New Jersey fishing reports
379 reports for New Jersey — what's biting, water temps, and where to focus.
Pine Barrens bass and pickerel prime as NJ summer bite takes hold
NJ Fish & Wildlife News spotlighted Hamburg Mountain Wildlife Management Area this week, citing Silver Lake and Franklin Pond Creek in Sussex County as productive stocked-trout and warm-water fisheries heading into summer. No USGS gauge readings or NOAA buoy data are available for the Delaware River or Pine Barrens drainages this cycle, so flow and temperature must be checked locally before you launch. NJ Fish & Wildlife News also notes that seasonal WMA closures are in effect at five Wildlife Management Areas through September 7, 2026, for resource and safety protection; verify access to your planned WMA before you go. The new moon of June 16 sets up favorable low-light feeding windows at dawn and dusk this week. With the Delaware's spring shad run traditionally winding down by mid-June, the fishery shifts to smallmouth bass, channel catfish, and largemouth bass in the back-country Pine Barrens lakes and cedar-stained streams. No charter or tackle-shop freshwater reports for the Delaware River or Pine Barrens basin appeared in this cycle's intel feeds.
Sea Bass at Full Boil on Jersey Shore as Bluefin Follow the Squid In
Sea bass fishing is on fire across Jersey Shore reef grounds, with Blue Chip Sportfishing reporting near-limit catches on nearly every trip. Water temperatures along Long Beach Island have climbed into the low-to-mid 60s, per Fishermans HQ LBI, signaling the full handoff from spring to summer. Striped bass remain highly active: Grumpys Tackle confirms a larger class of fish has settled into the surf zone, with clams and bunker chunks producing consistently, while OTW Northern New Jersey notes stripers are taking clams up and down the beaches. The standout offshore story is a massive squid invasion off the Jersey coast that has drawn bluefin tuna to within 20 to 30 miles of LBI, according to Fishermans HQ LBI. Mako sharks have also arrived: Blue Chip Sportfishing logged multiple releases on recent trips, including three makos in a single outing. Fluke action is building steadily, and bluefish are rounding out the surf mix as well.
Stripers and Sea Bass Running Hot at Sandy Hook Under the New Moon
Blue Chip Sportfishing is reporting near-limit sea bass action on recent offshore trips, with shark fishing also 'busted wide open' and Mako sharks being caught and released. Closer inshore at Atlantic Highlands, Capt Ron finds a more mixed picture — sea bass and ling are present on the structure, but on some days the fish simply won't commit despite strong sonar marks. OTW Northern New Jersey's June 11 report captures the broader story: stripers are actively hitting clams in the surf, sea bass are steady on nearshore reefs, and fluke are slowly building as warmer water and bait push north. Grumpy's Tackle confirms that a larger class of striped bass has moved into the Jersey surf zone, with clams and bunker chunks both drawing strikes. Per On The Water's June 12 striper migration map, bass remain distributed from New Jersey to Maine, and the new moon this week is expected to push fish and bait toward their summer grounds.
Black Drum, Stripers, and Blues Running as New Moon Tides Hit Delaware Bay
Grumpy's Tackle (NJ) reported black drum, striped bass, bluefish, and fluke all actively biting along the Jersey coast this week, with clams and bunker producing the best action on bass and drum. The OTW Northern New Jersey June 4 report specifically confirmed black drum chewing in the surf alongside stripers and bluefish — patterns that mirror what Delaware Bay's NJ shoreline typically sees at this time of year. No Delaware Bay-specific buoy readings are available, but Fishermans HQ LBI places nearby coastal NJ water temperatures in the low-to-mid 60s, and those conditions generally prevail in the bay as well. With the new moon landing June 16, tidal movement is at its strongest, setting up aggressive feeding windows along channel edges and rip lines. On The Water's striper migration map (June 12) notes bass running widespread from New Jersey to Maine, with new-moon tides expected to push fish and bait toward summer grounds over the coming days.
Delaware River & Pine Barrens Bass Bite Heats Up for Early Summer
NJ Fish & Wildlife News highlights Hamburg Mountain WMA this cycle, noting Silver Lake carries a car-top boat ramp and is well stocked with trout and warm-water species, while Franklin Pond Creek provides year-round trout habitat in the region. Beyond that WMA signal, no gauge or buoy data was available for this period, leaving Delaware River flow and temperature unconfirmed. On the mainstem, mid-June typically marks the close of the spring run and the opening of peak smallmouth season as flows stabilize and water pushes toward the upper 60s. Pine Barrens cedar waters are entering early-summer pattern, with largemouth bass transitioning off beds and chain pickerel retreating to shaded, deeper structure as afternoon heat builds. Today's new moon sharpens the dawn and dusk bite windows across both zones. No dedicated Delaware River or Pine Barrens charter or tackle-shop reports appeared in this cycle's data feed.
Sea Bass Red Hot as Mako Sharks and Bluefin Arrive on the Jersey Shore
Blue Chip Sportfishing is reporting sea bass fishing "red hot," with charters limiting out on nearly every trip as mid-June arrives. Water temperatures along Long Beach Island have climbed into the low-to-mid 60s, per Fishermans HQ LBI, signaling the spring-to-summer transition in earnest. In the surf, striped bass continue to respond to clam baits up and down the beaches, with OTW Northern New Jersey noting the bite stays consistent heading into the new-moon tidal window. Offshore, Fishermans HQ LBI reports bluefin tuna have moved in hot on the heels of a massive squid invasion off the Jersey coast, reachable on 20- to 30-mile runs. Blue Chip Sportfishing also reports shark fishing has "busted wide open," with multiple mako sharks caught and released in recent trips, including three makos on a single Friday outing. Fluke are steadily improving in bay and inlet waters, and Grumpys Tackle notes a larger class of striped bass has moved into the surf alongside bluefish and black drum.
Stripers Running Strong at Sandy Hook as Spring Pushes Into Summer
The June 15 new moon arrives alongside a productive stretch for Raritan Bay and Sandy Hook anglers. Per OTW Northern New Jersey's June 11 report, striped bass are actively taking clams in the surf, sea bass fishing is steady on the reefs, and fluke action is slowly building as water temperatures warm. Capt Ron's Atlantic Highlands, fishing the bay directly, reports an inconsistent sea bass picture: fish are present but gorged on tiny sand eels and reluctant to commit, though deeper-water runs have produced steady ling action alongside scattered bass. Blue Chip Sportfishing offers a more bullish read, reporting limits on sea bass on most trips. Grumpys Tackle confirms a larger class of stripers has moved into the surf, with clams and bunker the top producers. On The Water's June 12 striper migration map notes the run remains widespread from New Jersey to Maine, with new moon tides expected to push fish and bait toward summer haunts this week.
Delaware Bay New Moon Tides Activate Black Drum, Stripers, and Blues
With water temperatures climbing into the low-to-mid 60s along coastal New Jersey (Fishermans HQ LBI, June 14), Delaware Bay is in a productive late-spring to early-summer transition. Grumpys Tackle (NJ) captured the current mix in their "Drum, Bass, Blues" roundup, with black drum still running alongside striped bass and bluefish — the bay's classic late-spring trio. OTW Northern New Jersey's June 4 report confirmed black drum, stripers, and fluke all chewing in the surf, and their June 11 update noted stripers consistently taking clams along the beaches. Surf fishing with clams has been the dominant approach, per Grumpys Tackle. Today's new moon sets up the strongest tidal exchanges of the cycle — On The Water's June 12 striper migration map notes new moon tides are moving bass and bait toward summer haunts along the entire NJ corridor. Fluke are improving slowly as water temperatures rise, per OTW Northern New Jersey, with bucktails and Gulp! among the working rigs.
Delaware catfish surging while low flows reshape the mid-June bite
Blue catfish are stealing the show on the Delaware River from Trenton south right now. Per The Fisherman — NJ/DE Freshwater, John Bullock at Old School Outdoors in Ewing reports big blue cats have been headlining river action, with stripers still making occasional appearances at the Trenton Bridges. The backdrop is a drought-stressed system: JB Kasper's weekly roundup (The Fisherman — NJ/DE Freshwater) put Delaware flows at Trenton around 4,700 cfs as of June 7 — well below seasonal normal — with no significant rain in the near-term forecast and streams, lakes, and reservoirs drawing down across the board. Despite the low water, post-spawn bass have stepped up their feeding, with Carnegie Lake and Mercer Lake producing decent largemouth and crappie action. Flathead catfish have slowed on the main river, but channel cats are making up for it in the D&R Canal. Trout fishing in the canal has tapered off with warming temperatures.
Stripers Hot in the Surf as Bluefin Tuna Follow Jersey's Massive Squid Push
Bluefin tuna have moved inside striking distance of the Jersey Shore, just 20 to 30 miles out, following a massive squid invasion offshore, per Fishermans HQ LBI. That is the headline for mid-June, but the striper fishery remains the workhorse. OTW Northern New Jersey's June 11 report has bass actively taking clams in the surf, and On The Water's June 12 striper migration update confirms the bite is widespread from NJ to Maine heading into this new moon weekend. Grumpys Tackle notes clams and bunker are the top baits in the surf, with fluke also picking up along the beachfront as warmer water slowly filters in. Sea bass fishing is split: Blue Chip Sportfishing reports near-limit trips on the reefs, while Capt Ron's Atlantic Highlands crew is finding fish on the bottom but struggling to get them to commit, as bass appear gorged on sand eels. Blue Chip has also seen mako shark action bust wide open, with multiple fish released in recent days.
Stripers Clinging to Clams as New Moon Tides Hit Raritan Bay
The June 11 OTW Northern New Jersey report sets the tone: stripers are taking clams in the surf, sea bass are holding steady on the nearshore reefs, and the fluke bite is picking up pace as warmer water and bait push in. Out of Atlantic Highlands, Capt Ron's is logging a mixed week on the bottom. Fish are showing on the sonar but the bite has been finicky; on the best day, ling dominated with scattered sea bass in deeper water, while sand eels appear to be filling the fishes' bellies and dampening bait interest. Blue Chip Sportfishing tells a different story offshore: sea bass charters are near-limiting almost every trip, and shark action has busted wide open, with last Friday producing three mako releases. Back on the beach, Grumpy's Tackle confirms a larger class of striped bass has moved into the surf lineup, with clams and bunker chunks the top presentations. The new moon weekend typically unleashes big tidal exchanges that push bait and trigger feeding windows.
Delaware River and Pine Barrens bass fishing enters its prime summer window
The USGS gauge at site 01408000 recorded a flow of 19.6 cfs on June 14, a low figure that reflects dry early-summer conditions across the Pine Barrens watershed. No water temperature reading was available from this gauge, but flows at this level concentrate fish in deeper pools, undercut banks, and channel bends — a pattern that rewards finesse presentations and targeted structure fishing. Freshwater-specific intel for this region is limited this cycle; most New Jersey reporting has focused on the active coastal bite. NJ Fish & Wildlife highlights Hamburg Mountain WMA's Silver Lake and Franklin Pond Creek as actively stocked trout waters, and notes that seasonal closures are in effect at five WMAs through September 7, 2026 — anglers should confirm access before heading out. On the Delaware River, mid-June historically marks the shift from the tail end of the shad run to prime season for smallmouth bass and channel catfish working boulder fields and deeper ledges.