 30–60-foot zone. Check with the NY DEC and local tackle shops for current access and harvest regulations before heading out.
Catskill and Adirondack trout enter summer mode as trico season opens
No direct flow data or regional shop reports were available for this update, but late June marks a reliable seasonal hinge on these streams. Trico hatches typically begin on classic Catskills pools right around the last week of June, and Gink and Gasoline's overview of the trico spinner fall is a useful primer for what anglers should expect this week. MidCurrent's recent tying coverage highlights surface and film patterns built for 'hatches beginning to fire and predatory fish pushing into the shallows,' a description that fits this window well. The full moon on June 28 pushes optimal feeding to low-light hours: pre-dawn and last light will outperform midday on pressured water. Adirondack brook trout will favor cold tributary mouths and shaded pocket water as daytime temperatures build toward their summer peak. Anglers should verify USGS flows before heading out, as early-summer storm systems can spike levels quickly on both mountain systems.
Black bass in full swing across Hudson Valley and Finger Lakes as summer peaks
NY DEC's June 26th Fishing Line confirms Free Fishing Days on June 27-28, coinciding with what the DEC's June 12th issue describes as a bite 'picking up with the warmer summer weather arriving just in time for the launch of black bass season.' Largemouth and smallmouth bass are now the headline species across Hudson Valley and Finger Lakes waters, with the season fully open and fish transitioning off their spawning grounds into established summer patterns. No real-time gauge or buoy readings are available for this report; anglers should check local conditions before launching. Tonight's full moon sets up an enhanced crepuscular feeding window worth planning around through the weekend. Musky season is also open on eligible Finger Lakes waters, per the DEC's May update. Trout are under pressure from warming summer temperatures and pushing toward deeper, cooler sections of the larger lakes, making early-morning sessions the most reliable window for coldwater species.
Lake Ontario salmon fire offshore as tributary run builds toward fall
Strike Zone Charters (Lake Ontario) is reporting excellent salmon fishing this past week, with brown trout and lake trout mixing into catches. Fish are concentrated at 100 to 160 feet, with preferred depth shifting day to day as wind repositions the thermocline. Mag Dipsey Divers are the primary delivery tool when fish drop deeper, with green, white, and chartreuse e-chips drawing strikes. For anglers targeting the Salmon River and Oswego tributary systems, late June is a shoulder period between the spring steelhead season and the fall salmon push. Chinook typically do not begin staging in the tributaries until late August. Those looking to capitalize on current action are better positioned trolling offshore on Lake Ontario near tributary mouths, where the bite is clearly building. No USGS gauge data was available at publication time. Full Moon conditions this weekend may concentrate baitfish near inlet zones.
Big stripers running the east end as Long Island shifts to summer pattern
Per On The Water's June 25 Long Island report, big stripers are feeding on a buffet of bait off the east end, with Montauk sustaining an excellent bass bite on squid and sand eels, a pattern holding since at least mid-June. The Fisherman's Long Island forecast for the week of June 25 confirms outstanding striped bass action island-wide, alongside improving sea bass and porgy fishing. Fluke are gaining momentum, with keeper fish showing up more consistently from the South Shore bays through the Peconics. South Shore reefs are producing sea bass on rigs and jigs, per On The Water. Offshore, OTW Saltwater's northeast report from June 24 puts canyon fishing at a red-hot start for the season, with yellowfin and bigeye tuna active. With the full moon peaking June 28, strong tidal movement should amplify the bite across all these fisheries this weekend.
Lake Erie walleye and smallmouth hit prime summer stride
Water temps holding at 67°F on Lake Erie (NOAA buoy 45132) and 70°F in local tributaries (USGS gauge 04231600) signal that Western NY's fishery has fully transitioned into summer mode. Surface conditions are ideal: wave heights of just 0.3 feet and light winds make weekend runs offshore or nearshore straightforward. The full moon this weekend can concentrate walleye and smallmouth feeding into low-light windows at dawn and dusk. Wired 2 Fish notes that round gobies have become a foundational forage species across Great Lakes fisheries, with walleye and smallmouth populations benefiting significantly from the abundant prey. That context points to goby-imitating tubes and drop shots near rocky Erie structure as productive presentations for smallmouth this week. Walleye trollers have historically found success in this temperature range across the main lake basin. Perch activity in the 25-to-35-foot zone typically ramps up through late June as bait concentrates.
Smallmouth season peaks across Cayuga, Seneca, and Skaneateles
Tactical Bassin's summer bass analysis notes that post-spawn fish have separated into two distinct groups: shallow fish holding rocky points and early weedline edges through morning hours, and deeper fish suspending off main-lake structure by midday. That pattern maps closely to the Finger Lakes right now, as late June marks the peak of smallmouth season on Cayuga, Seneca, and Skaneateles. Soft jerkbaits fished weightless, along with drop-shot presentations, are the dominant techniques when bass move to deeper transition zones. Lake trout, a cold-water anchor species on Cayuga and Seneca, typically retreat to 60-plus feet in late June as surface layers warm. No NOAA buoy or USGS gauge data was available this cycle to confirm surface temperatures. The current Waxing Gibbous moon sets up strong low-light bite windows at dawn and dusk through the weekend, worth planning your launch around.