New Jersey fishing reports
379 reports for New Jersey — what's biting, water temps, and where to focus.
Fluke and Sea Bass Keep Raritan Bay Boats Filling Coolers
Capt Ron's out of Atlantic Highlands is reporting an all-day bite on quality fluke, with several customers boating their three-fish limit and solid black sea bass mixed in — though the boat's most recent Tuesday trip flagged a tougher bite with short life on the drops, a reminder this pattern comes with off days. Up the coast, OTW's Northern New Jersey report (July 16) has keeper fluke becoming more common from the surf out to the reefs, with bluefin tuna still working the midshore grounds and cocktail bluefish moving into the rivers and inlets. Blue Chip Sportfishing is calling sea bass action "red hot," limiting out on almost every trip, and striped bass are holding on clams in the surf per Grumpys Tackle. Expect a solid Raritan Bay/Sandy Hook mixed bag heading into the weekend, tide and current permitting.
Delaware River Smallmouth, Pine Barrens Pickerel Ease Into Summer
This cycle's angler-intel feed carried almost no direct field reports from the Delaware River or Pine Barrens waterways themselves — most of the NJ chatter this week skewed toward the ocean side (fluke, sea bass, and striped bass action out of Atlantic Highlands and Long Beach Island), which doesn't translate to this freshwater region. Absent local reports, conditions here are tracking the typical mid-July pattern: smallmouth bass pushing into deeper runs and current breaks on the main river as surface water warms, while Pine Barrens pickerel and panfish tuck into cedar-stained slow water and weed edges. No buoy or gauge readings came through for this stretch this cycle, so treat flow and temperature as unconfirmed until you check a local source before heading out. We'd rather flag the data gap than guess at specifics.
Fluke bite builds along the Jersey Shore as sea bass limits keep coming
Surf temperatures at Long Beach Island have climbed to their seasonal high, around 72°F, per Fishermans HQ LBI's mid-July report, and that warmth is filling out a full summer lineup on Jersey Shore hooks. Fluke are the headline: Central NJ shops report the summer flounder bite "continues to gain momentum," and OTW Northern New Jersey's July 16 report notes keeper fluke are becoming more common from the surf out to the reefs. Black sea bass are red-hot on the bottom — Blue Chip Sportfishing says boats are "limiting out on almost every trip," and Capt Ron's in Atlantic Highlands logged "a good catch of big sea bass" on a recent run. Striped bass and bluefish are mixed into the surf and back-bay catch, with Grumpys Tackle noting bass activity on clams along the beach. Offshore, yellowfin and bigeye tuna are firing in the canyons per The Fisherman's NJ/DE Offshore report.
Bay-side fluke and striper action mirrors the Jersey Shore's hot July bite
No angler intel came in directly from Delaware Bay boats this cycle, but the species mix reported up the Jersey coast lines up with what the bay typically holds in mid-July. Grumpys Tackle (NJ) describes fluke, bluefish, and striped bass as the summer standard, with croaker and spot rounding out the bycatch. Fishermans HQ LBI reports the same lineup plus weakfish, croaker, and kingfish showing in the mix as water temps climb into the low-to-mid 70s. Blue Chip Sportfishing calls sea bass fishing "red hot," with boats limiting out on nearly every trip, while Capt Ron's Atlantic Highlands notes a mixed fluke bite that depends heavily on drift and current speed. For Delaware Bay anglers, expect a similar pattern: fluke and weakfish working the channels and edges, striper holdovers in the current lines, and blue crabs filling out the bay's summer bycatch as the season peaks.
Fluke and sea bass fire up around Raritan Bay and Sandy Hook
Keeper fluke are turning up more consistently from the surf to the reefs this week, per OTW Northern New Jersey's July 16 report, and Capt Ron's Atlantic Highlands NJ has posted a run of solid trips through mid-July, with anglers Mark Hrubic and Gen Wong topping recent flounder pools at over four and six pounds. Black sea bass are mixed in on nearly every drift at the Highlands, and Blue Chip Sportfishing (NJ) calls sea bass fishing "red hot," with boats limiting out on almost every trip. Offshore, bluefin tuna continue working the midshore grounds 15 to 40 miles out while yellowfin dominate the canyons, and cocktail bluefish are active in the rivers and inlets, per OTW Northern New Jersey. Striped bass remain in the mix on area beaches, though summer numbers typically run smaller than the spring push. Drift and current have been inconsistent day to day at the Highlands, so timing the tide matters as much as location.
Delaware River smallmouth turn on as Pine Barrens ponds hold steady
Dave's Sport Shop in Doylestown reports smallmouth bass fishing on the Delaware River was decent this past week, squeezed in between passing storms — a solid sign for river anglers working current seams and riffles. Down in the Pine Barrens, Hands Too Bait and Tackle says weedless soft plastics like Zoom Flukes and Senkos are producing largemouth bass and pickerel at Dennisville Lake, Magnolia Lake, and Ponderlodge Lake, the latter part of the Cox Hall Creek Wildlife Management Area highlighted this week by NJ Fish & Wildlife News. Allen's Dock notes recent rain and wind recharged water levels in the cedar-stained lower-state waters, with pickerel taking killies as conditions reset. Farther north, Smith's Bait Shop is seeing bass and snakeheads around vegetation in Garrisons Lake on Chatterbaits, plus a reliable evening bite on white perch, panfish, and crappie in area spillways. Bring topwater and weedless presentations for the tannic water.
Fluke, Sea Bass and Stripers All Firing Along the Jersey Shore
Surf temperatures off Long Beach Island have climbed to their seasonal high around 72°F this week, and the bite is keeping pace, per Fishermans HQ LBI. Fluke, bluefish, striped bass, weakfish, croaker and kingfish are all in the mix from the beach to the reefs. Capt Ron's out of Atlantic Highlands reported a strong all-day bite on quality fluke, with several anglers boxing three-fish limits and sea bass filling out coolers alongside them. Blue Chip Sportfishing says sea bass fishing is "red hot," with limits coming on almost every trip, and stripers are getting crushed on every run. Grumpys Tackle notes fluke responding to bucktails and scented soft artificial baits in the surf, with bass still hitting clams. Offshore, OTW Northern New Jersey and OTW Saltwater both report bluefin tuna holding on the midshore grounds 15 to 40 miles out while yellowfin dominate the canyons. Check current state size and possession limits before keeping fish.
NJ fluke bite trends up as Delaware Bay settles into peak summer pattern
Keeper fluke are "becoming more common from the surf to the reefs" across New Jersey this week, per On The Water's Northern New Jersey report (July 16), with Grumpys Tackle in Seaside Park noting summer flounder responding to bucktails tipped with scented soft artificial bait. No live buoy or gauge readings came back for Delaware Bay specifically this cycle, so we're leaning on broader NJ shore signal rather than bay-only data. Striped bass activity in the feeds skews toward the Atlantic side — Grumpys reports bass on clams in the surf and Blue Chip Sportfishing describes "crushing" stripers on charter trips — and striper behavior typically shifts toward deeper, cooler water by mid-July, a pattern likely echoed in the bay. On The Water also flagged thousands of black drum recently filmed off New Jersey beaches, though the bay's spring drum run is usually winding down by now. Croaker and kingfish round out the July mix per Fishermans HQ LBI's species rundown.
Fluke and sea bass limits keep Raritan Bay boats busy
Anglers running out of Atlantic Highlands are stacking fluke limits this week, with quality Sea Bass mixed in on the same drifts, per Capt Ron's Atlantic Highlands NJ — several parties reported three-keeper days, with the pool fish topping four pounds on a good weekend bite. Blue Chip Sportfishing (NJ) is calling Sea Bass fishing red hot right now, with boats limiting out on nearly every trip. Up the coast, OTW Northern New Jersey's July 16 report notes keeper fluke becoming more common from the surf to the reefs, cocktail bluefish working the rivers and inlets, and small bluefish and stripers still showing on the beaches from the prior week's report. Drift conditions have been inconsistent day to day per Capt Ron's, with current sometimes too slow to work bait cleanly and forcing captains to work the throttles. With the moon waxing toward full, expect the fluke bite to stay the most reliable target in the bay through the week, with Sea Bass filling in as a steady bonus.
Delaware River Smallmouth Bite Rebounds Between Summer Storms
Smallmouth bass fishing in the Delaware River was decent this past week between recurring summer storms, per Dave's Sport Shop in Doylestown. In the Pine Barrens, Hands Too Bait and Tackle in Cape May reports bass and pickerel keying on weedless soft plastics like Zoom Flukes and Senkos at Dennisville Lake, Magnolia Lake, and Ponderlodge Lake, along with the small ponds tucked into local campgrounds. Evenings are producing too: Smith's Bait Shop notes good white perch, panfish, and crappie action in spillways across most lakes and ponds. Not every water is cooperating: Allen's Dock called it a slow week in the lower state after wind and storms kept anglers off the water, though the rain that followed pushed water levels and the salt line into a better position, and the only reported bite was pickerel on killies in the recharged cedar waters. A typical mid-July pattern: work shade, structure, and the evening transition.
Sea Bass Limits Roll In as Jersey Shore Fluke Bite Builds
Surf temperatures near 72°F at Long Beach Island per Fishermans HQ LBI mark a full summer pattern settling over the Jersey Shore. Black sea bass are the standout: Blue Chip Sportfishing calls the bite 'red hot' with boats limiting out almost every trip, and Central Jersey's Mary M IV reports anglers regularly boxing limits alongside excellent ling fishing, with one angler landing 60 ling in a day. Fluke are trending up too — Jingles Bait and Tackle in Beach Haven says the summer flounder bite 'continues to gain momentum,' while OTW's Northern New Jersey report notes keeper fluke becoming more common from the surf to the reefs. Kingfish have pushed into the suds, with Surf City Bait and Tackle confirming fresh arrivals and restocked bloodworm supply. Striped bass are around but scattered — Grumpys Tackle and The Fisherman's NJ/DE Surf report both describe stripers as a secondary catch behind fluke and sea bass right now. Offshore, yellowfin and bigeye tuna are firing in the canyons.
Delaware Bay flounder bite accelerates with keepers pushing 20 inches
Keeper flounder are pushing into the 20- to 22-inch range across Delaware Bay this week. Big Dave's Tackle (Southern New Jersey) calls the bay bite 'really accelerated... over the last few weeks,' and Higbee's Bait and Tackle reports boaters landing flounder to 22 inches on live minnows along with plenty of spot and croaker. Croaker numbers remain strong up and down the bay side — Higbee's notes croakers, spot and snapper blues hitting bloodworm and Fishbites hi-lo rigs off Fortescue Beach, while the back creeks are giving up a solid perch bite on bloodworms and grass shrimp. On the ocean side toward Cape May, Hands Too Bait and Tackle reports croakers and kingfish snapping on the oceanfront, fluke holding tight to the Cape May Point jetties, and scattered bluefish and stripers still mixed in. Sheepshead and triggerfish are sticking to the rocks on sand fleas. No live buoy or gauge readings were available for the bay this cycle.