The Jersey shore is at the absolute peak of its spring run this week. Striped bass are blitzing in Raritan Bay and along the beaches, bluefish are arriving, fluke season is open, and the sea bass wrecks are producing limits.
Striped Bass — Full Peak
Raritan Bay is on fire. Trolling Mojos with parachute jigs through the channels is producing keeper and over-slot fish constantly. The bayside bite has been best on the outgoing tides. The Atlantic Highlands area is holding the biggest concentrations — boats are limiting in 90 minutes most mornings. The surf bite from Sandy Hook south through Long Beach Island has been steady at first and last light on bunker chunks. The Manasquan Inlet at night on plugs is producing fish in the 30–40 inch range.
Bluefish Arriving
First good push of bluefish hit late last week. Cocktail fish in the 3–6 lb range are blitzing on bait in the bay and along the beaches. Choppers in the 10-plus lb range should show within days. Tin spoons, surface plugs, and chunks on a wire leader will all produce.
Fluke and Sea Bass
Fluke season opened May 4 and the early bite is excellent in Raritan Bay and Sandy Hook Channel. Drift with bucktails tipped with a Gulp! squid strip or live killies. Sea bass are stacked on the inshore wrecks (Mud Buoy, Klondike) — squid and clam on a high-low rig in 50–80 feet.
Tog and Mackerel
Tog season closes mid-month so this is the last week for green crab on the inshore structure. Mackerel are stacked offshore — boats running the bluefish/mackerel ground out of Belmar are loading up.
Specific Spots This Week
Raritan Bay is the spot — work the channels between West Bank Light and Romer Shoal with Mojo rigs. Sandy Hook Channel at first light is the most consistent bite. Surf casters on the Hook and at Island Beach State Park are doing well on bunker chunks and live eels at night. Manasquan Inlet at night is producing slot stripers on white swimming plugs. Fluke at the Atlantic Highlands area is firing on Spro bucktails tipped with Gulp! Wreck fishing for sea bass at the Mud Buoy, Klondike, and Shrewsbury Rocks is loaded — clam strips on a hi-lo rig in 60–80 feet. Last week of tog season — green crab on the inshore wrecks.
Conditions and Outlook
Water temp 56–60°F. New moon Saturday — strong tides early week, soft this weekend. SW winds Wednesday/Thursday, then NE through Saturday. Raritan Bay at sunrise.
Local Intel This Week
Atlantic Highlands and Sandy Hook flats are loaded with stripers this week — trolling Mojos through the channels is producing limits before 9 AM. Manasquan Inlet at night on plugs gets the trophy fish. Raritan Bay on outgoing tides has been the consistent bait blitz zone — surface chasers on poppers, blues underneath. Sea Bass on the Mud Buoy wrecks are filling boxes. New Jersey saltwater license-free (no recreational saltwater fishing license required in NJ), but striper tag mandatory for harvest. Tight lines.