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The tidal Hudson from Poughkeepsie to Kingston, mapped from NOAA's 30 m bathymetric survey DEM. The river tops out around 136 ft. The depth chart is built from real NOAA hydrographic survey soundings, so the humps, channels and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.
The outline encloses 6,590 acres, worked by 39.4 miles of shoreline. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 3.5) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. Roughly 21% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. Figure 15.9 mi of water from one end to the other, 2.3 mi at the beam. Chodikee Lake sits 4 mi southwest — the closest neighbouring chart.
In spring, striped bass run shallow here, mostly 5 to 20 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 25 to 60 ft before dropping to 20 to 50 ft for winter. Winter striped bass concentrate at Main-channel hole (mile 8.1), a prime-rated creek channel around 43 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a flutter spoon (deep) or an umbrella rig (trolled) most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Channel current seam (mile 2.5) (52 ft) | Bucktail jig + trailer, Walking topwater (dawn) |
| Summer | 25 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | Channel current seam (mile 2.5) (52 ft) | Flutter spoon (deep), Umbrella rig (trolled) |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 16.3) (30 ft) | Topwater walker, Jerkbait |
| Winter | 20 to 50 ft | midday | Main-channel hole (mile 8.1) (43 ft) | Alabama rig (slow), Flutter spoon |
Come spring, look for white perch tight to the bank in 4 to 15 ft. Expect a summer slide to 15 to 40 ft, then a winter hold in 20 to 50 ft. Start at Slackwater eddy (mile 11.9). It's an eddy pocket holding about 52 ft of water and rates prime come winter. Prime time lands in early morning. A small spinner rig drifted or a 1/8 oz jigging spoon is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk | open water | Small jig + curly tail, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Summer | 15 to 40 ft | dawn | Current seam (mile 16.3) (30 ft) | Small spinner rig drifted, 1/8 oz jigging spoon |
| Fall | 15 to 45 ft | midday | Current seam (mile 6.3) (43 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 50 ft | dusk | Slackwater eddy (mile 11.9) (52 ft) | Small rattle spoon, Tungsten + spikes |
Spring largemouth bass on Hudson River - Poughkeepsie to Kingston hold shallow, usually 2 to 10 ft. They move out to 8 to 20 ft in summer and finish the year down in 15 to 35 ft. Put Current seam (mile 16.3) first on the milk run — a current seam near 30 ft that grades prime for winter. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-channel hole (mile 0.6) (51 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Current seam (mile 16.3) (30 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Early season smallmouth bass use the shallows, holding in 3 to 12 ft. Summer is a 10 to 30 ft game here, winter a 20 to 45 ft one. The chart's best answer is Current seam (mile 16.3) — current seam, 30 ft, prime for summer. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Channel current seam (mile 2.5) (52 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 16.3) (30 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Current seam (mile 16.3) (30 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | Current seam (mile 6.3) (43 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Spring channel catfish on Hudson River - Poughkeepsie to Kingston hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. They move out to 8 to 25 ft in summer and finish the year down in 20 to 40 ft. Put Main-channel hole (mile 8.1) first on the milk run — a creek channel near 43 ft that grades prime for winter. The feeding windows run after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Slackwater eddy (mile 11.9) (52 ft) | |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | night & dusk | Main-channel hole (mile 0.6) (51 ft) | |
| Fall | 10 to 30 ft | dusk | Current seam (mile 16.3) (30 ft) | |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | midday | Main-channel hole (mile 8.1) (43 ft) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: walleye in 4 to 15 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 15 to 35 ft before dropping to 20 to 40 ft for winter. The spot to know is Current seam (mile 16.3), a current seam in about 30 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in summer. Plan around the evening and early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | open water | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Current seam (mile 16.3) (30 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Current seam (mile 16.3) (30 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Current seam (mile 16.3) (30 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Hudson River - Poughkeepsie to Kingston also holds northern pike (8 to 20 ft in summer), yellow perch (10 to 30 ft in summer), common carp (3 to 15 ft in summer), freshwater drum (8 to 30 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
9 pieces of structure are mapped here — Current seam (mile 4.4), around 63 ft, is the deepest of them.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for New York waters are set by the New York DEC — and special regulations can apply to Hudson River - Poughkeepsie to Kingston specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official New York fishing regulations →
Hudson River - Poughkeepsie to Kingston is about 136 ft (41 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real NOAA hydrographic surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
Anglers target striped bass, white perch, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, channel catfish, walleye, northern pike, yellow perch, common carp, freshwater drum on Hudson River - Poughkeepsie to Kingston.
Main-channel hole (mile 8.1) is the top-rated area: a creek channel in about 43 ft of water that rates prime for striped bass in winter. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
For striped bass, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Hudson River - Poughkeepsie to Kingston is regulated by the New York DEC. Check the official New York regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Chodikee Lake 4 mi · Sturgeon Pool 5 mi · Ashokan Reservoir 14 mi · Hudson River - Newburgh to Poughkeepsie 15 mi · Wappinger Lake 15 mi · Hunns Lake 17 mi · Stissing Pond 18 mi · Hudson River - Kingston to Catskill 18 mi · Sylvan Lake 18 mi · Chadwick Lake 19 mi · Lake Taghkanic 22 mi · Honk Lake 23 mi
See how Hudson River - Poughkeepsie to Kingston stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in New York · best smallmouth bass lakes in New York · best walleye lakes in New York · best northern pike lakes in New York
Browse all New York fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: NOAA hydrographic surveys. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.