Blues and early fall stripers turn up as the storm clears
Blues and early fall stripers are turning up as the storm clears. The Fisherman (Northeast) reports the first fall-run striped bass of 50 inches and over on the north coast and says the fall striper is starting to show. Off Delaware, The Fisherman's DE/MD/Chesapeake column logged 11 blues boxed near Indian River Inlet on the few days boats could clear it, and Old Inlet Bait and Tackle caught blues on metal lures during the incoming tide. Water at the NOAA tide station reads 67°F.
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Expect the post-storm bottom to be different. The DE/MD/Chesapeake column says beach erosion and possibly changed structure will make the first trips back a learning period, so fish the edges you know and expect the fish to have moved.
Timing: the tide floods to a high at 3:26 a.m. EDT and ebbs to a low at 9:09 a.m. EDT. The Southern NJ sod-bank reports had striped bass feeding on the flood with bucktails and 6-inch Mag Darters, with fish from 16 to 29 inches before the storm. Start there on the morning flood.
The Northeast forecast has west-northwest wind coming in to start the week. The first calm window after that wind eases is the one to target.
Context
Early October is when the fall migration usually starts to build in Delaware Bay. Water typically keeps cooling through the month as bait moves toward the inlets, and striped bass and bluefish follow it. A reading of 67°F is typical for early October and should keep falling. Check state regs before harvesting any fish.
Synthesized from real-time NOAA buoy data, USGS stream gauges, and current reports across regional fishing blogs, captain updates, and angler forums. Check local regulations before keeping fish. Never trust a single source for a trip decision.
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