Sea Bass Limits, Fluke Rebound, and Mako Sharks Opening Up Off Jersey

What's biting

What's next

The full moon tonight sets up strong tidal exchanges over the next several days. Peak tidal movement around moonrise and moonset will be your best windows for fluke in the Raritan Bay channels and along Sandy Hook's rip edges. Capt Ron's Atlantic Highlands has noted that better fluke tend to show at tide changes; run gulp sand eels on a light Carolina rig or simple bait rig. When drift conditions are light, bucktails tipped with Gulp have been productive per Grumpys Tackle (NJ).

Black sea bass are the safest bet for a box trip right now. Blue Chip Sportfishing describes the action as about as good as it gets, with near-limits on most offshore structure trips. Standard hi-lo rigs with squid or clam strips are working confidently on the wrecks. Check NJ Saltwater Fisherman for current size and possession limits before heading out and confirm your permit category for any offshore run.

The striper surf bite should remain solid through the Fourth of July weekend. Clams have been the consistent producer per Grumpys Tackle (NJ), and OTW Northern New Jersey's June 25 report notes fish also hitting plugs and chunks along the beach. Dawn and dusk windows on a moving tide, especially along the Sandy Hook beachfront, are your highest-percentage shots. Bluefish are running in the mix and will hit similar presentations.

Offshore, the bluefin tuna bite is building within striking distance to the south per OTW Northern New Jersey, with runs of roughly 20 to 30 miles getting boats on fish. Drifting live bait is the primary tactic being used. NOAA adjusted the 2026 angling category retention limits effective June 1 per NJ Saltwater Fisherman, so confirm your vessel's permit category before targeting bluefin. Mako sharks remain active on the offshore grounds; Blue Chip has logged multiple releases on recent trips.

Weakfish have been trickling through behind the fluke bite per Grumpys Tackle (NJ), sparse but present. If you're working the back bay with soft plastics or bucktails, a weakfish as a bonus catch is not out of the question.

Context

Late June at Raritan Bay and Sandy Hook is traditionally a transitional stretch. The spring striper run winds down, summer flounder shift from backwaters into nearshore grounds, and sea bass reach peak summer activity on hard-bottom structure offshore. What stands out this year is how the striper surf bite has held later than typical. OTW Northern New Jersey describes beach fishing as "decent" as of June 25, and Grumpys Tackle (NJ) reports the surf bite rebounding after weather disruption, suggesting the fish have not fully departed for offshore summer grounds.

The fluke story follows a familiar arc. Capt Ron's Atlantic Highlands reported that early-season trips brought mostly short fish on grinding outings, consistent with typical late May and early June patterns when bait concentrations are still building. Water warming toward the mid-60s, with Capt Ron logging 65.7 degrees at Atlantic Highlands, marks the point where quality fish typically start showing more reliably. That appears to be playing out now. OTW Northern New Jersey's June 18 report flagged improving fluke conditions from the bays to the beaches, and the June 25 update confirmed the rebound was real after an upwelling event briefly suppressed the bite.

Black sea bass firing in late June is right on the historical schedule. These fish typically peak on offshore wrecks and rocky bottom in June and July, and Blue Chip Sportfishing's near-limit trips align with what anglers expect from a healthy structure bite this time of year.

The Mako shark activity is a late June seasonal signal more than a surprise. Surface temperatures climbing into the mid-60s bring Makos within day-trip range out of Sandy Hook area ports. The bluefin tuna building to the south per OTW Northern New Jersey also tracks with the late June to early July pattern, when squid schools draw fish into nearshore range off the New Jersey coast.