June 08, 2026 - 11:15:36
“A 51-inch striped bass took the annual Manhattan Cup this past week and that proves there are still big striped bass being caught on eel-planer board combinations at the Shrewsbury Rocks,” said Phil over at the Tackle Box. Some nice bass are also being caught on shads and plugs after dark, as well. Phil mentioned a lot of squid in the water and anglers also reported that numbers of keepers and short fluke are starting to get better as the water warms especially in the Navesink and Shrewsbury rivers and it’s a good bet the fluke are feeding on squid. Bottom fishing also got a bump with more sea bass, with a high short to keeper ratio. Also, ling and occasional winter flounder are in the mix. Lastly Phil said pods of bluefish continue to pop up in the bay and along inshore waters to spice things up.
June 01, 2026 - 10:33:57
Danny at the Tackle Box in Hazlet said an influx of spot and croaker hit the piers at Port Monmouth, Belford, and Keansburg. Striped Bass fishing has been better up at the Rip on plugs and bunker chunks and there has also been a fair share of gator class bluefish up that way hitting chunks and plugs as well. Bayside of Sandy Hook, fluke are nipping at jigheads tipped with Gulp Baits or killies.
June 01, 2026 - 10:33:47
It was an interesting week of fishing along the northern coast this past week, cited Phil over at the Tackle Box. Poor conditions over the holiday weekend finally gave way to some warmer water temperatures early in the week and things begun to change. While dirty water from the Raritan River soured the back bay waters, fluke fishing was good and got better in the Shrewsbury and Navesink rivers. The shop got reports of trophy bass being caught at the Shrewsbury Rocks. Much of the fishing was on live eels there. By Friday the bluefish that were moving in the ocean to the south made their way off northern beaches and Sandy Hook. The shop even got reports of decent numbers of sea bass on inshore wrecks for the first time this spring. In short it looks like the holiday storm did more good than harm and hopefully the coming full moon will give the fishing another boost this week, Phil said.
May 26, 2026 - 10:09:29
Danny of the Tackle Box in Hazlet said before the blow one customer caught a big black drum off Sandy Hook. Bass fishing was still consistent up at the tip of the Hook and all the Parking lot areas on chunks of bunker, NLBN’s, and Clams. Look for fluke hanging around the backside of the Hook and they had been hitting Bluff Mantis Shrimp lures.
May 26, 2026 - 10:09:19
I gave the Tackle Box a call and Phil told us that the striped bass fishing was very good with all overs to 50-plus pounds dominating the catch. He said the fishing during the day was on plugs and topwater lures while the evening fishing was mainly on eels and shads. In addition he too said a few bluefish were caught mixed in with the bass. On the fluke front fishing also picked up in the bay and just inside the Sandy Hook. Lastly he said the shop got reports of spot being caught and this is usually a good sign as the stripers and doormat fluke consider them a delicacy.
