Fall Run Kicks Into Gear as Blues and Albies Blitz the Jersey Surf
Water's running 71.8°F to 74.7°F across our tracked Jersey Shore stations, and bluefish are leading the fall push. The Fisherman — Northern NJ reports the Golden Eagle's bite "switched around big time" this week, with slammers mixing in alongside bonito and albies as the boat shifted from artificials to bait. Surf-side, The Fisherman — Central NJ has Surf City Bait and Tackle connecting with multiple bluefish on metal, "a sure sign that the fall bite is heating up," while The Fisherman — NJ/DE Surf has cocktail-to-chopper blues at One Stop Bait and Tackle in Atlantic City hammering cut bait, mullet and metal off the jetties. False albacore are showing too: OTW Northern New Jersey has albies running the beaches alongside the bluefish, and Fishermans HQ LBI (NJ) put anglers on bonita and albacore over live peanut bunker. Striped bass are just waking up — The Fisherman — Southern NJ has Pier 47 Marina seeing stripers to 31 inches feeding heavily after dark around lighted docks and sod banks on the higher tides, while The Fisherman — Central NJ logged the LBI Surf Fishing Classic's first striper weigh-in of the season via Jingles Bait and Tackle. Fluke season closes September 25, and Capt Ron's Atlantic Highlands NJ is finishing strong, with The Fisherman — Southern NJ reporting some of the thickest fish of the season coming out of the backwaters at Boulevard Bait and Tackle in the final week.
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What's biting
What's next
Expect the bluefish and albie run to hold or build into the weekend with water still sitting in the low-to-mid 70s, the range that keeps peanut bunker and mullet pushing out of the back bays. High tide hits early this morning, near 5 AM, with the low around 11 AM; anglers chasing the Southern NJ striper bite at Pier 47 Marina should plan around the higher tide stages after dark, since that's when the feeding has been most consistent per The Fisherman — Southern NJ.
With the moon waxing toward full, tidal swings should strengthen through the weekend, which typically keeps bait moving and predators active along the beaches and inlets. Fluke closes Thursday, September 25, so check regulations before then, and expect effort to swing toward tautog and striped bass once the season shuts.
The Fisherman — Southern NJ already has anglers finding tog on crab baits around wrecks, reefs and jetties at Higbee's Bait and Tackle and Boulevard Bait and Tackle, and that bite should firm up as water eases further. Weakfish remain a secondary target worth checking on bloodworms and soft plastics in low light, per The Fisherman — Southern NJ and The Fisherman — NJ/DE Surf.
Context
This tracks right on schedule for late September at the Jersey Shore, the seasonal handoff from summer flounder to the fall predator run. Bluefish and false albacore typically push hardest along the beaches in the two to three weeks around the equinox as bait clears the back bays, and striped bass usually start showing in meaningful numbers toward the tail end of September before building through October and November as the coastal migration moves south. Tautog fishing traditionally strengthens through fall as water cools, and this week's early tog reports on crab baits fit a normal, on-time season. Fluke closing September 25 is the standard calendar date for New Jersey's summer flounder season, marking the point anglers typically pivot toward bottom fishing and the surf run.
Synthesized from real-time NOAA buoy data, USGS stream gauges, and current reports across regional fishing blogs, captain updates, and angler forums. Check local regulations before keeping fish. Never trust a single source for a trip decision.
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