New Jersey fishing reports
397 reports for New Jersey — what's biting, water temps, and where to focus.
Delaware Bay flounder heats up before NJ's Sept. 25 close
Delaware Bay's NJ-side flounder bite is running hot heading toward Labor Day weekend, with Higbee's Bait and Tackle reporting customers bringing home limits of fish to 23 inches, with the EP Tower and grounds near the lighthouse consistently giving up keepers. Big Dave's Tackle echoes the trend, finding flounder, croakers and spot from the beaches out to the shipping channel, while anglers working structure are picking off tog and sheepshead on green crabs and sand fleas. At Boulevard Bait & Tackle, tog fishing is picking up inshore and around back-bay bridges, with keepers to 8 pounds and sheepshead pushing nearly 11 pounds; Hands Too Bait and Tackle has seen sheep over 10 pounds off the same baits. One scheduling note from Eric Burnley (The Fisherman — DE/MD/Chesapeake): NJ's Delaware Bay flounder season closes September 25, while Delaware's side keeps a 4-fish, 17.5-inch limit open through year-end. Tonight's Full Moon means stronger tidal swings.
Jumbo Sea Bass, Bonito Fire Up Sandy Hook Ahead of the September Turn
Capt. Ron out of Atlantic Highlands logged a big rebound this week, per Capt Ron's Atlantic Highlands NJ — Eric limited out on fluke within the first two drifts and boated a 6-pound, 10-ounce pool fish, while jumbo sea bass filled coolers on nearly every drop. That's the pattern across Sandy Hook Bay and the Raritan Bay grounds right now: fluke are inconsistent, with the shop noting a stretch of poor cooperation just days earlier, but sea bass are thick enough that most trips are limiting on bottom rigs. Warmer water has pulled bonito and Spanish mackerel into range too — Grumpys Tackle (NJ) is pointing anglers to epoxy jigs for the "funny fish," and OTW Northern New Jersey's August 27 report confirms bonito and Spanish mackerel working the surf and inlets. Striped bass remain quiet, though The Fisherman — Northern NJ notes area captains are already eyeing the switch to bass once fluke season wraps.
Delaware River Smallmouth Build as Pine Barrens Pickerel Turn On
Pickerel are working the tannic cedar waters of the Pine Barrens this week, with anglers at Allen's Dock picking fish on killies in the region's classic dark-water creeks and ponds. Largemouth bass are cooperating too — Dave's Sport Shop in Doylestown reports weedless plastics fished tight to vegetation producing in local lakes, with an early-and-late topwater bite also showing. The bigger story for river anglers: smallmouth fishing on the Delaware has been improving, and Dave's Sport Shop expects the trend to hold into September if conditions stay favorable. Panfish and perch are stacking in spillways as summer winds down, a seasonal pattern also noted along the Delaware freshwater corridor. Under this week's full moon, expect stronger low-light feeding windows for pickerel and bass alike. Freshwater levels are reported as generally good across the watershed, with fair-to-good fishing expected to carry into September barring major weather disruption.
Sea Bass Stay Hot While Fluke Grind Toward the September Push
Black sea bass are red-hot up and down the Shore right now — Capt Ron's Atlantic Highlands NJ logged a "top ten day" this week with big sea bass mixed into every drift, and Mary M IV out of Central Jersey put anglers on limits of sea bass, porgies, and ling alongside a solid fluke pick. Fluke itself remains a grind: Capt Ron's crews are sorting plenty of shorts for a handful of keepers, though OTW Northern New Jersey notes big keeper fluke are still coming off the reefs and wrecks. Offshore, Hands Too Bait and Tackle reports bluefin tuna and mahi working the 19-to-30-fathom pots and temperature breaks with white marlin mixed in, while Fishermans HQ LBI (NJ) has boats going 4-for-8 on 30-40 lb bluefin within 20 miles of Barnegat Inlet. Inshore, Grumpys Tackle (NJ) says warm water has pushed bonito and Spanish mackerel into range, best worked on epoxy jigs.
Delaware Bay Flounder Stay Hot on NJ Side Before Season Closes
Full-moon saltwater conditions find Delaware Bay's New Jersey side still delivering limit-worthy flounder. Higbee's Bait and Tackle reports customers bringing home fish to 23 inches around the EP Tower and areas near the lighthouse, while Big Dave's Tackle notes flounder spread from the beaches out to the shipping channel, with tog and sheepshead working structure on green crabs and sand fleas. Along the Cape May surf and back bays, Hands Too Bait and Tackle reports kingfish and snapper blues showing on the oceanfront, hardheaded croaker crushing squid and clam baits bayside, and weakfish in the 18-24 inch range hitting floated bloodworms around bayshore structure piles. Tog and sheepshead are also working the inlet rockpile areas and the Anglesea rocks. Anglers should watch the calendar: per The Fisherman's Eric Burnley, New Jersey's Delaware Bay flounder season is slated to close September 25, while Delaware's side keeps its four-fish, 17.5-inch limit running through year's end.
Sea bass stack up thick as fluke sort short from keeper in Raritan Bay
Sea bass are stacking up thick in Sandy Hook Bay and the surrounding Raritan Bay grounds — Capt. Ron out of Atlantic Highlands reports every drop loaded with sea bass on recent trips, with customers sorting through big numbers of shorts to find keepers and some jumbo bass mixed in. Fluke fishing has been more inconsistent: one midweek trip produced limits early and a 6-pound, 10-ounce pool fish, while other days described a stubborn bite with mostly short fluke and only the occasional keeper, especially when the drift died. Meanwhile Spanish mackerel and bonito have pushed into the surf and inshore waters per Grumpys Tackle and this week's Northern New Jersey report from On The Water, giving light-tackle anglers a warm-water bonus target on epoxy jigs. Striped bass remain a background player for now — NJ Fish & Wildlife notes the species around nearby Shark River structure, but no fresh striper reports have surfaced yet for this stretch of coast.
Delaware River Smallmouth Improve as Pine Barrens Bass Hold Steady
Weedless-rigged plastics are drawing largemouth out of the vegetation on Lake Nockamixon this week, and Dave's Sport Shop notes Delaware River smallmouth fishing is improving heading toward September, per this week's Fisherman NJ/DE Freshwater column. Elsewhere in the same report, Smith's Bait Shop describes good topwater action for largemouth and snakeheads around vegetation in area ponds, with early perch and panfish already showing in the spillways at Garrisons Lake, Massey Mills, and Silver Lake. Lake Wallenpaupack continues turning out smallmouth and largemouth, according to Hyper Striper Sportfishing, while Allen's Dock calls the bass bite picky but fair and notes pickerel taking killies in the Pine Barrens' cedar-stained waters. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through this cycle, so treat flow and temperature as general knowledge until updated data arrives. With a full moon overhead, expect the best feeding windows to cluster around dawn, dusk, and overnight low light.
Sea Bass Bite Stays Hot as Jersey Shore Fluke Turns Picky
Sea bass are stealing the show up and down the Jersey Shore this week. Capt Ron's out of Atlantic Highlands reports "every drop was loaded" with sea bass on recent trips, while fluke has been stingy — mostly shorts with an odd keeper mixed in. Offshore, Blue Chip Sportfishing says shark fishing has "busted wide open," with a Friday trip landing three nice mako sharks that were released, alongside steady mahi around the lobster pots. Fishermans HQ LBI is finding 25-40 lb bluefin tuna within 30 miles of Barnegat Inlet on trolled and live-bait spreads, with sand eels, spearing, mullet and peanut bunker stacking up near the inlet. Grumpys Tackle notes warm water has pushed Spanish mackerel and bonito into the mix, best worked with epoxy jigs. Northern NJ boats, per The Fisherman, are already eyeing the switch to striped bass once fluke season closes out.
Delaware Bay flounder stay hot as NJ season nears its close
Delaware Bay's flounder bite is holding strong heading into the season's final weeks. Higbee's Bait and Tackle reports customers boating limits to 23 inches, with the EP Tower and lighthouse-adjacent grounds consistently giving up keepers, while Big Dave's Tackle has anglers finding flounder, croakers and spot from the beaches out to the shipping channel. Structure fishing is picking up too — Big Dave's notes tog and sheepshead on green crabs and sand fleas around jetty rock, and over in Cape May, Hands Too Bait and Tackle has weakfish running 18 to 24 inches on floated bloodworms along bayshore piles, plus a kingfish and snapper bluefish push showing on the oceanfront. The Fisherman's DE/MD/Chesapeake report notes the NJ side of the bay closes flounder season September 25, so the current hot bite has a hard deadline — Delaware's side stays open through year's end. Full moon tides this week should push more bait, and more fish, onto the structure.
Sea Bass Stays Hot Off Sandy Hook as Bonito Push Into Raritan Bay
Sea bass are bailing out anglers even when fluke get stingy — Capt Ron's Atlantic Highlands NJ describes bottom that was "loaded with Sea Bass" on recent trips, with Pete from the Bronx topping the pool on a 4-pound 6-ounce fluke and Garry Karcer boating a 5-pounder mid-week, both against a backdrop of mostly short fluke and inconsistent drift. Just up the coast, Grumpys Tackle (NJ) and OTW Northern New Jersey both flag Spanish mackerel and bonito now mixing into the surf and inshore grounds, a sign the late-summer bait push has arrived. Fluking itself reads mixed: OTW Northern New Jersey calls it "a steady pick of keepers," while The Fisherman — Northern NJ notes area captains are already looking ahead to a strong September as sand eels stack up along the beach. Bluefin tuna remain a midshore coin-flip, hit or miss on the jig.
Delaware River smallmouth improve as Pine Barrens pickerel hold steady
Smallmouth fishing on the Delaware River is trending up heading into September, per The Fisherman — NJ/DE Freshwater, where Dave's Sport Shop in Doylestown calls the bite 'improving' and expects good live-lining if conditions hold. Largemouth bass remain dependable across regional ponds and lakes in the same report: Smith's Bait Shop describes good topwater action (plus snakeheads) around vegetation, while Dave's Sport Shop notes weedless plastics working similar cover at Lake Nockamixon. In the Pine Barrens' cedar-stained waters, Allen's Dock reports pickerel still taking killies, though recent heat has kept some anglers off the water and left the local pond bass bite picky. Panfish and perch stay active in spillways at Garrisons Lake, Massey Mills, and Silver Lake per Smith's Bait Shop, with more panfish coming from Galena and Towhee lakes. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through this cycle — check local flow and temperature before heading out.
Fluke grind holds as bonito and Spanish mackerel light up the surf
Fluke and sea bass are still carrying the Jersey Shore action as August winds down, though the bite has turned selective. Capt Ron's Atlantic Highlands NJ reported a tough fluke drift over the weekend with sea bass loaded on every drop and a 4.5-pound fluke taking the pool. Grumpys Tackle (NJ) notes warm water has pushed Spanish mackerel and bonito into range, with epoxy jigs producing. OTW Northern New Jersey's August 20 report confirms bonito and Spanish mackerel working the surf while ocean fluking holds a steady pick of keepers, though the midshore bluefin jig bite is hit or miss. Offshore, Blue Chip Sportfishing (NJ) is finding sharks, tuna, and mahi, and Fishermans HQ LBI (NJ) is putting anglers on 25-40 lb bluefin within 30 miles of Barnegat Inlet. Striped bass remain quiet — The Fisherman — Northern NJ expects captains to pivot to stripers once fluke season closes.
Fishing in New Jersey
New Jersey fishes far bigger than it looks on a map. The spring striped bass run through Raritan Bay is one of the best shots at a trophy striper anywhere, the surf from Sandy Hook to Cape May holds fish most of the year, and the back bays fill with fluke all summer. Inland, the Delaware River gives up shad and smallmouth, and the state's reservoirs hide serious trout and bass.
When to fish New Jersey
Big striped bass flood Raritan Bay and the surf on their spring migration, with the shad run pulling anglers to the Delaware at the same time. Stocked trout fill the northern streams.
Summer flounder take over the back bays and inshore ocean, with sea bass and porgy on the structure. Offshore boats run to the canyons for tuna and mahi while largemouth eat topwater in the lakes at first light.
The fall striper and bluefish run pours down the beaches, false albacore mix in, and blackfish season builds on the rock piles and wrecks. Inland, smallmouth and trout feed hard before winter.
Holdover stripers winter in the warmer back waters and rivers, and when the northern lakes lock up, ice anglers work them for pickerel, perch, and trout.
Waters to know
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Common questions
Do I need a license to fish in New Jersey?
Freshwater fishing requires a New Jersey license from NJ Fish & Wildlife. Saltwater anglers register with the state's free saltwater registry instead of buying a license. Rules differ by age and water, so check the current requirements.
What fish can I catch in New Jersey?
Striped bass, fluke, bluefish, black sea bass, porgy, blackfish, and weakfish on the salt side, with offshore runs for tuna and mahi. Inland waters hold largemouth and smallmouth bass, trout, pickerel, muskie, walleye, catfish, and panfish.
When is the best time to fish New Jersey?
Spring and fall are the headline seasons, built around the striped bass migration in each direction. Summer is fluke season in the bays, and winter still offers holdover stripers and ice fishing up north.
Where can I check current New Jersey fishing conditions?
This page carries our current New Jersey fishing reports, built daily from NOAA buoys, USGS river gauges, tides, and local sources. For a plan built around your exact water and day, try the free Wayfinder trip planner.
Seasons and limits change: verify current regulations with NJ Fish & Wildlife before keeping fish.
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