Located in northern Monmouth County, Keyport is a town rich with a connection to the water. Founded in the 1700s, Keyport was once a crucial port for fishing, oystering, and ship manufacturing. Although the town’s oystering and ship manufacturing has gone, the town has now become a bayside paradise, still maintaining a strong fishing industry with charter boats such as the Keyport Princess docked nearby.
The Keyport Fishing Pier has year after year been one of the most consistent spots along Raritan Bay. Stretching 300 feet into the water, the fishing pier allows access for fishermen to reach deeper hard to reach pockets loaded with fish. With stripers, blues, fluke, weakfish, spots, and croaker, the pier is an ideal location for beginner, avid, and experienced fishermen alike.
Stripers swarm the pier in both the spring and fall on their annual migrations with blues usually tailing close behind. Spots, croaker, weakfish, and fluke call the bay home in the summer into early fall. No matter what you are after you will catch fish and have a good time.
Directly behind the fishing pier, there is a large, expansive parking lot with benches and trash cans available for comfort. Depending on where and how far you park, you will only be a few steps away from the pier. Multiple establishments are nearby, including the Keyport Fishery for fresh food, along with several shops, and bait stores. Because the pier is in the heart of lower Keyport, almost everything you might need is a short walk away.
For bait, tackle, gear, or just a report on fishing conditions, Up Front Bait and Tackle is a great place to stop by. They always have everything that you need, no matter what species you are chasing. Capt. Steve Haasz, owner of Upfront Bait and Tackle, has been fishing Keyport and its surrounding area for over 50 years, four of which were spent chartering. “Keyport Pier is an excellent place to fish, especially for kids or beginners looking to experience fishing for the first time,” Haasz told me, adding how spring brings in stripers, followed closely by blues, with spots, snappers, and fluke arriving with the warm summer water, with stripers of course returning again in the fall.
For Raritan Bayshore bait, Capt. Steve swears by bloodworms. “They are the best bait all around, everything eats them,” he added. When bloodworms are expensive, sandworms and lugworms work well. “Snappers and blues hit spearing and bunker, while stripers will take bunker or bloodworms,” he noted, adding fluke baits during the summer include killies, spearing, or bunker, while weakfish prefer sandworms and peanut bunker, especially live. “The live peanut bunker always works the best,” he added.
In terms of fishing the pier, Haasz advised the best times of day to go are 3 hours before and after high tide when the fish are most active. During the summer season giant crabs have also been caught, with one measuring an impressive 8-1/4 the largest on record. For fish and crabs, the Keyport Pier is a great location for family fishing. “One of the best parts about the pier is when a kid catches their first fish, the smiles on their faces never get old,” Haasz added.
The pier is public so you will not have to worry about admission although it is heavily monitored by New Jersey’s Fish and Wildlife conservation officers; they are always measuring and checking fish in compliance with the state’s fishing regulations. If you don’t already have it make sure to get your free saltwater fishing registry at saltwaterregistry.nj.gov.
The Keyport Fishing Pier remains one of Monmouth County’s best fishing destinations for anglers and families alike. From small snapper blues and spot to large stripers, blues, and even giant blue claw crabs, there is truly something for everyone. The pier is not only a fishing establishment, it is also an area for people to relax and enjoy the view of the Raritan Bay.
If hitting the pier this fall, gear up at Up Front Bait and Tackle at 229 W. Front Street in Keyport, NJ (732-497-0919).
