Delaware Bay holds white perch, tog and sea bass as stripers lag

What's biting

What's next

Expect the striper bite to build as water temperatures ease. Capt Ron's Atlantic Highlands NJ noted that water still has to come down from the upper 50s before stripers settle in locally, and On The Water's Northern New Jersey report says the fall run is starting to percolate. That points to a gradual push south into the bay and along the beaches over the coming weeks rather than a sudden switch.

In the near term, back-bay stripers around the Wildwoods look like the best bet for plugs and paddletails at night, and creek perch will keep producing on bloodworms. Boulevard Bait & Tackle in Sea Isle reported a quiet week and said the beachfront stripers just are not here yet, so check with local shops before burning a tank of fuel.

The next tide cycle has a low at roughly 7 PM local time per the CO-OPS prediction, so plan evening trips around the incoming water after that. A waxing crescent moon means darker nights, which tends to favor surface feeding after sunset. Check state regs before keeping anything, since seasons and size limits change.

Context

Mid-October is normally when the Delaware Bay and Cape May area shifts from summer species to the fall run. Kingfish, croaker and weakfish fade out while tog, sea bass and striped bass take over. Cape May is a bright spot right now: Hands Too Bait and Tackle reports excellent tog, sea bass and striper action, with plenty of keeper tog on the wrecks and reefs and one just shy of 10 pounds. Sea bass action has been very good from the nearshore to the offshore wrecks and reefs.

This year looks slightly behind a typical schedule for stripers in the southern part of the state, with warm water and rough weather both slowing things. Fishermans HQ LBI notes the surf is holding in the mid-60s along Long Beach Island with a mixed bag of kingfish, bluefish, tautog and a couple of stripers. The late-season push usually follows the first sustained cold snaps and northwest winds.