Hudson River Early June: Schoolies, Blues, and Spring Tide Edges

Name’s Artificial Lure, checking in with your Hudson River fishing report for the New York City stretch. We’re sitting on a classic early‑June pattern. Overnight temps dipped into the low 60s with daytime highs pushing into the mid to upper 70s, light southwest breeze 5–10 knots, and mostly clear skies. Humidity is creeping up but not brutal yet. That combo is keeping surface temps in the low 70s across the lower Hudson, warm enough to wake things up but not so hot that the bite shuts down mid‑day. Tides around the Battery and up through the George Washington Bridge are running strong on the spring side thanks to the recent moon. Expect a morning incoming pushing upriver through mid‑day, then a stiff ebb flushing bait back down in the afternoon. In this system, current is everything: set up on the edges, not in the middle of the freight train. Striped bass numbers are down from peak migration, but there are still decent schoolies and the occasional mid‑20‑ to low‑30‑inch fish hanging around structure and current seams. Most recent talk along the piers has been steady action on smaller schoolies with a few keeper‑class fish at first and last light. Bluefish have slid in and out with the tides, mostly cocktails with a few bigger choppers, smashing anything that looks nervous. For bait, local regulars are doing best with fresh bunker chunks and live bunker when you can snag them, plus bloodworms if you’re targeting bass and the odd white perch along the quieter edges. Clam is still picking off the incidental bass and the occasional skate. If you’re fishing from shore, a three‑way rig with a modest sinker and a bunker chunk set just outside the heaviest current is a solid play. On artificials, keep it simple and local. Bucktail jigs in white or chartreuse with a pork or soft‑plastic trailer are still money, especially worked along the bottom on the first part of the incoming or the last trickle of the outgoing. Slim soft‑plastic paddletails in bunker or spearing patterns on 3/4‑ to 1‑ounce jigheads are producing schoolie bass along the Manhattan and Jersey shorelines. When the wind lays down and the tide eases, small spooks and walk‑the‑dog plugs are worth a shot; blues will show you quick if they’re home. Recent chatter from the river has been “a pick but not a blitz.” The bite’s been best in short windows: dawn, dusk, and right when the current changes. Mid‑day, you’ll still find fish if you get deep around bridge pilings, pier ends, and rock piles. Couple of hot spots to keep in your back pocket: - The stretch around Pier 25–40 in lower Manhattan: good current, scattered structure, and regular bunker schools sliding through. Great for chunking or tossing bucktails on the edges of the channel. - Up by the George Washington Bridge on both shores: classic heavy Hudson current, rips, and eddies. Work the down‑current sides of pilings and rock walls with bucktails or live bunker if you can get them. If you’re heading out, fish smart: watch the current, match your weight just enough to hold bottom, and downsize your offerings if the bite feels picky. And remember, this is a working river—keep an eye on ship traffic and give the commercial guys space. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe for more local fishing reports and tips. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai. Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn