New Jersey fishing reports
172 reports for New Jersey — what's biting, water temps, and where to focus.
Stripers, Drum, and Blues Active in Delaware Bay as June New Moon Tides Build
The June new moon arrived today, delivering strong spring tides that typically push bait schools into Delaware Bay's channel edges and concentrate predators along current seams. Across coastal New Jersey, the broader fishing picture is encouraging. OTW Northern New Jersey's June 11 report notes striped bass are actively eating clams in the surf, sea bass remain steady on structure, and the fluke bite is slowly building as warmer water works inshore. Grumpys Tackle (NJ) highlighted black drum, bass, and bluefish all in the mix, with clams and bunker chunks producing the best results. Blue Chip Sportfishing (NJ) reports stripers on virtually every trip. On The Water's June 12 striper migration map confirms bass remain widespread from New Jersey to Maine, with new moon tides expected to push fish toward summer haunts. No real-time buoy or gauge data was available for Delaware Bay this period, so anglers should verify local conditions before heading out.
Bass and pickerel in stride as South Jersey streams settle into summer lows
USGS gauge 01408000 recorded just 19.6 cfs Sunday morning, placing Delaware River tributaries and Pine Barrens streams firmly in summer low-flow territory. No water temperature was logged at the gauge, but mid-June conditions in South Jersey typically push stream temps into the upper 60s, shifting the bite away from trout and toward smallmouth bass, largemouth, and chain pickerel. NJ Fish & Wildlife News spotlights Silver Lake and Franklin Pond Creek at Hamburg Mountain WMA in Sussex County as actively stocked trout alternatives at cooler elevations, worth the drive if trout are your target. Seasonal WMA closures are in effect across five management areas through September 7 per NJ Fish & Wildlife News, so confirm access before you head out. The new moon on June 14 opens a favorable low-light feeding window for bass through midweek. Direct freshwater angler reports from the Delaware River corridor or Pine Barrens are sparse this cycle, but the seasonal calendar favors an active early-summer pattern.
Stripers and Sea Bass Sizzle as Bluefin Tuna Join the Jersey Shore Party
The June 11 OTW Northern New Jersey report sets the scene: stripers are taking clams in the surf, sea bass is steady on the reefs, and the fluke bite is slowly building as warmer water and bait arrive. Blue Chip Sportfishing is calling sea bass 'red hot,' limiting out on nearly every charter run. Grumpys Tackle (NJ) confirms a larger class of striped bass has pushed into the surf, with clams and bunker chunks the dominant producers. The most significant development heading into this new moon weekend: Fishermans HQ LBI reports bluefin tuna have followed a massive squid invasion off the Jersey coast and are now reachable on 20 to 30 mile runs offshore. Bluefish and black drum are also showing in the surf per OTW Northern New Jersey and Grumpys Tackle, giving anglers plenty of options up and down the Shore. On The Water's June 12 migration map notes the new moon and strong tides should keep bass and bait actively moving through the coming days.
Sea Bass Running Hot as Stripers and Fluke Build at Raritan Bay
Blue Chip Sportfishing is calling sea bass fishing 'red hot' right now, reporting near-limit hauls on their reef trips out of NJ. Capt Ron's Atlantic Highlands backs it up with consistent sea bass and ling on recent runs, though the bite can be finicky: one recent Saturday saw fish reading on sonar but refusing to commit. In the surf, the striper picture is stronger. Grumpys Tackle reports 'a larger class of striped bass have moved in,' with clams and bunker holding up as the top baits. OTW Northern New Jersey's June 11 report confirms stripers are taking clams along the surf, and the fluke bite is gradually improving, with fish to 8 pounds already showing in nearby rivers. On The Water's June 12 striper migration map notes the run remains 'widespread from New Jersey to Maine.' Today's new moon sets up the month's strongest tidal swings, and those big rips at Sandy Hook and the Raritan Bay inlets are prime windows to fish the next few days.
Stripers, Black Drum, and Bluefish Active as New Moon Tides Surge Through Delaware Bay
With the new moon arriving June 14, tidal exchanges through Delaware Bay are running strong: exactly the kind of push that concentrates striped bass, bluefish, and black drum into prime feeding windows. OTW Northern New Jersey's June 11 report confirms stripers are actively taking clams in the surf and bottom fishing remains productive across NJ, while Grumpys Tackle (NJ) flagged drum, bass, and bluefish all mixing in this week under the headline 'Drum, Bass, Blues and a New Player.' 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 keep bass and bait moving toward summer haunts. No buoy or gauge sensor data was available for the NJ side of Delaware Bay at this update. Check local tide charts closely, as new moon tidal swings should create the best bite windows on both sides of the tide change.
Sea Bass Limits and Surf Stripers Peak as New Moon Tides Hit the Jersey Shore
Per OTW Northern New Jersey's June 11 report, stripers are taking clams in the surf, sea bass are steady on the reefs, and fluke are slowly building momentum as warmer water and abundant bait fill the inshore zone. Blue Chip Sportfishing is calling the sea bass action "red hot" and reports limiting out on nearly every trip. Grumpys Tackle confirms a larger class of striped bass has moved into the surf, with clams and bunker chunks producing the best results along the beach. Offshore, Fishermans HQ LBI reports bluefin tuna have followed a massive squid push close to the Jersey coast, with fish reachable on 20-30 mile runs from Long Beach Island. Today's new moon coincides with the height of the spring striper push. On The Water notes the big tides this weekend should continue moving bass and bait toward their summer haunts. No buoy data was available to confirm current water temperatures.
Sea Bass Red Hot on Reefs as Stripers Work the Sandy Hook Surf
Sea bass fishing has been the standout story on local reefs, with Blue Chip Sportfishing calling conditions "red hot" and reporting near-limit catches on recent trips. Capt Ron's out of Atlantic Highlands corroborates the bottom action, logging consistent ling alongside quality sea bass, though the bite has been day-dependent: some sessions have fish reading well on sonar but refusing to commit until the boat shifts to deeper offshore drops. OTW Northern New Jersey's June 11 report rounds out the picture: striped bass are taking clams in the surf, sea bass holds steady on the reefs, and the fluke bite is slowly gaining traction as warmer water and bait move in. On The Water's June 12 striper migration map notes that bass remain spread from New Jersey to Maine, with new moon tides this weekend expected to push fish and bait toward summer haunts. No NOAA buoy readings were available for water temperature at report time.
Delaware Bay Black Drum Season Peaks as Stripers and Blues Hold Strong
Black drum, stripers, and bluefish were chewing alongside fluke in New Jersey surf and bay waters as of OTW Northern New Jersey's June 4 report, and the bite has carried into mid-month. The June 11 update from OTW Northern New Jersey confirms stripers are still taking clams in the surf, with fluke slowly improving as warmer water pushes in. Grumpys Tackle's recent 'Drum, Bass, Blues' post reinforces that the NJ drum-and-bass pattern is holding, and Delaware Bay sits at the center of the regional black drum run, historically one of the strongest drum fisheries along the mid-Atlantic coast through mid-June. On The Water's June 12 striper migration map notes the new moon and big tides 'should continue to move bass and bait toward summer haunts,' a forecast that applies directly to the bay's fast-moving tidal corridors. No NOAA buoy data is available today for confirmed water temperature. Clam baits remain the go-to for surf stripers per the latest NJ intel.
June Bass Bite Builds as Delaware River and Pine Barrens Hit Summer Lows
The Toms River registered 19.6 cfs at USGS gauge 01408000 on June 13 — well below typical early-summer volumes — signaling low-flow conditions across Pine Barrens drainages. Water temperature was unavailable at this station. NJ Fish & Wildlife News spotlighted Hamburg Mountain WMA in Sussex County this week as an accessible freshwater option: Silver Lake provides a car-top boat ramp with stocked trout and warm-water species, while Franklin Pond Creek offers stocked trout with year-round habitat. With the new moon falling on June 13, freshwater bass anglers on both the Delaware River and Pine Barrens ponds should find favorable low-light feeding conditions over the next several days. Post-spawn largemouth and smallmouth bass are transitioning into summer feeding patterns this week, and the combination of low, clear flows and concentrated baitfish in deeper structure makes targeted presentations — early-morning topwater and soft plastics in shaded undercuts — the approach to focus on right now.
Jersey Shore: Stripers Hot on Clams, Sea Bass Limiting, Bluefin Moving In
The OTW Northern New Jersey report from June 11 sums it up well: stripers are taking clams in the surf, sea bass is steady on the reefs, and the fluke bite is slowly improving. Blue Chip Sportfishing confirms they're limiting out on sea bass on almost every trip, while Grumpys Tackle reports a larger class of striped bass has moved into the surf, with clams and bunker chunks the top baits. Out of Atlantic Highlands, Capt Ron's is finding sea bass, ling, and the occasional fluke on offshore runs. Adding offshore excitement, Fishermans HQ LBI reports bluefin tuna have moved in close on the heels of a massive squid invasion off the Jersey coast, with fish reachable on 20-to-30-mile runs. The striper migration map from On The Water (June 12) notes bass remain spread from New Jersey to Maine, with the approaching new moon expected to push bait and stripers toward their summer grounds.
Sea Bass Limits and Surf Stripers Carry Raritan Bay Into Mid-June
Capt Ron's Atlantic Highlands is posting consistent sea bass and ling action in the Raritan Bay-Sandy Hook corridor, with keeper sea bass up to 3 pounds showing on the best days and deeper water producing steady ling when inshore drops go quiet. Blue Chip Sportfishing calls the sea bass bite 'red hot,' reporting near-limit results on almost every run. In the surf, stripers are accepting clams along the beachfront per the OTW Northern New Jersey June 11 report, and a larger class of bass has settled into the beach according to Grumpys Tackle. On The Water's June 12 striper migration map confirms bass still widespread from New Jersey to Maine, though the new moon approaching this weekend is expected to push fish toward summer haunts. Fluke action is building slowly; OTW Northern New Jersey cites warming water and a building bait presence as the catalysts for better action ahead. No buoy readings are available for this update.
Black Drum and Stripers Running Through Delaware Bay's June Window
Striped bass are taking clam baits throughout New Jersey's surf and bay systems, with OTW Northern New Jersey's June 11 report confirming active stripers, steady sea bass on offshore structure, and an improving fluke bite. Grumpys Tackle's recent posts have documented a drum-bass-blues combination consistent with early-June patterns across the state. For the Delaware Bay NJ side, black drum are a seasonal fixture at this time of year, and the broader NJ reports suggest the late-spring transition mix is well underway. On The Water's June 12 striper migration map notes the run 'remains widespread from New Jersey to Maine,' with new moon tides over the June 11-12 window expected to push bait and fish toward summer grounds. No NOAA buoy readings were available for this report cycle; anglers should check current water temperatures and conditions locally before launching.