Tog and night stripers lead the Jersey Shore bite this week

What's biting

What's next

Winds are shifting northwest after the weekend nor'easter, and Capt Ron's Atlantic Highlands NJ says the week looks good, so expect the surf to clean up and the bottom bite to hold. Fishermans HQ LBI (NJ) describes good fall fishing building on Long Beach Island as the post-storm surf settles, which lines up with the blackfish and striper reports above.

Tides are the timing to plan around. At station 8534720, high water is near 4:40 AM and low near 10:30 AM local time. Station 8536110 runs about an hour later, with high near 5:40 AM and low near 11:30 AM. Build surf trips around those tide changes, since the night bite has been the most consistent thing in the reports.

Expect the tog bite to firm up as the water cools into fall, and watch the back bays for striper action to tighten as bait moves through. The early fall reports of 50-inch-plus stripers along the north coast, per The Fisherman (Northeast), suggest the bigger fish are beginning to show, so keep a bait rig ready for the surf in case a blitz breaks.

Context

Early October sits in the transition from summer to fall on the Jersey Shore. Water in the mid-60s is typical for this stretch, and as it cools, blackfish generally move onto jetties and rock piles, which matches the tog reports. Striped bass usually build through October as the fall migration gets going, so a steady night bite on the back bays and jetties is in line with the season. Bluefish and weakfish are usually past their peak by late fall, while fluke activity typically tapers as water temperatures fall. Size and season limits for tautog, fluke and striped bass change, so check state regs before harvesting any fish.