Saturday Stripers and Blues on the Hudson

Artificial Lure here with your Hudson River, New York City fishing report for Saturday, June 21, 2025. We’re starting the day with early summer conditions—temps resting around the mid-70s and climbing toward the low 80s by afternoon. The humidity’s moderate, the sky’s mostly clear, with a light southwest breeze brushing the water. According to the latest, sunrise popped at 5:25 AM and sunset will drift in around 8:30 PM, so we’ve got ample light for long sessions on the river. Tidewise, we’re coming off a midnight high, with low tide hitting late morning and an incoming push through much of the afternoon. The best bite windows today look to be around that tidal change, especially as the water starts moving in again mid-day—prime time for stripers and blues to go on the hunt. Recent catches have kept spirits high, with reports from local guides and tackle shops pointing to a mixed bag right now. The summer run of striped bass has tapered off from its spring peaks, but there are still good fish in the system for those willing to grind. Smaller bass persist around the mouths and bridge pilings, especially where worms or eels are drifting. Bluefish action is on the upswing—expect to tangle with cocktails and the occasional bruiser from the Manhattan piers up past Yonkers and especially near Croton Point. The Verrazzano Bridge remains a solid bet for both species. There’s also been a steady pick of white perch, a few late flounder, and the odd weakfish in the deeper cuts. Hudson River Park’s 2024 survey also noted regular appearances of blackfish (tautog), gobies, eels, and summer flounder in these waters. For lures, locals are leaning on Invincible Shads in 3.5" to 7" sizes, classic swim plugs, and troller-style metal lips for stripers. Bluefish are slamming shiny spoons and soft plastic jigs; try topwater poppers near bait schools for explosive strikes. As for bait, worms and eels are hauling in most of the bass catches, with cut bunker and clams being top producers where allowed—just remember the regs and stick to non-offset circle hooks for safe release, especially since PCB advisories mean catch-and-release is the name of the game. Hot spots worth a detour today: Croton Point is a perennial bluefish magnet during the June run, and the deeper ledges along the Manhattan shoreline are holding mixed size bass on the flood tide. Don’t overlook the pier ends in Hudson River Park for a grab bag of species and easy casting access. Thanks for tuning in to your Hudson River fishing report—don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a bite. This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai. This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.