Best Times & Seasons to Fish New York City (Complete Guide)

The waters near New York City offer some of the best fishing on the east coast just outside the hustle and bustle of the big city. Knowing the best time of year and of the day to fish near New York City can make a huge difference for you and lead to more fun fishing.

The best times to fish near New York City are between April and October for Atlantic salmon, carp, trout, and largemouth bass.

Fish Species	Best Times to Fish Near New York City
Chinook Salmon (Lake Ontario & Tributaries 6 hours away)	April through November is a great time to focus on salmon in both the lake and rivers of western NY.
Atlantic Salmon	April through December is the best Atlantic Salmon fishing window.
Trout	April through November offers the best trout fishing near NYC.
Largemouth Bass	May through October is the best bass fishing near NYC.
Carp	April through November is the best fishing window.

As a fishing enthusiast, you can plan a fishing trip to New York City. You can enjoy and explore these rich waters around NYC. Get your fishing gear ready, and make a trip down to New York City.

Best Times to Fish New York City

The best time to fish in New York City is during spring and autumn. Visiting the waters of NYC from March to May and September to December can bring more success to your fishing adventures. Prepare your gears, improve your fishing skills, and enjoy your stay in NYC.

You also need to know the best time of the day to fish in New York City. This factor depends on the species of fish you want to catch. Some species are mostly available in the morning, while some are available in the afternoon or evening. In NYC, most fish species are always available in the morning or late in the evening.

Consider the necessary factors to enjoy your fishing trip in New York City. Prepare your fishing gear, improve your fishing skills, and set out for your adventure. You can be so sure of making great success.

Recommended Fishing Charters near NYC

These New York City-based charters have earned great reviews from anglers and will offer you a tremendous service. The captains are knowledgeable, friendly, and are sure to put you on fish. By clicking the links below, you will be taken to the charter’s respective profile on Fishing Booker where you can read reviews, learn more about the charter, view photos, and book online at the best rate.

Recommended Fishing Charter	Type of Fishing Offered
Rockaway Fishing Charters	Inshore & Offshore
Reel To Reel Sportfishing	Inshore & Offshore
Stamford Fishing Charters	Inshore & Offshore
Starship Charters	Inshore & Offshore
Captain Al’s Fishing Charters	Inshore & Offshore
Crunch Time Sport Fishing	Inshore & Offshore

New York City Species Breakdown: Best Time

New York City houses varieties of fish species in its waters. It is one of the reasons many anglers like to visit the waters of NYC to carry out their fishing adventure. Let’s talk about some of the fish species you can find in the waters of New York City.

Chinook Salmon

The chinook salmon, also known as the king salmon, is one of the most popular fish species near New York City. It should be noted that you will need to drive about 5-6 hours NW to reach good chinook waters but the fishing is awesome.

Fishing the chinook salmon from April to November will bring the best yield to anglers. You can enjoy your chinook salmon fishing during the spring to the summer season. You can make a great catch of the chinook salmon when you visit the waters of New York during these seasons.

The early hours of the morning can perform magic when fishing the chinook salmon in New York. You should prepare your gear and set out to fish the king salmon in the morning. You can enjoy your fishing activities and create a remarkable fishing adventure for yourself.

One of the places to catch the chinook salmon is in Lake Ontario or the Niagara Bar. You can make a good catch of the king salmon at these fishing spots in NYC.

Largemouth Bass

The largemouth bass is one of the fish species commonly caught in the waters of New York City. There is a large population of the largemouth bass species in NYC, making it a good choice of fish for anglers. You can visit the appropriate fishing spots in NYC to make your fishing adventure successful.

Fishing largemouth bass in New York City can occur almost any season of the year. But the best season to fish largemouth bass is during the summer. Fishing from June down to November can bring you the greatest bass fishing in NYC.

When it comes to largemouth bass fishing, there are no two ways about it. The night is the time they become active and take the bite the most. You should set out and visit the waters of New York City to catch your largemouth bass.

There are several places you can catch the largemouth bass in New York City. The Harlem Meer is one of the most popular lakes that supports largemouth bass fishing. You can visit this lake to catch as much largemouth bass as you want. You can also catch different fish species at this fishing spot.

Carp

The carp is also one common fish species you catch in New York City. The carps are an invasive fish species that belongs to the family Cyprinidae. The carp is popular for its tasty meat and market price, making anglers go for it in the NYC waters.

Fishing carp in New York City requires the right season of the year. You should go carp fishing during the spring and summer seasons. Fishing in March through August provides the warm water that carps like. Carp are more active in warm waters but generally don’t take much bite.

Catching carp requires you to choose the right time of the day. Three times of the day support carp fishing with success; the early morning hours, the late evening hours, and the night hours. These times of the day will ensure a better yield when fishing for carps in New York City.

There are several places you can visit in New York City to catch your carp fish. You can visit Hudson Lake to catch as many carp as you want. You can also visit Rockland Lake to carry out and explore your fishing skills. You can make history with your fishing adventure in New York City if you choose the appropriate location.

Atlantic Salmon

Like every other salmon, the Atlantic salmon can provide you with tasty meat and fascinating movements when reeling them in. They are commonly found in fish species in New York City. Many anglers visit NYC to taste catching the Atlantic salmon and adding it to their trophies.

You should go fishing for Atlantic salmon from April down to December. Fishing during the spring and summer season can assure you of great Atlantic salmon fishing yield in the waters of NYC. You can explore your salmon fishing skills during these seasons.

As an angler, you also have to know the best time of the day to catch Atlantic salmon in the waters of New York City. You should set out during the early hours of the morning to catch the Atlantic salmon. You can also go salmon fishing during the late hours of the evening to enjoy your fishing activities.

New York City provides numerous fishing spots for anglers to catch the Atlantic salmon. The best place to catch the salmon in New York City is the salmon river. It is the most famous fishing spot for catching Atlantic salmon. You can enjoy every one of your salmon fishing activities at the salmon river in NYC.

Trout

The trout can also be a fish species worthy of your attention in New York City. The waters of NYC house several species of trout that include speckled trout, brown trout, and many more. You can make yourself a fishing trophy from these fish species in New York City.

Fishing trout is best scheduled for late spring through mid-autumn. You should go fishing for trout from April through October. You can achieve great success by fishing trout during these seasons.

To achieve a successful fishing adventure, you have to know the best time of the day to catch trout in NYC. You can fish trout from the early hours of the morning until 2 hours after sunrise. You can also catch them from 3 hours before sunset till dusk. You can make great catches when you fish trout during this time.

I recommend this Penn Pursuit Spinning Rod & Reel combo (available on Amazon) for inshore and nearshore fishing. It can handle everything from redfish to snapper and king mackerel. The Penn Battalion Series Spinning Rod and the Penn Battle Spinning Reel are fantastic to create your combo.

There are several places you can fish trout in New York City. The Saranac River is one of the places you can catch trout in NYC. It contains quite a number of them and other fish species. You can also visit Wiscoy Creek to enjoy your trout fishing adventure.

Best Time of the Day to Fish New York City

Fishing in New York City isn’t quite tasking. It requires only dedication, skills, and the right time to fish. You have to know the right time of the day to visit the waters and explore your fishing skills.

The best time of the day to fish in New York City is in the early hours of the morning. Many fish species in the waters are usually active before the sun comes up and heats the water. This makes the morning the best time to fish in NYC. You can also visit the waters during the late hours of the evening or night to catch your preferred fish species.

New York City Fishing & Tidal Impacts

The tides are one of the factors that affect fishing in New York City. As an angler or a fishing enthusiast, you must know the best tidal movement that suits the fish species you want to catch. It is best to fish after a high tide as the water movement makes the fish active and ready to take a bite.

For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish Montauk, please check out this helpful article.

Storms & New York City Fishing

The storm can affect fishing in New York City both positively and negatively. Fishing at the wrong time of the storm can bring less success in your fishing adventure, while fishing at the right storm time can bring you more positive effects.

You have to know the storm time that suits your fishing best. Fishing after a storm is advised as most fish species become active after the storm. They are also ready to take the bite, so you should leverage on this time and prepare your fishing gears to make a great catch.

Is Winter Fishing Bad or Good in New York City?

Fishing during winter is fun, but it is more fun when it is in New York City. You can make great success when fishing during winter in the waters of NYC. Although you might have to fish through the ice, the obstacle makes the fishing adventure an interesting one. Set out during winter to catch your desired fish species.

Night Fishing in New York City

Night fishing is something many anglers look forward to. Fishing at night in New York City can provide more yield than you expect. You can visit several fishing spots in New York City to carry out your night fishing activities. You have to know some fish species are not active at night, so you should go for only those active at night.

Shore/ Surf Fishing: Best Times & Seasons

Shore fishing is one of the most common fishing practices in New York City. Many anglers, both amateurs, and professionals visit the shores of NYC to catch their desired fish species. You can also visit the shores in NYC and make a great catch. Surf fishing is available all through the year and seasons.

Top 5 Fishing Spots in New York City (Best Times)

There are numerous fishing spots in New York City. These fishing spots contain different species of fish that attract many anglers from different parts of the world. Here are some of the fishing spots;

• Harlem Meer: This is one of the most popular fishing spots in New York City. It houses numerous fish species, which makes it a good location for anglers. You can visit the Harlem Meer to carry out your fishing activities.
• Baisley Pond Park: This is also a common fishing spot in New York City. It is an interesting spot for fishing and also for tourism. It provides a beautiful view and also blesses anglers with various fish species.
• Lake Ontario: This is one of the most popular lakes in New York. You can visit this lake and enjoy all of your fishing activities. You can catch different fish species like the trout, the carp, largemouth bass, and lots more.
• Saranac River: The Saranac River is blessed with an abundance of tasty and cute-looking fish species. You do not need to stress yourself much as you can make as many catches as you want in this river.
• New York Harbor: The New York Harbor is also a great spot for fishing. It contains numerous fish species that will suit the taste of every angler. It also provides the needed factors and resources that aid fishing.

Booking Charters in New York City

Booking charters is one of the things you can do to spice up the fun in your fishing trip. It will also provide you with convenience and comfort throughout your fishing trip. Booking charters can also provide you with the needed resources for your fishing activities in New York City.

You need to book a charter in New York City to help you on your fishing adventure. There are several charter agencies you will find in New York City. Choose your preferred charter agency and create a memorable fishing adventure for yourself.

Booking Charters near NYC

Long Island charter fishing provides anglers with a fantastic experience. During your trip, you’ll manage to explore the top fishing spots and fish with an experienced guide.  

Best Seasons to Go

Booking a charter in New York City can provide you with the best fishing adventure you can have. You have to book the charter at the appropriate or best season. Booking your charter this time will provide you with a fun-filled charter experience in NYC.

The best season to book your charter in New York City is during summer. Summer provides the best conditions and factors that suit your activities in NYC. You can also book your charter during spring or autumn to ensure you enjoy your fishing trip to NYC.

The busiest season in New York City is the summer season. You surely wouldn’t expect summer to be a cool and quiet time in a city like NYC. The summer supports various activities in NYC and attracts people from different parts of the world. The spring and autumn can also be busy seasons in New York City but are not as busy as summer.

Morning Vs. Afternoon

Booking a charter can be done either in the morning or afternoon, depending on the purpose of the trip. If you visit New York City for your angling activities, you should book your charter during the early hours of the morning. The afternoon charter can be suitable for other purposes like a tour, business activities, and many more.

You can also choose to book your charter in the afternoon for your angling activities. You should only book your charter in the afternoon if the fish species you want to catch are active when the sun is up. This way, you can be assured of fishing success on your trip from New York City.

For a complete breakdown of the best time to fish Nantucket, please check out this helpful article I wrote. For a complete breakdown of the best time to fish Cape May, please check out this helpful article I wrote. For a complete breakdown of the best charters out of NYC, please check out this helpful article I wrote. For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish near Long Island, please check out this helpful article I wrote. For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish near The Hamptons, please check out this helpful article I wrote. For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish in New Jersey, please check out this helpful guide.