The 2025 saltwater wrap up was a mix of feast or famine it seemed on a variety of species. Striped bass spring fishing was pretty solid, but the fall run was nearly nonexistent in the surf and tough going on the boats. For whatever reason, thick schools of stripers only showed up around once a week in the fall then dissipated. Fluke fishing was average with some days lit up and others a pick of fish. Spring fluking was hand over fist fishing but the summer kind of fizzled down a bit. Tuna fishing for bluefin was pretty lit up spring and summer as giant tuna made a crazy showing that lasted even up to this writing in December with 400-to-900-pound horse mackerel being caught when the season allows. Blackfishing was ripe in the backwaters, canals and jetties but was a steady pick during the early winter. Remember to register for the mandatory NJ saltwater fishing card at http://www.nj.gov/dep/saltwaterregistry/.. As well, one regulation to note is that for January 1 to February 28, blackfish regulations change to a 4 fish bag at 15-inch minimum size.
RARITAN BAY
The Raritan Bay was very, very quiet all through December as stripers barely made a showing inside the bay. A few schools passed by the mouth of the bay by Romer Shoal, off Coney Island and out near the Sticks. Who knows, its possible straggler late migratory fish may still be coming down from up north and pass by the waters in January. Best bet would be to jig with Ava jigs or paddletail shads off the Rip to see if anyone is home.
NORTHERN COAST
It’s probably well agreed upon that this was one of the worst fall runs of stripers in a long time. Both boaters and surfcasters were hard pressed to find steady schools of fish moving through and it seemed that it was maybe once a week where they bite was fair to good, then it would be a ghost town until the next week. The first wave of bass that moved in were of quality size in the 25-to-40-pound bracket, but that fizzled out as December moved in. Though there were very few people fishing in December, those that were making casts with Tsunami rubber eels, Storm shads and ava jigs were plucking a few leftover bass in the surfline all short fish for the most part and you never know if they will stick around into January. Blackfishing shone a better light on activity in the area as nearshore rockpiles and wrecks held pretty decent togging for tog jiggers and one hook Belmar rigs tipped with greenies or white leggers. January historically was the prime time to work the Mud Hole ledges and structures to have a full on “Ling Fling” bailing dozens and dozens of red hake to fill everybody’s cooler and that could obviously happen again as party boats will be hitting the 120-to-200-foot depths 10 to 15 miles offshore to search those wreck structures. Cod, porgies, pollock and bergalls will also be on tap for bottom bouncers sending down clam, squid and Gulp baits.
CENTRAL COAST
Again, this stretch of coast missed the striper train. There was of course a day here and there where stripers crashed the beaches for a few hours, then they would disappear for a week, then another one-day affair would occur and repeat the ghosting. Days when the fish were in for fun as I had never seen more boats so close to the surfline than I did in late November as 20 to 40-pound bass would hit Storm shads and jigs. Out of anywhere, these sands probably offer the best chance of catching a January bass as we know they enter the Barnegat backwater system to winter over and should be hanging out front in the surf to hit Ava jigs and teasers. The bulk of fishing will be focusing on blackfish at the reef sites and shipwrecks in the 5-to-20-mile range. Most tog will be moving a bit deeper over the 90-to-100-foot mark and generally speaking larger 10-pound plus caliber whitechinner trophies are caught with a bit more frequency this month. Use whole white legger Jonah crabs for your best shot at tempting a true bulldog tog. Other bottom dwellers include cod, pollock, ling and porgies on most any wreck, especially out at the Shark River Reef, Mohawk Wreck and if you have it in you to make the run out to the Resor Wreck for a shot at 15 to 30-pound pollock and cod. Dialing it down a bit, now’s the time of year when herring and mackerel will be running outside of the Manasquan Inlet area as sabiki flash rigs can hang a bunch of herring inside the inlet off the wall and mackerel can be anywhere from right off the beach out to 15 miles where Christmas Tree type tube rigs can catch four at a time.
OFFSHORE
One consistent fishery we did not miss out on this winter was giant bluefin tuna. Though the season would shut down or reopen literally day to day, when the season was/is open anglers are coming tight big time with BFT that averaged 300 to 500 pounds but peaked up to just over 900 pounds! Trolled ballyhoo baits sent as far back as you possibly can worked to get hits while some guys were lucky enough to tempt them up on big chugging poppers, slidebaits and jigs. Interestingly, a pattern such as back in the mid 80’s seems to be upon us with the giants as they are sticking here through the early winter months and are providing plenty of big game action so close to shore, usually anywhere from 2 to 10 miles off the beaches. There were even GBFT pouncing on bunker schools right outside the surf breakers this December where surfcasters tried to hook into them to no avail. Other than tuna, if you have access to a boat and some resolve, it’s always worth heading midshore 20 to 50 miles to anchor up on wrecks to pull huge pollock to 35 pounds, cod to 40 pounds and blackfish of trophy caliber over 10 to 15 and even 20 pounds if you have it in you.
2025 was a pretty solid year to start and through the early fall but seemed to fizzle out during the last quarter of the year. Don’t out away the gear for the winter as there is plenty to do wreck fishing until we wait for stripers to start once again in March. Hit all the fantastic boat shows and outdoor shows this winter and get prepped for 2026, its going to be a great year!