Looking for some fishing tips for the Hudson River

[mjluddenjr]

I will be fishing the Hudson either in June or July. Does any one have any lure suggestions to use during these months. I will be fishing somewhere around Catskill. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Michael

[Creel Limit Zero]

Are you going up there for stripers.  This section of the river is generally where alot of stripers will spawn, but I think it is generally in May to early June. 

[mjluddenjr]

Hey creel. Ill be going up there for an ABA tournament so Large and Smallmouth will be what Im going for. Im not sure if I will stay in the areabut I know the launch is from there.

[Creel Limit Zero]

I have only fished there once when I was a kid for stripers.  My father has fished there alot, I'll see if he can offer some tips.   

[mjluddenjr]

That would be cool. Im just looking for some lure choices maybe some areas. Mostly lures choices. I do not want to pack my car up with extra stuff if I dont have too.

[bassdad2]

 
     Had a tournament there last year, the first week of August.........only 15 boats (out of 25 - small club) showed up -- 2 went home early -- 5 lbs won 1st!!! We came in like 4th with 2.06lbs!!! One fish........all day. I would probably never fish there again, even if I were paid. Launched out of Catskill too. Don't know what kind of boat you have, but prepare for a run. That was what most of the guys who were familiar with the river told us..have to head up towards Albany, like a 45 minute run. Also, not sure if you've fished tidal waters before, but thats another thing you gotta watch out for....don't get in real shallow water, you might end up spending a whole lot more time there than you want!! There was a big Connecticut tournament there the day before ours, they had some big weights. Don't know where they found them, but they are there. Smallmouths are the big thing there. Good Luck!

[Baron49]

Are you fishing Stripers, Largemouth, or Smallmouths?  The Hudson can be very tough at times, but it produces good stringers of Stripers and Bass for those who are prepared to do their homework.  The weekends all Spring long are heavy with boat traffic fishing Stripers.  Summer and Fall weekends are booked with Bass tournament after tournament which turned me off.  Personally I come down and fish the Hudson now during the week and check the local listings to see if a major tourney is scheduled for the coming weekend, especially in the Catskill area. 

Striper fishing just gets better every year and live herring and cut bait are the two most popular baits.  You can anchor on an edge or drift over the flats, just make sure to keep fresh bait on all the time. 

I prefer Largemouth fishing as I live on Lake Ontario and get all the Smallmouths I want.  My favorite way to catch them on the Hudson is with a big fake frog like a SPRO in the chestnuts.  A jig and pig or deep diving crankbait on points, bulkheads, and wrecks also produce nice fish.  Remember it is a tidal river and you should get a tidal book so you know what tide you are fishing and of course make sure you have a quality map for navigating the Hudson.

[Basscat7]

I will be fishing the Hudson either in June or July. Does any one have any lure suggestions to use during these months. I will be fishing somewhere around Catskill. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Michael

The Hudson has quite a few nice bass, both smallies and largemouth. Fished a bunch of Red Man /BFL tournaments there and always caught nice fish....liked it so much we had our club hold some 2 day tournaments there and our home water is the Northeast River/Upper bay LOL....
First Question is , Have You been on the Hudson Before ?
Get a good River map, Stay in the chanell when running on plane.

There are numerous places to fish within 10 miles of the Catskill ramp, No need to run all the way to Albany or South past Kingsport.
Smallies can be caught on any of the rocky points of the creekmouths or around the rock jetties....largemouth can be caught in the " water chestnuts " in the small coves and slackwater areas......
Look at the largemouth pic below and you will see the water chestnut field, fish the edge with spinnerbaits and plastics like you would the grass beds in the Susky.  Top water plastics across the matted chestnuts produce some big fish, but you need some heavy braid to fish them. They are much tougher than the bay grass, actually more like a tangled mess of vines they do not reach all the way to the bottom, but float on top in a thick mat.
The Eastern shore  of the river is mostly rip rap along the NY Central Rail Road line, lots of good smallie hangouts along there....fish the "suckholes" on the outgoing tide....They are  small RR bridge openings, maybe 50 feet wide along the shore that have tidal ponds behind them, on rising tide the water gets pushed under the bridges and back into the tidal ponds. On tide change, try and be at one of the suckholes on outgoing, the current rips out of the tidal ponds, bringing all the baitfish with it, put the boat right on the outside edge of the rapids formed by the outcoming water, throw  plastics and cranks up under the bridges and let the tide roll it out. Smallies will position themselves along edge of the current and dart in and grab your baits.

I have caught a dozen smallies in a row like the ones in the pics throwing into the current that rips out of the tidal ponds behind the suckholes
4" Senkos, 4" grubs,  twin tail Yammamoto grubs all work well.  Firetiger cranks along the rip rap.
gotta run now.
IM me and I'll give you some spots.

Basscat7

Here are some  Hudson fish all caught within 5 miles of the Catskill ramp: