The town of Belmar has a rich history mostly as a beach town. Belmar was originally an Ocean Beach borough after a few weeks in 1889 the name Belmar was chosen. Within this new town of Belmar, the jetty had started to rise in fishing action. And now it has become what it is today
Connecting the Shark River to the Atlantic Ocean, the Belmar Jetty is a fish magnet. In order for fish to get into the Shark River, they must flow through a channel accessible to all fisherman. Many fish can be caught from the Belmar Jetty. Blue, stripers, fluke, and blackfish. A few times there were bluefin sightings. Almost anything you can think of is catchable from the Jetty. Where it is situated, the Belmar Jetty acts like a funnel forcing all fish into a condensed area. This includes baitfish as well such as bunker. Once trapped there is no way to escape.
Stretching around 150 feet from the beach to the tip and around 1000 feet over all the jetty is a perfect place to fish. Throughout winter, spring, summer, and fall, anglers can expect to catch many different fish including stripers during the spring and fall runs. Bluefish during the warmer months which come in large numbers throughout late spring to fall, and fluke also during these warm months. Tautog can be found during the early spring as well as the fall and sometimes a bit in the winter months. Other species like triggerfish and Spanish mackerel are occasionally caught along the rocks, and occasionally folks will bluefin tuna surfacing just beyond the jetties during the fall months.
For anyone looking for bait, tackle and intel, visit Fisherman’s Den in the Belmar Marina. “You can catch just about anything in season at the jetty, blackfish, blues, fluke, and even a striper if you’re lucky,” says the Den’s Tim Rizzuto, adding ” green crabs work best for blackfish, bunker for stripers, killies for fluke, and topwater plugs are a favorite for surfcasters targeting blues and bass. SP minnows and diamond jigs are the go-to lures—use diamonds for blues and minnows for stripers.”
Rizzuto suggests fishing sunrise and sunset during an outgoing tide for best action. “The jetty is definitely reliable, but always bring a buddy and a headlamp at night; it can get dangerous, and the rocks are slippery, so shoes with studs are a must,” said Rizzuto, adding “September and October are the prime months, as you’ve got a real shot at catching blues, stripers, and blackfish.”
Located right off the Belmar boardwalk, the jetty is easily accessible and surrounded by many stores. Just a short walk away, visitors can find restaurants such as Playa Bowls. Of course, you can always trust that a place is a good spot when there is a fishing club nearby; within view approximately 350 feet from the tip of the jetty on the Belmar side, the historic Belmar Fishing Club’s pier was built in 1909 and juts nearly a mile into the Atlantic Ocean. The fishing club is a private institution and is for members only.
As Rizzuto, take particular caution when accessing the rocks. Although there is a pathway to get to the jetty, the jetty has no actual pavement and is not fenced in. The jetty is built up of large rocky outcrops as well as boulders. Being on the ocean the outcrops and boulders are being constantly soaked with water, along with a thin film of algae walking on the rocks can be dangerous and most likely it is better to bring boots with studs preventing slippage. Especially after strong winds or storms, the jetty gets flooded wave after wave making fishing extremely dangerous.
It’s important to be aware of all local fishing regulations. The jetty is constantly monitored by the New Jersey’s Division of Fish & Wildlife’s enforcement officers who can often be found measuring an angler’s catch, and checking gear to ensure everyone is following regulations. Make sure you have saltwater registry as well (saltwaterregistry.nj.gov) as enforcement officers are closely monitoring compliance this season.
