Seasons

The Hudson River is the second largest spawning estuary on the east coast of the United States.  The Chesapeake is number one, the Hudson is number two.
Spring: The striped Bass come in to the Hudson River to spawn around the end of March and beginning of April.  ...Figure when the water temperatures start to push the 50 to 55 degrees.

Spawning takes place in the upper regions of the Hudson.

  I do not fish the upper Hudson during the spawning run.  I choose to leave them alone during that time.  I will fish the lower harbor at this time and catch them as they return.

Late Spring: As they pass through and finish their spawning rituals, they hang around the lower harbor of New York City.  This is a great time of the year in the lower bay.  The big bass will fatten up on the baitfish around the lower harbor and then the bluefish start to come in.

I love catching bluefish.  They are such strong fighting fish and just never give up.
 

Summer:  As the Big bass and bluefish hang around in to June, the weakfish start to arrive. Weakfish are great sport and wonderful table fare. Absolutely gorgeous looking fish with wonderful iridescent purples and yellows lighting up as they come to the surface. The summer will feature the fluke and weaks until September when the now fattened up big bass and blues start to return. I don't fish much for fluke although they are great for the dinner table.  We do go out for them but I prefer the fish that give a better tug on the line. Fluke is probably the most sought after fish in NY/NJ waters.  Primarily for the dinner table.  Regulations on catching fluke in our area changes so frequently, I just have a hard time keeping up with them.  As I release most of my fish anyway, I don't pay much attention to those regs.

 
Fall:  The fall is absolutely a magical time of year in our area.  Outgoing tides bring the big bass in from the north while the bunker schools are in the harbor.   The bass follow these bunker all around the harbor.  Bluefish are also close behind forcing the baitfish to the surface. 

While the bluefish are tearing up the bunker on the surface, the bass are on the bottom below the blues picking up on the half bitten bunker falling to the bottom.

Sometime the Brooklyn Bridge is the hotspot, sometime the Williamsburg.   Other time the 59th street bridge will be holding the fish.  You just travel around until you find them.