Stripers, Sea Bass, and Bluefin All Firing Along the Jersey Shore
Blue Chip Sportfishing is reporting sea bass fishing as red hot, nearly limiting out on every trip, while the spring striper surf bite rolls strong into early June. OTW Northern New Jersey's June 4 report puts quality sea bass on the offshore reefs, fluke up to 8 pounds in the rivers, and a healthy surf mix of bluefish, black drum, and stripers all chewing. Grumpys Tackle notes a larger class of striped bass has pushed into the suds, with clams and bunker producing the most consistent results. Down at Long Beach Island, Fishermans HQ LBI reports that the post-full-moon (June 1) window often delivers some of the best quality-fish action of the entire spring run — size over numbers, with bigger bass historically showing in the first and second weeks of June. Adding offshore excitement, a massive squid invasion off the Jersey coast has pulled bluefin tuna within 20 to 30 miles of the beach, per Fishermans HQ LBI, putting pelagic action within reach of local sportfishing boats.
Current Conditions
- Moon
- Waning Crescent
- Weather
- Check local forecast before heading out.
New to these readings? What do water temp, cfs, tide, and moon phase actually mean for fishing?
What's Biting
Striped Bass
clams and bunker chunks in the surf, dawn and dusk tide windows
Sea Bass
reef drops on moving tide, jig with teaser at end of drift
Summer Flounder (Fluke)
bucktails and Gulp in rivers and back bays
Bluefish
metal lures and surface plugs in the surf
What's Next
With the waning crescent now a few days from the new moon (around June 14–15), tidal exchanges are moderating before building again — a window many Jersey Shore surf casters target for a consistent night bite on stripers. As the new moon approaches, expect dawn and dusk outgoing-tide windows to be the most productive for bass in the suds. Clams remain the top surf bait per both Grumpys Tackle and Fishermans HQ LBI, with bunker chunks and live sand fleas (mole crabs) also accounting for fish. Fishermans HQ LBI notes that the first and second weeks of June historically see the final surge of quality spring bass — don't count the striper run out yet.
The bluefin tuna development is the headline for boat anglers. Fishermans HQ LBI reports a massive squid invasion off the Jersey coast with tuna reachable on 20 to 30 mile runs — short by offshore standards. Drifting live or fresh-dead squid will be the primary tactic, with jigging as a secondary option. NOAA adjusted 2026 Atlantic bluefin retention limits effective June 1, per NJ Saltwater Fisherman — confirm current rules before heading offshore.
Sea bass action remains exceptional. Blue Chip Sportfishing continues to post near-limit days, and Capt Ron's Atlantic Highlands is finding a strong ling and sea bass mix on reef drops when current is moving. Capt Ron's has noted the bite goes quiet when there's no current or breeze — plan your drops around the tide rather than anchoring blind. Jigging with a teaser at the end of the drift has been picking up extra fish per Capt Ron's.
Fluke season is building momentum. OTW Northern New Jersey put 8-pound fish in the back rivers on June 4, and Grumpys Tackle notes the surf fluke bite rebounded after a brief lull, with bucktails and Gulp doing the work. As water temps continue to climb through mid-June, larger fluke should push from the rivers toward inlet mouths and nearshore ocean structure.
Bluefish and black drum continue to show in the surf mix per Grumpys Tackle and OTW Northern New Jersey. Blues can disrupt chunk-bait striper sets — switching to metal lures or surface plugs helps sort the two. Black drum tend to stack near jetty bases and inlet mouths; a clam-baited fish-finder rig on the bottom is the standard play.
Context
Early June on the Jersey Shore typically marks the tail end of the spring striper migration, but it is often the quality window rather than the volume window. Fish pushing through this late tend to run larger, and Fishermans HQ LBI frames the pattern well: historically, the first and second weeks of June deliver some of the best size-class bass of the entire spring run, even as overall numbers begin to thin. The 2026 season appears to be tracking that script, with Grumpys Tackle confirming a bigger class of fish has moved into the surf.
Sea bass fishing is also exactly where it should be for this time of year. The red-hot reports from Blue Chip Sportfishing and the productive reef sessions out of Atlantic Highlands via Capt Ron's are consistent with what NJ anglers expect from the reef fishery in June. Ling (cusk) mixing into the bottom catches alongside sea bass is a characteristic of the mid-depth reef drops out of Atlantic Highlands and has been a reliable secondary catch for Capt Ron's throughout the season.
The bluefin tuna appearance warrants a note as an early-season development. NJ offshore boats do encounter bluefin during summer and fall squid runs, but close-range mid-June availability tied directly to a reported squid invasion — as described by Fishermans HQ LBI — suggests the bait concentration is running thick and shallow this year. If that squid school holds, the bluefin bite could extend well into late June.
Fluke (summer flounder) action building in the rivers and inlets by early June is on schedule. The 8-pound river fish logged by OTW Northern New Jersey on June 4 are above average for back-bay fish and a positive sign for the season's trajectory. As a general pattern, quality fluke tend to spread from protected back-bay and river areas outward toward ocean inlets and nearshore wrecks as water temperatures rise through the month. Overall the 2026 shore season looks on pace or slightly ahead across multiple species simultaneously.
This report is synthesized by Hooked Fisherman from real-time NOAA buoy data, USGS stream gauges, and current reports across regional fishing blogs, captain updates, and angler forums. Source names are cited inline where they appear. Check local regulations before keeping fish. Never trust a single source for a trip decision.