New Jersey fishing reports
654 reports for New Jersey — what's biting, water temps, and where to focus.
Fall striper push builds along the Jersey coast as Delaware Bay cools
NOAA's Delaware Bay tide station (8537121) read 66.6°F this afternoon, with the next low due at 4:51 PM local time. Up the coast, Blue Chip Sportfishing says striped bass season is in full swing, and Fishermans HQ in LBI reports a mixed bag of stripers, bluefish, and out-of-season fluke along the beaches, with tautog among the better targets right now. At Atlantic Highlands, Capt Ron's crew has been finding steady black sea bass action on the drop, working through plenty of shorts to reach keeper-size fish.
Fall run builds on the Jersey Shore as sea bass, tog turn on
Water temps are holding steady in the mid-60s at NOAA CO-OPS stations 8534720 and 8536110, and the fall run is starting to percolate along the Jersey Shore. OTW Northern New Jersey reports better news on the striper front this week as migrating fish push into local waters. Fishermans HQ LBI notes a mixed surf bag of kingfish, blowfish, bluefish, a few striped bass, and out-of-season fluke, with tautog standing out as one of the better targets right now. Offshore, Capt Ron's Atlantic Highlands boats have put anglers on a good sea bass bite all week, with keeper-sized fish filling the pool on recent trips.
Fall striper run builds in Raritan Bay as sea bass stay active
Water at NOAA's Sandy Hook station (station 8531680) is reading 63.5°F this morning, still in the range that typically keeps the Raritan Bay fall run moving. Capt Ron's out of Atlantic Highlands has logged a stretch of good bottom fishing this week, with Friday's trip producing a strong all-day sea bass bite and the Wednesday and Thursday trips adding steady drops despite plenty of short fish mixed in with keepers. Just up the shore, OTW's Northern New Jersey report flagged better striper news this week as the fall run starts to percolate along this stretch.
Delaware River and Pine Barrens turn the fall corner
Early October marks the turn into New Jersey's fall freshwater season on the Delaware River and across the Pine Barrens' cedar-stained ponds and streams. Cooling nights and shortening days are pushing surface temperatures down from summer highs, the shift anglers wait for after a slower late-summer bite. This week's new moon keeps nights darker and the river quieter after dark, a detail that favors low-light feeding windows on the slower pools and backwaters this stretch is known for.
Sea Bass and Fluke Keep NJ Boats Busy at Season's Turn
NOAA's Delaware Bay-area station logged water temps at 66.9°F this morning, still comfortable enough to keep the fall bite rolling along the Jersey coast. Black sea bass are the standout right now — Capt Ron's out of Atlantic Highlands reports steady drops producing enough fish for everyone aboard on back-to-back trips, and Blue Chip Sportfishing says its sea bass charters are doing very good, with most trips getting enough for the whole boat. Fluke are hanging on later than usual: Blue Chip has them mixing with sea bass on half- and full-day trips, Capt Ron put fluke up to four pounds in the box over the weekend, and Fishermans HQ in Long Beach Island notes it's surprising how many fluke are still showing in the bay, inlet and surf even with the recreational season closed. Bluefish and a handful of striped bass are turning up in that same LBI mixed bag, while tautog is listed as one of the better targets right now.
Sea bass and fluke keep NJ boats busy as striper run builds
NOAA's Sandy Hook and Cape May stations are reading 65.8°F and 66.4°F this morning, matching the mid-60s surf temps Fishermans HQ LBI logged along Long Beach Island today. Black sea bass and fluke are carrying the bite: Blue Chip Sportfishing is filling half- and full-day trips with both, and Capt Ron's out of Atlantic Highlands landed several fluke up to four pounds this week along with a strong, all-day sea bass bite that's produced pool-winning fish most trips. Fishermans HQ LBI also flagged tautog as one of the better species to target right now, and logged bluefish and a couple of striped bass in the mixed surf bag as the early fall push continues. Fluke are catch-and-release out of season per Fishermans HQ, so check current regulations before keeping one.
Sea bass bite holds strong off Sandy Hook as fall transition builds
Water temperatures at Sandy Hook sat at 63.9°F as of this evening, per NOAA CO-OPS station 8531680, with the next high tide rolling in around 7:41 PM ET. Bottom fishing is carrying the week in the Raritan Bay area. Capt Ron's out of Atlantic Highlands logged several solid days of black sea bass action, with steady drops producing keepers for the boat; Friday's trip produced a pool-winning 2.5-pound sea bass for George Layaly. Blue Chip Sportfishing is seeing the same pattern further down the Jersey Shore, with fluke and sea bass both coming aboard on half- and full-day trips. Up at Long Beach Island, Fishermans HQ reports a genuine mixed bag off the beach, including kingfish, bluefish, a couple striped bass, and fluke that are technically out of season but still turning up in the bay and inlet. Fishermans HQ calls kingfish and tautog the two best bets right now.
Pine Barrens and Delaware River ease into the fall transition
New Jersey Fish & Wildlife's fall black bear advisory is active now, a timely marker for anyone working the wooded stream corridors of the Pine Barrens or the upper Delaware River: black bears are feeding heavily ahead of denning season, and the agency is urging everyone outdoors, anglers included, to secure food and garbage at launch sites and streamside camps. The same week, NJ Fish & Wildlife flagged the Delaware Bay trawl survey's continued finfish monitoring during National Estuaries Week, underscoring how closely the broader Delaware watershed is being tracked as the region moves into the cooler months.
Fluke and sea bass keep NJ anglers busy as fall bottom bite holds
Delaware Bay's NJ side sat at 66.9°F on this morning's NOAA CO-OPS reading, with the next low tide due at 4:03 p.m. local. Bottom fishing is carrying the week along the Jersey coast: Capt Ron's out of Atlantic Highlands reports a steady sea bass bite on recent trips, with plenty of drops producing keepers for the crowd and fluke up to four pounds mixed in on a Saturday charter. Blue Chip Sportfishing is putting anglers on both fluke and sea bass on half- and full-day runs, calling the action strong for the cost. Up on Long Beach Island, Fishermans HQ notes live peanut bunker working well for bonita and albies offshore, with fluke still showing inshore.
Fluke and sea bass carry the Jersey Shore bottom bite
Bottom fishing is doing the work on the Jersey Shore this week. Capt Ron's out of Atlantic Highlands landed several fluke up to four pounds on a recent all-day charter alongside a strong sea bass bite, and Blue Chip Sportfishing reports both species being caught on its half-day and full-day trips. Water is holding in the mid-60s, 64.8°F at the Sandy Hook CO-OPS station and 65.8°F at Cape May, comfortable enough to keep fish feeding through the fall transition.
Sea Bass and Fluke Keep Producing Ahead of the Fall Run
Water temperature at the Sandy Hook tide station read 63.1°F this afternoon, still comfortable water that's been carrying the Raritan Bay bottom bite through early October. Capt Ron's out of Atlantic Highlands reports steady bottom-fishing trips this week, with Sean Pearl and Catskill John each taking the boat pool on 2-pound class sea bass, and Saturday's charter producing fluke up to four pounds. Blue Chip Sportfishing, working the mid-shore grounds, calls sea bass charters 'very good' with full boxes most trips, and fluke and sea bass continuing to fill out half and full-day trips. Grumpys Tackle in Ocean County has its bucktail inventory on sale ahead of the fall run, with the Barrier Island Beach Brawl surf tournament running this weekend, October 9-10.
Delaware River, Pine Barrens Ease Into Fall's Prime Feeding Window
The Delaware River and Pine Barrens freshwater fisheries are settling into the early fall transition this week, with the October 9 new moon landing right as nights continue cooling across the region. Statewide, boaters should also note NJ Saltwater Fisherman's reminder that New Jersey's new mandatory PFD rule for vessels under 26 feet takes effect November 1, a regulation that applies on Delaware River stretches as well as the coast.