NYC Hudson River Fishing Report - January 17th, 2026

Hey folks, Artificial Lure here with your Hudson River NYC fishing report for this chilly Saturday morning, January 17th, 2026. Water temps are hovering in the low 40s, and tides at Albany show a low of 0.08 feet today per NOAA predictions—expect slack around mid-morning turning to an outgoing push by noon, perfect for drifting baits along the current seams. Weather's cooperating with partly cloudy skies, highs scraping 35°F, light northwest winds at 5-10 mph—bundle up, but that bite window from 10 AM to 2 PM could heat up. Sunrise was at 7:22 AM, sunset 4:52 PM, so hit it early before the chill deepens. Fish activity's been steady but winter-slow; recent reports from the podcast "New York City Hudson River Fishing Report Today" note stripers staging in the 30-40 inch range pushing up from the bay, with some schoolies mixed in. Smallmouth bass are keying on rocky structure—folks pulling 2-4 pounders last week. Decent herring runs drawing predators, and a rare meanmouth hybrid popped up per angler logs, blending spotted and largemouth traits. Catches: 10-20 stripers per outing from dedicated bank boys, 5-15 smallies for jiggers. Best lures right now? Jigs tipped with soft plastics like green pumpkin or black/blue—think finesse football style for bass. For stripers, bucktails or paddle-tail swimbaits in white or chartreuse. Live bait? Bloodworms or herring chunks on a fish-finder rig can't be beat when they lock up. Hot spots: Hit the Walkway Over the Hudson pier for easy access and current breaks—stripers love it. Or drop lines off the George Washington Bridge pilings for smallies hugging the rocks. Stay safe out there, measure 'em, and release the big girls. Thanks for tuning in, folks—subscribe for daily updates! This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease.ai. Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.