Fluke's final week meets a bluefish push at Sandy Hook

What's biting

What's next

Expect the fluke bite to keep trending toward its close as the season's final days tick down, with OTW's Northern New Jersey report already calling it decent rather than red-hot; anglers should check current NJ regulations for the exact closing date. Bluefish and false albacore should hold on the beaches through the weekend as long as bait stays inshore, per the same report. Plan around the evening high near Sandy Hook: the last hour before and after the 6:19 PM peak is worth targeting, and Capt Ron's crew noted this week that a change of tide turned a slow morning into a strong afternoon, a pattern worth repeating as the moon builds toward full next week.

With only days left in the fluke season, weekend trips should prioritize the deeper-water drifts that produced for Capt Ron's boat rather than shallower structure.

Context

Late September sits at the hinge point for Raritan Bay and Sandy Hook: fluke season is winding down as it does most years, while bluefish and false albacore typically build through the surf as bait pushes out of the back bays. Water in the upper 60s is normal for this stretch of the calendar, and this week's pattern is running on the usual seasonal clock rather than early or late.