Fluke season winds down as bluefish and albies patrol the surf

What's biting

What's next

Both NJ tide stations show an overnight high near 3-4 AM ET ebbing to a low by around 9 AM ET, so the best window this week is that early dawn outgoing push before boat traffic builds. The first quarter moon means moderate tidal swings rather than the bigger springs of a full or new moon, so expect a steady bite rather than a dramatic one over the next few days. Fluke should keep producing on the reefs through its final week, per OTW Northern New Jersey, so a last trip is worth planning before the season closes. Bluefish and false albacore should hold along the beaches while the water stays warm and bait-rich, per Fishermans HQ LBI and Grumpys Tackle (NJ). Watch for the first real cool-down to start pulling striped bass into the surf as the fall migration builds, typical for this point on the calendar.

Context

Late September is the hinge point of the Jersey Shore season: fluke is closing out (check current state limits before harvesting), and the fall transition toward striped bass and blitz-style surf action is just beginning. Water in the low-to-mid 70s runs warm for this point in September, which tends to keep late-summer species like bluefish and false albacore around a little longer before cooler nights trigger the bigger fall push.