New Jersey Fishing Reports

Blue Chip Sportfishing (NJ) is calling the striper bite "the best Striper Fishing possible," with fish coming on every trip. At Sandy Hook, per The Fisherman — NJ/DE Surf, the Tackle Box in Hazlet confirmed consistent bass at the Hook tip and Parking Lot areas on bunker chunks, NLBNs, and clams ahead of last week's storm blow. Capt Ron's Atlantic Highlands NJ reported 56°F water mid-week alongside a solid sea bass bite, noting beautiful blue water and good morning action. OTW Northern New Jersey's May 21 report places stripers, bluefish, and black drum on the beaches simultaneously, with backwater fluking beginning to pick up. Small 2- to 3-pound bluefish have pushed into bay waters per Grumpys Tackle (NJ). The Northern NJ party boat fleet — Big Mohawk III, Skylarker, and Lady K Fishing Charters — found improving sea bass and ling counts early in the week, per The Fisherman — Northern NJ, before the Memorial Day weather system put fishing on hold.

3d ago

Black drum are the headline story on the New Jersey side of Delaware Bay heading into late May. Hands Too Bait and Tackle reports the Jersey side is producing notably larger fish than the Delaware side, with several fish in the 60-pound class landed off the Villas Beaches on fresh clams — the week's top weigh-in was a 75-pound boomer caught by Tom Lynan. Big Dave's Tackle calls the overall bite 'excellent,' with fish to nearly 80 pounds taken on clams, shedder crabs, and she-crabs. Stripers are winding down at Fortescue Beach, per Higbee's Bait and Tackle — fish to 44 inches remain on bloodworms, but the horseshoe crab spawn is stealing baits aggressively. Flounder action in the back bays is patchy but inching forward, with a few keepers reported alongside gator bluefish to 10 pounds. A rough Memorial Day run-up of rain, wind, and fog kept boaters largely dockside through the holiday stretch, with conditions appearing to calm as of May 26.

3d ago

A late-week rain gave NJ freshwater a much-needed lift after months of drought. The Fisherman — NJ/DE Freshwater reports the precipitation was widespread, boosting northern trout streams, the Delaware River, and South Jersey cedar waters, potentially extending pickerel fishing into June. The USGS gauge 01408000 is currently reading 50.3 cfs, a low-flow figure consistent with the drought conditions that have stressed the watershed all spring. On the Delaware at Lambertville, the American shad run has wound down noticeably, and river striped bass that had been productive north of Trenton earlier this week faded by the weekend, per The Fisherman — NJ/DE Freshwater. The encouraging headline is the post-spawn bass transition: bass are moving off beds and entering a feeding window, with local lake fishing at Carnegie Lake and Lake Mercer producing decent crappie action as well. Smallmouth and catfishing on the main river stem remain average at best.

3d ago

Water temps at 56°F per NOAA buoy 44065 are anchoring a productive late-May striper run at Sandy Hook and Raritan Bay. The Fisherman's NJ/DE Surf coverage captured a standout super slam at the Hook's tip this week: one angler landing striped bass, bluefish, fluke, black drum, and blackfish in a single session on live-killie bobber rigs out of Hazlet. Bug Light is producing big bass to 30 pounds on metal lip swimmers and glide baits, and Keansburg Pier is connecting on clam chunks. Blue Chip Sportfishing describes the current striper action as the best possible, with limits on every trip. OTW Northern New Jersey confirms stripers, bluefish, and black drum all on the beaches as of May 21. Sea bass remain the weak link: Capt Ron's Atlantic Highlands reports the first keeper action of the season but with a 5-to-1 shorts-to-keepers ratio, and multiple party boat captains note numbers well below last season. A warming Memorial Day forecast is the catalyst anglers are counting on.

4d ago

Water temps holding at 56°F across both NOAA buoys (44065 and 44091) this morning, and the cool reading hasn't slowed the spring striped bass surge one bit. Fishermans HQ LBI reports the Long Beach Island surf bite "continues to fire on all cylinders," with clam baits producing fish from north to south end of the island on any tide. Blue Chip Sportfishing declares it "the best Striper Fishing possible," a sentiment echoed by shops and captains from Sandy Hook to Cape May. Just ahead of the holiday weekend, bluefish have arrived: The Fisherman's Central NJ roundup logged a 9.15-pound chopper on May 17, and OTW Northern New Jersey confirms blues, stripers, and black drum are all showing on the beaches as of May 21. Offshore, The Fisherman's NJ/DE offshore section reports an "all out crazy" yellowfin bite at the Bacardi with fish running to 90 pounds. Sea bass remain the weak link, with northern NJ party boats running well below last season's numbers.

4d ago

Water at NOAA buoy 44065 is holding at 55°F as Memorial Day weekend opens, cold enough to keep fluke sluggish but ideal for a striper bite that has dominated the month. Per OTW Northern New Jersey (May 21), stripers, bluefish, and black drum are all active on the beaches. The Fisherman NJ/DE Surf report from the Tackle Box in Hazlet confirms elevated Sandy Hook action: one angler notched a super slam of bass, bluefish, fluke, black drum, and blackfish on live killie rigs at the tip. Bug Light has been yielding bass to 30 pounds on metal lip swimmers and glide baits. Blue Chip Sportfishing reported crushing the Striped Bass on every trip this week. Meanwhile, party boats are grinding through throwback sea bass and fair ling numbers, with Capt. Steve Spinelli of Skylarker and Capt. Rick Falcone of Golden Eagle both telling The Fisherman — Northern NJ that holiday warming should push sea bass into keeper territory.

5d ago

Water sitting at 57°F per NOAA buoy 44009 this morning, oversized striped bass are the undisputed story along the New Jersey side of the Delaware Bay. The Fisherman — Southern NJ reports Higbee's Bait and Tackle in Fortescue is seeing strong action from bayfront beaches, with fish running 36 to 46 inches. Big Dave's Tackle seconds the assessment, calling Delaware Bay fishing "firing on all cylinders" with bloodworm, bloodworm ball, and clam leading the charge on both shores. A Cape May County angler weighed in an 11.86-pound fluke — the region's first doormat of the season per The Fisherman (Northeast) — though flounder fishing broadly remains slow while bay temps lag. Black drum are adding variety: The Fisherman — Southern NJ noted fish to 15 pounds coming on clam baits from the bay. Sheepshead have also emerged as a South Jersey bonus target this week, per The Fisherman (Northeast). Memorial Day weekend conditions look favorable with winds now calm at the buoy.

5d ago

Water temps holding at 55°F (NOAA buoy 44065) are keeping the spring fishery locked in striper mode around Raritan Bay and Sandy Hook. Blue Chip Sportfishing calls the current run "the best Striper Fishing possible," and the sentiment is backed up across the board. The Fisherman — NJ/DE Surf's Tackle Box report from Hazlet described a Sandy Hook super slam this week — bass, bluefish, fluke, black drum, and blackfish all in one session using a bobber live killie rig at the Hook's tip. Bug Light is producing bass to 30 pounds on metal lip swimmers and glide baits. The sea bass story is a different one: Capt Ron's Atlantic Highlands boats report mostly throwback sea bass and ling dominating bottom drops, and the Big Mohawk III captain (The Fisherman — Northern NJ) is waiting for a southerly shift to push warmer water onto the nearshore grounds. Fluke are beginning to stir near Keansburg Pier but water temps need to climb before the bite fully materializes.

5d ago

Water temps at 55°F on NOAA buoys 44065 and 44091 have striped bass firing in force along the Jersey Shore. Fishermans HQ LBI reported the surf striper bite "still cranking" as of May 20, with fish working every cut, bowl, and gutter from north to south end on LBI on clam baits and bunker chunks. Blue Chip Sportfishing called it "the best Striper Fishing possible" heading into Memorial Day weekend. Black drum have joined the action, with Grumpys Tackle reporting 15- to 30-pound fish eating fresh clam in the Seaside Park surf alongside the bass. Bluefish made their first showing just ahead of the holiday: a 9.15-pound chopper was weighed in on May 17 per The Fisherman Central NJ. Sea bass season is open but running slow on the party-boat fleet, with most captains pointing to cool water as the holdback. Fluke are beginning to stir near the inlets on outgoing tides, though the bite remains inconsistent.

5d ago

Water at 58°F (NOAA buoy 44009, May 24) is keeping Delaware Bay's spring striper run locked in and firing hard. The Fisherman — Southern NJ describes the bite as 'firing on all cylinders' this week, with bayfront beaches from Fortescue south producing oversize stripers to 46 inches on bloodworms, bloodworm balls, and clam. Higbee's Bait and Tackle's report in The Fisherman — Southern NJ notes almost exclusively oversize fish in the 36-to-46-inch range — anglers experimenting with bloodworm ball and spawn-net combos are finding consistent hook-ups. Blue Chip Sportfishing (NJ) calls it 'the best Striper Fishing possible' on current day trips. Black drum have joined the mix, with bay anglers picking up fish to 15 pounds on clam baits. Flounder remains the weak link — wind-stirred water and cool bay temps kept fluke sluggish through mid-May, though early-morning anglers using live minnows and Gulp scratched out limits during the calmer windows, per The Fisherman — Southern NJ.

5d ago

Striped bass are still producing along the tidal Delaware from Trenton to Lambertville, with Old School Outdoors in Ewing reporting solid action through the tidal water that should hold into early June. The shad run is nearing its seasonal close: Old School Outdoors notes it winds down at the start of June, and Tackle World echoes that June traditionally marks the end of the run on the Delaware. Largemouth bass are on the spawning beds across the region per Tackle World, making this a prime window for sight-fishing before summer heat sets in. In the Pine Barrens cedar streams, pickerel remain active per The Fisherman's NJ/DE Freshwater reports. The D&R Canal is also worth a look for trout, with JB Kasper noting good fishing in stocked waters throughout May. USGS gauge 01408000 registered 143 cfs on May 24, consistent with Tackle World's note of falling water levels from recent dry conditions heading into June.

5d ago

Water at 55°F (NOAA buoy 44065) is keeping some species waiting but doing nothing to slow the striped bass bite at Sandy Hook. The Fisherman — NJ/DE Surf reports Danny at the Tackle Box in Hazlet describing elevated action at Sandy Hook tip, where one angler landed a five-species super slam (bass, bluefish, fluke, black drum, and blackfish) on a bobber live-killie rig. Bug Light has been yielding bass up to 30 pounds on metal lip swimmers, glide baits, and Jersey Jellies; Keansburg Pier is also holding fish on chunks. OTW Northern New Jersey confirms stripers, bluefish, and black drum are on the beaches as of May 21, and Blue Chip Sportfishing calls it the best striper fishing possible right now. The trade-off: sea bass and fluke are lagging. Multiple Northern NJ party-boat captains aboard the Skylarker, Golden Eagle, and Big Mohawk III report ling dominating the boxes with sea bass mostly throwing back. A warming push heading into Memorial Day could shift that balance.

6d ago