UTERScup fishing in New Jersey saltwater fishing
In New Jersey saltwater fishing, scup peak June–September and are around May–October, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. June: Porgies on the reef sites and the Raritan Bay rocks; clam and squid on small hooks.
No note for October — see the months around it.
Scup in New Jersey saltwater fishing, month by month
- JanuaryNot here
- FebruaryNot here
- MarchNot here
- AprilNot here
- MayArriving
- JunePeakPorgies on the reef sites and the Raritan Bay rocks; clam and squid on small hooks.
- 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.
- AugustPeakPeak fluke on the ocean wrecks; tuna, mahi and marlin offshore. The biggest fluke of the year on the ocean structure; bigeye and whites in the Wilmington and Spencer; bonito on the inshore lumps.
- SeptemberPeak
- OctoberLeaving
- NovemberNot here
- DecemberNot here
Where to fish scup 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 868 artificial reef, 470 wreck, 148 ledge / hard bottom spots in the The Jersey Shore map area — the kinds scup hold on.
What to use for scup
- SquidStrips on a bottom rig for snapper, grunts and porgies; whole on a deep-drop rig.
- BloodwormsA piece threaded on a #2 to 2/0 hook on a hi-lo or fish-finder rig — the striper, spot, croaker and white perch bait of the Chesapeake and the surf.
- Leader30–60 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook2/0–7/0
- Braid30–65 lb
Feeds in 50–78°F water, best at 58–72°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch scup in New Jersey saltwater fishing?
Peak season is June–September. Scup are in New Jersey saltwater fishing May–October. June: Porgies on the reef sites and the Raritan Bay rocks; clam and squid on small hooks.
Where do scup hold in New Jersey saltwater fishing?
Look on artificial reef, wreck, ledge / hard bottom, fishing pier, channel edge — around Cape May, Atlantic City, Barnegat Light, Point Pleasant, Belmar, Sandy Hook.
What is the best bait for scup in New Jersey saltwater fishing?
Live bait: squid, bloodworms. Squid: Strips on a bottom rig for snapper, grunts and porgies; whole on a deep-drop rig. Tackle: leader 30–60 lb fluorocarbon, hook 2/0–7/0, braid 30–65 lb.
What are the rules for scup 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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