What is the best time of day to fish in New York City?

The most reliable windows are the low-light hours around sunrise and sunset. Today in New York City, sunrise is about 5:50 AM and sunset about 8:16 PM, so the dawn and dusk windows either side of those are your best bets — especially on an overcast day or a moving tide.

Does the moon affect fishing in New York City?

Yes. The strongest solunar feeding periods and biggest tides come around the new and full moons. The moon is currently a Full Moon (99% illuminated). For the precise solunar major/minor times and tides for your exact spot, use the MyFishingBuds AI Trip Planner.

Best Time to Fish in New York City

New York · Wednesday, July 29

🌅

5:50 AM

Sunrise

🌇

8:16 PM

Sunset

🌙

99%

Moon

Today's best windows in New York City

🌅 Dawn — 5:20 AM to 6:50 AM

The first light window is the most reliable bite of the day for most species — fish move shallow to feed before the sun gets high.

🌇 Dusk — 6:46 PM to 8:46 PM

The last couple hours of light are the second prime window, especially as water cools and bait moves.

🌙 Moon — Full Moon (99% lit)

A bright moon means more overnight feeding, which can slow the midday bite — lean on the dawn and dusk windows. Solunar activity is strongest around the new and full moons.

Sunrise, sunset, and moon phase are computed for New York City (New York); times shown in local time. Best-window ranges are guidance, not guarantees — weather and tides matter too.

Get the precise solunar + tide forecast for your spot

Dawn and dusk are the reliable daily answer, but the exact solunar major/minor periods and the tides for the specific water you're fishing shift day to day. The MyFishingBuds AI Trip Planner pulls live NOAA, USGS, and solunar data to score the best times for your exact New York City spot.

See the AI Trip Planner →

Best season to fish New York City

The calendar is driven by the striped bass migration. The spring run pushes through Raritan Bay and the western Long Island Sound in April through June, and the famous fall run — blitzing bass and bluefish chasing bait down the beaches — peaks in October and November. Fluke season runs roughly May through September (check current NY size and season limits, which change yearly). Blackfish (tautog) fishing is best in the fall around the harbor rockpiles and wrecks, black sea bass and porgy fill the summer, and the Hudson River holds a spring striped bass spawning run above the George Washington Bridge.

Striped BassFluke (Summer Flounder)BluefishBlackfish (Tautog)Black Sea BassPorgy (Scup)

Find a fishing buddy in New York City →How to read the best fishing times →AI Trip Planner →

Plan your next New York City trip

Free profile, no credit card. Find a buddy, get a live conditions plan, and fish safer.

Get Started Free →