Reef off the New Jersey coast
Garden State South is an NJ artificial reef in the Little Egg Inlet offshore zone, part of New Jersey's Garden State artificial reef program that has placed hard substrate at designated reef sites along the coast. The southern unit provides productive bottom structure for sea bass, tautog, and porgy on an otherwise sandy seafloor. Charter boats from Beach Haven and Little Egg Harbor marinas access this reef on standard bottom-fishing trips during peak season.
Click a species row to see fishing methods, regulations, and tips.
| Species | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bluefish | Off | Off | Off | Good | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Good | Off | Off |
| Summer Flounder (Fluke) | Off | Off | Off | Off | Good | Peak | Peak | Peak | Good | Off | Off | Off |
| Black Sea Bass | Off | Off | Off | Off | Peak | Peak | Good | Good | Peak | Peak | Good | Off |
| Weakfish | Off | Off | Off | Good | Peak | Peak | Good | Good | Off | Off | Off | Off |
Most charters depart from Barnegat Light - Prime bay fishing access
point-pleasant-beach
Cape May
Atlantic City
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Check AvailabilityGarden State South is known for Fluke (Summer Flounder), Bluefish, Weakfish, Sea Bass.
Garden State South is accessible from Little Egg Inlet. Check with local charter captains for precise navigation coordinates.
Reef structures provide habitat for a variety of species. Artificial reefs are regularly stocked and monitored by NJ Fish & Wildlife.
Check recent reports to see what's biting at Garden State South.
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