New Jersey fishing reports
379 reports for New Jersey — what's biting, water temps, and where to focus.
Red-hot sea bass and crushing striper bite frame Sandy Hook week
Capt Ron's out of Atlantic Highlands logged a strong stretch this week, with Saturday's open-boat crew boxing several three-fish sea bass limits and a pool-leading fish at 4 pounds, 1 ounce; small Gulp sand eels on a plain rig have been the ticket on the drift. Blue Chip Sportfishing calls sea bass fishing 'red hot,' with anglers limiting out on almost every trip, and reports striped bass 'crushing it' on recent charters. Zooming out, On The Water's Northern New Jersey report (July 9) notes fluke rebounding from the surf out to the reefs after a stretch of heat and rough weather, small bluefish and stripers holding steady on the beaches, and bluefin tuna still working the midshore grounds 15 to 40 miles out. Right around the Bay and Hook, sea bass is the most dependable box-filler this week, with striper and fluke action trending the right direction as conditions settle.
Sea bass and stripers stay hot as bluefin push into range off NJ
Blue Chip Sportfishing is limiting out on black sea bass almost every trip right now, and stripers are getting crushed on every trip too, per the charter's latest report. Capt Ron's out of Atlantic Highlands backs up the sea bass push, with several anglers landing three keeper fish apiece on small Gulp sand eels once the tide turned. Offshore, bluefin tuna have moved onto the midshore grounds within 15 to 40 miles of the beach, per this week's OTW Northern New Jersey report, and Fishermans HQ LBI notes the fish arrived hot on the heels of a squid invasion off the Jersey coast, with 20 to 30 mile drifting trips producing fish. That same OTW Northern New Jersey report has fluke trending upward from the surf to the reefs after a rough stretch of heat and weather, while Grumpys Tackle has surf bass still taking clams and fluke working on bucktails and scented soft baits.
Delaware River bass and Pine Barrens panfish settle into summer patterns
No NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came through for the Delaware River or Pine Barrens waters this cycle, and this week's angler-intel feed leans almost entirely saltwater and out-of-state, so this report leans on typical mid-July freshwater patterns for the region. Smallmouth and largemouth bass are the mainstay action on the Delaware River this time of year, holding on deeper structure and current breaks as water warms; Pine Barrens ponds and cedar-water streams still hold panfish and pickerel in the shallows, especially early and late in the day. NJ Fish & Wildlife News flagged seasonal closures at several Wildlife Management Areas statewide (through September 7) for public safety, worth checking before you park at a WMA access point. Water clarity in Pine Barrens cedar streams typically runs tea-stained this time of year, which can work in an angler's favor for structure-hugging species. Expect a quiet, technical bite rather than a blowup pattern until temperatures ease.
Bay crabs and surf stripers hold steady as summer settles into Delaware Bay
Direct Delaware Bay buoy and gauge data are offline this cycle, but the season's core NJ bay pattern is intact. Grumpys Tackle (NJ) reports "the crab hauls have been good off of the local docks" in its recent "Surf Bite Rebound and Pre-Ray Panic" update, alongside striped bass "taking clams again" in the surf and fluke working bucktails and soft baits, with "a couple of weakfish reported" mixed in. Those are the same species anglers should expect working the Delaware Bay side this time of year: blue crab, weakfish, striper, and summer flounder sharing the same bay-and-surf water column. NJ Saltwater Fisherman's statewide bluefin tuna and size/possession-limit updates remain the reference for anyone running offshore or keeping a mixed bag, so check current retention limits before harvesting. With no bay-specific buoy readings this cycle, treat water temp and current strength as unknowns until the next data pull; plan around clean, moving water and dock/structure edges in the meantime.
Sea Bass Limiting Out Off Sandy Hook as Stripers Stay Strong
Capt Ron's out of Atlantic Highlands is putting anglers on quality black sea bass in the Bay and near-shore grounds, with a 5-pound, 8-ounce fish topping this week's monthly pool and small Gulp sand eels working best on simple bottom rigs. Blue Chip Sportfishing calls sea bass fishing 'red hot' right now, with boats limiting out on almost every trip, and reports striped bass getting crushed on the same trips along with a shark bite that has 'busted wide open,' including released mako sharks on a recent run. Per OTW Northern New Jersey's July 9 report, fluke fishing is on the upswing from the surf out to the reefs after a stretch of heat and rough weather, small bluefish and stripers are working the beaches, and bluefin tuna remain within 15 to 40 miles of shore. Fishermans HQ LBI adds that a fresh bluefin push arrived on the heels of a heavy squid showing off the Jersey coast. Sea bass and stripers are the standout bite for Raritan Bay and Sandy Hook right now.
Fluke bite turns the corner as bluefin push into Jersey Shore range
Fluke are turning the corner from a sluggish June into a genuinely productive July across the Jersey Shore. On The Water's Northern New Jersey forecast (July 9) notes fluking is on the upswing from the surf to the reefs, and The Fisherman — NJ/DE Surf says fluke should become the main event in the surf this month on bucktail and Gulp combos. Offshore, bluefin tuna have pushed into range: The Fisherman — NJ/DE Offshore has fish to 40 pounds working inshore lumps stacked with sand eels, while Fishermans HQ LBI ties the push to a squid invasion off the coast. Striped bass are a mixed bag — Blue Chip Sportfishing reports crushing stripers on every trip, though surf-shop reports describe more of a tail-end bite on clam baits. Black sea bass, by contrast, just closed one of its poorest seasons in years per The Fisherman — Northern NJ, with captains pivoting effort to fluke and bluefish.
Smallmouth and Catfish Turn On as Delaware River Settles Into Summer
The Delaware River corridor is running below normal after a dry, uneven June, according to JB Kasper of The Fisherman — NJ/DE Freshwater. Even so, the summer bite is settling in. Near Ewing, Old School Outdoors reports smallmouth bass fishing is good and should keep improving through July, with catfishing also productive in the river. On the Passaic, Fairfield Fishing Tackle notes low water has pushed northern pike and smallmouth into deeper holes, eddies, and bridge pilings, so anglers need to work for them. Tackle World says the northern streams remain full of trout and should keep producing with any rain, and July traditionally marks the start of deepwater smallmouth action in the bigger reservoirs. On area lakes, Dow's Boat Rentals notes largemouth are locked into early morning and late afternoon shade patterns, with walleye and hybrid stripers feeding after dark around drop-offs and points.
Striped bass and sea bass turn red hot as NJ summer pattern locks in
Striped bass are "crushing it on every trip" according to Blue Chip Sportfishing, and black sea bass fishing is running red hot, with boats limiting out on nearly every outing. Capt Ron's Atlantic Highlands reports keeper sea bass showing steadily on the drops, with small Gulp sand eels working best on simple rigs. Fluke are trending upward from the surf to the reefs per On The Water's Northern New Jersey report, and bluefin tuna remain within 15 to 40 miles of shore on the midshore grounds. Grumpys Tackle notes striped bass still eating clams in the surf, fluke coming on bucktails and scented soft artificial baits, and a couple of weakfish showing in the mix. Fishermans HQ LBI reports bluefin tuna pushed into range behind a massive squid invasion off the Jersey coast. Early July has the summer pattern locked in solidly across the board.
Sea bass stay hot in Raritan Bay as fluke rally on the reefs
Capt Ron's out of Atlantic Highlands worked through choppy conditions this week, still boating keeper sea bass and multiple three-fish limits on small Gulp sand eels once the tide turned. Blue Chip Sportfishing reports sea bass fishing 'red hot,' with boats limiting out on nearly every trip, and shark fishing has busted open too, three Mako sharks landed and released on a recent Friday run. Just north of here, On The Water's July 9 Northern New Jersey report has fluke fishing trending upward from the surf to the reefs, with bluefin tuna still working the midshore grounds and small bluefish and stripers showing on the beaches. Grumpys Tackle in Seaside Park describes striped bass still taking clams in the surf alongside a steady fluke bite on bucktails. Conditions are choppy and current-dependent day to day, per Capt Ron, so timing the tide change is paying off more than raw effort right now.
Fluke Bite Takes Over the Jersey Shore as Summer Patterns Lock In
Southern New Jersey's back bays are thick with summer flounder — Waterfront Marine says "everyone is flounder fishing," with keeper numbers climbing at spots like the Ocean City Reef Site, where Fin-Atics logged an 8-pound fish, and Boulevard Bait & Tackle weighed a 7-pound, 8-ounce back-bay flattie. Central Jersey mirrors the trend: Creekside Outfitters reports an 8.5-pound keeper striper mixed in with fluke on live spot, while Barnegat Light produces steady action once water temps stabilized after a cool spell, per Miss Barnegat Light. Striped bass are thinning out in the surf — Hook House in Toms River says most anglers around Island Beach State Park are pivoting to fluke as errant stripers fade. Offshore, bluefin tuna remain the story, with Fin-Atics and Hands Too Bait and Tackle both logging fish to 40-60 pounds at the inshore lumps and canyons. Sea bass, meanwhile, closed out one of its poorer seasons per Northern Jersey boat captains.
Delaware River Smallmouth Bite Building as Flows Run Lean
USGS gauge 01408000 is reading a lean 32.8 cfs this morning, consistent with what Old School Outdoors in Ewing describes as a river still running below normal even after late-June rains. The good news: smallmouth fishing is good there now and should get better in July, per the shop, with catfishing also holding up well in the river. Crappie action has cooled off as the bite shifts into a more typical summer pattern. JB Kasper notes June's 90-degree days and inconsistent weather made for tricky reading, but expects more stable Dog Days conditions to settle in through July, which should tighten up topwater windows early and late in the day. At Dow's Boat Rentals, largemouth are keying on shadow lines during the coolest parts of the day as open season draws more traffic to local lakes and ponds, with vegetation left standing after recent cutting holding fish close to structure.
Bluefin Push In as Delaware Bay's Summer Bite Rounds Into Form
Delaware Bay's shift into summer is delivering across the board, per Eric Burnley's regional column for The Fisherman — DE/MD/Chesapeake, which reports croaker, spot, sheepshead, bluefin tuna, and flounder all showing in stronger numbers than any point so far this year, with more fishable weather than blowouts for the first time all season. Smith's Bait Shop says the Bowers Beach jetty is turning out spot, croaker, and flounder alongside occasional bluefish, while stripers there are still taking bloodworms and cut mullet. Offshore, Fin-Atics and Hands Too Bait and Tackle (The Fisherman — NJ/DE Offshore) report bluefin tuna from footballs to 60 pounds working the inshore lumps and the Cigar on trolled ballyhoo and poppers, with tilefish holding steady in the canyons. Cape Henlopen's pier continues to produce spot, croaker, and the occasional keeper flounder on live minnows. Conditions favor a continuation of this pattern into the coming weeks.