Ned Rig Fishing on Hudson River
Hudson River · New York · Northeast
The Hudson is a tidal estuary for most of its fishable length — not a reservoir, not a traditional river, but a system where saltwater influence, freshwater current, and dramatic tidal swings all shape where fish hold at any given hour. Rocky points, submerged ledges, riprap seawalls, and shallow coves with emergent vegetation define the structure mix from Troy south to Haverstraw Bay. Smallmouth bass dominate the freshwater tidal reach from the Federal Dam at Troy down through the mid-Hudson, while largemouth move into the weedy shallows and tributary mouths throughout the same zone.
Ned Rig pairs a 3–4" ElaZtech-style floating plastic (TRD, Finesse TRD, or similar) on a 1/15–1/6 oz mushroom head jig. The bait's buoyancy causes it to stand upright on the bottom, creating a subtle action that triggers bites when nothing else will. Exceptional on hard bottom, gravel, and rock.
Ned Rig Setup for Hudson River
| Rod | 6'10"–7'2" medium-light spinning rod, moderate-fast action |
| Reel | 2500 size spinning reel |
| Line | 10 lb braid + 8 lb fluorocarbon leader |
| Weight | 1/15–1/6 oz mushroom jig head (Z-Man Finesse ShroomZ or similar) |
| Hook | Size 1 or 1/0 wide gap, built into jig head |
Seasonal Tactics on Hudson River
Lake: The American shad run — typically April through early June — triggers aggressive pre-spawn smallmouth stacking on current seams just downstream of tributary mouths and rocky points. Bass in the 15–25 ft channel edges respond well to jerkbaits and swimbaits matched to shad profile before water temps reach 60°F.
Ned Rig: Deadly on pre-spawn fish holding on gravel and pea-gravel flats in 4–12 feet.
Lake: Largemouth retreat into shallow vegetated coves and backwater areas off main channel tributaries by late June, while smallmouth push to deeper rocky ledges and riprap in 18–30 ft as the tidal main channel heats up. Topwater activity on shoreline structure holds through early morning in July and August, particularly near bridge pilings and rip-rap seawalls.
Ned Rig: Work deeper rock piles and main lake points. Drag slowly, let it stand. Green pumpkin and watermelon dominate.
Lake: Shad and herring schools stage along main channel drop-offs from September through October, pulling both largemouth and smallmouth into predictable feeding windows tied tightly to tidal movement. A falling tide concentrating bait on the downstream side of rocky points is one of the most reliable fall patterns the river produces.
Ned Rig: One of the best techniques as fish get finicky before winter. Match shad colors on sandy/gravel bottom.
Lake: Below-40°F water pushes most bass into deep wintering holes along the main channel, particularly near the mouths of larger tributaries where current breaks allow fish to hold without burning energy. Fishing slows dramatically north of Poughkeepsie, but soft plastics fished painfully slow in 25–40 ft can still produce quality smallmouth on mild-weather days.
Ned Rig: Best cold-water finesse technique after drop shot. Extremely slow drag on hard bottom near deep structure.
Best Conditions
Clear water, hard and rocky bottoms, post-cold-front, heavily pressured fish, any season except peak summer spawn
Use Z-Man ElaZtech plastics exclusively — they float and are nearly indestructible. Regular soft plastics sink and kill the technique.
More Techniques for Hudson River
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