Shaun/RJ: Hudson question

[Wes]

What flies are most likely to work on the Hudson early and how do you fish them?

[ruge13]

I grew up near the Kingston/Rhinecliff bridge in Rhinebeck so thats where I use to fish. I honestly have never seen anyone fish that part of the River with flies but I know there are some who do. I know the Rondout Creek and some of the other tributaries are fished with flies but I have never seen people do it, then again I never spent much time in the creeks. Based on how we used to bait fish for them, I would slow troll deep in the channells with big herring flies. As for the creeks, RJ knows much more than I would, its a whole different river where he lives.

[Wes]

I forgot to say what for but you guessed it, the run of stripers. I may try to tie up some big flies and put a couple rattles in them. I got a few fish last year on plastic jigs but you're right, all the good fish I heard abt were on bait.

[ruge13]

I think the reason is because near the bridge the river is pretty wide. It hard to target fish so most guys bait fish. I would imagine the Creeks are easier to target fish but I think the larger females tent to stay near the channells...I could be completely wrong...where do you plan on fishing? There is a kayak store in Woodstock NY and I know some of them flyfish the hudson in that area. They might be of some help. I don't know the web address of the emails addresses but I think they are on the web somewhere...

[Wes]

Last year I got into a few fish jigging at Esopus Meadows, nothing huge, biggest around 15-18 lbs. Plan to try near Croton Pt and maybe the Esopus Light this year. Some real good fish were taken in Kingston last year, including a 34 lber by a yakker. Would be great to find them hammering herring in a creek up there but haven'y found access to any of them.

[ruge13]

Access to the Rondout is easy. There is a public dock in Kingston NY right on the Creek with plenty of parking. Left to the river about 1/4 mile, right up into the creek.

[RJ]

Wes,

I just got back from VA. Large herring flys (Bluebacks and Alewives) are going to be my major effort this year. Sinking lines for deep trolling early and sink tip line as the water nears 55+ degrees. I'll be working the channel edges. IMHO I feel the "ladies" loaded with eggs will be hugging the bottom until it is time to spawn. If you want to connect with big fish, FISH DEEP! I have 7 to 10 inch Blueback Herring and Bunker Flies. I'll be drifting them with sinking lines. Male fish tend to cruise in the middle of the water column and shad and herring use the top quarter of the column.

I plan on fishing a tide a day when the water temperature hits 50 degrees. I'll be doing some "recon" fishing before the 50-degree mark. The back bays will warm up before the main stem. Some smaller males could be cruising those bays and flats. Especially the muddy bottom ones. The darker the bottom, the quicker it will warm up. Out flows with clousers and some herring flatwings or decievers might be a good bet early on. Blueback or dark back w/ yellow 4 to 5" flies fished inthe out flows might work.

No one has come up with a "set" fly fshing pattern or fly to collect stripers during their spawning run. The espous Flats are becoming the traditional flyfishing area, but that is only because most fly fishers fish there.

I think that night fishing is underutlized and might be the "secret' we are all seeking for spawning stripers in the Hudson River. Some bass pro anglers (very few) are whispering about great nights on the flats during dropping tides. The favorite plug is a blue and white rattle trap in water depths from 8 down to 2 feet.

I think large flys with rattles or eel looking long flys might do the trick for fly fishers at night on the flats. Dark colors at night. Use the bass's looking up at dark profiles against a lighter night sky to your advantage.

Stripers tend to move up the Hudson Valley in schools. If you fish a single point constantly you will notice that fish are moving through and fishing is hot. Then nothing until the next school comes sliding by. Hours or days later!

When you get to Catskill, NY, some of the school pods seem to break up and hang out waiting to spawn in the thirty mile stretch below Albany.

Stripers tend to stack up at the Troy Dam and stay long and are hungry. Tricky water for a kayak. Lots of current and some whirlpools that come an go. Not a place to fish at night, especially in a yak.

If you find something that works for you fly fishing, share it with us and we will apply it to the Catskill and north stretch ofthe river. If my drifting large flys deep works, you will be the first to know.

Shaun,

Your a Mid Valley native! I hear good things about Black Creek south of Kingston and accross the river from your home town. Check it out. Big, very big fish, at the mouth of the creek! You too, Wes! I haven't fished it, but the word is out there!

The Hudson River is open and flowing. Ice chunks are moving south with the tide. Winter's back is broken. It can only get better now. First spring striped bass was caught at Croton Point last Saturday.

Luck, :-%

[Wes]

Wow, thanks RJ.
They're not far off, I've heard school sized fish already staging in the lower river where flats are getting in to high 40's during the day.

[ruge13]

Actually RJ its funny you mention that. Back in NY, if you said you were fishing at night for anything in the river other than catfish people would laugh at you. When I first moved here to MA fishing at night was completly foreign to me for that reason.

[RJ]

Wes, Western LI Sound isn't all that far from the Croton River and the flats just south of Croton Point. Keep in touch with the local bait shops. Especially the one in Croton and the one in Buchannan. There is a new one in Verplanck (Crab Shack) it could be a good info spot too!

If you need their tel. no's, e-mail me at duckboat@capital.net

:cool:

[Wes]

Thanks RJ, I sent you a note.

I'll do some daytime recon soon. I grew up not too far from Croton but never fished for stripers, thought they were practically extinct then.

[RJ]

I'm an Ossining lad and my brother Richard still lives in Peekskill.

He keeps a fishing boat at the Ossining Canoe and Boat Club.

See ya on the river!:-%

[RJ]

Wes,

I hope you decided to try Croton yesterday or today. My brother Richard tells me that the striper fishing went ballistic yesterday just south of Croton Point. Clousers and rattletraps took most of the fish yesterday.



:-% Enjoy!

[Wes]

Yeah RJ, got there to launch about noon. Half a dozen boats were probably into them just below the point when we launched. By the time I got close they had scattered. Found the fish hunkered down along the point but couldn't buy a hit. I just stayed on the school and abt 3 they decided to eat. Boated 6 schoolies but could've had 20 except for my incompetence. I was trying a clouser tied on a circle which worked great if I could stop myself from trying to set it. I left them biting at 4:30. Even at that I doubled my lifetime take of stripers on the fly today. :D

Herring are not there yet. Couple fish 20-22 lbs have been taken in the last couple days.

Circles might be the ticket for schoolies. When I didn't jerk it out of their mouths the hook was set perfectly, easy releases.

Appreciate the help.

[adrian]

Jim

Good to see you today - glad to hear you connected!

I could see the boats working the Ossining side but by the time I got over there the bite was done. Called it a day at around 4:00.

Guys pulling their boats reckoned it was a much quieter day generally -should have been there Friday or yesterday.

It can only get better from here on!

[Wes]

Adrian, I was boating my first fish abt 5 minutes after you rounded the point. I'm sorry you missed them. You missed me wearing line a couple of times, too. I stayed on those fish I saw, they were real. I had a good day. Thanks for coming out. My arms were ready to drop off when I got to the ramp abt 5:00. While I was gleaning nuggets from some locals a boat drifted by keel up. Before I got to my cell phone a truck pulled in. Some dope had a couple kids up in the river and dumped. Got rescued because a guy passing by heard his calls for help. They jumped in the van, stripped and full heat. I'm so glad I didn't have to launch the yak again to check up river. We made a good decision to skip the river. But... those nuggets I got say we make the river trip within the next few weeks. I got a VHF for days like this but the FF is what really made the day. I have a couple FRS radios we need to use next time, big place.

[RJ]

Wes - Adrian,

Did either one of you take a water temperature check, while one the water at Croton.

And if you did, was it in front of the railroad bridge our out in the bay?

The river runs off releases from the New Croton Dam and that water comes from the bottom of the reservoir - Very Cold.

The bay temp can be 5 or more degrees warmer than directly infront of the railroad bridge this early in the spring. Fishing the Croton River is a good bet for your yak in late mMay and early June. Go west of route 9 and fish the deep pools.

Wes - happy for ya, pal! Nice job. I might be there next weekend. Thinking positive today, put the yak rack on the van! And will be mounting the rod racks inthe morning.

Yesssss! :-%

[adrian]

RJ - Great info on the Hudson fishery as always - look forward to meeting you on the water some time this season!

Jim, radios sound like a very good idea! Also, timing the tide to paddle back under the railroad bridge can be tricky. Not much headroom or paddle room and a enough current to spin you if your not expecting it. I made it through without getting a crack on the head!

The forecast this morning is for another week of 50+ temperatures ;)

[ruge13]

Man I'm jealous...love to see some pics!!

[Wes]

RJ, did not check temps. I drove in by Croton Gorge, small islands in the river submerged, guess water was 3 feet up the trees, there's a lot of water coming down. Reservoir mainly ice covered. Keep us posted, would like to hook up with you. A bird watching yakker had just come down from the river when I arrived yesterday, he had to walk the boat around the rapids by the island. Will you have the 140 by then?

Agree, the bridge is tricky and ought to be considered very dangerous if any novices are thinking abt a go at it.