Sandy Hook and Raritan Bay Fishing: Stripers, Blues and Fluke

Sandy Hook is a spit of sand at the northern tip of the Jersey Shore, in Monmouth County, and its fishing areas are part of Gateway National Recreation Area. It faces the Atlantic on one side and Raritan Bay on the other, near the entrance to New York Harbor. It is also one of the most regulated: the National Park Service sets rules for shorebird nesting areas, guarded beaches and after-hours fishing that change what you can do and when. This guide covers what the NPS publishes, the New Jersey rules that apply and what we could not confirm. Anything that comes from a magazine or tackle-shop report is labeled that way.

What the National Park Service requires

The NPS fishing page for Gateway, last updated March 31, 2026, sets out the rules that matter most at Sandy Hook.

• Saltwater only. No license is required for saltwater fishing, but anglers must be on the saltwater registry. Because the park borders New York waters, the NPS says there is a registry for both New York and New Jersey.
• After-hours permits. Permits are required for fishing after hours, from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m., and are not required during regular business hours. You must be actively fishing while using the permit, and permits are also required to park after hours anywhere in the park.
• Shorebird areas. Fishing is prohibited within 150 feet of posted shorebird nesting areas.
• Guarded beaches. Fishing is prohibited on lifeguard-protected beaches when lifeguards are on duty.

We could not tell from the page how the pass relates to daytime fishing, and we did not read the NPS fees page. The practical advice is to check the NPS page for Gateway before any trip that runs past 9 p.m. or starts before 6 a.m.

Rules for the fish you may keep

New Jersey’s size and possession tables, last updated October 5, 2026, apply to Sandy Hook fish. The rules snapshot shows the values we verified.

• Summer flounder (fluke): the season runs May 4 to September 25, with an 18 inch minimum and three fish, the statewide rule. The special 16 inch shore rule applies only at Island Beach State Park (see that guide). Read the fluke guide for the zones.
• Striped bass: open all year in the Atlantic within three nautical miles, and from March 1 to December 31 in other marine waters, one fish between 28 and 31 inches. Non-offset circle hooks are required with bait and gaffing is illegal. See the striped bass guide.
• Bluefish: no closed season, no minimum size and five fish per person.

All the rules are in one place on the New Jersey rules page.

What is here

The Fisherman reported in April 2024, and OnTheWater in August 2026, what anglers find at Sandy Hook. We have not verified these reports and they change from year to year.

• The ocean side and the lots: striped bass in spring and fall runs at the parking lots and Gunnison Beach, and summer fluke on the ocean side.
• The Rip: bluefish at the Rip through the year and false albacore there in summer and early fall.
• The bayside: summer fluke, stripers on the Plum Island flats, and porgies, sea bass, sheepshead and tautog on rock piles along the bayside.
• Raritan Bay: fluke in the back of the bay and croaker in the rivers and bay, according to August 2026 tackle-shop reports.

New Jersey’s undated saltwater guide also lists access across the bay: Keansburg Fishing Pier, Port Monmouth Waterfront Park, Keyport Marine Park, Union Beach Municipal Park, the Atlantic Highlands municipal harbor, Highlands (Marine Park and Marine Place) and Hartshorne Woods Park on the Navesink. Confirm hours, fees and conditions with each owner before you go, because we could not.

Gear that works

The Fisherman’s 2024 article describes swimming plugs, shads and darters for striped bass, plugs and poppers for bluefish, metals against false albacore, bucktails with soft-plastic baits and killifish under bobbers for fluke, and small metals for snapper bluefish. A medium-heavy spinning rod handles the surf and the Rip. A lighter rod fits bayside fluke and pier fishing. The rod you need depends on where you fish, so tell us what you are targeting and we will build it.

Season and timing

Sources point to spring and fall runs for striped bass, summer for fluke and false albacore, and year-round bluefish at the Rip. The legal fluke season runs May 4 to September 25 in 2026. We do not have a current season calendar from an agency for the species the reports describe, so confirm with a recent report.

Safety

• The Rip is a current-swept fishing area, as the name suggests. Wade carefully and never fish it alone in rough water.
• After dark, carry a light, tell someone where you are and have your pass with you.
• Shorebird areas may be posted and are marked. Stay at least 150 feet from them.
• Lifeguarded beaches close to fishing when lifeguards are on duty.
• Jetties and rock piles are slippery and waves can sweep them.
• Consumption advisories apply to some New Jersey waters. Check the Fish Smart, Eat Smart NJ map before you eat what you catch.

Nearby

For the beaches to the south, see Island Beach State Park and Cape May. To compare permits and rules side by side, read New Jersey surf fishing.