Fall run builds in Raritan Bay as sea bass, blues turn on

What's biting

What's next

Today's tide at station 8531680 turns to high near 8:37 AM and to low near 3:10 PM, both Eastern time. That midday swing should concentrate current and bait around the morning high, typically a strong window for feeding activity. OTW Northern New Jersey expects black sea bass to keep building "once conditions settle" behind the recent nor'easter, matching Capt Ron's pattern of better fishing on the calmer days between fronts.

Fluke season is winding down (check current NJ size and possession limits before keeping any), so the next few tide cycles are among the last worth targeting flatfish specifically. With the full moon pushing bigger tidal swings, look for stronger current on both the dawn high and the afternoon low to keep bluefish and the lingering false albacore moving along the beaches, a pattern OTW Northern New Jersey and Fishermans HQ LBI (NJ) are both describing further south on live peanut bunker. Plan trips around low light and moving water this weekend as the fall transition keeps building.

Context

Raritan Bay and Sandy Hook are in the classic early-fall handoff: fluke, a summer mainstay, is closing out for the year just as striped bass, bluefish and false albacore build toward the heart of the fall run. A water temperature in the low 60s is typical for the region in late September and roughly on schedule with prior years. Black sea bass fishing generally strengthens further into October as the water continues to cool, consistent with what local shops and captains are describing right now.