Fall striper run percolates as Jersey Shore tog bite turns on

What's biting

What's next

Expect the striper bite to strengthen as water continues to cool and baitfish push into northern waters. The Fisherman — Northern NJ quotes the Big Mohawk III crew saying stripers and baitfish made their way north this past week, which is the pattern that usually precedes a stronger run. The Fisherman — NJ/DE Surf notes a few good striper reports from the back bays further south, with soft plastics on 3/8-ounce leadheads working around bridges and sod banks, and a bass blitz at Hereford Inlet. Boat captains in the north are already making the call to switch from bottom fishing to bass.

For the next few days, plan around tide windows. The CO-OPS station shows the next low arriving at 20:31 UTC, which is 4:31 PM local, so the afternoon outgoing tide should be draining toward slack late in the day. Dawn and dusk, along with moving water at the inlets, are the best times to look for bass and bluefish pushing bait. Per Fishermans HQ LBI (NJ), conditions were flat on October 9 before turning sour, so keep an eye on the marine forecast, as weather has repeatedly cost boats trips this fall. Tautog should keep improving, and The Fisherman — Northern NJ mentions the bag limit goes up in mid-November, so check state regs before harvesting. With a waxing crescent moon, the darker evenings can favor nighttime plug and soft plastic fishing around the rocks and bridges.

Context

Mid-October is typically the transition point for this part of the coast. Summer fluke and bluefish fade, sea bass and tog move onto structure, and striped bass begin pushing south as water temperatures slide through the low 60s. A fall run that starts slowly in the north and builds with each cold front is a familiar pattern, and the first good bass bites tend to come at night and in the back bays before the beaches fill up. Anglers who hold off on committing to bass until the baitfish show up usually get the best of it. Per Anglers Journal, the late-season blitz is the main event of the Northeast calendar, and this week's reports suggest we are on schedule rather than early or late.