Fluke and sea bass limits keep Raritan Bay boats busy

What's biting

What's next

If the pattern holds, fluke should keep improving over the next 2-3 days. Capt Ron's Atlantic Highlands NJ has logged a run of mixed results tied directly to drift speed — slack current days produced tougher keeper counts, while days with a working drift (or throttle-assisted drift) put multiple limits in the box. Watch for current to pick back up around the coming tide cycle; that's typically when the bite tightens up again in Sandy Hook Bay water.

OTW Northern New Jersey's most recent report (July 16) already shows keeper fluke trending upward from the surf out to the reefs, which lines up with what Capt Ron's boats are seeing closer to Sandy Hook. That trend should continue into the weekend as water temperatures hold in typical mid-July range for the bay. Sea Bass should stay a dependable mixed-bag fish on the same drifts — Blue Chip Sportfishing (NJ) is still reporting limit-outs on Sea Bass trips, and nothing in the intel suggests that's slowing down.

For bluefish and stripers, expect smaller, cocktail-class fish to keep working the rivers, inlets, and open beaches rather than a big push of larger fish — that's consistent with what OTW Northern New Jersey described in back-to-back reports (small bluefish/stripers on the beaches, cocktail blues in the rivers and inlets). If a bait push moves into the bay, that could change quickly, but nothing in the current intel points to it yet.

Planning-wise, weekend anglers should prioritize an outgoing or building tide for fluke drifts, since Capt Ron's reports directly tie a workable drift to keeper counts. Boat anglers chasing Sea Bass can expect action on the same pieces of structure they're already finding fluke on — no need to run far to find a separate bite. Surfcasters targeting stripers and blues should focus early and late in the day as summer heat builds, since neither species has been described as a dominant, all-day bite in the recent reports. Before keeping fish, double-check current NJ size and possession limits (NJ Saltwater Fisherman) — those can shift seasonally and this synthesis doesn't substitute for the posted regs.

Context

Mid-July in Raritan Bay and around Sandy Hook typically means summer flounder (fluke) is the headline fishery, with Sea Bass riding along as a strong secondary target — which is exactly the pattern showing up in this week's intel, so the season looks on-schedule rather than early or late. Striped bass activity easing into smaller, beach-class fish by mid-summer is also a typical seasonal shift for this region, as larger fish generally push offshore or north with warming water; the 'small bluefish and stripers on the beaches' note from OTW Northern New Jersey fits that normal pattern rather than signaling anything unusual.

On the broader coastal-conditions side, New Jersey Sea Grant's State of the Shore reporting noted that the state's beaches entered the 2026 season in strong shape after a winter with only limited storm impacts, with continued beach nourishment and dune work along the coast — a generally favorable backdrop for surf and inshore access this summer compared to years with heavier winter erosion.

No direct source in this feed set offers a year-over-year comparison for fluke or Sea Bass catch rates specifically in Raritan Bay, so beyond the seasonal pattern check above, there isn't a strong historical baseline to compare current effort against — worth noting honestly rather than guessing at a trend.