FishCondishHighlands, NJ Fishing Report & Live Conditions
Highlands, NJ fishing report
Highlands fishes Sandy Hook, the rips, and the bay where the Shrewsbury and Navesink meet Raritan Bay, prime striped bass country at the doorstep of New York Harbor. Spring brings a strong run of bass feeding on bunker in the bay and rips, and the fall run repeats it as fish push south. Summer fills the bay channels and flats with fluke, and bluefish blitz through chasing bait, with the sheltered water fishing well when the ocean is blown out.
Fish the rips off the hook and the bay channels with bucktails, swim shads, and soft plastics for stripers, live-lining bunker where the bait schools up. Drift bucktails along the channel edges for fluke. The rips fire on a hard moving tide and go slack at the turn, so time your drifts to the current. The bass bite is best on moving water at dawn and dusk; when bunker are thick, that's where the biggest fish will be.
Highlands, NJ tide times
The closest NOAA tide station to Highlands, NJ is Highlands, Route 36 bridge (station 8531712), about 0.8 miles away. Predictions below are referenced to MLLW in local time.
| Date | Tides |
|---|---|
| Mon, Jul 27 | ▼ Low 1:20 AM 0.6 ft▲ High 7:23 AM 3.7 ft▼ Low 1:14 PM 0.8 ft▲ High 7:37 PM 4.7 ft |
| Tue, Jul 28 | ▼ Low 2:04 AM 0.4 ft▲ High 8:05 AM 3.9 ft▼ Low 2:00 PM 0.7 ft▲ High 8:17 PM 4.8 ft |
| Wed, Jul 29 | ▼ Low 2:46 AM 0.3 ft▲ High 8:45 AM 4 ft▼ Low 2:44 PM 0.7 ft▲ High 8:54 PM 4.9 ft |
| Thu, Jul 30 | ▼ Low 3:26 AM 0.2 ft▲ High 9:23 AM 4.1 ft▼ Low 3:27 PM 0.6 ft▲ High 9:29 PM 4.9 ft |
| Fri, Jul 31 | ▼ Low 4:03 AM 0.1 ft▲ High 9:59 AM 4.2 ft▼ Low 4:07 PM 0.6 ft▲ High 10:05 PM 4.8 ft |
| Sat, Aug 1 | ▼ Low 4:37 AM 0.1 ft▲ High 10:35 AM 4.3 ft▼ Low 4:45 PM 0.6 ft▲ High 10:42 PM 4.7 ft |
| Sun, Aug 2 | ▼ Low 5:10 AM 0.1 ft▲ High 11:14 AM 4.4 ft▼ Low 5:24 PM 0.6 ft▲ High 11:23 PM 4.5 ft |
| Mon, Aug 3 | ▼ Low 5:43 AM 0.2 ft▲ High 11:57 AM 4.5 ft▼ Low 6:07 PM 0.7 ft |
| Tue, Aug 4 | ▲ High 12:11 AM 4.3 ft▼ Low 6:20 AM 0.3 ft▲ High 12:45 PM 4.6 ft▼ Low 7:00 PM 0.8 ft |
| Wed, Aug 5 | ▲ High 1:04 AM 4.1 ft▼ Low 7:04 AM 0.4 ft▲ High 1:38 PM 4.7 ft▼ Low 8:08 PM 0.9 ft |
Tide predictions from NOAA CO-OPS, regenerated daily. For the live water level, wind, and today's fishing score, open the Highlands, NJ dashboard.
What's biting near Highlands, NJ
The species most likely to be feeding Sandy Hook, the rips, and the bay: striped bass, fluke (summer flounder), bluefish, black sea bass, tautog, weakfish, and kingfish. FishCondish grades every hour of the day for Highlands, NJ and gives each species its own bite forecast, so you can see which window is worth fishing before you load the truck.
Highlands, NJ fishing FAQ
What fish can you catch at Highlands, NJ?
The species bite forecast for Highlands, NJ covers what's likely feeding there, including striped bass, fluke (summer flounder), bluefish, black sea bass, tautog, weakfish, and kingfish — and updates with the live conditions.
What's the best time of day to fish Highlands, NJ?
Dawn and dusk are usually the strongest windows at Highlands, NJ, especially when they line up with moving water around a tide change. FishCondish grades every hour of the day so you can pick the best one.
When is the best season to fish Highlands, NJ?
Spring and fall typically bring the most active fishing along Sandy Hook, the rips, and the bay as fish migrate and feed heavily, with summer steady for warm-water species. It varies year to year, so check the live score before you head out.
How do I know if it's a good day to fish Highlands, NJ?
FishCondish combines wind, tide movement, water temperature, pressure trend, and moon phase into a single 1–10 fishing score for Highlands, NJ, updated in real time — a quick go/no-go read before you make the trip.
Fishing tips for Highlands, NJ
New to these waters? Start with these beginner-friendly guides: