Fluke bite stays hot before season close as blues and albies run NJ surf

What's biting

What's next

Expect the fluke bite to hold through the week's remaining days before the season closes on September 25 — anglers still chasing a keeper should prioritize the deeper drifts Capt. Ron's crew has been working on the tide change. Bluefish and False Albacore should stay active along the beaches into early October, per OTW's Northern New Jersey report, as bait continues pushing out of the back bays and drawing predators into the surf. Striped Bass are the fish to watch next: The Fisherman's Northern NJ boat reports say crews are already planning to mix in striper fishing once bigger numbers move into northern waters in October. A nor'easter is working into the region later this week, which should stir up bait and could jump-start the next wave of activity once conditions settle. Plan around the morning high near 6:04 AM and the midday low around noon for the best current and structure access, and watch the waxing gibbous moon build toward full — bigger tides typically mean more consistent movement for both bait and predators.

Context

Late September in Raritan Bay and Sandy Hook sits right at the seasonal hinge: summer species are on their way out as the water starts its slow slide toward fall temperatures, even though 69°F is still on the warm side for this stretch of the calendar. The fluke closure on the 25th is the clearest marker of that shift, typically the last hard deadline before attention turns fully to the fall run. Bluefish and False Albacore activity in the surf is right on schedule for this time of year, as bait pushes out of the back bays ahead of the cooler nights to come. Striped Bass typically build through October in this region as water temperatures fall into their preferred range, so their absence from the current reports here is a matter of timing rather than a sign of a slow season.