UTERWeakfish fishing in New Jersey saltwater fishing
In New Jersey saltwater fishing, weakfish peak May–June and September–October and are around April–November, spawning in May, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. May: Tiderunner weakfish into Raritan Bay, Barnegat and Great Bay — soft plastics at night on the flood.
Fall weakfish under the bridge lights in the back bays.
Weakfish in New Jersey saltwater fishing, month by month
- JanuaryNot here
- FebruaryNot here
- MarchNot here
- AprilArrivingRaritan Bay comes alive; tog and weakfish. Bunker schools in Raritan Bay — snag-and-drop and chunk for stripers, big blues right behind them; crabs on the jetties for tog; tiderunner weakfish late in the month.
- MaySpawningTiderunner weakfish into Raritan Bay, Barnegat and Great Bay — soft plastics at night on the flood.
- JunePeak
- JulyAround
- AugustAround
- SeptemberPeakAlbies off the inlets; the fall bite stirs. Epoxy jigs for false albacore off Barnegat and Sandy Hook; last fluke week on the reefs; snapper blues everywhere.
- OctoberPeakFall weakfish under the bridge lights in the back bays.
- NovemberLeaving
- DecemberNot here
Where to fish weakfish 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.
What to use for weakfish
- Live shrimpUnder a popping cork or free-lined, hooked under the horn on a #1 to 2/0 circle hook; on a jig head for the bottom. The universal inshore bait.
- Mud minnows (killifish)Lip-hooked on a jig head or a 1/0 hook dragged along the bottom — the flounder bait.
- 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.
- Sand eelsFree-lined or on a light jig head for stripers, fluke and bluefish; strips teased on a fluke rig.
- Leader20–40 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook#1–4/0
- Jig head1/8–1/2 oz
- Braid10–30 lb
Feeds in 55–80°F water, best at 60–74°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch weakfish in New Jersey saltwater fishing?
Peak season is May–June and September–October, with fish spawning in May (often a closed or catch-and-release window — check the rule). Weakfish are in New Jersey saltwater fishing April–November. May: Tiderunner weakfish into Raritan Bay, Barnegat and Great Bay — soft plastics at night on the flood.
Where do weakfish hold in New Jersey saltwater fishing?
Look on channel edge, pass / inlet, bridge, fishing pier — around Cape May, Atlantic City, Barnegat Light, Point Pleasant, Belmar, Sandy Hook.
What is the best bait for weakfish in New Jersey saltwater fishing?
Live bait: live shrimp, mud minnows (killifish), bloodworms, sand eels. Live shrimp: Under a popping cork or free-lined, hooked under the horn on a #1 to 2/0 circle hook; on a jig head for the bottom. The universal inshore bait. Tackle: leader 20–40 lb fluorocarbon, hook #1–4/0, jig head 1/8–1/2 oz, braid 10–30 lb.
What are the rules for weakfish 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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