Plain Area off the New Jersey coast
Red Church is a locally named fishing spot off Shark River Inlet, named for a visual landmark — a red-painted church visible from the water that local captains historically used as a range marker for this productive offshore ground. The spot marks hard-bottom structure for sea bass, tautog, and bluefish in the Shark River zone. Traditional range and compass bearings like this one predate GPS and reflect decades of local fishing knowledge. Charter boats from Belmar and Shark River target Red Church on afternoon bottom-fishing trips.
Click a species row to see fishing methods, regulations, and tips.
| Species | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Striped Bass | Off | Off | Good | Peak | Peak | Good | Off | Off | Good | Peak | Peak | Good |
| Bluefish | Off | Off | Off | Good | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Good | Off | Off |
| Black Sea Bass | Off | Off | Off | Off | Peak | Peak | Good | Good | Peak | Peak | Good | Off |
| Tautog (Blackfish) | Off | Off | Good | Peak | Peak | Off | Off | Off | Off | Peak | Peak | Good |
Most charters depart from point-pleasant-beach - Wreck fishing specialists
point-pleasant-beach
Cape May
Wildwood
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Check AvailabilityRed Church is known for Sea Bass, Tautog, Bluefish, Striped Bass.
Red Church is accessible from Shark River. Check with local charter captains for precise navigation coordinates.
Check recent reports to see what's biting at Red Church.
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