New Jersey & Delaware Bay - Central New Jersey Fishing Reports

Capt. Joe said the Jamaica II started the week strong, putting anglers on a solid sea bass bite with plenty of action around the boat. “Nice to be back out fishing again,” he said, noting that there were “quite a few limits around the boat.” A few hefty porgies also joined the mix. The crew continued to put anglers on fish throughout the week, with several fishermen managing to box their limits. The bite did require some moving around, as the crew bounced between spots to find areas holding consistent life. Unfortunately, deteriorating weather toward the end of the week made things tougher, with only a handful of bites to show for their efforts.

The crew at the Reel Seat said this past Thursday delivered great striped bass action from both boats and the surf. Anglers casting plugs were rewarded with plenty of rod-bending action, as stripers were actively chasing offerings along the coast.

Jason at Fishermen’s Supply said sea bass fishing out front was a grind this past week, but he’s optimistic that better weather in the coming days will help turn things around. An Ava 17 paired with a teaser has been getting the job done, with fish appearing spread out from the Sandy Hook Reef down to the Axel. Blackfish action in the canal has remained very consistent, with a decent number of keepers coming over the rails. A few striped bass are also being caught in the canal and around the bridges at night, with soft plastics fished along the bottom producing fish.

Capt. Bob on the Gambler said the boat returned from an offshore trip with plenty of smiles and happy anglers, even though the tuna refused to cooperate. The crew marked fish but couldn’t convince them to commit to the baits. From what they heard, much of the fleet encountered the same frustrating tuna bite. Fortunately, mahi and skipjacks provided plenty of action, while a big mako put on an impressive show after dark. On a more recent trip targeting mahi, the colorful fighters were much more cooperative, striking jigs, baits, and trolled offerings. As for the tuna, they’re still playing hard to get. The crew worked multiple areas and switched tactics, trying everything from trolling and chunking on the drift to anchoring and jigging, but the tuna remained stubbornly elusive.

Capt. Tom said the Norma K III got back on the water Tuesday after the storm and was greeted by flat seas and a nonstop bite. The crew tried a couple of areas, and fish were chewing at each stop, with several anglers reaching their limits by 10 a.m. Wednesday’s action was a step down from the day before, and the bite continued to taper off toward the end of the week. Although readings looked better, the fish simply weren’t cooperating. The crew would find a few fish, put a couple keepers in the box, and then watch the bite shut down before having to make another move. A handful of porgies added to the mix. Areas holding larger fish proved especially challenging, as bergalls quickly stripped baits from the hooks before anglers could get them down to the target species.

Capt. John Zema at Yankee Rose Fishing said a recent sea bass trip produced excellent results, with the boat putting a full limit in the box before noon. The sea bass eagerly took both jigs and bait, with Kyle Harkins landing the three biggest fish of the day on jigs. Later in the week, the crew sailed again and found good fishing, although the bite required some work. They started the day with a great shot of sea bass before the action settled into a grind. After making numerous drops, anglers slowly filled the box a few fish at a time. One angler targeted blackfish with crabs throughout the day and enjoyed steady action, boating three keepers, including a 14-3/4-inch fish, while also breaking off several bigger fish on light tackle. The five anglers targeting sea bass finished just a few fish shy of their limit, with a half-dozen porgies adding to the day's catch.

Frank at Gabriel Tackle said sea bass fishing has been good on the local wrecks and reefs, with the Axel producing better than the Sea Girt. There are also reports of striped bass showing up around Sandy Hook, while the Point Pleasant Canal is producing a mix of blackfish, bluefish, and stripers. Eels remain the bait of choice for anglers targeting stripers. Offshore, the shop received one report from the oil wrecks, indicating some action is developing farther from shore as well.

The crew at Jersey Hooker Outfitters said the Point Pleasant Canal has been producing good striped bass action, with some bluefish and blackfish mixed in. Stripers are primarily hitting larger swim shads and live eels. The Manasquan Inlet is also offering solid blackfish action on green crabs and sand fleas. From the rocks, anglers are finding good striper and bluefish action while throwing 2- to 4-ounce Ava jigs, SP Minnows, and swim shads. The beach bite has been productive as well, with some nice stripers reported throughout the week on artificials, including pencil poppers and SP Minnows, as well as bunker chunks and mackerel. Kingfish have also made a nice showing from the beach, with Fishbites, small squid, and clam strips producing. The first three days of sea bass season produced excellent action, but the fish are now getting hit hard, forcing boats to move around to stay on them. Hi-lo rigs tipped with clam and jigs are both producing, with jigs seemingly accounting for some of the larger fish. Surprisingly, a few pompano have also been landed from the beach, adding an unexpected twist to the inshore action.

Philly Billy at Charlie’s Bait & Tackle said a big striped bass was landed on LBI this past Saturday, giving surfcasters plenty of reason to keep casting. The canal is also holding plenty of tog, with bluefish and striped bass mixed into the action and providing additional opportunities for anglers.

Scott at Grumpy’s Bait & Tackle said the first solid surf report of the fall has arrived, and it’s a big one. Rob Comstock reported that his uncle, Ken, landed a brute of a striped bass locally from the surf this week while casting an artificial. It’s an encouraging sign for surfcasters, with a quality striper already prowling the shoreline and giving anglers plenty of reason to get their plugs in the water.

Scott at Yakitty Yaks Kayaks said striped bass are starting to show again, with most of the better action currently taking place farther north. Some resident fish are being found in the local area, while the Raritan River is producing a number of quality-sized bass. There is still very little bait around from what Scott has seen, so anglers are putting in plenty of time trolling and scouting to locate the fish. Once they find them, plugs, glide baits, and soft plastics are all producing, giving anglers several ways to put a bend in the rod.

Bob at Better Bait and Ice said anglers are finding plenty of bluefish around Seaside Heights, with the Toms River also holding a strong showing of blues. Some crabbing is taking place around Guilford Park and the Toms River, while a few blackfish have been caught near the BB and BI buoys.

The crew at Hook House Bait & Tackle said blackfish are providing solid action in the canal and inlet, with some striped bass also being caught and adding to the mix.

Capt. Ray Lopez of Miss Liane Charters said they are in full swing with the fall fishery, with stripers, false albacore, tuna, and wreck fishing all on the menu. The variety of species has anglers plenty of opportunities to get in on the action as the fall bite continues to build.

Capt. Joe Rizzo of Barnegat Bay Fishing Charters said blowfish are still hanging around the bay, although most have been on the smaller side. Anglers are also finding some spot, while the crabbing has been producing well, giving inshore anglers plenty of opportunities to keep busy.

Creekside Outfitters is now carrying live spot, giving striped bass anglers another excellent bait option for working the back bays. Live eels, of course, remain the go-to choice, and the shop expects to have them in stock soon. Tom P. said some bass are already moving through the area, with fish showing in the back bay and reports of stripers being caught up and down LBI over the past week. For anglers looking to cast artificials, Tom recommends offerings such as the Tsunami Tidal Pro Twitch Bait, Yo-Zuri Mag Darter, or a white bucktail with a round head paired with a red tail. He likes to live by the saying, “white and red put the bass to bed.” His advice is simple: put in the time, keep casting, and you’ll eventually find the fish.

Capt. Sam Rescigno of the Mary M IV said they had a good week of sea bass action, although the bite slowed down over the weekend. Quite a few limits came over the rails, with porgies mixed into the catch. The high hook put together an impressive 20-fish haul between sea bass and porgies. A few bluefish and triggerfish also joined the party. Bait outperformed jigs, proving to be the better option for anglers looking to put together a productive catch.

Capt. Ted of the Super Chic said they haven’t been able to get out on the water much lately, with weather repeatedly forcing trip cancellations. They have sea bass and canyon trips scheduled for this week and are looking forward to getting back on the fish. Anglers planning ahead for the fall should take note, as November striper trips are already available, with openings still on the schedule.

Greg at Fisherman’s Headquarters said striped bass were showing some promise around LBI just before the storm. Emmett and Paul worked metal-lip plugs around Barnegat Inlet and found a few bass willing to strike, with mullet also moving through the area. A handful of other striped bass reports came in, giving Greg hope that the fall surf bite is close to kicking into gear. Bluefish were also prowling the area before the blow, although Greg expects many of the summertime species to have already made their exit with the changing conditions. He’s hoping a few blowfish and kingfish stick around a little longer while anglers wait for the fall striper action to really get rolling.

Steve at Jingles Bait and Tackle in Beach Haven said Peg Bucci weighed in a 2.45-pound tautog caught in Barnegat Light. The 72nd Annual LBI Surf Fishing Classic continues, and with the recent stretch of favorable weather, Steve expects to see more anglers hitting the beach and more quality fish making their way to the scales. Anglers can compete for money and prizes targeting kingfish, weakfish, red drum, tautog, striped bass, and bluefish. Don’t miss out on the fall action, registration is available online at lbisfc.com or in person at Jingles Bait & Tackle, Surf City Bait & Tackle, or Fisherman’s Headquarters.

We have already had a severe nor’easter that completely shut down fishing. Then a pair of summerlike days came along. Fishing wise, the days following the storm were pretty much just calming things down and captains getting a handle on where the fish are. The captains of the Beach Haven Charter fishing Association already have a heavy schedule of fall trips on their calendars, but there are always openings. In addition to scheduling well in advance, one method of chartering a boat and captain, is taking a look at long range weather forecasts. The 2026 New Jersey summer flounder season expired in the midst of the storm while the fall edition of black sea bass arrived. It has taken a day or so for things to calm down, but these tasty bottom fish have started to pick up their appetites. The jury is still out regarding the fish that are typically in the bay waters during the summer. Various panfish such as croakers and blowfish along with small bluefish should still be in the inshore and bay waters. Fall is typically the top time of the year to get into action offshore on tuna. These big game fish are not only great sport to land on rod and reel, but they are also some of the best eating fish to be found. The offshore trips are subject to favorable weather, including calm seas.

Fred at Surf City Bait and Tackle said the tautog bite continues to produce, with Steve landing a solid tog in Barnegat Light on green crab. Nick also got in on the action, catching a nice tautog for the LBI Surf Fishing Classic, also on green crab. The shop is well stocked with green crabs, eels, bloodworms, and plenty of frozen baits for anglers heading to the surf, bays, or backwaters.