Tautog push moves into Delaware Bay as fluke season closes
NOAA CO-OPS station 8537121 has Delaware Bay water sitting at 70.9°F, still carrying late-summer warmth into the last week of September. Higbee's Bait and Tackle, via The Fisherman — Southern NJ, reports bluefish and weakfish mixed into a broader bottom bite for anglers drifting smaller baits, while a heavy push of tautog has moved onto the bay's structure, chewing sand fleas, green crabs and fiddlers with fish running to 4 pounds. Big Dave's Tackle, in the same report, confirms the weakfish showing and notes a targeted bite starting for anglers throwing soft plastics near the lighthouses. Today marks the close of New Jersey's fluke season, per The Fisherman (Northeast), with most Atlantic Coast anglers fighting an abundance of short fish through the run.
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The full moon is pushing bigger tides, with the next high near 9:12 PM and low around 3:43 AM, so current should run harder through the bay's channels and structure over the next few days — generally good news for the tautog bite on sand fleas and crab baits.
The Fisherman (Northeast) flags an incoming nor'easter working through the region this week, which will likely cut into boat trips but can also stir bait and push more water through the bay. Once that front clears, look for the weakfish bite near the lighthouses and the bluefish action to hold, with attention shifting toward tautog now that fluke season has closed.
Plan weekend trips around the post-frontal window once winds lay down, and work the stronger tide swings while the moon is full.
Context
Water still in the low 70s and an active tautog push are typical for late September in Delaware Bay, where summer holdovers linger even as the seasonal turn toward tautog and eventually striped bass gets underway. The bay is in its transitional phase between the close of fluke season and the cooler-water bite that defines October here — on schedule for this point in the calendar, not early or late.
Synthesized from real-time NOAA buoy data, USGS stream gauges, and current reports across regional fishing blogs, captain updates, and angler forums. Check local regulations before keeping fish. Never trust a single source for a trip decision.
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