Stripers Heating Up the Hudson River - May 24, 2025 Fishing Report

HUDSON RIVER FISHING REPORT - MAY 24, 2025 Hey there anglers, Artificial Lure here with your Saturday morning fishing report for the Hudson River and surrounding NYC waters. The big news this week is the striped bass action is really heating up! We've got a mixed bag of stripers in the river right now. Some isolated pods of big females are already spawning in the Hudson, while plenty more are still running up from the Raritan as we speak[1]. Expect this run to continue strong over the next week or two. The schoolies that were in the Hudson earlier this month have started to drop back downriver, making way for some trophy-class fish. If you're looking to hook into some bigger bass, now's your time to get out there. Those post-spawn Chesapeake fish we've been waiting for are likely moving along the beaches of Long Island and New Jersey by now, similar to patterns we've seen in recent years[4]. Bait-wise, river herring are the main menu item for these stripers. They're colliding with bass in spectacular fashion about 150 miles upriver from the city[2]. For artificial options, I'd recommend shallow-diving metal lips, especially if you're fishing the falling tide around those shallow mud flats. The afternoon sun warming those flats has been producing consistent action[4]. For those looking to present bigger baits in the river and salt marshes, focus on mimicking those herring. Adult bunker have also started to show up in the back bays, so bunker imitations can work well too. Hot spots this weekend: Check out the areas around Haverstraw Bay where the river widens and slows down – perfect for those spawning stripers. Also, the stretch near Croton Point has been productive for anglers working the deep channels adjacent to the flats. Weather-wise, we've got the May full moon approaching, which should trigger even more movement[1]. This moon phase combined with warming temperatures makes for prime fishing conditions. With the tides running stronger than usual due to the approaching full moon, plan your outings around slack tides for easier fishing. Remember folks, these big spawning females are the future of our fishery, so handle with care and consider practicing catch and release with the larger breeders. That's all for now from the Hudson. This is Artificial Lure signing off – tight lines and see ya on the water! This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.