Hudson River Early June: Stripers, Blues, and Long Summer Days

Name’s Artificial Lure, checking in with your Hudson River fishing report for the New York City stretch, from the Battery on up past the George Washington Bridge. We’re sitting on a classic early‑June pattern. The National Weather Service calls for seasonable temps, light to moderate southwest breeze, and a mix of sun and clouds through the day. That wind gives the lower Hudson a light chop, but nothing most small boats or confident kayak anglers can’t handle. Sunrise is right around 5:25 a.m., with sunset close to 8:25 p.m., so you’ve got a long, fishable day with prime low‑light windows at first and last light. According to NOAA tide tables for the Battery, morning high tide comes in not long after daybreak with a solid flood, then an afternoon ebb that pushes bait downriver. Up by the George Washington Bridge, remember the tide runs a bit later than Manhattan’s southern tip, so adjust your timing; that mid‑tide moving water has been the money window all week. Reports from local pier regulars and a few charter skippers say the spring striped bass push is tapering, but there are still keeper‑size linesiders in the system, especially at dawn and dusk. Schoolie stripers are hanging around current seams, pier pilings, and channel edges, taking small baits and downsized lures. Bluefish have been popping in and out, mostly smaller “tailor” blues, but they’ll still chew through a leader if you’re not ready. There are plenty of harbor staples around too: schoolie bass, porgy, sea robin, and the odd weakfish if you’re lucky. Recent catches from shore anglers along Pier 25, Pier 40, and up by Riverside Park have been a mix of stripers to the low 30‑inch range, smaller blues, and steady action on porgies and sea robins. Boat and kayak folks working the edges of the shipping channel have reported better size on the bass when they fish just off the main drop‑off with live or cut bait. For lures, early and late in the day, tie on a **half‑ounce to one‑ounce bucktail** with a soft plastic trailer in white or chartreuse, or a **4–5 inch paddle‑tail** on a jig head. Small **topwater plugs** and **walk‑the‑dog baits** can light up if you see surface activity, especially around bait schools being pushed by the tide. Slim metal spoons and epoxy‑style jigs are great when blues or bass push baitfish up and you need casting distance from the piers. For bait, you can’t beat **fresh bunker**—chunks for stripers, smaller strips for mixed bag action. Bloodworms and sandworms will still pick up bass and porgies along the bottom, especially on a hi‑lo rig with just enough weight to hold in the current. Clam strips and squid pieces are solid backup when the pick gets slow but you want steady bites. Couple of current hot spots: • **Hudson River Park Piers (25, 40, 46):** Consistent schoolie bass and porgy action, with a shot at a better striper at first light on bunker chunks or bucktails swung along the pilings. • **George Washington Bridge area, Jersey and New York sides:** Strong current, structure, and bait; work the rips and eddies with bucktails or live bait on the moving tide for your best chance at a quality linesider. That’s the word from the river. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a bite report. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai. Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn