UTERBlue shark fishing in New Jersey saltwater fishing
In New Jersey saltwater fishing, blue shark peak June–September and are around May–October, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. June: Blues on every shark chum slick offshore.
No note for October — see the months around it.
Blue shark in New Jersey saltwater fishing, month by month
- JanuaryNot here
- FebruaryNot here
- MarchNot here
- AprilNot here
- MayArriving
- JunePeakBlues on every shark chum slick offshore.
- JulyPeakCanyons and the ocean reefs. Overnight canyon trips to the Hudson and Toms for yellowfin on the chunk; doormat fluke on the Barnegat and Manasquan ridges; kingfish in the surf on bloodworms.
- AugustPeak
- SeptemberPeak
- OctoberLeaving
- NovemberNot here
- DecemberNot here
Where to fish blue shark near Cape May, Atlantic City, Barnegat Light
A 130-mile barrier-island coast of surf beaches and rock jetties, cut by inlets (Cape May, Townsends, Absecon, Barnegat, Manasquan, Shark River) into shallow back bays — Barnegat Bay, Great Bay, the Cape May wetlands — with Raritan Bay at the north end; offshore, a field of artificial reefs, ridges and wrecks out to the Hudson, Toms, Wilmington and Spencer canyons.
Fish Scouter charts 470 wreck, 148 ledge / hard bottom spots in the The Jersey Shore map area — the kinds blue shark hold on.
What to use for blue shark
- Menhaden (pogies)Nose-hooked on a circle hook and free-lined or slow-trolled; cut in chunks for the bottom.
- Bonito (cut)Whole on cable for tiger and bull sharks; fillets and chunks on the bottom for grouper and snapper; strips trolled for wahoo.
- SquidStrips on a bottom rig for snapper, grunts and porgies; whole on a deep-drop rig.
- Leader80–150 lb mono
- Hook8/0–16/0
- Braid65–150 lb
Feeds in 54–72°F water, best at 58–68°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch blue shark in New Jersey saltwater fishing?
Peak season is June–September. Blue shark are in New Jersey saltwater fishing May–October. June: Blues on every shark chum slick offshore.
Where do blue shark hold in New Jersey saltwater fishing?
Look on ledge / hard bottom, wreck — around Cape May, Atlantic City, Barnegat Light, Point Pleasant, Belmar, Sandy Hook.
What is the best bait for blue shark in New Jersey saltwater fishing?
Live bait: menhaden (pogies), bonito (cut), squid. Menhaden (pogies): Nose-hooked on a circle hook and free-lined or slow-trolled; cut in chunks for the bottom. Tackle: leader 80–150 lb mono, hook 8/0–16/0, braid 65–150 lb.
What are the rules for blue shark in New Jersey saltwater fishing?
Size and bag limits and closed seasons are set by the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife (NJ Fish and Wildlife) and change — read the current rule at https://dep.nj.gov/njfw/fishing/marine/ before you keep a fish. A licence is sold at https://dep.nj.gov/njfw/licenses-and-permits/.
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