Jersey Shore surf fishing by tide

New Jersey's coast is a long chain of barrier islands and peninsulas, with ocean beaches on one side and bays, thorofares and marsh creeks on the other, connected by inlets. That geography is why one tide chart doesn't fit every spot. This guide shows how the tide differs between the ocean, the inlets and the back bays using real NOAA predictions, then links every Jersey Shore town's tide page, from north to south.

Before you go: the NJ saltwater registry

New Jersey has no saltwater fishing license, but it does require a free annual registration. According to NJ Fish & Wildlife:

• Anglers 16 and older must register to fish recreationally in New Jersey's marine and fresh tidal waters, including from the beach.
• Registration is free and done online through the NJ Fish & Wildlife licensing system.
• You're exempt if you're under 16, or if you fish only on registered for-hire (party or charter) boats.
• The registry is not a license, and all marine fishing regulations still apply.

Size limits, bag limits and seasons for striped bass, fluke (summer flounder) and other species change often, sometimes mid-season. Always check the current NJ marine recreational regulations before you keep a fish.

Ocean vs. inlet vs. back bay: same day, different tides

Here are NOAA's predictions for a single day, October 24, 2026, at seven Jersey Shore stations:

NOAA station	Morning high	Day's range
Sandy Hook, Fort Hancock, NJocean side, north	6:49 AM	5.3 ft
Manasquan Inlet, USCG Station, NJinlet	6:37 AM	4.5 ft
Barnegat Inlet, USCG Station, NJinlet, inside	6:40 AM	2.7 ft
Manahawkin Drawbridge, NJback bay (Manahawkin Bay)	9:36 AM	1.4 ft
Atlantic City (Ocean), NJocean	6:25 AM	4.4 ft
Mays Landing, Great Egg Harbor River, NJup the Great Egg Harbor River	8:59 AM	4.2 ft
Cape May, Atlantic Ocean, NJocean, south	6:59 AM	5.0 ft

What the table shows:

• Ocean stations line up closely. The morning high fell between about 6:25 and 7:00 AM from Sandy Hook to Cape May, with a range of roughly 4.4 to 5.3 ft.
• Inside an inlet, the range drops. At the Barnegat Inlet Coast Guard station the high came at about the same time as the ocean, but the range was only about 2.7 ft.
• Back bays lag and shrink. At the Manahawkin Drawbridge, in the bay behind Long Beach Island, high tide came about three hours later than on the ocean, with a range of about 1.4 ft.
• Rivers lag too, but can keep their range. Up the Great Egg Harbor River at Mays Landing, high tide was about 2.5 hours later than at Atlantic City, yet the range stayed over 4 ft.

So if you fish the surf at Long Beach Island in the morning and the bay side in the afternoon, check two different stations. Every beach page tells you which NOAA station it uses and how far away it is.

How to fish the tide on the Jersey Shore

Ocean beaches

Most of the Jersey Shore's ocean beaches are sandy, with bars and troughs that shift with storms and seasons. Many have rock jetties or groins. A good routine:

1. Scout at low tide for troughs, cuts in the bar, and the holes around jetties and groins.
2. Fish moving water over that structure. The last couple of hours of the rising tide through the first hours of the falling tide is a common starting point.
3. Line it up with low light when you can. Beach pages list first light and last light next to the tides.

Our best tide for surf fishing guide explains the reasons behind each step.

Inlets and jetties

Inlets concentrate tidal currents, and the current often keeps running after the predicted high or low water level. Check NOAA's tidal current predictions for the inlet you're fishing. Many anglers favor the falling tide at inlets, when water drains out of the bays. Jetty rocks are slippery and get swept by waves, so wear proper footwear and never fish them in heavy surf.

Back bays and thorofares

The bay side is calmer and its tide is later and smaller, often much smaller than on the ocean. With a predicted range of a foot or so, wind can move the water as much as the tide does, and NOAA predictions don't include wind. The bays are important fluke water: NOAA Fisheries notes that young summer flounder grow up in estuaries and bays, and adults move into shallow coastal waters and estuaries in late spring and early summer.

Seasons: stripers and fluke

• Fluke (summer flounder): according to NOAA Fisheries, adults move inshore in late spring and early summer, and back offshore in the fall to spawn, with spawning peaking in October and November. That's why summer is fluke season in the bays, inlets and surf. NOAA also notes that recreational rules are typically adjusted every year.
• Striped bass: NOAA describes striped bass as anadromous fish. Many migrate north and south along the coast seasonally and move into rivers to spawn in spring. Those seasonal movements are why striper fishing from the beach is so closely tied to spring and fall. They are managed by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, and federal waters (beyond 3 miles) are closed to striped bass fishing, so beach anglers follow New Jersey's state rules.

Safety: rip currents and surf

If you wade out to reach a bar, remember that rip currents on beaches like these often run strongest in the hour or two either side of low tide (NWS). They also form next to jetties and groins. Check the NWS Mount Holly surf zone and rip current forecast, which covers the Jersey Shore. The nearest offshore buoys are listed on every beach page, for example NOAA NDBC 44091 (Barnegat).

Jersey Shore tide pages, north to south

Monmouth County: Sandy Hook to Manasquan

Beaches: Sandy Hook, Sea Bright, Long Branch, Asbury Park, Belmar, Spring Lake, Manasquan.
Stations: Sandy Hook, Fort Hancock, NJ, Long Branch (Fishing Pier), NJ, Manasquan Inlet, USCG Station, NJ.

Northern Ocean County: Point Pleasant to Island Beach

Beaches: Point Pleasant Beach, Bay Head, Lavallette, Seaside Heights.
Station: Island Beach, Sedge Islands, NJ (inside Barnegat Inlet).

Long Beach Island and Barnegat Bay

Beaches: Long Beach Island, Barnegat Light, Harvey Cedars, Surf City, Ship Bottom, Beach Haven.
Stations: Barnegat Inlet, USCG Station, NJ, Manahawkin Drawbridge, NJ, Tuckerton, Shooting Thorofare, Little Egg Inlet, NJ.

Atlantic County: Brigantine to Longport

Beaches: Brigantine, Atlantic City, Ventnor, Margate.
Stations: Atlantic City (Ocean), NJ, Ventnor City, Ocean Pier, NJ, Longport (Inside), Great Egg Harbor Inlet, NJ.

Cape May County: Ocean City to Cape May

Beaches: Ocean City, Strathmere, Sea Isle City, Avalon, Stone Harbor, North Wildwood, Wildwood, Wildwood Crest, Cape May.
Stations: Ocean Drive Bridge, NJ, Stone Harbor, Great Channel, NJ, Wildwood Crest, Ocean Pier, NJ, Cape May, Atlantic Ocean, NJ.

See all New Jersey tide stations, including dozens of back-bay and creek stations.

FAQ

Do I need a fishing license to surf fish in New Jersey?

New Jersey has no saltwater fishing license, but anglers 16 and older must register, free, every year with the NJ Saltwater Recreational Registry Program before fishing marine or tidal waters, including from the beach. Anglers under 16, and people who fish only on registered party or charter boats, are exempt.

What is the best tide for surf fishing at the Jersey Shore?

Moving water is usually best. A common starting point is the last two hours of the rising tide through the first hours of the falling tide, on the ocean station nearest your beach. Steeper beaches often fish better on higher water. Inlets often fish best on the falling tide, but check the current predictions.

Why is the tide in the bay later than on the ocean?

The tide has to squeeze through the inlets to fill the bays behind the barrier islands, so it arrives later and usually with a smaller range. On October 24, 2026, NOAA predicted high tide at the Manahawkin Drawbridge about three hours after the ocean side, with roughly a third of the range.

When is fluke season in New Jersey?

Fluke (summer flounder) move inshore in late spring and early summer and offshore in the fall, according to NOAA Fisheries. New Jersey sets the exact open season, size limits and bag limits each year, so check the current NJ Fish & Wildlife regulations.

Where can I find New Jersey fishing size and bag limits?

NJ Fish & Wildlife publishes the current marine recreational regulations on its website. Rules for striped bass and fluke change often, sometimes during the season, so check before every trip.

Sources

• NJ Fish & Wildlife (NJDEP): Saltwater Recreational Registry Program, Marine recreational regulations.
• NOAA CO-OPS tide predictions for stations 8531680, 8532591, 8533615, 8533935, 8534720, 8534468 and 8535962 (October 24, 2026).
• NOAA Fisheries: Summer flounder, Atlantic striped bass.
• National Weather Service: Rip current science, NWS Mount Holly; NOAA NDBC.