Jersey Shore Turns Summer: Sea Bass Limits and Bluefin Push In on Squid

What's biting

What's next

The full moon tonight generates the strongest tidal surge of the month, and the next 48 hours are worth building a plan around. Bass, blues, and fluke all respond to moving water — focus on inlet mouths, rip edges, and channel drop-offs during the peak outgoing and incoming windows rather than slack water.

**Sea bass** are the surest bet for a limit right now. Blue Chip Sportfishing has been nearly maxing out on virtually every trip and that momentum should carry through the weekend. Target offshore wrecks and hard bottom in 60-100 feet on standard bottom rigs; the full moon pull will keep fish feeding aggressively through the tidal cycle.

**Fluke** are trending in the right direction. OTW Northern New Jersey flagged improving ocean fluking as of June 25 after a cold-water upwelling event suppressed action the prior week. Baitfish have had time to resettle and quality fish are finding their summer stations. Capt Ron's Atlantic Highlands has been producing fish to 5 pounds on Gulp sand eels — that bait choice will stay relevant as the season progresses and natural bait availability varies. Work the drift along channel edges and structure at tide change for the best shots at keepers.

**Striped bass** have shifted into early-summer mode. Fishermans HQ LBI describes the spring-to-summer transition as underway, with larger fish pushing off the beaches toward deeper, cooler water. The timing window for surf bass is narrowing but not closed — On The Water's striper migration map dated June 26 shows bigger fish still concentrating around sand eels, squid, bunker, and herring. On The Water also reports anglers are trading topwaters for glide baits as the hottest striper presentation of 2026, with their large profile and swimming action drawing fish that might ignore a surface plug. Early dawn, dusk, and overnight sessions will outperform midday as July approaches.

**Bluefin tuna** are the offshore headline this week. Fishermans HQ LBI reports a massive squid invasion off the Jersey coast has pulled fish within 20-30 miles — an unusually short run for this time of year. Drifting with bait is the primary tactic, with jigging as a backup when fish are marking. The full moon should keep squid active near the surface overnight, concentrating both bait and tuna. Check current HMS Angling Category daily retention limits via NJ Saltwater Fisherman before departure — limits were adjusted June 1, 2026 and may be further modified later in the season.

**Mako sharks** have been a bonus throughout. Blue Chip Sportfishing reports multiple makos encountered and released on recent trips, a sign that warmer blue water is beginning to push inshore. Expect shark action to build through July as conditions mature.

Context

By late June, the Jersey Shore typically wraps up its spring striper run and pivots to a more species-diverse summer pattern — sea bass on the wrecks, fluke in the bays and inshore grounds, and offshore tuna as the feature attraction. The 2026 season appears to be tracking that transition on schedule.

Water temperatures in the mid-60s at Atlantic Highlands, as reported by Capt Ron's, sit within the normal range for late June. That said, the lingering striped bass presence in the surf is slightly longer than average. Fishermans HQ LBI has noted water temps on the cooler side of the seasonal norm, and historically cooler late-June water keeps bass on the beaches a few extra days before the offshore push fully completes.

The most notable departure from a typical late-June pattern is the scale of the squid invasion noted by Fishermans HQ LBI. Squid reliably move through the Jersey coast in late spring, but a concentration described as massive tends to pull bluefin tuna unusually close inshore. The 20-30 mile run Fishermans HQ LBI describes is shorter than what becomes typical once summer fully takes hold — anglers who can make the run should take advantage while the fish are this accessible.

Sea bass fishing at near-limit pace this early in the summer is a strong positive signal. Blue Chip Sportfishing's consistent-limit reports suggest post-spawn fish are well distributed on nearshore structure, which bodes well for the July-August wreck fishery.

The mako shark appearance is broadly on schedule for late June, as Gulf Stream eddies begin delivering warmer blue water toward the coast. Most seasons, mako encounters build through July. Fluke, after working through an upwelling disruption last week, are showing signs of normalizing — a mid-June cold-water intrusion is a known annual pattern on this coast, and the bite typically rebounds within days as baitfish resettle.