Fishing in America
America is one of the greatest countries on earth for a fishing holiday. You need very little: a rod, some bait, a car and the great American outdoors. There is a whole slew of locales and scenic spots to start angling, and with the abundance of freshwater lakes and miles of Atlantic and Pacific coastlines, freshwater and saltwater fishing are all yours.
It should be noted though, that even though fishing is not exactly the most extreme of sports, it is worth having some kind of travel insurance. Particularly for saltwater fishing or using the Great Lakes, the machinery involved in boats and dealing with large animals can lead to the occasional spot of bother. Check out Direct-Travel for travel insurance deals, just to give you the peace of mind you need.
If you end up landing Shamu, and he doesn’t take too kindly to it, an insurance policy may help ease your mind when explaining to the skipper why his precious fishing boat is in several pieces. You can never be too careful.
Assuming for a moment that you aren’t going to catch a killer whale, then what to do to boost your game? Firstly, when fishing in either fresh or saltwater, you need to choose bait with care. Ideally, the size of your bait will match the size of the prey the fish are accustomed to. In addition, the weight of your line should match the size of the bait you’re using; this will allow you to use ultra-light lures that are especially attractive to your catch.
You should also follow sun, moon and weather patterns. Salt and freshwater fish, like all other creatures, are directly influenced by their environment—and that includes everything from the gravitational pull of the moon to how high the sun is in the sky. Days on or near key moon phases can often be prime times to make a catch. Bright sunlight can bother fish, while wind can drive bait fish or insects to the downwind side of a lake (where gamefish are sure to follow). Fish also tend to be less active during hot and muggy, high-pressure periods.
The most surprising tip that I have learned in my years as an angler is to wash your hands. This is one of the most often overlooked freshwater fishing tips, but it really makes a difference. Fish actually have a very sensitive sense of smell. If their bait smells like cigarette smoke or bug spray, they’ll be that less likely to bite.
Hudson River Fishing Photos
Is the Hudson River Salt Water?
The Hudson River is not what you think. It’s one great big tidal estuary. That means salt water from the ocean pushes up with the tides and combines with fresh water from smaller rivers that come down from the mountains. The Catskills and the Adirondacks feed fresh water through tributaries feeding into the Hudson, flowing south, and the tides pushing in from the Atlantic Ocean mix to make what’s called Brackish water.
You can actually see high and low tides in Albany, NY and other places along the Hudson between Troy and NYC. That’s about 150 miles of river and brackish water. The ebb and flow of the tides means the Hudson River supports a wide diversity of aquatic life, as well as breeding grounds.
Hudson River Fishing Piers
Hudson River fishing can be done from shore, a boat, or from new fishing piers created by the State of New York. One such Hudson River fishing pier is the Madison Street fishing pier in Troy, NY. The city of Troy is working to improve quality of life and to spur development on their beautiful waterfront. The new fishing pier cost $60,000 and the project also included improvements to the boat launch, upgrades to the park on the riverfront, and other improvements. It’s part of a general trend in improving all Hudson River fishing access from Troy to NYC.
It’s called the Madison Street Fishing Pier and it’s at the end of Madison Street. The pier is cantilevered out over the river for great fishing access. There are even cutouts in the railing for wheelchair anglers. There are plans for a kayak and canoe launch. New York State Department of State’s Division of Coastal Resources funded the project in a city where almost none of the seven miles of waterfront are accessible. This Hudson River fishing pier changes that.
Fishing on the Hudson is especially popular during Spring, when the striped bass are biting. Anglers have gathered at the end of Madison Street in Troy for years in early Spring, and now they have a nice new Hudson River fishing pier.
Hudson River Fishing Access
Through Federal, State, local and non profit collaboration and money, the Hudson River Estuary Program’s River Access Project has upgraded and created many shoreline access points from Troy to NYC. There are now almost 10o shoreline access points along the Hudson River, for swimming, fishing, and launching boats. Where the shoreline used to be full of obstacles due to railroad tracks, there are now convenient ways to get to the water to launch a kayak or fish from shore. In New York City, Westchester, Putnam, and Dutchess counties, access over Metro North tracks is also being improved. Almost $10 million has been spent or planned to be spent on shoreline access. From NYC to Troy.
There are 23 new hand launch spots, which means car top boats can be launched, but not trailered boats. This would include kayaks and rowboats and small skiffs that can fit on top of a car. There are three new trailered boat launches, and existing ones have been updated. There are many more Hudson river fishing access spots now: Hudson River Fishing Access has greatly improved for any type of Hudson River fishing people want to do.
Hudson River Access Spots Below Albany
Coeyman’s Landing
Bathroom, Picnic area, and pumpout station as well as concrete boat launch for trailered boats, also in Schodack.
Hannacroix Creek Preserve
No boat launch here but you can fish from shore, located just north of New Baltimore Preserve, on Rte 144.
Cornell Park
Located in New Baltimore, there’s a small launch for kayaks and row boats, plus a picnic area.
Stuyvesant Riverview Park
No launch here, but you can park your car in one of over two dozen parking spots, and have a picnic an fish from shore.
Nutten Hook Unique Area
This is managed by Department of Environmental Conservation, and is part of the Greenway Water Trail. You can hand launch boats (not on a trailer) or have a picnic and fish from shore. No bathrooms. Located off 9J in the town of Stuyvesant.
Coxsackie Boat Launch/Riverside Park
There are lots of parking spots for cars and trailers, bathrooms, and a concrete boat launch. Located in town of Coxsackie.
Hudson River Access Spots Near Albany
From Troy and Albany to New York City, the Hudson River can be fished from plenty of public boat and fishing access areas. River fishing is open to all, since you don’t necessarily have to own a boat to get some fish. Fishing from shore of the Hudson River is extremely popular and many people are very successful at pulling fish from the river and never stepping into a boat. With that in mind, here are spots designated by New York State as public access points for boat launching and for fishing from shore.
Green Island Riverside Park
This is the first, or northernmost of NY State public access fishing spots on the Hudson River. You can’t launch a boat here, but there’s a public picnic area, parking and you can fish from shore.
Troy Riverside Park
Moving south, we come to Troy Riverside Park. Again, parking and picnic area, but no boat launch.
Hudson Shores Park
parking for 20 cars, located in Watervliet. Take 787 to 23rd St/Watervliet exit and go north on Lower Hidson Ave, and the park will be on your right. This one also has a bathroom.
Rensselaer Boat Launch
Room for trailor parking and cars, there’s a picnic area but no bathrooms. Located on Forbes St in Rensselaer.
Albany Launch
Right on the waterfront, of course, where the Corning preserve trial runs by a grand old boat house, there’s lots of car and trailer parking here, as well as bathrooms.
Island Creek Park
This one is also in Albany, but off Broadway street, a little further down the river past the U-Haul building. There are some parking spots here, and also a launch for non-trailered boats.
Papscanee Island Nature Preserve
This is in East Greenbush, there’s a boat launch here for hand launching and under 10 car parking spots. Also a bathroom here.
Henry Hudson Park
This is in Bethlehem, and has bathrooms and picnic area. lots of parking and a place to launch boats from a trailer.
Schodack Island State Park
TONS of car and trailer parking, a concrete launch, bathrooms, picnic area, this was recently renovated.
