Fluke and albies keep the summer bite alive at Sandy Hook

What's biting

What's next

Fluke season here is closing out within days, so the practical move is squeezing in the last drifts before the fishery shuts down; check current state size and possession limits before keeping fish. The bluefish and false albacore action OTW Northern New Jersey is tracking along the beaches typically holds or builds through early October as bait continues pushing out of the back bays, so dawn and dusk windows are worth prioritizing.

At Sandy Hook, today's tide brings a high near 3:15 AM and the next low around 9:28 AM; working the last of the outgoing tide into the turn should concentrate bait and predators along the rips. With the moon at First Quarter, tidal swings are moderate rather than at their monthly extreme, so timing around the actual tide change matters more than the moon phase this week.

Context

Late September marks the classic handoff period for Raritan Bay and Sandy Hook: fluke season closes just as the fall run gets underway, with bluefish and false albacore typically the first migratory arrivals ahead of the bigger striped bass push that follows as water temperatures drop through the 60s. At 72.9°F, the bay is running warm for this point in the season, consistent with fluke and albie action still holding rather than an early cool-down. Expect the mix to keep shifting toward migratory species over the coming weeks as nights turn colder.