The Best Fishing Spots in New Jersey
New Jersey offers diverse fishing from the long Atlantic coast and bays to inland rivers and lakes, with productive saltwater and freshwater opportunities year-round. Along the Jersey Shore and in bays like Barnegat and Delaware Bay, anglers target spring and fall migratory striped bass, aggressive bluefish, summer fluke (summer flounder), weakfish and structure-loving tautog by surfcasting, from piers or on boats. Inland waters and reservoirs produce largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, stocked trout, catfish, walleye and panfish like bluegill and crappie, making New Jersey a well-rounded recreational fishing destination for anglers of all styles.
Top Cities For Fishing
Sea Fishing
Asbury Park
(2 km to coast)
Atlantic City
(1 km to coast)
Avenel
(5 km to coast)
Bayonne
(2 km to coast)
Bayville
(3 km to coast)
Beachwood
(7 km to coast)
Belleville
(12 km to coast)
Bellmawr
(4 km to coast)
Bergenfield
(8 km to coast)
Bloomfield
(15 km to coast)
Bridgeton
(16 km to coast)
Camden
(0 km to coast)
Carteret
(1 km to coast)
Cherry Hill
(6 km to coast)
Cherry Hill Mall
(8 km to coast)
Cinnaminson
(4 km to coast)
Clark
(11 km to coast)
Cliffside Park
(1 km to coast)
Collingswood
(3 km to coast)
Colonia
(6 km to coast)
Cranford
(11 km to coast)
Dumont
(9 km to coast)
East Brunswick
(18 km to coast)
East Orange
(13 km to coast)
Eatontown
(8 km to coast)
Echelon
(14 km to coast)
Edgewater
(0 km to coast)
Edison
(15 km to coast)
Elizabeth
(3 km to coast)
Elmwood Park
(19 km to coast)
Englewood
(4 km to coast)
Fairview
(2 km to coast)
Fords
(6 km to coast)
Fort Lee
(1 km to coast)
Garfield
(17 km to coast)
Gloucester City
(0 km to coast)
Greentree
(16 km to coast)
Guttenberg
(1 km to coast)
Hackensack
(11 km to coast)
Haddonfield
(7 km to coast)
Harrison
(6 km to coast)
Hasbrouck Heights
(13 km to coast)
Highland Park
(16 km to coast)
Hillside
(9 km to coast)
Hoboken
(1 km to coast)
Holiday City-Berkeley
(17 km to coast)
Irvington
(13 km to coast)
Iselin
(8 km to coast)
Jersey City
(4 km to coast)
Kearny
(8 km to coast)
Lakewood
(17 km to coast)
Linden
(4 km to coast)
Lindenwold
(16 km to coast)
Little Ferry
(8 km to coast)
Lodi
(14 km to coast)
Long Branch
(2 km to coast)
Lyndhurst
(14 km to coast)
Maple Shade
(8 km to coast)
Maplewood
(15 km to coast)
Marlboro
(19 km to coast)
Metuchen
(11 km to coast)
Middletown
(7 km to coast)
Millburn
(17 km to coast)
Montclair
(19 km to coast)
Moorestown-Lenola
(10 km to coast)
Mount Laurel
(19 km to coast)
Newark
(7 km to coast)
New Brunswick
(19 km to coast)
New Milford
(11 km to coast)
North Arlington
(11 km to coast)
North Bergen
(2 km to coast)
Nutley
(16 km to coast)
Ocean Acres
(10 km to coast)
Ocean City
(1 km to coast)
Old Bridge
(14 km to coast)
Orange
(15 km to coast)
Palisades Park
(4 km to coast)
Paramus
(17 km to coast)
Passaic
(17 km to coast)
Pennsauken
(2 km to coast)
Pennsville
(1 km to coast)
Perth Amboy
(0 km to coast)
Piscataway
(13 km to coast)
Pleasantville
(2 km to coast)
Point Pleasant
(3 km to coast)
Rahway
(7 km to coast)
Red Bank
(10 km to coast)
Ridgefield
(4 km to coast)
Ridgefield Park
(7 km to coast)
River Edge
(13 km to coast)
Robertsville
(17 km to coast)
Roselle
(6 km to coast)
Roselle Park
(8 km to coast)
Rutherford
(13 km to coast)
Saddle Brook
(16 km to coast)
Sayreville
(10 km to coast)
Sayreville Junction
(7 km to coast)
Secaucus
(6 km to coast)
Sewell
(16 km to coast)
South Old Bridge
(13 km to coast)
South Orange
(16 km to coast)
South Plainfield
(17 km to coast)
South River
(14 km to coast)
Springdale
(15 km to coast)
Springfield
(16 km to coast)
Teaneck
(8 km to coast)
Tenafly
(4 km to coast)
Tinton Falls
(14 km to coast)
Toms River
(8 km to coast)
Union
(11 km to coast)
Union City
(2 km to coast)
Wallington
(16 km to coast)
Weehawken
(1 km to coast)
Westfield
(16 km to coast)
West New York
(1 km to coast)
West Orange
(18 km to coast)
Westwood
(14 km to coast)
Willingboro
(17 km to coast)
Woodbridge
(3 km to coast)
Top Saltwater Fishing Spots
Delaware Bay
This broad estuary produces drum (black drum in spring), striped bass, and summer fluke, with weakfish and bluefish mixing in. Boats work shoals and deeper channels off Cape May , while shore anglers fish piers and jetties around Fortescue and North Cape May .
Absecon Inlet
Adjacent to Atlantic City, Absecon Inlet’s jetties and channels hold striped bass, tautog, bluefish, and fluke. Shore access along the rock walls pairs with boat drifts across rips and eddies, with quick access to Great Bay and ocean reefs offshore of Atlantic City .
Barnegat Bay
A vast back-bay system offering shallow flats and channels, Barnegat Bay yields fluke, striped bass, bluefish, and seasonal weakfish. Drift bucktails over channel edges, work poppers on flats near Toms River , or fish bridges and sod banks between Seaside Heights and Barnegat Light .
Barnegat Inlet
Known for fast-moving water and rock jetties, Barnegat Inlet produces striped bass, tautog (blackfish), bluefish, and summer fluke. Boaters jig the inlet rips and the nearby shoals, while jetty anglers work bucktails and crabs; nearby Barnegat Light and the Barnegat Bay flats extend the action.
Cape May Inlet
This southern gateway features strong currents and jetties that produce striped bass, tautog, and summer fluke. Anglers fish the tips and eddies, then slide to Delaware Bay shoals or the beaches of Cape May for additional opportunities.
Great Bay
A productive back-bay estuary with marsh creeks and channels, Great Bay offers fluke, striped bass, bluefish, and seasonal weakfish. Drift bucktails along sod banks and bars near Little Egg Inlet , or explore connected waters of Mullica River for tidal action.
Island Beach State Park
This oceanfront stretch is famed for surfcasting striped bass and bluefish, with summer fluke and kingfish in the troughs. Anglers target cuts and bars along miles of beach facing the Atlantic, with proximity to Barnegat Inlet and Barnegat Bay providing additional options when surf conditions change.
Manasquan Inlet
Strong currents and structure make Manasquan Inlet a top spot for striped bass, tautog, bluefish, and migrating albies. Jetty anglers jig bucktails and metals, while boats stage here to reach nearshore reefs and the Manasquan River for fluke and schoolie bass.
Raritan Bay
A prime hub for striped bass, bluefish, and spring weakfish, Raritan Bay offers extensive shoreline access and protected water for small boats and kayaks. Anglers drift for fluke around channel edges and troll bunker spoons for trophy bass near Sandy Hook and Perth Amboy , with productive fall runs along the shipping channels and flats.
Sandy Hook Bay
A sheltered bay adjoining the ocean, Sandy Hook Bay offers spring and fall blitzes of striped bass and bluefish, plus summer fluke and weakfish. Shorecasters work the beaches and piers around Highlands , while boaters troll and live-bait along channel edges and the tip near Sandy Hook .
Shark River Inlet
A compact inlet with jetties and strong tides, Shark River Inlet offers striped bass, bluefish, tautog, and summer fluke. Anglers jig along the rocks and drift the pocket water, with additional opportunities inside the Shark River and beaches at Avon-by-the-Sea and Belmar .
Top Freshwater Fishing Spots
Lake Hopatcong
New Jersey’s largest lake supports largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, walleye, muskellunge, and hybrid striped bass. Fish weedlines, docks, and rocky points, with night bites for walleye and hybrids; nearby Netcong and Hopatcong ramps ease access.
Round Valley Reservoir
Deep, clear water produces trophy lake trout, brown trout, and rainbow trout, plus smallmouth bass. Trollers run leadcore and downriggers along drop-offs, while shore anglers soak baits on points; proximity to Clinton and Spruce Run Reservoir expands options.
Spruce Run Reservoir
A fertile impoundment known for hybrid striped bass, muskellunge, walleye, and largemouth bass. Work windblown shores, points, and the old river channel; many anglers pair trips with nearby Round Valley Reservoir for a trout-and-bass combo day.
Greenwood Lake
Straddling the NJ–NY border, Greenwood Lake offers largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, muskellunge, and walleye. Weedbeds, docks, and rocky shorelines are prime targets, with convenient launches around West Milford and connections to nearby Wawayanda Lake day-trips.
Top Saltwater & Freshwater Spots
Delaware River
From smallmouth-rich upper reaches to tidal stretches with striped bass and catfish, the Delaware River delivers variety. Target eddies and current seams for smallmouth bass and walleye, or fish the lower river near Trenton and Camden for spring stripers and summer channel cats.
Navesink River
A tidal river known for spring and fall striped bass and summer fluke, the Navesink also produces weakfish and bluefish. Fish bridge pilings and channel edges near Red Bank , or drift bucktails across flats shared with the nearby Shrewsbury River .
Shrewsbury River
Interconnected with the Navesink, the Shrewsbury River offers striped bass, fluke, and bluefish around channels, bridges, and flats. Boaters and kayakers work tide runs near Sea Bright , with easy crossovers to Navesink River and Sandy Hook Bay .