Quality Fluke Arriving in Raritan Bay as Sea Bass and Sharks Heat Up

What's biting

What's next

The full moon peaking June 28 creates some of the strongest tidal movement of the month, and that matters most for striped bass along Sandy Hook and the bay beaches. Per OTW Northern New Jersey and On The Water's June 26 striper migration map, bigger fish are settling into summer mode, concentrating around sand eels, squid, and bunker rather than schooling through on the spring push. Dawn and dusk tides are the windows to target; plugs, clams, and chunks in the surf have all been productive per OTW Northern New Jersey's June 18 and June 25 reports. Full moon nights along the rip edges can produce outsized fish, so an after-dark session on an incoming tide is worth the effort this weekend.

Fluke fishing should build from here. Capt Ron's Atlantic Highlands fleet noted the bite materially improved as water temps climbed back toward 66°F, with keepers and quality fish in the 3-5 pound range appearing after a prolonged stretch of mostly shorts. Plain bait rigs have been the ticket; jigs haven't performed as well this season per Capt Ron. If the mid-60s water holds or nudges higher through the week ahead, expect daily keeper counts to improve and the bite to tighten up on drift. Work channel edges and transition zones between sand and structure for the best shot at quality fish.

Sea bass show no sign of cooling off. Blue Chip Sportfishing has been limiting out on virtually every trip and the fleet expects that to continue well into July. This is the safest bet in the region right now for a productive day on the water. Check current NJ size and possession limits before heading out, as regulations can shift mid-season.

The offshore picture is expanding quickly. Blue Chip reports Mako sharks 'busting wide open' with multiple fish per trip. Fishermans HQ LBI notes bluefin tuna have moved into NJ waters behind a massive squid invasion off the Jersey coast, with productive grounds reachable in 20-30 miles. OTW Saltwater's June 24 offshore report describes canyon fishing for yellowfin and bigeye as 'off to a red hot start.' This offshore push historically reaches grounds north of Sandy Hook as July progresses; anglers with offshore-capable boats should watch for squid concentrations at temperature breaks as a leading indicator.

Weekend anglers should plan for early-morning or after-dark outings to capitalize on the solunar peaks around the full moon. Summer afternoon southwest winds can stack seas quickly along the Jersey Shore, so an early departure is the prudent call.

Context

Late June in Raritan Bay and Sandy Hook is traditionally the inflection point between spring and summer fishing. The striper run, which typically builds through May and peaks around the Memorial Day and early June full moons, is now winding down with larger fish dispersing to cooler offshore habitat. OTW Northern New Jersey's June 25 report confirms the transition is underway, and On The Water's migration map frames it clearly: bigger bass are settling into summer feeding stations around bait concentrations rather than running north in the classic migratory push. This pattern is entirely on schedule for the calendar date.

The fluke bite's slow start this season appears tied to prolonged cool water temperatures in the low-to-mid 60s, a pattern the Saltwater Edge Blog also flagged across the broader Northeast coast through mid-June. Fluke in Raritan Bay typically become more aggressive and easier to pattern once temps stabilize above 65°F, and Capt Ron's reports from Atlantic Highlands suggest that threshold has finally been crossed in the past week. A 'quality fish finally showing up' report in late June is slightly behind the historical norm; keeper-grade fluke often arrive in earnest by early June in a typical season. A cool spring can push that window back by two to three weeks, and that appears to be what happened this year.

Sea bass reaching near-daily-limit status in late June fits squarely within historical expectations. Black sea bass typically fill in around nearshore structure along the Sandy Hook front by late May and remain prolific through August. Blue Chip Sportfishing's 'red hot' characterization matches what an on-schedule late-June sea bass window looks like in a normal to above-normal year for this zone.

Mako and blue sharks moving within range by late June is consistent with historical patterns as well. Gulf Stream warmth pressing north and forage concentrating at temperature breaks traditionally draw pelagic predators into NJ waters through July. Multiple Mako releases per trip, as Blue Chip Sportfishing reports, suggests 2026 is shaping up as at least an average shark season in this zone, with the window likely to hold through mid-to-late July.