by Jim Logan

Recreational fishing is a fine way to add a little excitement and maybe a meal to your next trip on the Hudson. The Hudson estuary presents some interesting and unusual recreational fishing where fresh water meets salt.

At the time of publication, no license is required to fish the marine district, from the Troy dam south to New York Harbor. However, a New York State fishing license is required to fish any tributary of the Hudson, even its tidal section. New York State fish and game laws regarding seasons and size limits apply.

The loosening of New York State Department of Health (DOH) recommendations on consumption of fish from the Hudson may be an indication that environmental laws are having their desired effect of limiting industrial pollution of the river. That said, it is still prudent to consult those recommendations or the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) rewrites of the same, as recommendations vary widely by species and location, and are subject to change as new data are evaluated. See the footer for source information.

American Eel Anguilla rostrata U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service/art by Duane Raver

American Eel Anguilla rostrata
The sole catadromous species in the mid Atlantic, the American eel spawns in the salt water of the Sargasso Sea and returns to freshwater to live out most of its adult life. Eels are easily caught on a wide variety of bait, but a thick coating of slime and a writhing body make this fish hard to hold.

American Shad Alosa sapidissima
Like striped bass, the anadromous shad enter the Hudson each spring to spawn in fresh water. Since shad do not eat while on this annual migration, they are far less likely to ingest and accumulate environmental contaminants than resident species. NYS Department of Health places the scantiest of recommendations on shad consumption. But beware the bones - shad are notoriously difficult to rid of bones. Cast for shad near known spawning grounds (mostly north of Kingston), as they spread too thin to locate in other areas of the river. The flats between Germantown and Barrytown are a popular and productive area. This local delicacy (the roe is especially in demand) is only available for a few weeks each spring, generally beginning to run first week of April and coming in waves for about six weeks. Cast shad darts (small, brightly colored lead jigs) and allow to sink to the bottom before retrieving.

American Shad Alosa sapidissima U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service/art by Duane Raver

John McPhee espouses the virtues of the shad in The Founding Fish, and observes that George Washington was a commercial shad fisherman, catching 7,760 American shad in 1771. Shad are one of the few commercial fisheries remaining in the Hudson Valley. If you don’t catch your own, visit one of the shad festivals sponsored by Riverkeeper or Hudson River Maritime Museum. Or purchase directly from one of the commercial fisherman. Find recipes at: www.nyseafood.org/about/shad.asp.

Blue Crab (also blue claw) Callinectes sapidus
The main ingredient of Maryland crab cakes is also popular in the Hudson. Like shad, the blue crab is important to both recreational and commercial fisherman and, like shad, the blue claw garners a good rating from DOH. Most commercial activity takes place between Piermont and Poughkeepsie, but NYSDEC has documented the presence of blue crabs in the tidal estuary from New York Harbor to Albany and in 2001 established a monitoring station near Athens.

Blue Crab, Callinectes sapidus, caught in a hand net. NOAA Photo Library, NOAA Central Library/photo by Mary Hollinger, NODC biologist, NOAA

Recreational crabbers often run a series of baited crab traps (square, wire mesh boxes with doors that snap shut upon retrieval) from shore or from a small boat. Minimalists work from shore with a hand line and long-handled net: tie the bait (Atlantic menhaden and chicken necks are common crab baits in the Hudson) to a length of twine, toss into the river and allow to sink; after an interval retrieve slowly into range of the hand net. Blue crabs, aggressive predators, will usually hang onto the bait until within reach. Or use the same long-handled net to scoop crabs off pilings or breakwaters. Crabs are active from June through October. NYS DEC Blue Crab Fishery Monitoring website.

Bluefish Pomatomus saltatrix U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service/art by Duane Raver

Bluefish Pomatomus saltatrix
This popular marine gamefish is commonly caught off the end of Piermont pier from mid summer to late fall, and even up to Croton Point where it is possible to catch bluefish alongside carp and perch. Blues travel in schools and use their numbers to round up their prey. Cast flashy metal “diamond” jigs or use the current to add motion to bait, usually cut chunks of Atlantic menhaden (also known as mossbunker). Beware the snapping jaws as these predators have large, sharp teeth.

Carp Cyprinus carpio
First introduced to New York State waters in 1831, this nonnative species grows to enormous size in the Hudson in part because it is largely ignored by American anglers. Sooner or later some enterprising individual will find it profitable to offer

Carp Cyprinus carpio U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service/art by Duane Raver

guide service or even entire vacation packages to European or Asian anglers who will appreciate the abundance of large fish. Individuals in excess of 30 pounds are not uncommon. Look for carp in freshwater shallows, sometimes with tails in the air as they root about in the mud.

Corn kernels, worms, and bread dough are common bait, but carp -- especially larger, more experienced individuals -- can be wily and skittish. Much information on carp and carp fishing is available on the Internet: www.carpanglersgroup.org, www.carponline.com, www.carp.net, and the New York State DEC website.

Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service/art by Duane Raver

Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides
Largemouth bass are found throughout the freshwater sections of the Hudson and draw tournament professionals as well as recreational anglers. Catskill, NY is the regional hot spot for tournaments, which range from derbies for kids to professional circuit tours. Beware the bass boat -- a shallow, wedge shaped boat with an enormous outboard engine rising from the transom -- as the true pros will fish an entire rising tide by racing the leading edge of the flood as it pushes inland (north).

Largemouth bass are such big business that ESPN has purchased B.A.S.S., a company devoted exclusively to bass fishing. Visit its website for fishing tips and tour dates: www.bassmaster.com. And plan not to linger in or around Catskill Creek the day of a tournament. Find largemouths in and around shallow weed beds. Cast topwater lures or shallow diving lures near the edges, or cast weedless lures into holes or gaps.

Smallmouth Bass Micropterus dolomieu
Smallmouths tend to prefer cool, clear water but they can be found in the turbid waters of the tidal Hudson. Some reports indicate that there are stable populations near the Troy dam and at the mouth of Catskill Creek. Cast jigs or other sinking lures near rocky drop-offs. Bronzebacks, as smallmouths are also known, are famous for their feisty dispositions.

Striped Bass Morone saxatilis U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service/art by Duane Raver

Striped Bass Morone saxatilis
After the Chesapeake, the Hudson is the second largest spawning ground for striped bass on the east coast, and there is a strong recreational fishery in the lower Hudson. Be aware that size and catch limits for striped bass are different above and below the George Washington bridge (see link to DEC regulations in sidebar). To find the leading edge of the spring migration, look for the fleet of recreational fisherman who follow the stripers up river. Some cast lures, most use bait: sandworms, bloodworms, or live or dead herring. It would be hard to overstate the popularity of this gamefish. Much information is available online at sites like: www.hudsonriver.com/stripers.htm, www.boatingonthehudson.com, www.nyseafood.org/about/striped_bass.asp. Or consider a charter trip with a professional guide: www.ospreymarine.com.

White Perch Morone americana U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service/art by Duane Raver

White Perch Morone americana
White perch are as common as pigeons on a city street, especially in the brackish sections of the lower river. These fish are fun and easy to catch, biting on nearly anything that passes in front of their mouths.

Copyright © 2003 by James F. Logan
Excerpted from The Hudson River Water Trail Guide, 6th Edition