New York City Hudson River Fishing Report Today

Hudson River anglers, it’s Artificial Lure here with your Saturday morning report straight from the heart of New York City, September 13, 2025. The sun rose at 6:32am and will set this evening at 7:10pm, giving you a solid window for both dawn patrol and that golden hour bite before dusk. Today’s weather is serving up perfect fishing conditions: mainly sunny, high around 70 degrees, and a gentle WNW breeze topping at 8 mph—just enough to ripple the surface, but not enough to throw off your casting. Tide for Battery Park showed a low at 6:45am, with incoming water peaking just shy of 1:00pm. That rising tide means bait is moving and predatory fish are on the prowl.

There’s plenty of buzz in local circles about the fall “second season”—striped bass and bluefish activity is ratcheting up as water temps drop back into the upper 60s, prime for migrating predators. According to reports from On The Water, peanut bunker and juvenile herring are flooding the lower river and harbor, drawing in schools of eager stripers and the occasional wolfpack of bluefish. Yesterday and this morning, several regulars working the piers off West Harlem and around Pier 96 were into a mix of bass and blues—nothing trophy size, but mostly 3- to 8-pounders, with a couple over the slot released from shore.

Best bets for lures right now are anything that mimics local bait: try **white or bone SP Minnows**, **1-ounce swim shads**, and **bucktail jigs** tipped with curly tails. Early risers drifting the mud flats around the George Washington Bridge have seen success with **live eels** and **fresh bunker chunks**, especially on the incoming tide, while those tossing soft plastics in the shadow lines under the piers are reporting steady action after sundown.

Fluke season is winding down but still worth a shot in the slack water around the Battery; try **small jigging spoons** or **pink Gulp! grubs** bounced along the bottom. Some reports from the kayak crowd say there are still a few keeper weakfish mixed in, most caught near Governors Island after dark on soft plastics.

As for hot spots, **Pier 84 in Midtown** remains a consistent producer at dawn and dusk—keep your eyes peeled for surface busts as bass trap bunker pods against the bulkhead. **Riverbank State Park**, especially the rocks and pilings near 145th Street, is another reliable stretch when that incoming tide lines up with low-light hours. If you’re working from a boat, drifting near the mouth of the Harlem River offers great ambush points as bait flushes in.

Action may be heavy at times, but remember, most fish caught this week have been just under keeper size. Don’t be discouraged; that means bigger bass and blues are likely cruising close behind as the moon phase darkens and nights get longer. The ever-optimistic reports from theaverageangler.com say we’re shaping up for another classic fall run as more cold fronts approach.

So whether you’re casting lures at sunrise, drifting bait by moonlight, or just watching

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Artificial Lure here with your Friday, September 12 Hudson River report right out of New York City—and what a September morning to wet a line. If you’re heading out early, sunrise was at 6:32 AM, and we’ll see a golden sunset at 7:11 PM, making for a full day of late-summer action. Tides are crucial: today’s high tide rolled in just after sunrise and will drop through midday with slack low around lunchtime, so plan your bite windows around those moving waters. Weather’s holding steady: expect sunshine, light breeze, and highs warming up to the mid 70s. Perfect for casting from shorelines or drifting near structure.

The autumn run is ramping up, and baitfish—peanut bunker, silversides, and small herring—are flooding into the river, bringing hungry predators with them. According to the latest from On The Water, stripers are starting to stir with the cooler nights, and there have been early catches around New York Harbor and just north into Yonkers and Tarrytown. Bluefish, too, are making their presence known around river mouths and along city piers. Fluke (summer flounder) are still hanging on, but their bite is starting to slow as water temps drop, giving way to more porgy and snapper blue action. Locals at Keyport Bait and Tackle just across the bay report snappers showing in better numbers and porgies stacked on the rock piles—both patterns mirrored in the lower Hudson.

As for amounts and types of fish caught this week: schoolie striped bass are showing up all along Manhattan’s West Side piers, especially at first and last light. You’ll find bluefish blitzing bait, especially as the tide starts ripping—snappers one moment, two-pound choppers the next. Porgies are a steady bet near the pilings and rocky mouths around Edgewater, NJ, and City Island; use clam or sandworm on hi-lo rigs for best results. The city’s fluke bite faded some but not out—caught mostly on Gulp! grubs and fluke belly near the Battery and the mouth of the Harlem River.

For bait and lures, here’s what’s scoring best now:

- For striped bass: bloodworms or chunk bunker on fish-finder rigs during slack tide, transitioning to swimming plugs (think SP Minnows, Yo-Zuri Crystal Minnows) or paddle-tail soft plastics (white or bunker) as the current picks up.

- For bluefish: noisy surface poppers in the morning or cut bunker if they’re schooling deep; Kastmasters and metal spoons are never a bad call for quick retrieval.

- Fluke and porgies: drift bucktails tipped with Gulp! or squid, or simply use double dropper rigs with clam strips.

- Snappers: small Kastmaster spoons, snapper poppers with spearing, or live killifish under a bobber.

Hot spots for today: Try Pier 25 and Pier 40 on Manhattan’s West Side early, just as that first light hits. For more elbow room and less crowd, check out the rocky shoreline just north of the George Washington Bridge on the Jersey side, or swing down to Brooklyn Bridge Park where stripers and blues push bait against the pylons as the tide drops.

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Artificial Lure reporting for Hudson River, New York City on Wednesday, September 10, 2025. Today’s sunrise touched the water at 6:34 a.m. and you can expect sunset right around 7:31 p.m. Anglers got a moody start with thick clouds, temps in the low 60s at dawn, climbing into the mid-70s by midday. Breezy conditions persist, with northeast winds at 15 to 20 knots and gusts up to 25 knots, keeping smaller craft hugging the shoreline and piers. There’s a chance of scattered showers moving through, so keep those slickers handy, especially along exposed banks and piers.

Tides are always a major story on the Hudson. According to NOAA, we’re coming off a morning slack tide. High tide around 6:00 a.m. brought in the baitfish and set up strong currents, but anglers will see decreasing flow as the day wears on. The next low tide is right after lunch, making midmorning and late afternoon the prime windows for active feeding.

Fish activity is picking up as the river cools, with fall migration getting underway. Locals and guides have reported solid catches over the past few days. Schoolie striped bass are making appearances near Pier 25 and Pier 40. These young stripers are feeding aggressively at first light and again at dusk. The best action has been casting from pier edges just upriver or trolling near drop-offs with shallow crankbaits or bloodworms. Soft plastic shads, retrieved with a slow twitch, are working especially well—many are switching to pearl or chartreuse in today’s overcast light.

Bluefish numbers have increased, with several anglers pulling 3- to 7-pounders in the late evenings. Topwater poppers and metal spoons are matching the frenzied surface blitzes around the edges of Pier 57 and Pier 84. If blues are smashing through the bunker schools, switch to wire leaders to save your tackle.

Weakfish are also in play, mainly caught along the muddy channels by Pier 40. Fresh clam bits and sandworms drifted close to bottom are getting the most bites, especially as outgoing tide stirs the riverbed.

Catfish and common carp remain steady for patient bank anglers. Chicken livers and cut bait are still the local favorites, with some big channel cats reported near the World Financial Center bulkhead.

For lure selection today, go with:

- Bucktail jigs in white or yellow; add a grub tail if water clarity is poor

- Metal spoons and diamond jigs for bluefish

- Soft plastic paddletails for striped bass

- Cut bunker and live eels after dark for a possible trophy bass

Live bait still gets it done if you can source fresh bunker, sandworms, or bloodworms at the local shops. Bass Pro Shops just had a sale over Labor Day, so if your spools and tackle need freshening, now’s the time.

Hot spots to target:

- Pier 25 and Pier 40 for stripers and weakfish on dawn and dusk feeds

- Pier 57 and Pier 84 for bluefish runs, especially as the sun drops low

- The World Financial Center seawall for steady catfish action all day

With the fall run begi

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Good morning, anglers—Artificial Lure here with your Hudson River NYC fishing report for Sunday, September 7th, 2025.

First light came right at 6:45AM and we’ll see sunset tonight at 6:49PM, so you’ve got a solid day ahead for chasing those fall-time fish. The tides today at Chelsea Docks have the first low at 4:45AM, high rolling in at 10:51AM, another low at 5:10PM, and the final high tonight at 11:05PM, all courtesy of Tide-Forecast.com. That means your prime bite windows, especially for stripers and blues, are lining up with the late morning incoming and that dusk high—keep those in mind when setting your alarms and planning where to cast.

Weather’s shaping up classic early September—mild temps topping out in the upper 70s by midday, light SW winds, and only a stray chance of a passing shower. Expect the river to have just a touch of color after last week’s spotty showers—not chocolate milk, but enough stain for the predators to ambush baits along drop-offs and rock piles.

Let’s talk fish activity. According to the September 5th episode of the “Hudson River, New York City Daily Fishing Report,” anglers this week scored decent numbers of schoolie striped bass at first and last light, with a few slot fish mixed in. The bluefish are still in the mix, running a bit bigger than last week, and reports from Hudson Piers in Yonkers mention the occasional doormat fluke still around for patient bottom draggers. Expect catches of white perch and channel cats to ramp up with the warming afternoons, especially around submerged pilings and current breaks.

Best lures have been 5-inch soft plastics on 3/8 to half-ounce jig heads, white or bunker color for stripers. Bluefish are smashing topwater poppers and noisy spooks—think chrome or bone finish, especially if there’s a little chop on the water. For fluke, chartreuse bucktails tipped with a Gulp! minnow or strip of squid have fooled most keepers pulled this week. Bait anglers continue to find success with fresh chunk bunker, sandworms, and cut mackerel, especially on the slower outgoing tides.

Hot spots: If you’re heading out on foot, Riverside Park’s piers between 70th and 125th have been producing, especially at the change of tides. Pier 84 and the bulkheads near Chelsea Docks remain reliable for both stripers and the occasional blue—just watch out for the heavy boat traffic near midday. Up north, the Yonkers waterfront around Hudson Piers is holding good numbers, and you might even tangle with an early fall-run weakfish if you put in the time.

Pro tip: Don’t forget to downsize your offering if you see bass feeding on bay anchovies—Abe from The Average Angler suggests switching to tiny flies or small paddle tails, especially when that “snot bait” gets thick in the current rips.

Wrapping up, the word on the River is: time your trips for moving water, keep an eye on the western bank piers, and be willing to experiment with both bait and lures. The late summer transition is in full swing—expect live

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Hudson River anglers, Artificial Lure here with your September 6, 2025, fishing report—straight from the city that never sleeps and the river that never rests. Let’s jump right into conditions and action for today.

Right now, the city is waking up to **clear skies, a gentle breeze out of the east, and a high temperatures heading for the mid-80s**. Sunrise was at 6:28am and sunset will clock in at 7:17pm. Today’s tide for the lower Hudson shows **high just before 8am, low around 2pm, and another high after 8 this evening**, giving you prime moving water both early and late—a perfect window for feeding fish. Gabriel Tackle Co. confirms light NE winds today, seas at 2-3 feet offshore, and comfortable boating conditions all around the region.

On the water in the city stretch, this week has been a blast for late-summer mixed-bag fishing. According to the New York City Hudson River Daily Fishing Report from September 3rd, **the river’s been giving up a steady pick of striped bass—including schoolies and a couple of solid slots—as well as decent runs of bluefish, and good numbers of fluke**. Local reports also mention a bit of bycatch with a few weakfish mingling near Pier 84 and off the Battery.

**Striped bass:** Early morning and dusk have been producing best on both tides. Bait’s thick with pods of peanut bunker and juvenile anchovies all up and down the seawalls. The schoolies are in close, feasting on these. Early risers casting topwater (like Zara Spooks or small pencil poppers) from Riverside Park down to Battery Park have gotten fast hits just past the slack. Midday, switch to soft plastics—white or chartreuse paddle tails—and bucktail jigs tipped with pork rind or Gulp for deeper current seams.

**Bluefish:** Packs of 1–3 pound choppers are slamming spoons, metal jigs, and swimming plugs along the rip lines. Best action’s been found near Pier 96 and the Jersey-bound channel edges. If you’ve got bigger gear, toss a flutter spoon or a 2-ounce Kastmaster.

**Fluke:** The channel edges south of the Intrepid and near Jersey City parks are producing keeper-sized summer flounder on Gulp swimming mullet or bucktails tipped with squid. Work the drop-offs at mid-tide and let that rig bounce right on the bottom.

**Live bait:** Always a winner if you want a sure bet—live eels and live peanut bunker are tops for slot bass, while cut bunker and mackerel chunks will tempt the larger blues when they roll through.

If artificials are your game, with peanut bunker and anchovy hatches still thick, tie on smaller paddle tails, swim shads, or even micro-minnow lures. When targeting blues or albies, metals like Deadly Dicks, Epoxy Jigs, or diamond jigs score the fast-moving fish. According to regional tackle shops and the “On The Water” reports, bunker-colored and olive or pink hues are working best right now.

**Hot spots:**

- **Pier 96 to 72nd Street seawall**: Best for early stripers and bluefish mixed in the shallower edge.

- **Battery Park rip lines and t

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Good morning, anglers—Artificial Lure here with your Hudson River NYC fishing report for Friday, September 5th, 2025.

Sunrise hit at 6:26 AM and expect sunset around 7:24 PM. We’ve got a high tide peaking late morning, about 9:05 AM, then dropping off through the early afternoon—the kind of moving water that lights up the bite. Weatherwise, we’re starting out with partly cloudy skies and temps climbing into the low 70s by midday. Winds are light out of the northwest, and the water’s holding at a comfortable late-summer temp.

The fishing’s lively from Midtown’s piers down through Battery Park and up past Inwood. Striped bass continue to be the main story, especially early morning and just after sunset, with more schoolies moving upriver. There’s been a bump up in bluefish activity the last few days—reports from local boaters and pier regulars say choppers in the 2–6 pound range blitzing bait along the channel edges and some even smashing topwaters near Pier 84 and the Intrepid docks. A few lucky folks even hooked into Spanish mackerel chasing peanut bunker right off Pier 96—rare but not unheard of for this time of year. According to On the Water’s latest regional report, the east end’s seeing the early push of the fall run, which lines up with what’s showing here in Gotham.

Bottom fishing is solid for late-season fluke, especially around Battery Park and the Statue—multiple anglers have weighed in keeper-sized fish up to 23 inches in the last week, with a handful of keeper black sea bass mixed in around the pilings and deeper drop-offs. Reports from tackle shops just across the river in Jersey City and Hoboken are showing catches of weakfish and the occasional triggerfish, mostly on the Jersey flats but with potential on the NY side near Liberty State Park.

Your best baits today are going to be live or fresh-cut bunker for stripers and blues, while the diehard fluke chasers are killing it with Gulp! nemesis grubs in pink shine, white, or chartreuse. Berkley Saltwater Gulp! or classic squid strips are drawing solid hits—especially as the tide drops out and fluke move into deeper water. For lures, don’t leave home without a selection of bucktails (white or chartreuse in the 1- to 2-ounce range), spooled with a fluke belly trailer or Gulp!. For blues, stickbaits and topwater plugs like Super Strike or Tsunami Poppers get the adrenaline going on an explosive strike—black and chrome has been the ticket this week.

If you’re targetting panfish or weakfish, try a small jig or paddle-tail plastic in white or pink. Sabiki rigs tipped with real or artificial bloodworms have drawn in spot and small porgies for the kids.

Hot spots to check out today:

- **Pier 96 / Clinton Cove** – Great structure, active currents, and always fish in the mix; early morning for stripers, mid-day for fluke.

- **South Cove / Battery Park** – Solid fluke and blues action close to shore on dropping tide.

- **East 79th Street Boat Basin** – Good for blues and the occasional l

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Artificial Lure here with your Hudson River, NYC fishing report for Wednesday, September 3rd, 2025.

We had a textbook late-summer day out on the river—temperatures crested in the high 70s to low 80s, skies mostly sunny with a light breeze pushing in from the south-southwest at 5 to 8 mph. Sunrise came early at 6:23 AM and you’ll see the sun slip behind the skyline just before 7:25 PM. Weather like this means ideal conditions for most of your favorite river species.

Tide-watchers: The Hudson hit high tide just before noon today with a strong incoming running through the late morning, topping off activity along Manhattan’s west side piers and the Jersey flats. Low tide followed in the late afternoon, so the window right before and after lunch saw the hottest bite.

Fishing action has picked up with water temps staying in that upper 70-degree range. Based on recent catches logged on GreatAnglers.com and consistent buzz from the local piers, you’ve got a mixed bag just below the surface. Schoolie striped bass have shown up in good numbers, especially around the pilings near Pier 40 and Chelsea Piers. Oyster toadfish are getting nabbed in the deeper pockets off the Battery; a few fishers reported 11-inchers last week on cut mullet and squid. Bluefish blitzes have been brief but furious just south of the George Washington Bridge, usually popping up during rapid changes in current.

Late summer fluke (summer flounder) are sticking close to structure, especially on the Jersey side around the old docks and the mouth of the Harlem River. Best action for fluke has come on bucktail jigs tipped with Gulp! curltails or strips of squid—chartreuse is the color this week. Anglers working drop-shot rigs with spearing or soft plastics (like Zoom Flukes) are also getting into some feisty flatfish, though most are in the 16–19” range with the odd keeper sliding over the rail.

If you’re set on stripers, nighttime and dawn have produced best. Tossing small paddletail swimbaits in bunker or silver patterns tight to shoreline rocks and eddies is drawing quick strikes. For bait, live eels remain the top producer for bigger bass, but fresh bunker chunks set on a fishfinder rig will do work, especially on the evening outgoing.

Don’t overlook the panfish: white perch and yellow perch are hitting nightcrawlers near the Intrepid, and locals report snapper blues schooling thick under schools of peanut bunker at Pier 84. Some folks even picked up a couple of good-sized largemouths near Spuyten Duyvil using black and blue jigs, according to recent logs.

Hot spots today:

- The south side of Pier 40: strong mix of striped bass, perch, and the occasional blue—get there at first light or dusk for best results.

- Inwood Hill Park shoreline and the flats off Riverbank State Park: decent fluke action and a must-try for snapper blues if you’re out with the kids.

Remember, top lures for the Hudson now:

- Bucktail jigs (chartreuse or white), tipped with Gulp! or squid

- Soft plastic

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Hudson River anglers, this is Artificial Lure with your Sunday, August 31st local fishing report for New York City. Let’s get right into the day on the water.

First off, your tides at Chelsea Docks are: high tide at 2:44am (3.45 ft), low at 8:33am (1.48 ft), another high at 3:09pm (4.19 ft), and low again at 10:07pm (1.47 ft). With sunrise at 6:22am and sunset rolling in at 7:29pm, you’ll have more than thirteen hours of day to work those banks and piers to your advantage. Water movement will be strong through the morning outgoing and midafternoon incoming, so plan accordingly—fish feed heavy through these changes, especially around the piers and rock piles.

Weather-wise, the marine forecast from the National Data Buoy Center has northeasterly winds 10-20 knots, seas at 3-4 feet, and generally clear skies this morning. Perfect for inshore work, but if you’re bringing a boat, watch for chop in the afternoon as winds pick up.

Fish activity is up this week. According to the latest recaps from GreatAnglers.com and recent local catches, the Hudson around NYC is seeing hungry summer stripers, solid runs of bluefish in the low-light hours, with white perch and schoolie bass biting steady from the piers. Several anglers connected with keeper-sized striped bass after dark using bright chartreuse plugs and bunker chunks off Riverside Park and Chelsea Piers. A few nice weakfish have also been reported closer to dusk near Battery Park—glittery paddle tails were hot.

Best baits and lures right now: live bunker, fresh cut chunk, and sandworms never disappoint in these waters. On the artificial side, top picks are 5-inch paddle tail plastics on a 3/4oz jighead, bone-colored spooks in the shallows, and brightly colored bucktail jigs for covering water near structure. For perch, you can’t go wrong with nightcrawlers on a simple fishfinder rig or small silver spoons.

Looking to dial in? Here are today’s hotspots:

- The cluster of piers between 69th and 79th Streets, on the Upper West Side—known for productive striper hits during changing tides.

- The Battery Park seawall in lower Manhattan for mixed-species action—outgoing afternoon tides bring predatory fish in close.

- For more elbow room, head north near Inwood Hill Park—reports of active bluefish blitzes just after first light.

With late summer warmth and classic end-of-August tidal swings, the waters are alive and the fish are cooperating. Early risers scored best before the boat and ferry traffic ramps up, but there’s solid action throughout the day if you chase the tide and keep baits moving.

Thanks for tuning in to today’s Hudson River round-up. If you’re fishing this weekend, good luck—remember to respect your fellow anglers, fish responsibly, and as always, keep those lines tight. Make sure to subscribe so you never miss a fresh Hudson River bite report.

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Hudson River anglers—this is Artificial Lure coming to you with your local fishing recap for Saturday, August 30, 2025. Sunrise kicked off at 6:21 AM and expect to fish till sunset at 7:31 PM, giving plenty of daylight to chase the late summer bite. According to tide-forecast.com for the Chelsea Docks section of the Hudson, your tidal marks are a low at 7:30 AM, peaking with a high at 2:22 PM, then dropping off with another low at 8:59 PM. The water movement should give you productive windows, especially leading up to the afternoon high tide—prime hunting for stripers and blues.

Weather-wise, the National Weather Service is calling for northwest winds 10 to 15 knots in the morning, calming as we head toward mid-day with seas running a mild 2 to 3 feet. That’s ideal for both shore and small craft anglers, and comfortable enough for city pier regulars and kayak hustlers alike.

Right now, the Hudson is seeing a classic late-August mix. Striped bass are starting to show more interest as the water cools; peanut bunker and herring are fueling some mini-blitzes, especially around the mouths of creeks, marina mouths, and deep channel edges. On theWater.com reports striper and bluefish action is on the rise with some double-digit blues moving just offshore, and sporadic weakfish are still around especially closer to Piermont Marsh and the Tappan Zee.

Fish activity's been best early and late, but mid-tide cycles are pulling a mix of species. The past few days have seen solid striper action to 28 inches, lots of cocktail blues, and decent numbers of channel catfish for those anchoring up near structure. Local pier regulars also report small fluke and porgies taking bait in deeper eddies.

For lures, stick to what’s local and matching the hatch—4” to 6” soft plastic paddle tails in pearl or bunker pattern are putting in work for schoolie bass and blues. Topwater spooks and poppers in the early morning are getting explosive hits from blues and resident stripers near the surface. Bucktail jigs tipped with Gulp! are still king, especially if you’re targeting fluke around rocky drop-offs.

If bait's your game, live bunker and chunk mackerel are reliable for stripers, while bloodworms and fresh clams are still pulling catfish and a few perch. Near the marsh edges, cut herring and soft shell crab are pulling in weakfish and the odd schoolie.

NYC parks fishing programs confirm more than 85 species are in play in these estuarine stretches, and this season has already seen porgy, black sea bass, and the rare Spanish mackerel make brief inshore appearances, especially south of the George Washington Bridge.

A couple of hot spots worth your effort:

- **Pier 96 in Manhattan**—good structure, regulated access, and plenty of current swings, known for late summer stripers, blues, and even the odd weakfish.

- **Henry Hudson Park at Riverdale**—access to deeper channels and natural shoreline, often hot for channel cats, perch, and stripers working bait through late Augu

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Hudson River anglers, it's Artificial Lure with your Friday, August 29th, 2025 fishing report right here in New York City. Summer’s winding down, sunrise was at 6:19 AM, sunset coming at 7:41 PM tonight. It’s a clear morning after that recent muggy spell, with temps around 70 at dawn and rising into the low 80s by the afternoon. Winds are light and variable, perfect for a day on the river. The tidal swing today is solid—high tide just after 6:30 AM, then low around 12:45 PM—so expect current to pick up on the ebb mid-morning and prime fishing to run through the first half of the day.

Let’s talk fish activity: Striped bass are making themselves known again with the cooler nights; larger schools have been spotted shadowing bunker in the lower river stretches and near Pier 25, and the fall run is teasing its start, according to On The Water reports, with blitzes beginning to pop up along local beaches, rivers, and bays. Bluefish are always in the mix this time of year, slashing through peanut bunker schools all along the urban shoreline—great action early and late in the day when those bait balls come close[On The Water].

Just north in Raritan Bay, a mixed bag of bluefish, fluke, croakers, and spot have been active, with striped bass up to 40 pounds being reported after recent weather, and the momentum is spreading downstream to the city[On The Water; Northern New Jersey Fishing Report]. Tautog are prowling rocky structure from Governors Island to Edgewater piers, and party boats are finding keeper fluke rebounding after the recent storm. Out toward the Tappan Zee and Yonkers, the catfish bite remains steady, especially after dusk.

Best lures and baits today: If you’re targeting stripers, go with 5-7” white or chartreuse soft plastic swim shads, or bunker-patterned paddle tails. Early topwater walkers or pencil poppers can be deadly near dawn when the surface shows signs of life. For bluefish, nothing beats a metal spoon or a classic diamond jig, but have some wire leaders ready—those teeth mean business. Fluke are taking bucktail jigs tipped with Gulp! or spearing; add a teaser rig up top when the drift is slow. Tautog are responding to green crabs fished tight to structure on a simple bottom rig.

Hotspots today:

- Pier 25 and Pier 40, especially during the ebb tide, for striper and bluefish ambushes.

- The inshore flats south of the George Washington Bridge, where the outgoing tide concentrates bait and draws in both big blues and fluke.

- The Harlem River mouth and Roosevelt Island piers for a chance at a mix of stripers, blues, and the occasional blackfish.

Recent catches have included a dozen bluefish per boat in a morning run, several keeper fluke from the jetties by Battery Park, and even a pair of schoolie stripers landed from shore near the 79th Street Boat Basin. Anglers drifting live bunker or casting big plastics have had the best luck with the larger fish. Night owls are still reporting good numbers of channel catfish schooled up a

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