Southern New Jersey Fishing Report
West is best! This was the sentiment from most seasoned anglers and surfcasters who braved this week’s turbulent winds, which cleaned up the surf and made for lake-like conditions off the beach for boat fishermen. Striped bass were being caught from Sandy Hook south throughout our region with some whoppers in the mix. Several surfcasters from IBSP, LBI, and Brigantine released primo bass to 46 inches that walloped large swimming plugs off the beach. The inlets and bays are starting to give up more slot fish along with bonus tag fish from 24 to less than 28 inches.
Anglers searching for tautog off the rocks battled some gnarly current, but both slack high and low were producing keepers to 18 inches on green crabs. A few headboats had good action on porgies at the inshore and offshore wrecks. If you book a striper charter or jump on a headboat, trust the skipper’s judgement as a hard west or northwest will bring great striped bass conditions within a mile or so off the beach. Don’t head out without grabbing some AVAs, soft plastics, and plugs — it’s gametime!
Here is this week’s rundown:
Hook House Bait & Tackle in Toms River reported decent striped bass action off Seaside Park and IBSP at times over the past week. Morning and dinner-time bites have been very good for surfcasters fishing plugs in the suds. Buggy-pass fishermen are doing well with tautog off the northern inlet rocks, but the shop advises to use extreme caution and watch your footing.
Salty Love Sportfishing in Forked River did not fish this past week due to the incessant wind, but the skipper will be out in the coming weeks targeting striped bass.
Creekside Outfitters in Waretown reported some slot striped bass being caught from Barnegat Inlet with both the north and south jetties producing good results. Those fishing live eels are doing exceptionally well around the inlet during the night tides. Green crabs on jigs and rigs seem to be producing well for short and keeper tautog when the current isn’t kicking too hard.
Reel Reaction Sportfishing out of Waretown had a busy week battling through the winds to run double charters for striped bass and tautog. The skipper said most trips are seeing 8 to 25 striped bass ranging from 24 to 41 inches. Togging has been excellent, with quick limits of blackfish to 20 inches in parts of the bay out to the inlet. The 2026 book is open and dates are already beginning to fill, so give them a call.
The Super Chic out of Barnegat Light was busy working striped bass along the beaches and found some fish to 40 inches to the north. The skipper has also been drifting live baits closer to home, which has boxed them a few slots and bonus tag fish.
Tackle Direct in Egg Harbor City said the striper fishing has been better during the evening tides for anglers drifting live eels along some of the deeper bay channels. Anglers fishing live spot are finding striped bass to 32 inches around the inlets. Boaters are starting to report better striped bass fishing out front, as there have been some rather large schools of bunker one to two miles off the beaches.
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Tight Lines Bait & Tackle in Somers Point reported that striped bass are picking up live baits (spot and eels) in the bay. Several bass to 12 pounds that were taken in the bay have been weighed in this week. Beach action has been a tad slow, but sporadic reports are trickling in with anglers finally seeing some action in the surf. Some anglers took shots at deepwater sea bass and found them chewing well alongside large porgies.
Waterfront Marine in Somers Point said sea bass and porgies have been biting clams at the wrecks from 150 to 200 feet; the only issue has been getting out to the grounds between the high winds and seas. Striped bass are beginning to fill in off the beaches and are hanging around the bunker schools. That said, the back is still the best play for reliable bass action right now. Tog fishermen are doing great with green crabs at some of the inshore wrecks.
Badfish Charters in Ocean City reported a rough week in terms of wind. Capt. Brian said the bass moved a little deeper following the cold snap. He is seeing some sporadic pockets of small bait around with a few bass in the mix. Soft plastics worked low in the water column are producing good results, with the occasional surface feed providing some topwater action. The skipper has some dates left in the next week or two, so give him a call.
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Captain Joe Hughes of Jersey Cape Guide Service in Sea Isle City brought another vessel back to New Jersey for future operations, but more on that at a later date. The skipper will begin working in some striped bass trips in the coming week as bass continue pushing down the coast.
The Cape May and Fortescue area had better striped bass action along parts of Delaware Bay and in the backwaters near Wildwood. Bloodworms have been working for some anglers along the beaches of Fortescue and in the tidal creeks. There are also quite a few white perch around. The marshes and creeks from Cape May to Wildwood are producing some decent striped bass to 36 inches. Poppers, plugs, and swim shads are working well. The tautog bite continues, but the current at the inlet has been pretty strong and bites have been better during slack tide. Offshore sea bassing is hot with some large humpheads coming to the docks, but wind/weather windows have been brief.
South Jersey Fishing Forecast
The best bet for the weekend will be to fish Saturday as the wind should finally turn off for a day before picking up again on Sunday. Striped bass will be on the minds of most November anglers; surfcasters working the beaches of Seaside Park, IBSP, and Long Beach Island have the best shot at sand-based bass. Boaters with the ability to run north to Manasquan or south to Atlantic City will have ample opportunities to find feeding bass and there seems to be a tremendous mix of sizes right now with reports of fish ranging from 24 to 46 inches.
Fishermen looking for better table fare should jump aboard one of the many headboats that will be making the 60- to 80-mile run to the offshore sea bass grounds. Sunday looks like it will bring heavier wind with gusts to 35 mph, so it’ll be a good day for yard work, honey-doos, and watching some pigskin. But if you have to fish Sunday, grab greenies and some jigs to play with jetty-based tautog. Remember, this Sunday the New Jersey tautog bag limit raises to 5 fish per person with the minimum size still at 15 inches. Good luck, be safe and tight lines!