New Jersey fishing reports
254 reports for New Jersey — what's biting, water temps, and where to focus.
Black drum booming on the Jersey side of Delaware Bay
Black drum are putting on a show along the Jersey side of Delaware Bay. Nick at Hands Too Bait and Tackle, reporting via The Fisherman — Southern NJ, says the bite is "booming," with the Jersey side delivering bigger fish than Delaware this year. Multiple fish in the 60-pound class landed off Villas Beaches, and a top weigh-in of 75 pounds by Tom Lynan headlined the past week. Big Dave's Tackle (The Fisherman — Southern NJ) echoes that, calling the black drum action "excellent" with fish pushing 80 pounds hitting clams, shedders, and she-crabs at Slaughter Beach, the Coral Beds, and Tussy's Slough. NOAA buoy 44009 logged 59°F on May 31, right in the drum's preferred late-spring window. Striped bass are winding down at Fortescue. Higbee's Bait and Tackle notes fish to 44 inches still responding to bloodworms, but horseshoe crab spawning has arrived and is competing aggressively for baits. Back-bay flounder action is sporadic but slowly improving.
Post-spawn bass and pickerel step up as shad run winds down on the Delaware
Eight weeks of declining water levels and wrong forecasts finally broke last weekend — JB Kasper's report in The Fisherman — NJ/DE Freshwater notes widespread rains gave the Delaware River, northern trout streams, and South Jersey cedar waters a meaningful reprieve. The relief comes just as the American shad run at Lambertville wraps up: Old School Outdoors in Ewing confirmed the bite has slowed significantly, with striped bass north of Trenton also tapering off by week's end after a productive early stretch. USGS gauge 01408000 read 26.8 cfs, reflecting drought-depleted flows across much of the spring. On the upside, bass across the region are transitioning into a post-spawn feeding phase, with Old School Outdoors noting decent action at Lake Mercer and Carnegie Lake. South Jersey's cedar-stained backwaters got a rain boost that should extend chain pickerel fishing well into June, per JB Kasper. Full moon timing may push the best bite into low-light windows this weekend.
Sandy Hook Stripers Running Hot as Sea Bass Bite Improves Post-Storm
Water holding at 55°F per NOAA buoy 44065, and striped bass are running strong at Sandy Hook. Blue Chip Sportfishing declares it "the best Striper Fishing possible," reporting crushing action on every trip. Out of Atlantic Highlands, Capt Ron's Atlantic Highlands NJ logged a banner midweek session with non-stop bass on jigs and bait, with gulp sand eel teasers doing the heavy lifting, before Thursday's bite tightened back up despite solid bait marks. The Fisherman — NJ/DE Surf reports bass holding at the Sandy Hook tip on bunker chunks, NLBNs, and clams, with one angler also pulling a big black drum from the Hook beach. Sea bass have turned a corner: Capt Ron's called out clear 56°F blue water and solid keeper action earlier this week, and OTW Northern New Jersey's May 28 report confirms sea bass "dramatically improved" following the Memorial Day weekend washout. Fluke are rebounding in the rivers and on the backside of Sandy Hook, with bluefish also joining the show on bay and beach edges.
Black Drum Running Big on New Jersey's Delaware Bay Shore
Water temperatures at NOAA buoy 44009 have settled at 58°F in Delaware Bay, and the black drum bite is at a seasonal peak on the NJ side. Hands Too Bait and Tackle reports several fish in the 60-pound class taken this past week just off the Villas Beaches on fresh clams, with Tom Lynan landing the week's top fish at 75 pounds. Big Dave's Tackle calls the overall bay drum bite "excellent," with fish approaching 80 pounds in the mix this week. Notably, Hands Too reports the Jersey side is producing larger fish than the Delaware side this season. Meanwhile, Higbee's Bait and Tackle notes the spring striper run at Fortescue Beach is winding down. Fish to 44 inches are still on bloodworms, but the horseshoe crab spawn is creating interference with bait presentations. Back-bay flounder action has been modest but is improving, and gator bluefish to 10 pounds are also showing in the bay per Big Dave's Tackle.
Jersey Shore Striper Bite Peaks at Full Moon, Blues and Black Drum Joining In
Water temps of 55–56°F recorded this morning at NOAA buoys 44065 and 44091 have the Jersey Shore in prime late-spring feeding range. Fishermans HQ LBI called this moment "prime-time for spring striped bass," with surf clams leading the charge along Long Beach Island's beaches. Grumpys Tackle confirms stripers are hitting fresh clams in the suds and swimming plugs after dark, with most fish running slot to over-slot size. After the Memorial Day weekend washout, OTW Northern New Jersey reported as of May 28 that sea bass fishing "dramatically improved" and bluefish and bass are back on the beaches in numbers. The Fisherman — NJ/DE Surf noted a big black drum landed off Sandy Hook, while The Fisherman — New Jersey edition flagged black drum ranging as far north as Staten Island. Today's full moon is expected to intensify tidal rips and extend feeding windows through first light and dusk this weekend.
Sandy Hook Stripers Running Hot as Sea Bass Bite Builds for Memorial Day
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.
Delaware Bay's Jersey Side Delivers Giants as Black Drum Season Peaks
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.
Rains Lift South Jersey Cedar Waters as Bass Enter Post-Spawn Feeding Mode
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.
Sandy Hook delivers super slams as spring striper push peaks
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.
Striper Surf Bite Firing Shore-Wide as Bluefish Arrive for Memorial Day
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.
Stripers dominate Sandy Hook as Memorial Day weekend opens
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.
Big Stripers Dominating Delaware Bay Beaches as Memorial Day Arrives
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.