Species guide · New Jersey
Weakfish fishing in New Jersey
Cynoscion regalis, an inshore species also called gray trout, squeteague and tiderunner. Listed for the Mid-Atlantic region. Shoulder season, about 1 more week.
Right now it scores best in Coastal waters from Manasquan Inlet to Little Egg Inlet NJ out 20 NM at 69, one of 4 New Jersey bay systems where the Waterlands engine is scoring it.
Season now
Shoulder seasonSeason by month
From the Waterlands saltwater species research: when the fish are present and biting, not whether retention is open.
Mid-Atlantic
Shoulder season, about 1 more week- Jan: Not present
- Feb: Not present
- Mar: Not present
- Apr: Off season
- May: Peak season
- Jun: Peak season
- Jul: Shoulder season
- Aug: Shoulder season
- Sep: Shoulder season
- Oct: Peak season
- Nov: Shoulder season
- Dec: Off season
Peak: May to Jun, Oct. In season (shoulder or peak): May to Nov.
Research notes, Mid-Atlantic region
Larger fish move inshore first. The spring run peaks in May in Delaware Bay, New Jersey back bays and Peconic Bay once water holds near 60 F; fish spread through the lower Chesapeake Bay in summer and school up before leaving in October. The coastwide stock is depleted and ASMFC holds anglers to a 1-fish bag.
Seasons and limits in these notes are background. The regulations below and the regulator’s own page govern.
Where it's scoring now · 4
New Jersey bay systems ranked by the Waterlands engine's weakfish score this hour.
Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (69) · Best day Mon, Sep 28 at 5 PM (75) · 100 named spots
Best window today 8-9 PM (65) · Best day Fri, Sep 25 at 7 AM (75) · 38 named spots
Best window today 9 PM-12 AM (69) · Best day Sun, Sep 27 at 5 PM (77) · 147 named spots
Best window today 9 PM-12 AM (70) · Best day Sun, Sep 27 at 6 PM (78) · 72 named spots
How and where it feeds
- Water temperature
- Feeds from 55°F to 82°F, best between 59°F and 74°F.
- Water depth
- 3 to 60 ft of water.
- Structure
- Channel, inlet, bridge, grass, oyster, jetty, bay and estuary, in that order of preference.
- Tide and current
- Prefers moving water and incoming tide, with moderate current.Weakfish feed along channel edges and grass lines when the tide is moving. The incoming tide that brings clean water is the usual choice in bays; the ebb at inlets and bridges also concentrates bait.
- Light
- Bites best around dawn and dusk; feeds at night too.
- Pressure
- Little response to pressure changes.
- Wind and sea limits
- 18 kt of wind and 3 ft of sea. The Waterlands engine scores hours down as conditions pass them.
Tackle and technique
Weakfish hold along channel edges, grass beds, oyster bars and bridge shadows in bays and sounds, usually in 5 to 40 feet of water, and feed hardest at dawn, dusk and after dark. Swim soft plastics or bucktails slowly near the bottom, or drift peeler crab and bloodworms. They have soft mouths, so keep the drag light and the pressure steady.
- Methods
- casting, drift fishing, bottom fishing, jigging
- Lures
- soft plastic shads and worms on jig heads, bucktail jigs, metal slab jigs, speck rigs, small swimming plugs
- Bait
- peeler or shedder crab, bloodworms, squid strips, grass shrimp
Regulations
New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife. Synced with NJFW Sep 16, 2026.
No reviewed weakfish rule for New Jersey is on file yet. Check with NJFW before you keep one.