November 13th Hudson River Fishing Report: Stripers, Panfish, and the Invasive Goby

Hudson River anglers, it’s Artificial Lure with your November 13th fishing report for the greater New York City stretch—covering everything from tides to tackle, hot bites to hot spots. **Weather and Sunrise/Sunset:** Today is a classic mid-fall morning: crisp, low 40s at daybreak and rising to mid-50s under mostly sunny skies. Winds are light out of the northwest—comfortable for both bank and boat anglers. Sunrise was at 6:41 AM, and sunset will be at 4:41 PM. You’ve got prime fishing windows both early and late before dusk nips the light. **Tides:** On the river’s lower NJ/NYC banks, the outgoing started around 2:07 AM, with low tide about 8:08 AM, and the next high tide hitting just before 2:30 PM, based on data from Hoboken Castle Point via Tide Forecast. If you fish the lower river, plan to work structure and ledges as the tide turns and brings bait out from the shallows. **Fish Activity and What’s Biting:** Late fall means less boat traffic and hungry fish taking advantage of the last big feeding window. The star remains the *striped bass*. Recent DEC and patrol reports note striped bass still in the mix, with plenty of schoolies and the chance of a lower 30-inch class fish from shore or small craft. The occasional monster migrates through, especially on live bait. The warm start to fall brought mixed results for panfish—yellow perch and sunfish are still hitting, and a few persistent anglers have reported keeper-size largemouth bass in North River tributaries and the Harlem. Word on the rounds is that a handful of anglers have even seen shad putting in stray appearances, and you may pick up some late season white perch as well. There’s something new to be mindful of: the invasive round goby has become more common below Poughkeepsie. DEC and Cornell studies indicate they’re thriving even down in brackish NYC-adjacent water. These pest fish are aggressive and can bite on small jigs and natural baits, interfering with the bite for smallmouth and walleye. If you pull one up, don’t toss it back—check regulations and help keep their spread in check (Everything Croton). **Best Bait and Lures:** - For stripers, there’s no beating a live eel or chunk of bunker on a fish-finder rig this time of year. NYC guides and Hudson River Bait & Tackle recommend those, or shad, especially drifting on the outgoing. - Artificials: 5" to 7" soft-plastics like Zoom Flukes or Storm Wildeye Shads in white or bunker pattern; topwater plugs at dusk; and rattling crankbaits mimicking juvenile herring. - For perch and panfish, go with live minnows or worms under a float. Small curly-tail grubs in chartreuse or white do the trick when fished slow. - If you’re targeting bass in backwaters, use downsized spinnerbaits or small jigs in black/blue. **Recent Catches:** The most recent enforcement actions from New York State Environmental Conservation Officers detail strong fall fishing but also an uptick in folks crossing size and bag limits—most notably 247 This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.