Updated: Thursday, September 3, 2026 · Next update: Thursday, September 10, 2026
This New Jersey fishing report covers early September, the changing of the guard on the Jersey coast. Fluke are the lead target as the season winds down, with fish staged on the reefs and inlet edges. The first false albacore of fall arrive along the beaches from Sandy Hook to Cape May, and canyon boats work yellowfin and the first longfin of the season. After decades of fishing this coast every fall, I know this as the week the switch flips. Plan around moving inlet tides and September swells.
What’s Hitting
Fluke lead the week. The reefs off Sea Girt, Axel Carlson and the Cape May reef give up keepers, and the inlets and back bays still hold fish on the deeper edges. False albacore arrive along the beaches and at the inlets, with bonito mixed in. Kingfish, croaker and spot fill the surf and the bays for light-tackle anglers.
Offshore, yellowfin sit on the 30-fathom lumps and in the canyons, longfin show in the Hudson, and mahi hang on every pot ball. Sea bass and porgies are on the wrecks, and the first blackfish start to show on the inshore rock piles.
Where to Find Them
Fish the Sea Girt and Axel Carlson reefs in 50 to 70 feet for fluke, along with Manasquan, Barnegat and Cape May inlets on the moving tide. Look for albies along the beach from Manasquan to Island Beach State Park and at the Cape May rips.
The Mud Hole and the Chicken Canyon offer tuna, and the Hudson and Toms canyons deliver the overnight action. Surf anglers should hit the Island Beach and Long Beach Island beaches for kingfish and the early albies.
Tides & Conditions
Ocean water temperatures run in the low to mid-70s, ideal for albies and still warm enough for fluke. Moving tides at the inlets are best for fluke, and the incoming tide with clean water is the albie tide on the beach.
September swells from distant tropical systems can close the inlets to small boats and stir up the surf, so check the marine forecast before heading out.
Tackle & Tactics
Gear by target:
- Fluke: a bucktail tipped with a Gulp swimming mullet or a strip of squid, drifted on the reef edges.
- Albies: small metals and Epoxy jigs on 20-pound braid and 20-pound fluorocarbon, retrieved fast.
- Kingfish: bloodworms or Fishbites on small hooks.
- Tuna: skirted ballyhoo and spreader bars, plus a chunk of butterfish on the overnight drift in the canyons.
Local Intel This Week
The Manasquan River ramp at Point Pleasant is the launch for Manasquan Inlet and the Sea Girt reef. The Barnegat Light ramp covers Barnegat Inlet, the Great Bay Boulevard ramps near Tuckerton reach the southern back bays, and the Cape May Harbor ramp puts you on the Cape May reef and rips. Barnegat Light State Park gives shore access to Barnegat Inlet.
Expect fish to concentrate on the reefs and inlet edges for fluke and along the beaches for albies. New Jersey fluke season closes in September, so confirm the closing date, and a federal HMS permit is required for tuna. Check current state and federal regulations and seasons before keeping fish.
This Week’s Tip
With the fluke season down to its last week, fish the deeper reef edges and the inlet mouths where the fish stage before heading offshore. Upsize your bait: a whole squid or a big strip on a heavier bucktail sorts out the keepers from the shorts.
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