New Jersey Fishing Reports

Water at 54°F per NOAA buoy 44065, and striped bass are making the most of it. The Fisherman — NJ/DE Surf's Nick Honachefsky called this one of the best spring bass runs in memory, with fish from 24 to 45 inches stacked from Sandy Hook down to Cape May. The Tackle Box report in The Fisherman — NJ/DE Surf has Sandy Hook's Parking Lot areas firing on bunker chunks, and anglers hiking to the Rip scoring on wooden swimmers. Blue Chip Sportfishing describes every recent charter as "crushing" stripers. Grumpys Tackle confirms the bay bite is also solid — clams and bunker lead in the surf, while jointed glide baits are the hottest artificials in the lineup. Fluke season opened May 4 but OTW Northern New Jersey rates the start slow; keepers are trickling in through rivers and inlet areas. Black sea bass opens May 15, and several Northern NJ party boats are already gearing up for the switch.

May 11

Higbee's Bait and Tackle reports a parade of striped bass at Fortescue Beach this week, with fish ranging from slot keepers all the way to 48 inches — bloodworms have been the standout bait. The Delaware Bay shore is delivering one of the better spring bass runs in recent memory. Hands Too Bait and Tackle confirms the pattern, with stripers to 40 inches along the Delaware Bay shoreline hitting bloodworms and clams, best on early-morning moving tides. Black drum are becoming an increasingly prominent part of the picture: Big Dave's Tackle notes drumfish have grown "even more prevalent" from Cape May to Salem County, and Hands Too reports fish to 20 pounds on fresh-shucked surf clams. On The Water's May 8 striper migration map places post-spawn bass spreading hard out of the Chesapeake right into this corridor — timing and water temperature at 56°F per NOAA buoy 44009 are squarely in the strike zone for both species. Fluke season opened May 4 with early keepers already showing.

May 11

Water temperatures of 53–57°F across NOAA buoys 44065 and 44091 are anchoring an exceptional spring striper run that veteran sources describe as the strongest in recent memory. The Fisherman — NJ/DE Surf reports 'old heads are calling it one of the best spring bass runs in a long time,' with fish from 24 to 45 inches stacked from Sandy Hook to Cape May. Fishermans HQ LBI confirms the surf bite is firing north to south, fresh clam leading the charge alongside lures and frozen bunker. Grumpy's Tackle notes jointed glide baits have been the hottest artificials of the spring. The fluke season opened May 4, but OTW Northern New Jersey reports a slow start, with scattered keepers turning up in rivers and near inlets. Black drum are adding to the excitement — Creekside Outfitters is tracking fish near Tuckerton, and The Fisherman — Southern NJ sources report drum to 20 pounds along the Delaware Bay on fresh shucked surf clams. The black sea bass opener arrives May 15.

May 10

Water temperature holding at 54°F per NOAA buoy 44009 is sustaining what multiple Southern NJ tackle shops are calling one of the stronger spring striper runs in recent memory. Hands Too Bait and Tackle reports stripers to 40 inches from Cape May's oceanfront beaches and along the Delaware Bay shoreline, with bloodworms and clam baits producing best on early morning tides. Higbee's Bait and Tackle notes fish to 48 inches flooding in from Fortescue Beach, again with bloodworms the clear top producer. Big Dave's Tackle confirms the bite stretches from Cape May to Salem County — fish to 46 inches are hitting bloodworms, fresh clam, and artificials including glide baits and soft plastics, with evening and early morning moving tides most productive. Black drum are becoming a genuine story too: Hands Too reports drum to 20 pounds on fresh shucked surf clams along the Bay, and Big Dave's notes drumfish growing more prominent daily. Pier 47 Marina adds that bluefish to 36 inches have mixed in with stripers in the back bay creeks from The Crest to North Wildwood.

May 10

American shad hauls of 30 to 65-plus fish are coming in at the Lewis Shad Fishery, and spawning stripers have pushed well past Trenton into the non-tidal stretch of the Delaware River, according to JB Kasper via The Fisherman — NJ/DE Freshwater. A 35-inch striper was reported in catch-and-release nets near Lambertville this past week — a strong indicator of upriver migration. Old School Outdoors in Ewing corroborates the picture, noting good-sized crappies in the river alongside shad action and solid trout fishing in the canal since the latest stocking. On the Pine Barrens side, USGS gauge 01408000 is reading a steady 37.1 cfs as of Sunday morning — modest, stable flow that keeps wading and small-boat access straightforward. Fairfield Fishing Tackle notes that bass are cycling on and off spawning beds as water temps fluctuate, while northerns and smallies continue producing in upper-river tributaries on a mix of live bait and soft plastics.

May 10

NOAA buoy 44065 logged 49°F water at Sandy Hook on the morning of May 7, with 3-foot seas and winds around 12 knots — framing a striper season that multiple captains and shop owners are calling one of the best in recent memory. The Fisherman — NJ/DE Surf reports Keansburg Pier lit up on clams and plugs, while Sandy Hook's parking lot areas and North Beach are producing big bass on chunked bunker; anglers making the hike out to the Rip are scoring on wooden swimmers. OTW Northern New Jersey noted larger bass pushing into Raritan Bay on the heels of bunker schools as of late April, and Blue Chip Sportfishing reports crushing stripers on every trip. The Fisherman — NJ/DE Surf's Nick Honachefsky put it plainly: 'Old heads are calling it one of the best spring bass runs in a long time,' with fish from 24 to 45 inches from Sandy Hook down the coast. Fluke season opened May 4th; Capt. Ron's Atlantic Highlands had a tough first sail on southerly winds but reports flatfish present and building.

May 7

Water at NOAA buoy 44009 is reading 53°F — prime spring territory for Delaware Bay striped bass, and the reports confirm it. Higbee's Bait and Tackle (via The Fisherman — Southern NJ) reports stripers to 48 inches out of Fortescue Beach on bloodworms, with slot keepers and oversize fish appearing throughout the week. Big Dave's Tackle confirms an outstanding bite from Cape May to Salem County on bloodworms, clam combos, and artificials including glide baits and soft plastics, with fish to 46 inches — evening and early morning moving tides producing the best windows. Black drum are a growing part of the Bay picture: Hands Too Bait and Tackle logs drum to 20 pounds on fresh shucked surf clams, and Big Dave's echoes that drumfish presence is building. Bluefish have entered the back bay creeks near North Wildwood, with racer blues to 36 inches feeding alongside stripers to 38 inches on soft plastics per The Fisherman — Southern NJ. Fluke season opened May 4th, and early scouting suggests the back bays are well-stocked with flatfish.

May 7

The Lewis Shad Fishery on the Delaware River is producing single-session hauls of 30 to 65-plus fish, per JB Kasper's report in The Fisherman — NJ/DE Freshwater — a marked improvement over the sluggish early-season pace. Spawning striped bass have pushed well above Trenton into the non-tidal river, with a 35-inch fish documented in nets near Lambertville and catch-and-release bass confirmed in the same stretch. Old School Outdoors in Ewing, also reporting in The Fisherman — NJ/DE Freshwater, independently corroborates both the shad pickup and the presence of large, releasable stripers in the Trenton area. Canal trout continue to hold well following recent stockings, and crappie are actively working mid-river structure on jig-and-minnow rigs. On the Pine Barrens side, USGS gauge 01408000 on the Manasquan River registered 36 cfs as of early May 7, indicating moderate, fishable stream levels. With the moon now waning from last week's full phase, feeding windows are trending more consistent across daylight hours.

May 7

NOAA buoy 44065 logged 50°F water at Sandy Hook on May 6 — the threshold that flips the spring switch for this stretch of coastline. The timing is ideal: NJ's fluke season opened May 4th, and per The Fisherman (Northeast)'s NJ/DE Bay Region forecast this week, the regulatory path is cleared for both fluke and black sea bass following NOAA's Recreational Measures Setting Process Framework approval. On the striper front, the spring migration is accelerating fast. On The Water's May 1 migration map notes the run snowballs as post-spawn females push north out of the Chesapeake, and the evidence bears out regionally — The Fisherman (Northeast) is reporting consistent schoolie-to-slot bass across Long Island, with bunker schools anchoring fish in place. Raritan Bay sits squarely in the path of that northward push. Winds were running near 23 knots at the buoy today; check small-craft advisories before launching.

May 6

Water temperatures are locked at 52°F at both NOAA buoys 44065 and 44091 as of May 5, providing a solid read on Jersey Shore conditions. The Fisherman (Northeast) filed their NJ/DE Bay Region forecast from the Belmar docks this week confirming New Jersey's fluke season kicked off Monday, May 4, with regulatory certainty restored after NOAA Fisheries approved the Recreational Measures Setting Process Framework. On the striper front, The Fisherman's Long Island report — closely tracking fish that will soon press into New Jersey waters — describes schoolies and slot-size bass running consistently, with larger stripers into the 30-inch-plus class being held in position by bunker schools. On The Water's May 1 striper migration map notes the push accelerates once post-spawn females begin clearing the Chesapeake. Buoy 44091 recorded 4.9-foot swells and winds are running near 9 m/s — plan timing carefully for open-water trips. Best striper action has been coming on plugs, soft plastics, bucktails, and fresh bunker chunks, per The Fisherman.

May 5

Water temperatures in Delaware Bay are reading 53°F at NOAA buoy 44009 as of May 4th — the precise moment New Jersey's fluke season officially opens, making today a significant calendar marker for bay anglers. The Fisherman (Northeast)'s April 30 NJ/DE Bay forecast cleared the regulatory air: the U.S. Department of Commerce approved the Recreational Measures Setting Process Framework at NOAA Fisheries, putting fluke and sea bass seasons on firm ground for 2026. Delaware's black sea bass season opened May 1st; NJ's fluke kicks off today. Meanwhile, On The Water's May 1 striper migration map confirms the post-spawn push out of the Chesapeake is building — a development that historically funnels migrating bass through Delaware Bay corridors this time of year. With a waning gibbous moon driving strong tidal movement, we're entering a genuine multi-species window that early-season bay anglers won't want to miss.

May 4

USGS gauge 01408000 logged a modest 40.5 cfs at the top of the month, pointing to low, clear water conditions across Pine Barrens drainages — conditions that concentrate fish but demand lighter presentations. The big story this week is the striper migration: On The Water's May 1 migration map confirms post-spawn females are clearing the Chesapeake and pushing north along the coast and up tidal rivers, putting Delaware River fish within reach over the next two to three weeks. Meanwhile, Wired 2 Fish reports that largemouth bass are moving into shallow water as temperatures rise, staging near beds and responding well to a swimbait-to-finesse-bait combo — work the swimbait to locate fish, then drop back with a finesse plastic to seal the deal. Chain pickerel, a Pine Barrens staple, remain a consistent seasonal target in the dark, tannin-stained streams. The waning gibbous moon is past peak brightness, easing the overnight bite and opening a favorable window for daytime structure fishing.

May 4