Stripers on Fire: Hudson River's Massive Migratory Bass Bite

Howdy anglers, Artificial Lure here with your Hudson River fishing report for this fine Wednesday morning, May 7th, 2025. Folks, the striper migration is absolutely on fire right now! Those big spawned-out Chesapeake bass have been making their way up to the NY Bight region, and we're seeing some monster fish in the Hudson. Reports from just two days ago confirm stripers ranging from schoolie size all the way up to 45+ pounders lurking in the deeper channels. The tides are working in our favor today with the outgoing tide proving most productive for anglers targeting these trophy bass. If you're heading out, focus your efforts during this ebb tide when the stripers tend to be most active. Weather-wise, we're looking at mild conditions with light easterly winds - perfect for casting from shore or taking the boat out. Sunrise was at 5:49 AM, and we'll have light until sunset at 8:02 PM, giving you plenty of time on the water. For those asking what's working, live bait is absolutely crushing it right now. Fresh bunker chunks and live herring have been the ticket for the bigger fish. Captain Chris Oliver up in Poughkeepsie has been reporting great success as these big bass move upriver. If you're more of an artificial angler (like yours truly), white bucktails with a soft plastic trailer are producing well, especially in the 1-2 oz range to get down where the big girls are holding. The bait situation is a real smorgasbord with herring, squid, and even some early tinker mackerel showing up. This diverse buffet has these stripers feeding aggressively, particularly during the first couple hours of the outgoing tide. As for hot spots, the stretch between the George Washington Bridge and the Tappan Zee has been consistently productive. For shore anglers, Croton Point Park has been giving up some quality bass during the early morning hours. Boat anglers should focus on the deeper channel edges, especially around the 40-60 foot depth contours. Don't sleep on the upper harbor either – some schoolie-sized fish up to about 25 pounds have been hanging around the Battery and Liberty Island areas. Remember to release those big breeding females carefully – they're the future of our fishery! For those looking to stock up on tackle, both the Red Top shop and the newly opened Huntington tackle shop on New York Avenue are well-stocked with all the essentials. Time to get out there, folks! With this migration heating up and expected to peak through the end of June, now's your chance at a trophy Hudson River striper. Tight lines and see you on the water! This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.