Big Stripers Rule the Jersey Shore as Memorial Day Surf Action Peaks

What's Biting

What's Next

Striped bass should remain the dominant surf and bay catch through the holiday weekend and into early June. Clam on the bottom continues to be the consistent all-tide producer from Brick to LBI, per The Fisherman NJ/DE Surf reports from Gabriel Tackle and Charlie's Bait N Tackle. After dark, swimming plugs are picking up fish; Grumpys Tackle noted a steady night bite on black Bombers and SP Minnows in the Seaside Park area. The Tackle Box (per The Fisherman NJ/DE Surf) highlighted Sandy Hook as a standout right now, with Bug Light yielding bass to 30 pounds on metal lip swimmers and glide baits, and a "super slam" of bass, bluefish, fluke, black drum, and blackfish reported at the tip on bobber-rigged live killies. Hook House in Central NJ (per The Fisherman Central NJ) noted stripers keying hard on resident bunker schools, making paddle tails an effective alternative when clam is not handy.

Sea bass is the season's biggest underperformer so far. The Big Mohawk III, Skylarker, Golden Eagle, and Miss Belmar Princess all reported mostly throwback fish through the third week of May, per The Fisherman Northern NJ. Captains across the board pointed to persistent cool, northeast-pushed water as the cause, with the Big Mohawk III specifically stating the bite won't improve until a wind shift from south to northeast pushes warmer water inshore. The warming trend forecasted through Memorial Day weekend is the most likely catalyst: if water temps nudge toward 58 to 60°F, nearshore wrecks and reefs should respond noticeably within days.

Bluefish are in and building per OTW Northern New Jersey's May 21 report, with choppers confirmed on the beaches alongside stripers. Fluke action is a work in progress: Barnegat Bay Fishing Charters (per The Fisherman Central NJ) noted the water is still too cool for consistent flounder action, but Creekside Outfitters in Central NJ reported an early-season limit on Berkley Gulp with a killie dropper. Target outgoing tides in shallow back bays and river mouths for the best shot at a keeper before the bite fully turns.

Offshore, the yellowfin bite at the Bacardi remains exceptional per The Fisherman NJ/DE Offshore, with reports of 60- to 90-pound ahi on butterfish chunks and metal jigs. The Hudson Canyon is producing bigeye, longfin, and swordfish for boats making the run. With 6.6-foot wave heights recorded on NOAA buoy 44091 at time of reporting, plan offshore departures around improving sea conditions over the next day or two.

Context

Late May at the Jersey Shore typically marks the peak of the spring striper push before fish begin their summer dispersal northward and offshore. By Memorial Day, experienced surf casters expect the run to be at or near its seasonal best, and 2026 is tracking that pattern on schedule. The Fisherman New Jersey edition's NJ/DE Bay Region forecast described this Memorial Day weekend as "the Jersey Shore summer kickoff," framing the season as unfolding on a normal timeline rather than running early or late.

The 55°F water temperature from both nearshore buoys is consistent with typical late-May Jersey Shore readings. Striped bass favor the low-to-mid 50s, and the slower-than-average spring warming has arguably extended the surf run compared to years when a mid-May heat spike pushes temps into the low 60s prematurely. The tradeoff is that sea bass and fluke, both of which prefer slightly warmer water, are lagging behind expectations.

Sea bass running below last year's pace at this point in the season is the clearest indicator that inshore temps are a step behind. The Fisherman Northern NJ confirmed the shortfall, with captains across Belmar and the northern party-boat fleet attributing it to persistent cool and northeast winds rather than any stock concern. This lag is not unusual for late May; a single sustained warm-weather window typically bridges the gap within one to two weeks.

Black drum appearing alongside stripers from central to southern NJ is right on the normal late-May schedule. The Fisherman Southern NJ reported 36- to 46-inch oversize fish on both ocean and bay sides, consistent with the typical drum arrival window for this stretch of coast. The first bluefish choppers weighing in by mid-May also falls within the normal arrival range. Offshore, the yellowfin eruption at the Bacardi described by The Fisherman NJ/DE Offshore sources as "all out crazy" suggests the offshore spring warm-water push is running strong even as inshore temps trail slightly.