NJ Fishing Inlets
10 detailed inlet guides — tide strategies, target species, shore spots, and the captains who fish each inlet from Sandy Hook to Cape May.
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Fish an inlet with a local captain
Inlets are tide-and-structure games. A captain who fishes the same inlet daily knows where the fish stage on every tide window.
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North Jersey Inlets
3 inlets in the Sandy Hook to Manasquan stretch.
Sandy Hook Inlet
Complete guide to fishing Sandy Hook Inlet in NJ. Striped bass, bluefish, fluke spots, tide strategies, and local techniques for this premier North Jersey inlet.
Read guide →Shark River Inlet
Complete guide to fishing Shark River Inlet in Belmar, NJ. Best spots for striped bass, fluke, bluefish, and weakfish with local tactics and tide strategies.
Read guide →Manasquan Inlet
Complete guide to fishing Manasquan Inlet in NJ. Prime striped bass, fluke, and bluefish location with jetty access, tide strategies, and expert local tactics.
Read guide →Central Jersey Inlets
2 inlets in the Manasquan to Beach Haven stretch.
Barnegat Inlet
Complete guide to fishing Barnegat Inlet in NJ. Prime striped bass, bluefish, and fluke destination with jetty tactics, tide strategies, and local expert tips.
Read guide →Beach Haven Inlet
Complete guide to fishing Beach Haven and Little Egg Inlet at the south end of LBI. Flounder, weakfish, striped bass spots with tide strategies and local tips.
Read guide →South Jersey Inlets
5 inlets in the Atlantic County and Cape May stretch.
Absecon Inlet
Complete guide to fishing Absecon Inlet in Atlantic City, NJ. Striped bass, fluke, and bluefish spots with jetty tactics, tide strategies, and local tips.
Read guide →Great Egg Inlet
Complete guide to fishing Great Egg Harbor Inlet between Ocean City and Longport, NJ. Striped bass, flounder, and bluefish with local tactics and tide strategies.
Read guide →Townsends Inlet
Complete guide to fishing Townsends Inlet between Sea Isle City and Avalon, NJ. Striped bass, fluke, and weakfish with tide strategies and local expert tips.
Read guide →Hereford Inlet
Complete guide to fishing Hereford Inlet in North Wildwood, NJ. Striped bass, fluke, weakfish spots with tide strategies and local tactics.
Read guide →Cape May Inlet
Complete guide to fishing Cape May Inlet (Cold Spring Inlet) in NJ. Striped bass, tautog, flounder spots with jetty tactics and tide strategies.
Read guide →Inlet Fishing FAQs
What's the best NJ inlet for striped bass?
Manasquan, Barnegat, and Shark River inlets are top producers for stripers, especially during the fall run (September–December) when migrating bass concentrate at inlet jaws on outgoing tides. Sandy Hook fishes well in spring (April–May) when stripers stage on their way north.
Do I need a license to fish from an inlet jetty?
Yes — for saltwater fishing in NJ you need the free Saltwater Registry, even from public jetties. Sandy Hook is federal land and requires no NJ registration. Charter and party boats fishing the inlets cover the registry as part of their license.
When is inlet fishing best — incoming or outgoing tide?
Both windows produce, but outgoing tides typically beat incoming for striped bass and bluefish (predators ambush bait flushed out of the bay), while incoming tides can be better for fluke and tautog (gamefish following bait inward). The 90 minutes either side of slack tide are usually slowest.
More to Explore
More fishing resources
- Verified NJ captains — book the captains who fish these inlets daily.
- NJ tides — plan around the bite.
- NJ Fishing Guide hub