Frigid Winter Fishing on the Hudson: Schoolies, Perch, and Cats - NYC Angler's Report

Name’s Artificial Lure, checking in with your Hudson River, NYC fishing report. We’re locked into true winter mode now, and the river’s fishing like it: slower, but not dead if you grind. Figure water temps in the upper 30s to low 40s with a stiff northwest breeze and clear, cold air. Sunrise is right around 7:15 a.m., sunset just before 4:35 p.m., so your real window is that late‑morning push through early afternoon when the sun’s had a chance to warm the edges a touch. Tide-wise, using the Alpine Hudson River tide table as a decent proxy for NYC, we’ve got an early **low** around first light and the **flood** pushing late morning into early afternoon. That incoming is your best bet: more current, a little bump in activity, and bait sliding up along the walls and pilings. The big migratory stripers are long gone to the south; New Jersey surf reports and regional blogs are calling the 2025 fall run pretty much a bust and “over” up this way. That said, the Hudson around the city is still giving up a mix of: - Schoolie **striped bass** (mostly small, holdover fish) - **White perch** in the brackish stretches - **Channel catfish** and the odd carp for those soaking bait Recent chatter from local anglers and shop talk has been about light-action days: a half dozen schoolies if you time the tide right, a few perch per angler, and some steady cat action after dark on bait. Best approach right now: - For stripers: think small and slow. - Lures: 3–5 inch soft plastics on 1/4–3/8 oz jigheads in white, chartreuse, or olive; small paddle tails; slim metal like Kastmasters hopped near bottom. - Bait: bloodworms, sandworms, or cut bunker fished right on the bottom with minimal weight. - For perch: - Tiny jigs tipped with worm, small shad darts, or micro soft plastics under a float, worked along slower eddies and marina corners. - For cats: - Cut bunker, shrimp, or nightcrawlers on a fish‑finder rig, set and wait along the channel edges. Keep retrieves painfully slow; most hits will feel like weight or a lazy tap rather than a smash. Light fluorocarbon leaders (12–15 lb) and smaller hooks get more bites in this cold, clear water. Couple of local hot spots to look at: - **Pier 40 / Pier 46 area in the West Village**: plenty of structure, good current breaks, and access to deeper water. Schoolie bass and cats still poking around the edges, especially on the late‑morning flood. - **West Harlem Piers / Riverside Drive around 125th**: classic winter wall fishing—deep water close to shore, decent perch and catfish potential, plus the occasional holdover striper when the tide turns and starts climbing. Bundle up, watch those wet planks and rocks, and keep an eye on the wind—northwest gusts can make casting brutal and chill you fast. Life jacket if you’re anywhere near the edge; the water will take the breath right out of you if you slip. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss the next report. Thi This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.