July 2025 — New Jersey: Prime Fluke Season, Offshore at Full Production. July is a summer month with water in the 72-78°F range — flounder, sea bass, croaker; canyon tuna and white marlin. Here’s the full breakdown of what’s biting, where to fish, and the most productive tactics.
What’s Biting — July 2025
Primary targets this month: Fluke, Sea Bass, Tuna, Striped Bass.
Fluke
Fluke (summer flounder) on Raritan Bay, Barnegat Bay, Great Bay, the inshore wrecks (Sea Girt Reef, Atlantic City Reef), and offshore in 60-120 feet. Drift over sandy bottom with a bucktail jig tipped with Berkley Gulp! 5-6″ or a strip of squid. Three-way rigs with a teaser and a large bucktail are deadly. Bigger fish hold in deeper water (60-120 ft).
Sea Bass
Black sea bass on the inshore artificial reefs (Sea Girt, Garden State North/South), the offshore wrecks in 60-150 feet. Drop squid strips, clams, or Gulp! on a high-low rig over wrecks and reefs. The deeper wrecks (80-150 ft) hold the bigger humpbacks.
Tuna
Yellowfin tuna on the Hudson, Toms, and Lindenkohl Canyons — yellowfin and bluefin in summer and fall. Chunking (cut sardine, butterfish) at anchor, live bait drifting, or trolled feathers and cedar plugs. Heavy stand-up tackle (50-80 lb class) for the bigger grades.
Striped Bass
Striper around Raritan Bay (the spring spawning fishery), the surf from Sandy Hook through Cape May, the rips at Sandy Hook, the back bays (Barnegat, Great Bay), the LBI surf, and the offshore wrecks in fall. Live and chunked bait; bucktails and soft plastics on lighter tackle.
Water Conditions & Patterns
Water temperatures are running 72-78°F. Flounder, sea bass, croaker; canyon tuna and white marlin. Raritan Bay striper fishing is tide-driven — outgoing concentrates fish at the rips off Sandy Hook and channel edges. Surf bite shifts with tide and time; pre-dawn and the first hour of darkness are universally strong. Manasquan and Barnegat inlets push hard on outgoing.
Check the NOAA marine forecast and tide charts before launching. Wind direction often matters more than wind speed for inshore fishing — clean water beats churned water nine times out of ten.
Tactics & Tackle for This Month
- Canyon offshore peak. White marlin, yellowfin, mahi 50-70 miles offshore — long days but lights-out fishing.
- Cobia (Lower Bay). Sight-fishing the CBBT and Cape Charles buoy lines — peak window.
July Outlook
Summer pattern locked in — dawn/dusk inshore, deep offshore, manage heat.
Regulations Reminder
Striped Bass: Federal slot typically 28-31″ with state variations; verify ASMFC and state rules annually. Fluke (Summer Flounder): 17-19″ minimum (state-by-state), 3-4 per day. Black Sea Bass: 12.5-13″ minimum, 10-15 per day depending on state and season. Always verify current state regulations before each trip — slots, bag limits, and seasons change.
Local Resources
Bait & Tackle: Brielle Bait & Tackle (Brielle, 732-528-5720); Grumpy’s Bait & Tackle (Seaside Park); Fisherman’s Den (Belmar); Surf City Bait & Tackle (LBI).
Public Boat Ramps: Cheesequake State Park (Raritan Bay), Manasquan River (numerous ramps), Forked River, Barnegat Light, Atlantic City marina district, Cape May.
Charter Fishing: $600-$900 inshore; $1,200-$2,500 canyon tuna; $700-$1,100 nearshore wrecks.
More New Jersey Resources
New Jersey Fishing Guide · New Jersey Seasonal Calendar · All New Jersey reports →
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