Captain Tony's NYC Harbor Report - October 31, 2025
Listen up, because I'm only gonna say this once. We got a gale blowing through the harbor today with west winds screaming at 30 to 35 knots and seas building to 6 to 9 feet outside the harbor. But here's the thing about these autumn gales—they're like the bell ringing at the firehouse. When it stops, you move. And when this blow clears out Saturday night, Sunday morning is gonna be one of those days you tell stories about for years. Light northwest winds, calm seas, and striped bass that have been pinned down for two days ready to feed like it's their last meal.
I've been fishing these waters for over 40 years, and I can tell you with absolute certainty that when a low-pressure system moves through and drops the barometer like a stone, it triggers something in these fish. We saw it this week before the storm hit. The beaches at Breezy Point were buzzing with bass blitzing on bunker, birds diving, chaos under the surface. Then the sand eels showed up—and I'm talking about a massive arrival of sand eels from Breezy Point all the way up the East River to the Tappan Zee. When sand eels flood the system like this, it changes everything. The bass go from cruising and picking to feeding aggressively because they know winter is coming and they need to pack on weight.
Breezy Point to Rockaway
The fall run is in full swing at Breezy Point, and we're seeing fish from 15 pounds all the way up to XXL bass in the 40-plus pound range. This isn't your typical fall fishing with schoolies and slot fish—we're talking about legitimate fish of a lifetime opportunities. The bunker schools have been massive, and when the bass get under them, it's like watching a feeding frenzy at the aquarium. Birds diving, bait spraying, bass crashing. If you're not getting your heart rate up watching this, check your pulse.
The sand eels arrived this week in numbers I haven't seen in years, and that's brought in bass in the 15 to 35 pound range that are feeding with authority. The key to fishing sand eels is matching the profile and the action. You want something slender and subtle—sand eel-style paddletails, small needlefish, or even fly patterns if you're into that. Work them with a slow, steady retrieve and let the fish tell you what they want.
Live-lining bunker has been the ticket for the bigger fish. Find a school of bunker, hook one through the back or the nose, and let it swim. When a 40-pound bass grabs it, you'll know. Don't set the hook too early—let the fish take it, count to three, and then lean into it. Circle hooks make this easier, but I'm old school and still use J-hooks. Just don't horse the fish. Let your drag do the work.
New York Harbor - Battery Park to Verrazano
The harbor has been fishing exceptionally well, with bass feeding on the massive concentrations of peanut bunker and sand eels. The key is finding the bait, and right now, that's not hard. Look for birds, look for bait on the surface, look for current breaks and structure. The fish are there.
I had reports from guys fishing around the UN and 23rd Street in the East River who made seven drifts and caught 17 fish over 25 pounds with four fish over 40 pounds. That's not luck—that's being in the right place at the right time with the right presentation. They were drifting live bunker and eels in the current, letting the bait do the work. When you're fishing the East River, respect the current. It'll push you around like a toy boat if you're not careful, but if you use it to your advantage, it'll put you on fish.
The harbor structure—piers, pilings, bridge abutments—are all holding fish right now. These urban bass are used to feeding around structure, and they're not shy. Cast tight to the pilings, work your lure along the edge, and hang on. I've seen guys pull 30-pound fish out from under the Brooklyn Bridge in the middle of the day. It's not wilderness fishing, but it's damn effective.
Hudson River - George Washington Bridge to Tappan Zee
The Hudson has been producing fish, though the bite has been more spread out than the concentrated action down in the harbor. The sand eels and peanut bunker are present all the way up to the Tappan Zee, and the bass are following them. The key is covering water and finding the pods of fish. Once you locate them, you can usually stay on them for a while before they move.
Topwater has been effective at sunrise and sunset, with fish hammering spooks and pencil poppers in the shallower areas. During the middle of the day, switch to subsurface presentations—bucktails, swim shads, soft plastics. Work them along the bottom and through the current breaks.
The current in the Hudson is no joke, especially during the spring tides we're going to see around the full moon. Use enough weight to maintain bottom contact, and position yourself to drift with the current rather than fighting it. The fish are positioned facing into the current, waiting for bait to be swept to them. Your presentation should mimic that.
Raritan Bay and Sandy Hook
Raritan Bay has been fishing well, with bunker, sand eels, and mackerel all present in good numbers. The topwater bite has been strong, with 30 to 40 pound bass ripping through bunker on the surface. When you see that kind of surface activity, don't overthink it. Tie on a topwater plug, make a good cast, and work it aggressively. These fish are in feeding mode, and they're not being selective.
The subsurface bite has been equally productive, with guys catching 20-pound class fish on fly gear by letting the fly sink after a few quick strips and then working it slowly. The bass are feeding at multiple levels in the water column, so don't be afraid to experiment with your retrieve until you figure out what they want.
Marine Forecast & Strategy
Friday (Today): Gale warning. West winds 30-35 knots, seas 6-9 feet. Stay off the water. Seriously. I've been doing this for 40 years, and I'm not going out in this.
Saturday: Winds diminishing to 20-25 knots, seas subsiding to 4-6 feet. Fishable in protected areas by late afternoon, but I'd wait for Sunday.
Sunday: Northwest winds around 10 knots, seas 2-3 feet. This is your day. Get up early, be on the water at first light, and fish hard.
Monday: South winds 10-15 knots increasing, chance of showers. Fish early before the weather deteriorates.
The Full Moon Push - November 5th
The full moon on November 5th is going to be the catalyst for the next big push of fish. The exaggerated tides create stronger currents that move bait and trigger feeding. The three days before and after the full moon are historically the most productive, and with the amount of bait in the system right now, it's going to be lights out.
Focus on the moving tides, particularly the first two hours of the outgoing when bait is being flushed out of the rivers and bays. The bass know this, and they position themselves at the mouths of the tributaries and along the current breaks to ambush the bait. If you're fishing structure, fish the tide changes when the fish are most active.
Tackle Recommendations
For topwater, a 7 to 8 foot medium-heavy rod with 30 to 40 pound braid. No leader necessary unless you're getting short strikes. Spooks, pencil poppers, and surface swimmers are all effective.
For live-lining bunker or eels, a 7 to 8 foot medium-heavy rod with 30 to 50 pound braid to a 30 to 40 pound fluorocarbon leader. Circle hooks in the 6/0 to 8/0 range. Let the fish take the bait and don't set the hook—just start reeling and let the circle hook do its job.
For working bucktails and soft plastics, the same rod setup but with a lighter leader if the water is clear. 1 to 3 ounce bucktails depending on the current, tipped with a soft plastic trailer.
Here's the bottom line: The fishing is as good as it's been all fall, and it's about to get better. The main push of fish hasn't come through yet, and when they do, it's going to be epic. Don't sit on the couch watching the weather. Get out there, put in the time, and catch some fish. That's what we do.
Tight lines,
Captain Tony
Listen up, because I'm only gonna say this once. We got a gale blowing through the harbor today with west winds screaming at 30 to 35 knots and seas building to 6 to 9 feet outside the harbor. But here's the thing about these autumn gales—they're like the bell ringing at the firehouse. When it stops, you move. And when this blow clears out Saturday night, Sunday morning is gonna be one of those days you tell stories about for years. Light northwest winds, calm seas, and striped bass that have been pinned down for two days ready to feed like it's their last meal.
I've been fishing these waters for over 40 years, and I can tell you with absolute certainty that when a low-pressure system moves through and drops the barometer like a stone, it triggers something in these fish. We saw it this week before the storm hit. The beaches at Breezy Point were buzzing with bass blitzing on bunker, birds diving, chaos under the surface. Then the sand eels showed up—and I'm talking about a massive arrival of sand eels from Breezy Point all the way up the East River to the Tappan Zee. When sand eels flood the system like this, it changes everything. The bass go from cruising and picking to feeding aggressively because they know winter is coming and they need to pack on weight.
Breezy Point to Rockaway
The fall run is in full swing at Breezy Point, and we're seeing fish from 15 pounds all the way up to XXL bass in the 40-plus pound range. This isn't your typical fall fishing with schoolies and slot fish—we're talking about legitimate fish of a lifetime opportunities. The bunker schools have been massive, and when the bass get under them, it's like watching a feeding frenzy at the aquarium. Birds diving, bait spraying, bass crashing. If you're not getting your heart rate up watching this, check your pulse.
The sand eels arrived this week in numbers I haven't seen in years, and that's brought in bass in the 15 to 35 pound range that are feeding with authority. The key to fishing sand eels is matching the profile and the action. You want something slender and subtle—sand eel-style paddletails, small needlefish, or even fly patterns if you're into that. Work them with a slow, steady retrieve and let the fish tell you what they want.
Live-lining bunker has been the ticket for the bigger fish. Find a school of bunker, hook one through the back or the nose, and let it swim. When a 40-pound bass grabs it, you'll know. Don't set the hook too early—let the fish take it, count to three, and then lean into it. Circle hooks make this easier, but I'm old school and still use J-hooks. Just don't horse the fish. Let your drag do the work.
New York Harbor - Battery Park to Verrazano
The harbor has been fishing exceptionally well, with bass feeding on the massive concentrations of peanut bunker and sand eels. The key is finding the bait, and right now, that's not hard. Look for birds, look for bait on the surface, look for current breaks and structure. The fish are there.
I had reports from guys fishing around the UN and 23rd Street in the East River who made seven drifts and caught 17 fish over 25 pounds with four fish over 40 pounds. That's not luck—that's being in the right place at the right time with the right presentation. They were drifting live bunker and eels in the current, letting the bait do the work. When you're fishing the East River, respect the current. It'll push you around like a toy boat if you're not careful, but if you use it to your advantage, it'll put you on fish.
The harbor structure—piers, pilings, bridge abutments—are all holding fish right now. These urban bass are used to feeding around structure, and they're not shy. Cast tight to the pilings, work your lure along the edge, and hang on. I've seen guys pull 30-pound fish out from under the Brooklyn Bridge in the middle of the day. It's not wilderness fishing, but it's damn effective.
Hudson River - George Washington Bridge to Tappan Zee
The Hudson has been producing fish, though the bite has been more spread out than the concentrated action down in the harbor. The sand eels and peanut bunker are present all the way up to the Tappan Zee, and the bass are following them. The key is covering water and finding the pods of fish. Once you locate them, you can usually stay on them for a while before they move.
Topwater has been effective at sunrise and sunset, with fish hammering spooks and pencil poppers in the shallower areas. During the middle of the day, switch to subsurface presentations—bucktails, swim shads, soft plastics. Work them along the bottom and through the current breaks.
The current in the Hudson is no joke, especially during the spring tides we're going to see around the full moon. Use enough weight to maintain bottom contact, and position yourself to drift with the current rather than fighting it. The fish are positioned facing into the current, waiting for bait to be swept to them. Your presentation should mimic that.
Raritan Bay and Sandy Hook
Raritan Bay has been fishing well, with bunker, sand eels, and mackerel all present in good numbers. The topwater bite has been strong, with 30 to 40 pound bass ripping through bunker on the surface. When you see that kind of surface activity, don't overthink it. Tie on a topwater plug, make a good cast, and work it aggressively. These fish are in feeding mode, and they're not being selective.
The subsurface bite has been equally productive, with guys catching 20-pound class fish on fly gear by letting the fly sink after a few quick strips and then working it slowly. The bass are feeding at multiple levels in the water column, so don't be afraid to experiment with your retrieve until you figure out what they want.
Marine Forecast & Strategy
Friday (Today): Gale warning. West winds 30-35 knots, seas 6-9 feet. Stay off the water. Seriously. I've been doing this for 40 years, and I'm not going out in this.
Saturday: Winds diminishing to 20-25 knots, seas subsiding to 4-6 feet. Fishable in protected areas by late afternoon, but I'd wait for Sunday.
Sunday: Northwest winds around 10 knots, seas 2-3 feet. This is your day. Get up early, be on the water at first light, and fish hard.
Monday: South winds 10-15 knots increasing, chance of showers. Fish early before the weather deteriorates.
The Full Moon Push - November 5th
The full moon on November 5th is going to be the catalyst for the next big push of fish. The exaggerated tides create stronger currents that move bait and trigger feeding. The three days before and after the full moon are historically the most productive, and with the amount of bait in the system right now, it's going to be lights out.
Focus on the moving tides, particularly the first two hours of the outgoing when bait is being flushed out of the rivers and bays. The bass know this, and they position themselves at the mouths of the tributaries and along the current breaks to ambush the bait. If you're fishing structure, fish the tide changes when the fish are most active.
Tackle Recommendations
For topwater, a 7 to 8 foot medium-heavy rod with 30 to 40 pound braid. No leader necessary unless you're getting short strikes. Spooks, pencil poppers, and surface swimmers are all effective.
For live-lining bunker or eels, a 7 to 8 foot medium-heavy rod with 30 to 50 pound braid to a 30 to 40 pound fluorocarbon leader. Circle hooks in the 6/0 to 8/0 range. Let the fish take the bait and don't set the hook—just start reeling and let the circle hook do its job.
For working bucktails and soft plastics, the same rod setup but with a lighter leader if the water is clear. 1 to 3 ounce bucktails depending on the current, tipped with a soft plastic trailer.
Here's the bottom line: The fishing is as good as it's been all fall, and it's about to get better. The main push of fish hasn't come through yet, and when they do, it's going to be epic. Don't sit on the couch watching the weather. Get out there, put in the time, and catch some fish. That's what we do.
Tight lines,
Captain Tony
