Stripers and Sea Bass Sizzle as Bluefin Tuna Join the Jersey Shore Party

What's Biting

What's Next

**Striped Bass and Surf Action**

Today's new moon brings strong tidal pull, and the timing is favorable. On The Water's June 12 striper migration map notes bass remain 'widespread from New Jersey to Maine,' with the new moon and resulting big tides expected to push fish and bait toward summer haunts. Grumpys Tackle (NJ) confirms surf fishing with clams remains the thing to do, with a larger class of striped bass having recently moved into the lineup. OTW Northern New Jersey (June 11) echoes this: stripers are still reliably taking clams in the surf. Target the dawn and dusk windows on a moving tide — cuts, bowls, and gutters where bait stacks up will be the prime zones.

**Sea Bass and Bottom Fishing**

Blue Chip Sportfishing is describing sea bass as 'red hot' and limiting out on nearly every trip — a strong signal for anyone with a reef charter on the calendar. Capt Ron's Atlantic Highlands reports sea bass mixed with ling on bottom drops, though the bite has shown day-to-day variability; Capt Ron's has noted fish showing on the sounder but refusing to commit on tougher mornings. Bottom-fishing parties should be ready to move and cover ground if a spot goes cold.

**Bluefin Tuna — the New Offshore Player**

Both Fishermans HQ LBI and Grumpys Tackle flag a notable development: bluefin tuna have moved within striking distance on the heels of what Fishermans HQ LBI describes as a 'massive squid invasion' off the Jersey coast. Grounds are running 20 to 30 miles out, with drifting bait as the primary tactic. Grumpys Tackle notes live or fresh squid is among the best baits offshore right now. If that squid concentration holds through the weekend, the new moon tidal push may keep fish active.

**Fluke and Supporting Cast**

Fluke are a work in progress. OTW Northern New Jersey (June 11) describes the bite as 'slowly improving' as warmer water and bait continue to arrive. Bucktails and Gulp! are working in the surf and back-bay rivers, with Grumpys Tackle noting some anglers also using unconventional tactics like plastic swimmers to good effect. Bluefish and black drum are rounding out the surf action and giving shore anglers extra targets when the bass action slows.

Context

Mid-June on the Jersey Shore typically marks the tail end of the spring striper run and the beginning of the early summer transition. Historically, the first and second weeks of June can still deliver quality striped bass in the surf — Fishermans HQ LBI noted exactly this pattern in their June 1 report, writing that 'historically speaking we see a large body of striped bass the first and second week of June.' The fact that OTW Northern New Jersey was still reporting a reliable clam bite in the surf as of June 11 suggests the 2026 spring run has been strong and well-extended. Long Beach Island reports from late May described water temperatures in the mid-50s with clean green water — conditions that kept fish engaged well into June.

Sea bass in full swing by mid-June is squarely on schedule. Limiting out on charters is achievable when fish are stacked on quality structure, and Blue Chip Sportfishing's reports are consistent with the typical late-spring bottom fishery the Shore is known for at this time of year.

The bluefin tuna inshore push is the outlier. Large squid concentrations do occasionally draw tuna inside 30 miles of the Jersey coast in late spring and early summer, but the scale Fishermans HQ LBI describes — a 'massive squid invasion' pulling fish within day-trip range — reads as a notable event rather than a routine seasonal baseline. Offshore anglers should take advantage while the squid holds.

Fluke fishing in mid-June is typically just warming up along the Shore, so the 'slowly improving' characterization from OTW Northern New Jersey is right on schedule. Expect the fluke bite to build through late June and into July as inshore water temperatures continue to climb.