Hudson Strippers

[Dockside]

Never fished the Hudson but when and were do you guys fish?

[Hairbone]

I jig my bait off the Brunos in troy and get up smack dab in from of the dam. Have to use two anchors to hold Good place to toss a large stick bait while you soak some live herring.

[Dockside]

Can you net or snag your herring in New York?

[river runt]

dockside
heres a good web site for ya. on how to fish for stripers / herring etc.
on the hudson. they show you some great tips.
www.striperchum.com
hope the link works

[schodackbassman]

You can net herring a couple different ways but one or both may require a permit. Most of us use herring rigs AKA Sarbiki rig(line with no more then 5 hooks/flies attached with a barrel swivel at one end and conventional swivel on the other. Use a big weight on bottom and you can vertically jig or cast for herring. Once you find a school and get them agitated, you can usually catch a bunch pretty fast. Keeping them alive can be a bit of a challenge. Need round tank/barrel (I used to use a cut bathmat to round the corners in my live well with square corners) or the herring will bang their head into the corner until they die. They have to be able to swim in circles or they die. Some years live herring works best and some years cut bait works better. Have to experiment.

Note our elected officials from NYC passed a bill that now requires a NYS fishing license to fish in tidal waters now. You also need a marine permit which is free but you have to register which you can do when you get your license.

Up near Albany/Troy most use herring. Schodack south where the channels are much deeper folks are trolling using down riggers, flat line, etc. in addition to using herring like you do for trout/salmon. Hearing on a slider sinker rig is most popular.

Early season when males/schools roll in varies from mid to late April though this year could be different with the warm spring. Heard some herring is already here. Prime time is May. Usually the whole month when the cows swim in. Small bass run 10 18lbs, nice at 19 to 27, then you can get in to bigger fish. Forty pound is huge up here in Capital District but they get to 50 or more down near Kingston and below.

I haven't fished for them up this way in a few years. Current boat isn't really set up for it. Plus you better off with out a carpeted deck. Herring/Stripers bleed and shed scales like crazy. The blood is very difficult to get out of carpet. I plan to go with a friend out of Kingston in his center console. Others here and on the other board go down that way too. I'll tell you, when you hook into a nice fish (my biggest on the river is a little over 23lb) you are in for a fight. They are strong as hell. I've caught bigger bass off Montauk with super heavy tackle but have to say just as much fun on lighter tackle and 20lb mono. BTW you are allowed to keep only one per person per day over 18" long. DEC prefers you use circle hooks for better catch and release.

If you come down, know the Albany public launch is a zoo and I stopped going there. There is a beautiful launch here in Schodack but the fishing is different ( I found it more difficult) but you can make the run north to Albany. There is a nice launch in Bethlehem too though busy and doesn't have the sheltered launch Schodack has. There are some smaller local launches too in Rensselaer and Troy.

Unless we get some major rain, the river will be in the best shape it has been in years. You may be surprised to see how clear the water is under normal circumstances. Stripe bass can be found in water as shallow as 6' to the deepest channels (40 plus at Schodack). The ideal dept seems to be 20-25 foot immediately adjacent to the channel but it varies day by day, hour by hour, and most importantly on the tides. I always liked the out going best. You can find stripers up here as late as mid to late June depending on the moon.

If you fish south of the Port of Albany, be aware of ocean freighter and large barge traffic. They have the right of way in the channel. Don't anchor in the channel like some idiots do.

I'm sure others have much to add what I've written. Good luck if you go.

Brian

[river runt]

if your thinking of useing the rensselaer launch @ low tide, you better
have a bull dozer to pull you out
or all four wheels chained up on your truck

[Lavman]

I am headed down to Troy on Saturday. I have fished Stripers in the ocean off Maine but never down on the Hudson so I am looking forward to it.

Any reports on whether they are up there yet?

[river runt]

lavman
just my own two cents, but i think it`s a little early.
two weeks ago with the warm temps. things were look`n good, i was on the river, and schools of fish were comeing up the river, smaller fish,
i went to the bait shop this am to get a couple fresh dead herring, the owner
said he hasn`t been able to get a one in the last 4 days.
the temps. droped and the herring left the feeder creeks.
back when the river was 54 degs, guys were catch`n small stripers @ the dam.
i just got off the river,the warmest temps i found was 48.
and never seen a school of fish.
and didn`t have any hits, or runs.
best of luck, if you give it a try.

[Lavman]

Thanks for the update river runt! I was told that 60* is the target water temp for them to be spawning. We may be jumping the gun on this as you indicated.
We are planning to fish below the dam.
Were you at Conroy's Bait shop on 19th Street?

[river runt]

nope, i was @ the hudson river bait shop in rensselaer.
he told me mike had frozen bait, but he himself wouldnt have it till fri.
he has blood worms, and sand, a few left that is.
the castleton launch, is still a one holer, ? they are missing about 3 or 4
section of dock, on the incomeing side, i though they would be in by now, ??
even with one side done, it`s the best around.

[Matt]

I would chum for Hudson strippers with dollar bills, I hear it works great....

[MADSIERRA]

There are a bunch of us that fish out of Kingston NY (3 hr drive) we have been fishing here for 12-15 plus years. most of us are moving our boats down there on the last weekend in April. some of use run charters (Myself and Flashpoint) we book our trips for the month of may with the 10th-20th usually being prime for the BIG fish...25-50 lbrs! We all stay @ Roundout Yatch Basin...very nice people, good launch, nice docks and we all have a good time there. If anyone is interested in bringing there boats down there to fish we are ALL more than happy to help anyone out. The group that Matt and I fish with...10 plus boats are all trollers for them, but there are a few who use Live bait. Pm Flashpoint or Myself if you are coming down...or I am sure when we get to fishing we both will be posting here to let everyone know how the bite is!

[river runt]

http://ilovemurphy.com/2012/04/02/nc-st ... murphy-nc/
i think i mite head south.

[Gecha (Gerry)]

http://ilovemurphy.com/2012/04/02/nc-st ... murphy-nc/
i think i mite head south.

WOW.... what a huge stripper... on 10 lb line

[riverrunner]

I have a buddy down there that was trolling for them last wk. Doubles on on stretch 15's and 20's depending on depth. Big rapala's in bunker color, red and white, and blue. 10-15 lbrs. Worth the drive everytime.