Updated: Thursday, November 12, 2026 · Next update: Thursday, November 19, 2026
This New Jersey fishing report for the week of November 12 combines recent public reports with the forecast. FishingLBI’s November 7 report described 40-inch-class striped bass on bunker, surf temperatures in the upper 50s to about 60, and quality tautog around the Barnegat Inlet rocks. A coastal storm is forecast to bring windswept rain to the Northeast Thursday into Friday, so expect a disrupted few days followed by colder water and a fresh shuffle of bait.
What’s Hitting
Striped bass remain the main event. Recent reports along Island Beach State Park and Long Beach Island describe large fish feeding on bunker schools, with smaller slot fish in the inlet and bay. Tautog are a reliable alternative, with quality fish reported around Barnegat Inlet. Dogfish have been a nuisance for bunker chunkers. Bluefish have been scarce in the surf, while black sea bass remain on offshore wrecks for boats. Hickory shad have also turned up in the surf, a useful sign that bait is still moving along the beaches.
Where to Find Them
Surf anglers should focus on Island Beach State Park and the Long Beach Island beaches, especially where bunker schools push close to shore. Barnegat Inlet’s rocks are a key spot for tautog and inlet stripers. Inside Barnegat Bay, channel edges, sod banks and bulkheads hold bass, while bridges such as the Route 72 causeway provide structure. Farther north, the jetties along Monmouth County beaches can also produce tog and bass. Bunker schools were reported in about 30 feet of water off mid-Island, Harvey Cedars and Ship Bottom, a pattern boats can follow after the storm.
Tides & Conditions
The coastal storm is expected to bring rain and strong wind Thursday night into Friday, followed by chilly weather. Rough surf may make fishing difficult for a day or two, but calmer conditions should follow by early next week. Surf temperatures had been in the upper 50s, and the storm will likely cool them further. Stronger currents following the November 9 new moon fade toward the first-quarter moon on November 17.
Tackle & Tactics
For bunker-fed bass, use chunks, heads or whole bunker on a fish-finder rig with circle hooks, or throw large swimming plugs, glide baits, metal-lip swimmers and pencil poppers. For tautog, use green crabs on a short, strong leader. In the bay, live eels or soft-plastic swim shads work well. Bring heavier sinkers for strong surf.
Local Intel This Week
Island Beach State Park offers surf access, with a mobile sport fishing vehicle permit required for driving on the beach. Barnegat Light’s jetty provides access to the inlet rocks. Bulkheads and street ends along Long Beach Island give land-based anglers bay access. The Route 72 causeway area has fishing access. Check current state and federal regulations and seasons before keeping fish. Watch for whales feeding on bunker near shore and give them plenty of space.
This Week’s Tip
After the storm passes, look for bunker schools pushed close to the beach and try whole bunker with the tail removed for big bass, as reported by FishingLBI. If dogfish are thick, switch to plugs or larger chunks to reduce the pickups.
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