Fishing the Northeast
The Northeast covers NJ through Maine. The water people actually fish here is the rips, rocky structure, back bays and the canyons.
13 species below, each with the baits that work, how to work them, where the fish hold, and the months they're worth targeting. September has the most species at peak (12).
What’s biting, month by month
The months each species is worth planning a trip around in the Northeast.
| Month | At their peak |
|---|---|
| January | Quiet month — nothing at peak |
| February | Quiet month — nothing at peak |
| March | Quiet month — nothing at peak |
| April | Striped Bass · Tautog |
| May | Black Sea Bass · Bluefish · Flounder · Striped Bass · Tautog · Weakfish |
| June | Black Sea Bass · Bluefin Tuna · Bluefish · Flounder · Scup (Porgy) · Shark · Striped Bass · Weakfish |
| July | Black Sea Bass · Bluefin Tuna · Bluefish · Flounder · Scup (Porgy) · Shark · White Marlin · Yellowfin Tuna |
| August | Atlantic Bonito · Black Sea Bass · Bluefin Tuna · Bluefish · Flounder · Scup (Porgy) · Shark · White Marlin · Yellowfin Tuna |
| September | Atlantic Bonito · Black Sea Bass · Bluefin Tuna · Bluefish · False Albacore · Flounder · Scup (Porgy) · Shark · Striped Bass · Weakfish · White Marlin · Yellowfin Tuna |
| October | Atlantic Bonito · Black Sea Bass · Bluefin Tuna · Bluefish · False Albacore · Striped Bass · Tautog · Yellowfin Tuna |
| November | Striped Bass · Tautog |
| December | Quiet month — nothing at peak |
Every species in the Northeast
13 species, each with what to throw, how to work it, where they hold and when they peak.