New Jersey fishing reports
622 reports for New Jersey — what's biting, water temps, and where to focus.
Sea bass bite stays hot as NJ's fall striper run begins
Water on the bay reads 66.7°F per NOAA CO-OPS station 8537121, still mild enough to keep the black sea bass bite rolling that's been running hot up and down the Jersey coast. Capt Ron's out of Atlantic Highlands has logged good-to-very-good sea bass fishing on back-to-back trips this week, with anglers filling out and a 2.5-pound fish taking the pool on Friday; Fluke up to 4 pounds also came aboard on one recent bottom-fishing trip. Grumpys Tackle has its bucktail inventory on sale specifically for what it calls perfect timing to stock up for the fall run, and Anglers Journal's latest dispatch frames this stretch of October as the heart of the Northeast's fall migration, when striped bass push south ahead of shortening days. Together the reports point to the same seasonal hinge: sea bass holding steady on bottom structure while the first waves of migratory stripers start to show.
Sea bass and fluke keep biting as Jersey Shore eyes fall striper run
Water temperatures sit at 65.5°F and 65.7°F at the NOAA CO-OPS stations tracking the Jersey Shore, still comfortable enough to keep the late-season bite rolling before the real fall cool-down sets in. Capt Ron's out of Atlantic Highlands reports a strong all-day black sea bass bite, with action from start to finish and keeper-size fish coming over the rail on recent open-boat trips; fluke to 4 pounds have also shown up in the mix. Blue Chip Sportfishing echoes the pattern further down the coast, noting fluke and sea bass are being caught on both half- and full-day trips. At Grumpys Tackle, the shop has bucktails on sale specifically timed for the fall run, a signal that striped bass are starting to move into the mix as water cools and bait pushes south.
Sea bass and fluke keep NJ boats busy as fall run builds
Water at Sandy Hook is holding at 63.7°F per NOAA CO-OPS station 8531680, comfortable territory for the fall push. Capt Ron's out of Atlantic Highlands has logged a run of strong Black Sea Bass trips this week, including a Friday limit-style day paced by a 2.5-pound fish and "action from start to finish," plus recent all-day Fluke drops that sent anglers home with dinner, including fish up to four pounds. Blue Chip Sportfishing is reporting the same two-species pattern further down the coast, pointing to Fluke and Sea Bass half- and full-day trips as the current best value on the water. On the tackle side, Grumpys Tackle just put its Pro Series Bass Bucktails on a 30 percent sale timed, in the shop's words, for anglers to "stock up for the fall run" — an early tell that Striped Bass season is beginning to turn on along the Jersey Shore even as the bottom bite stays the sure thing.
Fall Transition Takes Hold on the Delaware and in the Pine Barrens
Early October marks the real start of the fall transition on the Delaware River and across New Jersey's Pine Barrens. As surface temperatures ease off their late-summer highs, smallmouth bass slide out of deep pools and riffles into current seams and shallower flats, feeding more aggressively through the day instead of just at dawn and dusk. The same shift tends to wake up walleye and northern pike in the river's deeper runs and in the Pine Barrens' slower, tannic-stained waters, while bluegill and crappie bunch up tighter around structure as they stage for the colder months ahead. This is the window anglers on this water wait for all summer.
Black sea bass and fluke lead the bite as NJ's fall striper run builds
Delaware Bay water sat at 66.7°F this afternoon, squarely in the range New Jersey's bottom fishery has been riding hard. Capt Ron's out of Atlantic Highlands logged a very good all-day bite on black sea bass this week, with keepers for the whole boat and a pool-winning 2.5-pound fish, while Blue Chip Sportfishing reports fluke and sea bass being caught on both half-day and full-day trips. Fishermans HQ LBI backs that up, noting decent fluke fishing on the reefs even as the season winds down. Striped bass are moving the other direction: OTW Northern New Jersey's report flags improving fall-run striper fishing now that a recent nor'easter has cleared out, with false albacore and bluefish still lingering along the beaches. NJ Fish & Wildlife News's ongoing Delaware Bay trawl survey, running since 1991, is a reminder this estuary is tracked closely for exactly this kind of seasonal finfish turnover.
Tautog and striped bass lead a building fall run on the Jersey Shore
Water temperatures are easing into the fall-run sweet spot, reading 63.7°F at the Sandy Hook CO-OPS station and 64.4°F off Cape May this morning. Tautog are the most consistent bite on the coast right now, with The Fisherman — Southern NJ, The Fisherman — Central NJ, The Fisherman — NJ/DE Surf, and The Fisherman — Northern NJ all reporting green-crab and sand-flea bites producing keepers to 4 pounds at the Cape May jetties, the AC Jetty, and Barnegat Light. Striped bass are building right alongside them. The Fisherman — New Jersey edition notes the first reports of 50-inch-plus bass along the north coast as the fall run gets underway, The Fisherman — Northern NJ has bass working inlets and jetties on live eels, and The Fisherman — Southern NJ has schoolies up to 33 inches on soft plastics after dark. Black sea bass remain a dependable bottom bite too: Capt Ron's Atlantic Highlands NJ and Blue Chip Sportfishing (NJ) both describe limits coming over the rail on half- and full-day trips, with bluefish and the occasional fluke mixed into the same drifts.
Sea bass bite holds strong as early striper signs reach Raritan Bay
The NOAA tide station at Sandy Hook (8531680) is reading 63°F this morning, still holding onto late-summer warmth as the fall run gets underway. Bottom fishing is carrying the bay right now: Capt Ron's Atlantic Highlands NJ reports lights-out black sea bass on every trip this week, calling it "no beat downs, no BS, just good all-day fishing" with everyone going home with dinner. The Fisherman — Northern NJ reports striped bass moving in and out of the inlet with the tide, with keeper fish off the jetties taking live eels, while green crabs are producing keeper tautog and bluefishing has turned on in patches for boats willing to search out the slammers. The Fisherman — New Jersey edition notes the first fall reports of striped bass over 50 inches along the north Jersey coast, an early signal that the migration is building.
Delaware River Smallmouth and Pine Barrens Crappie Hold Steady
Smallmouth bass are holding strong on the Delaware River north of Lambertville this week, with Dave's Sport Shop in Doylestown quoted in The Fisherman's NJ/DE Freshwater report. The same report has Smith's Bait Shop in Leipsic pulling crappie and panfish out of Garrisons Lake, Massey Mills, Silver Lake and Lums Pond on small jigs tipped with Gulp or minnows worked through the dam spillways, alongside a decent evening crappie bite and suspended bass action at Lake Nockamixon. Cooling water is also getting credit for turning on the bite further north at Lake Wallenpaupack, where Hyper Striper Sportfishing, cited in that same roundup, says smallmouth remain a top catch. Deeper into the Pine Barrens, the report notes a few striped bass working above the tide line in the Mullica River, a reminder that this transitional stretch still mixes migratory fish with resident freshwater species this time of year.
Striped bass feeding heavy on NJ's Delaware Bay side after the storm
Striped bass are the headline story on the Delaware Bay side of South Jersey this week. Big Dave's Tackle reports stripers active in the bay alongside a renewed tautog bite from the Cape May jetties, and near Wildwood, Hands Too Bait and Tackle says striped bass 'really got on a good feed' along the back-bay sod banks, with quality weakfish also hitting off the rocks on pink Zooms, bucktails, and bloodworms. Up in Atlantic City, One Stop Bait and Tackle says stripers are feeding heavily on baitfish migrating past the inlet, with schoolies to 33 inches coming on hard and soft plastics after dark, and the tautog chew on the AC jetty rocks has picked back up on green crabs and sand fleas, with keepers to 4 pounds. Bluefish are mixed in too, with a wave of 2- to 3-pound fish rolling through Corson's Inlet on metal lures. The Delaware Bay's CO-OPS tide station reads 67°F this morning, still mild enough to keep the fall bite building rather than shutting down.
Jersey Shore stripers and tog turn on as fall run gains steam
Water temps are holding in the mid-60s at the Jersey Shore this week, with NOAA CO-OPS station 8534720 off Atlantic City reading 64.4°F and station 8536110 off Cape May at 64.9°F, and that warmth is still backing a strong post-nor'easter bite. Striped bass are the headline: the Fisherman's Den, per The Fisherman — Northern NJ, reports bass moving in and out of the inlet with the tides, with live eels taking fish off the jetties, while Pier 47 Marina (The Fisherman — Southern NJ) says stripers have fed most nights in the back bays on spook lures and paddle tails, and One Stop Bait and Tackle notes stripers from schoolies to 33 inches hitting hard and soft plastics after dark. Tautog have turned on as well, with Surf City Bait and Tackle saying the tog bite "continues to produce" on green crab, and One Stop Bait and Tackle reporting keepers to 4 pounds off the AC Jetties. Fluke and black sea bass remain productive too: Blue Chip Sportfishing is putting anglers on both species on half- and full-day trips, and Fishermans HQ LBI notes fluke mixing with bonita and albies on live peanut bunker. Bluefish are scattered but present, per Fin-Atics' report of 2- to 3-pound blues hitting metals. Weakfish of quality size are also showing in Wildwood, per The Fisherman — NJ/DE Surf, hitting pink Zooms, bucktails, and even bloodworms.
Tautog, sea bass heat up as stripers push through Jersey inlets
Sandy Hook's NOAA CO-OPS station read 63.9°F before dawn today, still mild water for early October and holding the fall bite together along the Northern Jersey Shore. Tautog are the standout: The Fisherman — Central NJ has keeper tog coming off green crabs at Barnegat Light, and The Fisherman — Southern NJ reports tog "chewing again" on the AC jetties after last weekend's nor'easter, with fish running to 4 pounds on green crabs and sand fleas. Black sea bass are just as strong — Blue Chip Sportfishing (NJ) calls its sea bass charters "very good" with full-boat limits, and The Fisherman — Central NJ's Mary M IV put together a 20-fish haul of sea bass and porgies, with bait outperforming jigs. Striped bass are moving with the tide: The Fisherman — Northern NJ has bass working the jetties on live eels, and The Fisherman — NJ/DE Surf notes a strong back-bay feed on sod banks further south. Bluefish slammers are mixed in per The Fisherman — Northern NJ, fluke are still coming over the rail on half-day and full-day trips per Blue Chip Sportfishing (NJ), and quality weakfish are showing on pink Zooms and bucktails per The Fisherman — NJ/DE Surf.
Delaware River smallmouth hold steady as Pine Barrens crappie turns on
The Delaware River is holding its early-fall pattern for smallmouth bass. Dave's Sport Shop in Doylestown, cited in The Fisherman — NJ/DE Freshwater, reports continued smallmouth fishing on the river from Lambertville north, with bass suspended in 10 to 20 feet of water at Lake Nockamixon and a decent evening crappie bite showing just before dark. Recent rain has put local ponds and lakes in better shape, and that's translating into steadier catches. Further south at Leipsic, Smith's Bait Shop says crappie and panfish numbers are improving in Garrisons Lake, Massey Mills, Silver Lake, and Lums Pond, with the better crappie action coming out of dam spillways on small jigs tipped with plastics or Gulp. Down in the Pine Barrens, Allen's Dock reports a few striped bass working above the tide line in the Mullica River, an early sign the fall push is reaching the cedar-water systems.
Fishing in New Jersey
New Jersey fishes far bigger than it looks on a map. The spring striped bass run through Raritan Bay is one of the best shots at a trophy striper anywhere, the surf from Sandy Hook to Cape May holds fish most of the year, and the back bays fill with fluke all summer. Inland, the Delaware River gives up shad and smallmouth, and the state's reservoirs hide serious trout and bass.
When to fish New Jersey
Big striped bass flood Raritan Bay and the surf on their spring migration, with the shad run pulling anglers to the Delaware at the same time. Stocked trout fill the northern streams.
Summer flounder take over the back bays and inshore ocean, with sea bass and porgy on the structure. Offshore boats run to the canyons for tuna and mahi while largemouth eat topwater in the lakes at first light.
The fall striper and bluefish run pours down the beaches, false albacore mix in, and blackfish season builds on the rock piles and wrecks. Inland, smallmouth and trout feed hard before winter.
Holdover stripers winter in the warmer back waters and rivers, and when the northern lakes lock up, ice anglers work them for pickerel, perch, and trout.
Waters to know
Wayfinder builds a plan for your exact water and day from live buoys, gauges, tides, and recent reports. Free, about 30 seconds.
Common questions
Do I need a license to fish in New Jersey?
Freshwater fishing requires a New Jersey license from NJ Fish & Wildlife. Saltwater anglers register with the state's free saltwater registry instead of buying a license. Rules differ by age and water, so check the current requirements.
What fish can I catch in New Jersey?
Striped bass, fluke, bluefish, black sea bass, porgy, blackfish, and weakfish on the salt side, with offshore runs for tuna and mahi. Inland waters hold largemouth and smallmouth bass, trout, pickerel, muskie, walleye, catfish, and panfish.
When is the best time to fish New Jersey?
Spring and fall are the headline seasons, built around the striped bass migration in each direction. Summer is fluke season in the bays, and winter still offers holdover stripers and ice fishing up north.
Where can I check current New Jersey fishing conditions?
This page carries our current New Jersey fishing reports, built daily from NOAA buoys, USGS river gauges, tides, and local sources. For a plan built around your exact water and day, try the free Wayfinder trip planner.
Seasons and limits change: verify current regulations with NJ Fish & Wildlife before keeping fish.
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