Best Time to Fish in New York City
New York · Friday, September 11
🌅
6:34 AM
Sunrise
🌇
7:14 PM
Sunset
🌙
0%
Moon
The next 7 days in New York City
| Day | Dawn window | Dusk window | Moon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Today | 6:04 AM – 7:34 AM | 5:44 PM – 7:44 PM | 🌑 New Moon · 0% |
| Sat, Sep 12 | 6:05 AM – 7:35 AM | 5:42 PM – 7:42 PM | 🌑 New Moon · 1% |
| Sun, Sep 13 | 6:05 AM – 7:35 AM | 5:40 PM – 7:40 PM | 🌒 Waxing Crescent · 5% |
| Mon, Sep 14 | 6:06 AM – 7:36 AM | 5:39 PM – 7:39 PM | 🌒 Waxing Crescent · 10% |
| Tue, Sep 15 | 6:07 AM – 7:37 AM | 5:37 PM – 7:37 PM | 🌒 Waxing Crescent · 17% |
| Wed, Sep 16 | 6:08 AM – 7:38 AM | 5:35 PM – 7:35 PM | 🌒 Waxing Crescent · 26% |
| Thu, Sep 17 | 6:09 AM – 7:39 AM | 5:34 PM – 7:34 PM | 🌓 First Quarter · 36% |
Dawn and dusk windows are computed from sunrise/sunset for New York City; times shown in local time. Best-window ranges are guidance, not guarantees — weather and tides matter too.
Today's best windows in New York City
🌅 Dawn — 6:04 AM to 7:34 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 — 5:44 PM to 7:44 PM
The last couple hours of light are the second prime window, especially as water cools and bait moves.
🌙 Moon — New Moon (0% lit)
Solunar feeding activity peaks around the new and full moons. Overlap a solunar period with dawn or dusk and you have the best window of the day.
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.
Today's tides in New York City
| Tide | Time | Height |
|---|---|---|
| Low | 3:04 AM | -0.2 ft |
| High | 9:17 AM | 5.5 ft |
| Low | 3:23 PM | -0.0 ft |
| High | 9:36 PM | 5.6 ft |
Predictions from NOAA station 8517847 (Brooklyn Bridge), about 1 mi from New York City. Times in local time, heights relative to MLLW.
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.
Best time to fish in New York City — FAQ
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 6:34 AM and sunset about 7:14 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 New Moon (0% illuminated). For the precise solunar major/minor times and tides for your exact spot, use the MyFishingBuds AI Trip Planner.
What is the best season to fish in 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.
Do I need a fishing license to fish in New York City?
Yes — most adult anglers need a New York fishing license. See the New York fishing license guide for 2026 resident and non-resident prices, who's exempt, and where to buy.
What tide is best for fishing in New York City?
Moving water usually beats slack tide — fish the hour or so around a tide change, when current is strongest and sweeps bait past structure. See today's tide times for New York City above to plan around the next high or low.
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