Point Pleasant Beach's fishing boats keep sailing well after the boardwalk calendar thins out in October, and New Jersey's recreational rules shape their fall. Two dates stand out this year. On November 1, the black sea bass limit goes from 10 fish to 15. On November 16, the tautog limit goes from one fish to five. The November schedules posted along Broadway Basin, Inlet Drive and Ken's Landing add more sea bass and tog trips in the month those limits rise.
The Rules That Set the Docks' Calendar
The NJ DEP Fish & Wildlife 2026 recreational summary splits the fall into short windows. Each species changes on its own date.
Species | Through | Then |
|---|---|---|
Black sea bass, 12.5-inch minimum | 10 fish, Sept. 23 to Oct. 31 | 15 fish, Nov. 1 to Dec. 31 |
Tautog, 15-inch minimum | 1 fish, Aug. 1 to Nov. 15 | 5 fish, Nov. 16 to Dec. 31 |
Striped bass, 28 to 31 inches | 1 fish, open Mar. 1 to Dec. 31 in most marine waters | Ocean waters 0 to 3 miles out have no closed season; beyond 3 miles is closed |
Bluefish | 5 fish for private and shore anglers, 7 on for-hire boats | Open all year |
There is one change this year for anyone who measures a striper at the rail. On July 14, 2026, the state adopted a total-length measuring standard for striped bass. You measure from the tip of the closed jaw or snout to the farthest end of the tail, with the fork squeezed together. DEP's seasons and regulations page also says the rules can change after publication, so check it before a trip. The summary also lists a free saltwater registry that anglers have to sign up with before fishing.
How the Boats Follow the Rules
Every boat here works out of Point Pleasant Beach or the docks right next to it, and none of them stops in October. Each changes what it sails for.
Norma-K III, Ken's Landing. The boat's posted schedule lists 3/4-day sea bass trips and night blues trips for October. For November it adds 3/4-day and 18-hour offshore sea bass trips, 3/4-day tog trips and a tog marathon. The On The Water report for October 1 had the boat sailing daily at 7:30 a.m. for sea bass and on Friday and Saturday nights for blues. The posted schedule doesn't print exact dates, and the boat asks anglers to call for the current lineup.
Gambler, 59 Inlet Drive. In October, Gambler's 2026 calendar lists 30-hour Canyon Elite trips leaving at 11 a.m., and the departures shown were waitlisted. Seven-hour striped bass trips begin November 1. November 24-hour canyon trips go for yellowfin and longfin tuna, mahi-mahi and more. The fall inshore-exotics trips for bonito, little tunny and mahi-mahi are limited to three.
Dauntless, 47 Broadway, Broadway Basin. Dauntless says it sails daily at 7:30 a.m. all year. Its October 7 report described sea bass and porgy fishing.
Queen Mary. The 85-foot boat lists daily trips from 6:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. for blues, bonito, sea bass, porgies and striped bass. Its site advertises a 50 percent passenger cap. Its October 2026 calendar has family fishing trips on October 17 and 18 and a striped bass marathon on October 22.
Fish Stix, Clark's Landing Marina, 847 Arnold Avenue. This charter is booking fall 2026 trips for striped bass and bluefin tuna, including giant bluefin. Availability is by call or text, not a posted timetable. The Clark's Landing charter directory lists other boats too, including Fortuna Runner, Yankee Rose, Megan Beth and Reel Lyfe, but none of them post fall calendars there.
The schedules go month by month, not by exact date, but November's lineup gets bigger in the month both limits rise. Norma-K III lists tog trips and a tog marathon for the month when the tautog limit goes from one fish to five, starting November 16. The 18-hour offshore sea bass trips land in the month when the sea bass limit rises by half.
What the Canal Was Doing in Early October
The On The Water report from October 1 put some of the best inshore action on the Point Pleasant Canal. Stripers were taking live eels there, and blackfish were biting in the canal and at the inlets. The report called sea bass the best bet for the weekend.
That blackfish bite comes during the strictest stretch of the tautog season. Until November 15, the limit is one fish at 15 inches. Anyone fishing the canal in October can catch plenty of tog and keep one. A month later the same spots allow five.
The weekend of October 17 and 18 brings both calendars together. Queen Mary's family fishing trips fall on those two days. A few blocks away, Jenkinson's runs Boo at the Boardwalk from noon to 4 p.m. on October 17, 18, 24 and 25, with trick-or-treating, entertainment and limited rides. A morning on the boat can end in time for the costumes on the boards.
Where the Catch Goes After the Patio Season
Fall changes the counters along the water too. Outdoor seating closes, but most of the fish counters stay open.
- The Wharfside, 101 Channel Drive, posts hours of 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. every day and says it serves the catch year-round. Its Patio Bar generally runs May through September, weather permitting.
- Shore Fresh Seafood Market & Restaurant, 57 Channel Drive, says it welcomes customers year-round. It's open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and until 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
- Spike's Fish Market & Restaurant, 415 Broadway, says it is open seven days a week all year, and its outdoor dining is closed for the season.
- Point Lobster Company, 1 St. Louis Avenue, runs a fish market posted as open seven days a week and says its patio is open year-round.
- The Shrimp Box, 75 Inlet Drive, posts hours of noon to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, until 9:30 on Friday and until 10 on Saturday. Its site doesn't say whether those hours run through the winter.
Because these hours come from live business pages without dates, call ahead on a cold weeknight.
One familiar Channel Drive dining room is now an events venue. The Asbury Park Press reported in February that the Lobster Shanty and Sunset Ballroom were being converted into Harbor Point, a venue for weddings and private events. The building at 83 Channel Drive no longer offers à-la-carte dining, as NJ.com described it. The Harbor Point site is taking tours and lists booking for 2027 and 2028.
The Street Itself Is on a Slower Clock
The boats change their plans by the week. The street they sit on is changing much more slowly. At a September 30 town hall, borough officials gave an update on the Channel Drive redesign, and the Star News Group covered it on October 1.
The project covers the full 0.6 miles of Channel Drive. The plan is to replace curbs and sidewalks and add ADA-compliant curb ramps and crosswalks, with the goal of addressing worn sidewalks in an area that gets heavy foot traffic. The construction estimate is now about $1.75 million, down from roughly $3 million. Stamped-concrete walkways, decorative lighting, landscaping, benches and trash and recycling centers were cut. With engineering, contingencies and inspections, the full cost is about $2.31 million.
"We asked to take those off to reduce the cost of the project," Council President Arthur Gant said, as reported by the Star News Group. He also said he didn't have a construction start date. The project is still active, but no completion timetable has been set.
The borough's figures list about $2.01 million in grants:
- A $1 million state transportation grant.
- A $441,910 Design Assistance Program grant.
- A $573,006 Municipal Aid grant, which expired at the end of 2025. The borough is reapplying.
If all of that funding comes through, the borough's share would be about $299,000. That includes $209,000 for inspections that the grants don't cover. At the meeting, residents asked about the sidewalks and about the lack of drainage work in the current plan. Gant said engineers and planners are studying how traffic, including trucks, would move through the redesigned street.
Until a start date is set, the November boats will sail past a Channel Drive that still has its current sidewalks.
If you do make it out on the water, or to the beach, keep an eye out - there have been lots of whale and dolphin sightings lately!
If you want to talk about the waterfront, the redesign or anything else changing along the inlet this season, Edwin O'Malley and the Suzie & Ed team are glad to hear from you. Contact Us.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.
