New Jersey fishing reports
250 reports for New Jersey — what's biting, water temps, and where to focus.
Sea Bass Limits and Fluke Keepers as Jersey Shore Shifts to Summer Mode
Capt Ron's Atlantic Highlands logged 62°F water and a productive fluke bite on Father's Day weekend, with a 3.9-pound keeper taking the pool and small gulp sand eels doing the heavy lifting. Sea bass is the standout story along the Shore right now: Blue Chip Sportfishing reports the bite is "red hot," with limits on nearly every trip. OTW Northern New Jersey's June 18 report confirms fluke improving from the bays to the beaches, with striped bass and bluefish also eating plugs, clams, and chunks in the surf. On The Water's June 19 striper migration map notes bigger bass are now concentrating on sand eels, squid, bunker, and herring as the spring run shifts into summer patterns. Offshore, Fishermans HQ LBI reports a massive squid invasion has drawn bluefin tuna within 20-30 miles of the coast, and Blue Chip Sportfishing says mako shark fishing has busted wide open with multiple releases on recent trips.
Atlantic Highlands Fluke Bite Picks Up as Summer Species Arrive
Capt Ron's Atlantic Highlands reported water temps bouncing between 56°F and 62°F over the past week, with fluke action sharpening once anglers found the warmer water on rocky bottom. Father's Day aboard Capt Ron's produced fish "every drop," highlighted by a 3.9-pound pool winner on small gulp sand eels and plain gulp, with multiple keepers at or above 18 inches. OTW Northern New Jersey's June 18 report confirms fluke is improving from the bays to the beaches, while striped bass and bluefish continue taking clams, plugs, and chunks in the surf. A significant regulatory reset took effect today, June 22: the spring 10-fish sea bass bag limit has dropped to a one-fish bycatch limit through September 22, per The Fisherman's NJ/DE Bay forecast. Blue Chip Sportfishing reports shark fishing has "busted wide open," with three Mako sharks caught and released on a single Friday trip. Early summer visitors including spot, croaker, and kingfish have begun showing up along the Shore.
Flounder lead the summer charge as Delaware Bay back bays heat up
Multiple Southern NJ sources confirm a strong back-bay flounder bite as the Delaware Bay (NJ side) shifts from spring to summer mode. Waterfront Marine reports fish holding in 10 to 14 feet of water and responding best on the turn of the outgoing tide, with spearing, minnows, squid, and bucktails tipped with Gulp grubs all accounting for fish. Riptide Bait and Tackle adds that squid-and-minnow combos have been particularly effective, with some boaters reporting keeper ratios high enough to limit out on fish to 23 inches. Striped bass continue showing at night near back-bay bridges on soft plastics per Riptide, though the spring run is winding down as a primary target. Black drum to 25 pounds have appeared per Riptide Bait and Tackle. Sea bass anglers face a significant deadline: per The Fisherman (Northeast), the 10-fish spring bag limit rolls back to a one-fish bycatch limit on June 21 as summer officially begins.
Pine Barrens pickerel hot in cedar water as summer bass bite builds
Pickerel are the standout freshwater catch of the Pine Barrens this week. Allen's Dock confirmed pickerel fishing 'is still holding up in the cedar water,' while Creekside Outfitters reported them actively taking killies in the deeper bogs and lakes throughout the region. Hook House added that kayak anglers are doing particularly well for pickerel at Bamber Lake. Largemouth bass are also producing across central Jersey, with Creekside Outfitters noting good-sized fish at Ocean Acres, Manahawkin Lake, and other local lakes falling to 5-inch Senkos worked slowly. Catfish to 20 inches have been coming in on killies and cut baits in the central part of the state, per Creekside Outfitters. One concern worth watching: Allen's Dock flagged that stream water levels are slowly dropping, with the freshwater line moving downstream in some systems as the region navigates a dry stretch.
Sea Bass Limits and Bluefin Moving In as Jersey Shore Shifts to Summer Mode
Sea bass are running hot along the Jersey Shore, with Blue Chip Sportfishing reporting near-limit catches on virtually every charter run. Offshore, a massive squid invasion off the Jersey coast has pulled bluefin tuna within 20 to 30 miles of the beach. Drifting with bait is the primary tactic, per Fishermans HQ LBI's mid-June report. Fluke fishing is gaining ground: Capt Ron's Atlantic Highlands found solid keeper action on Father's Day weekend in 62-degree water, with Gulp sand eels and plain Gulp outperforming, while OTW Northern New Jersey's June 18 report confirms the bite is improving from bay to beach. In the surf, striped bass and bluefish continue to hit plugs, clams, and chunks. OTW's June 19 striper migration map signals the spring run is transitioning, with bigger bass now orienting around sand eels, squid, and bunker as summer patterns take hold. Mako sharks have also entered the mix, per Blue Chip Sportfishing.
Sea bass limits and stripers still churning as Sandy Hook enters summer mode
Capt Ron's Atlantic Highlands is reporting water temperatures back at 61°F after a brief cold dip into the mid-50s, and that warmth is showing up in the catch. Blue Chip Sportfishing calls their sea bass fishing "red hot," saying the crew is limiting out on almost every trip, while shark fishing has "busted wide open" with multiple mako sharks caught and released. Striped bass remain on the board as well: Blue Chip reports striper action as "the best possible," Grumpys Tackle confirms surf fishing with clams is the dominant technique on the beachfront, and On The Water's June 19 migration update notes bigger bass concentrating around sand eels, squid, bunker, and herring as the spring run shifts toward summer holding patterns. OTW Northern New Jersey's June 18 report rounds out the picture with fluke improving from the bays to the beaches and bluefish mixing in alongside stripers on plugs, clams, and chunks in the surf.
Fluke Improving and Stripers Still Running as Delaware Bay Enters Summer
OTW Northern New Jersey's June 18 report flags improving fluke across NJ bays and beaches, with striped bass and bluefish hitting plugs, clams, and chunks in the surf — a pattern consistent with what Delaware Bay anglers typically see as the region crosses into summer. On The Water's June 19 striper migration update notes bigger bass are now concentrating around sand eels, squid, bunker, and herring as the spring run transitions to summer patterns. Grumpys Tackle (NJ) confirms the striper run is still producing and highlights black drum, blues, and a surprise "new player" species in the mix this week, with surf fishing over clams remaining the most consistent striper method. Water temps along the Jersey coast have climbed to the low-to-mid 60s per Fishermans HQ LBI — a level that typically unlocks active fluke in bay channel edges. No buoy or gauge data was available for the Delaware Bay specifically today; conditions in the bay's calmer inner reaches may differ from ocean-side reports.
Smallmouth and Catfish Step Up as the Delaware Enters Summer Mode
NJ Fish & Wildlife News confirms stocked trout remain in select WMA waters heading into summer, with Silver Lake and Franklin Pond Creek at Hamburg Mountain WMA carrying fish for early-season anglers. No USGS gauge readings were available for this reporting cycle, so conditions below are grounded in established seasonal patterns for the Delaware River corridor and Pine Barrens. With the summer solstice landing June 21 and a First Quarter moon, the Delaware's smallmouth bass — typically in post-spawn recovery through early June — are now repositioning to mid-river current seams, rocky ledges, and eddy pockets where they feed more actively. Channel and flathead catfish are ramping up on the warmer lower Delaware, a trend typical for this time of year. In the Pine Barrens, largemouth bass and chain pickerel are holding tight to lily pad edges and submerged wood in dark, tannin-stained flows. Several NJ Wildlife Management Areas are under seasonal closure through September 7, per NJ Fish & Wildlife News — confirm access before heading to backcountry waters.
Sea bass limits, inshore tuna, and mako sharks mark the Shore's summer turn
With surf temperatures climbing into the 65–67°F range per The Fisherman — NJ/DE Surf, the Jersey Shore has entered its summer transition. Sea bass fishing is the current standout: Blue Chip Sportfishing reports limiting out on nearly every reef trip, and Northern NJ party boats (Big Mohawk III, Skylarker, and Miss Belmar Princess) all logged strong catches this past week per The Fisherman — Northern NJ. Anglers should act quickly: the Golden Eagle's captain noted the sea bass bag limit is set to revert to one fish per angler within the week, making this a priority window. Shark fishing has broken wide open, with Blue Chip reporting three released mako sharks on a single Friday trip. Inshore, bluefin tuna have pushed within striking range, with both Fishermans HQ LBI and The Fisherman — Central NJ reporting fish accessible on 20–30 mile runs. Back bay fluke action is improving across Southern NJ per The Fisherman — Southern NJ, and stripers continue taking clam baits in the surf from LBI northward.
Last Call for Sea Bass Limits as Fluke and Blues Fill Raritan Bay
Sea bass action on Raritan Bay's nearshore reefs has been delivering steady results heading into mid-June, with Northern NJ party boats logging multiple limit-catch trips. The Fisherman — Northern NJ reports the Big Mohawk III out of Atlantic Highlands notched five limit-catch trips in a single week, while Capt. Nick Caruso aboard the Ol' Salty II found jig-eel combos to be the top producers. Captains are flagging that the more generous bag limit is only days from reverting to one fish, making this the prime window to load the cooler. Summer species are arriving in force: The Fisherman — NJ/DE Surf reports fluke sunning themselves tight to the beach on killies and Gulp out of Hazlet, spot and croaker moving into Raritan Bay on Fishbites, and cocktail bluefish running near Leonardo and Laurence Harbor. OTW Northern New Jersey's June 11 dispatch confirms stripers still taking clams in the surf. With coastal water temps climbing into the 65-67°F range per The Fisherman — NJ/DE Surf, the spring-to-summer transition is fully underway.
Flounder Surge and Black Drum Lead Delaware Bay as Summer Pattern Takes Hold
With surf temperatures climbing into the 65-to-67-degree range per The Fisherman — NJ/DE Surf, the Delaware Bay (NJ side) is shifting firmly into summer mode mid-June. Flounder has emerged as the marquee bite across Southern NJ bays, with Riptide Bait and Tackle reporting improving keeper ratios and some boaters limiting out on fish to 23 inches on squid and minnow combos. Ray Scott's Dock confirms solid back-bay action along the ICW using live minnows with strip baits, with fish approaching 4 pounds. Waterfront Marine adds that flounder are holding in 10-to-14 feet of water and responding best to the outgoing tide, with spearing, minnows, squid, and bucktails tipped with Gulp grubs all producing. Black drum to 25 pounds remain active along the beachfront, per Riptide Bait and Tackle, taking clam baits. Striped bass have largely transitioned to bycatch status in the back bays, though night anglers near bridges are still connecting on soft plastics. Kingfish and spot are beginning to push into the surf as the summer pattern consolidates.
Pine Barrens streams run low as summer bass and pickerel season opens
NJ Fish & Wildlife News highlights Silver Lake at Hamburg Mountain WMA (Sussex County) as actively stocked with trout and warm-water species heading into summer, with Franklin Pond Creek providing year-round trout habitat. The USGS Toms River gauge (site 01408000) registered 24 cfs on June 17, reflecting below-median flow across the Pine Barrens drainage and pointing to low, clear conditions in the system's characteristic cedar-stained streams. No water temperature was recorded, but mid-June conditions suggest Pine Barrens ponds and slow river pools are climbing toward the 70-degree mark. NJ Fish & Wildlife News also notes seasonal closures at five WMAs through September 7; confirm access before making the drive. Chain pickerel, largemouth bass, and sunfish hold the Pine Barrens' tannic shallows right now, while smallmouth and catfish work Delaware River structure as the post-spawn transition to summer patterns continues.