FISHING SEASONS & WHAT TO EXPECT

April - May

Striper fishing in the Hudson River is best experienced in the spring when the stripers enter the waterway to spawn. They feed on Blueback Herring which appear to be their favorite choice of food. The herring also provide a natural bait for the anglers on the River. Fishing usually begins in the last week of April and continues until the end of May. The most success is generally to be had bait fishing. We fish the Hudson River from Albany to Kingston, NY.

Please check out our Photo Gallery to see the quality of the Stripers that we are catching in the River and view our recent Testimonials. These are world class Stripers!!! The majority of them are large pre-spawn females that will be depositing millions of eggs in the River before moving back into the Atlantic Ocean to continue their Spring migration. These fish range in size from 30-40+ inches and 20-35+ lbs.

Fly Fishing

Striper Fishing primarily runs from late April through May. Reel Happy Charters as been developing fly fishing opportunities on the river for stripers in the spring, and small mouth and large mouth bass from June through late October. Fly fishing on the Hudson is an undeveloped resource since most anglers use conventional tackle to fish for these three species. This fishery provides a great opportunity for the fly anglers to ply their trade in the land of Rip Van Winkle.

June - October

Fishing for large and smallmouth bass commences in June and continues through the fall. In addition, two species of catfish are available for anglers, channel cats and white cats; these can provide great sport for everyone. Late September through October offers striper fishing for schoolies and outstanding smallmouth and largemouth bass fishing. Trips for bass and stripers are available with conventional tackle and for those anglers that wish, fly fishing tackle.

Catch and Release

Catch and Release is encouraged by Reel Happy Charters. The Spring striper run is for mature spawning fish and provides a population of Striped Bass for recreational anglers to enjoy for decades to come. In addition, Catch and Release enables us to have the excitement of catching fish over and over again with no loss to the population.

About the Captain

The Captain is a licensed U.S.C.G. Captain and has over 30+ years of fishing experience on the Hudson River. He has spent time on the River fishing for Stripers with conventional tackle, and is one of the few anglers to challenge Stripers in the Hudson using a fly rod. He is a proponent of Catch and Release and a member of the Coastal Conservation Association and "Stripers Forever." Captain Booth brings to the Hudson fishery over 30 years of saltwater fly fishing experience on the waters from Maine to Key West.

License Requirement

All anglers 16 years of age and older must have a marine license to fish the Hudson River for migratory fish such as striped bass but do not need a NYS fishing license.

All anglers 16 years and older fishing the Hudson River for freshwater species, i.e. catfish, black bass, perch, etc. must have a NYS fishing license.

Boat Information

The Reel Happy Charter Boat is a 2013 Lund Alaskan 20 ft. with a 115 Yamaha. There is seating for all participants and ample room for three people to fish with bait, with sufficient storage for lunches, clothing, and all required safety equipment. The boat is equipped with a Garmin GPS, depth finder, cell phone, and marine radio. An electric bow mounted motor provides exact positioning. This is an efficient boat that provides an enjoyable fishing experience.