Access Location
Alpine Boat Basin ¶¶¶ |
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| This is has got to be one of the greatest shoreline fishing locations on the Hudson River. Many members report large numbers and large sizes of fish being brought in from this area. Listed in the HRFA NJ Access Brochure as location #2, this fishing hot spot is located in Alpine New Jersey, within the Palisades Interstate Park. Take Palisades Interstate Parkway to exit 2, or 9W to the Alpine exit. Head east & follow the road down the cliffs. Parking is $4.00. Park is open April to November. Fishing all along the shore trail is available. Some large stripers and substantial sized catfish come from along this trail each year. Catfish start to show up in March and run through the middle of June. |
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HRFA member Bill Grayson and his friend
Alex. Bill says, "I tried to get her next to the fish but every
time it moved the took off like a rocket. She spent most of the day with me fishing with
her snoopy fishing rod." |
| Striped bass can be caught all year long but
the prime time for stripers in these northern areas is during the spring spawning run and
again in the fall...late October and Early November. The spring run usually begins in mid
to late March when the water temperatures reach around 47 to 48 degrees. When water
temperatures reach 50 to 52 degrees the big numbers of striped bass start their migration
up river. Striped bass will be caught at other times but historically the numbers of bass
increase around these temperatures. The spring spawning run and fishing tactics hold true for most areas along the Hudson. Bloodworms, sandworms and cut bait (bunker or shad) all work. Sometimes one will work better, but they all produce fish if held on the bottom with a sinker. The sinker is attached to the line with a “fish finder rig.” Caution is needed along the trails. |
HRFA members report several varieties of snakes along the length of this trail. Some reported to be poisonous. The bulkhead on the north and the south ends of the marina work fine for fishing and are very safe from the snakes. HRFA member Gerry Hujber likes to fish the north end of the park in the north east corner of the fishing pier. (Just at the north end of the marina). Cast out as far as you can in a northeast direction is his suggestion. 150 to 200 feet off the dock. Gerry likes the last part of the outgoing and the first part of the incoming tide. LOW TIDE. |
| HRFA member Gerry Hujber likes to fish the northeast corner of the boat basin during the spring run. |
| During a two-day period of fishing in May of 1999 Gerry caught 5 striped bass with a combined weight of 131 pounds. That has to be some kind of record. He got two fish weighing over 32 pounds each! Another at 26 pounds! The rest weren’t shabby either! All were caught off the shoreline at the northeast corner of the boat basin. All were caught on fresh cut bunker and cut herring, cast up current, then he lets the river drag his line. You cover a lot of area with your bait with this method. The downside is you get snagged a bit. The upside is you get big fish! |
The north end of the park has a fishing pier extending about 50 yards out in to the River. |
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| HRFA member Bill Grayson likes the south end of the marina. Bill likes an incoming tide in April and May and uses bloodworms and cut bunker and cut herring, on the bottom. In November you will still find Bill here but at the north end of the marina and prefers the full high tide best. |
HRFA member Bill Grayson holds up a nice 39 inch striped bass brought in on October 28 at the Alpine Boat Basin. |
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The park is open from sunrise to sunset. The P.I.P. Police will warn you when it’s time to leave the Park. P.I.P. office 201-768-1360. |
E-Mail info on this location Access@hrfanj.org