Upper Bay fishing: Atlantic Croaker

Target species: Atlantic Croaker
Best months: Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep for Atlantic Croaker

The estuary

Upper Bay covers 10,643 acres in New Jersey, across Hudson County. It is an estuary: the deepest point measured is 82 feet (25 m). Our records hold 4 species for this water. 31% of the water lies in New York.

Depth: down to 82 ft at the deepest measured point

Deepest measured point: 82 ft (25 m). We hold 62 depth contours for this water, drawn from 118,067 soundings.

Einfahrt von der Upper Bay in den Hudson River zwischen Jersey und Manhattan - panoramio.jpg
Martin Furtschegger · CC BY 3.0

The target fish: Atlantic Croaker

  • Atlantic Croaker — Best months: Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep.

Also recorded here: Atlantic Menhaden, Mummichog, Inland Silverside.

Water and conditions

Water clarity runs 3.5–13.1 feet on our readings, averaging 7.5 feet, from 242 readings. Water temperature averages 65°F across the year. The coldest single reading we hold is 38°F and the warmest is 78°F; the warmest monthly average is 74°F. pH averages 7.6. These readings span 2017–2026.

Die Upper Bay vor Jersey City - panoramio.jpg
Martin Furtschegger · CC BY 3.0

Monthly average water temperature: Jan 41°F · Feb 39°F · Mar 40°F · Apr 46°F · May 58°F · Jun 66°F · Jul 73°F · Aug 74°F · Sep 71°F · Oct 64°F · Nov 56°F · Dec 45°F

Ramps and access

On this water we hold 5 shore access points.

Cruising the Upper Bay - Statue Cruises.jpg
David Brossard · CC BY-SA 2.0

Shore access for bank fishing

  • Freedom Way River Access, Jersey City — Jersey City. Freedom Way, Jersey City
  • Harbor Pl Bay Access, Bayonne — Bayonne. Harbor Pl & Goldsborough Dr, Bayonne
  • Lefante Way River Access, Bayonne — restrooms. Bayonne. Lefante Way, Bayonne
  • Morris Pesin Dr River Access, Jersey City — Jersey City. Morris Pesin Dr, Jersey City
  • Port Terminal Blvd River Access, Bayonne — restrooms. Bayonne. Port Terminal Blvd, Bayonne

Fee and opening hours are blank for all 5 places in this list: a blank means we hold no such field, not that it is free or always open, and this list may not be complete.

Season by season

  • Winter (Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, 39–46°F) — No species in our records peaks in these months.
  • Spring (May, Jun, 58–66°F) — Biting: Atlantic Croaker.
  • Summer (Jul, Aug, Sep, 71–74°F) — Biting: Atlantic Croaker.
  • Fall (Oct, Nov, 56–64°F) — Steady but no peak: Atlantic Croaker.

What is hard here

Wind is the limit, not the fish: 10,643 acres of open water build a short steep chop, and there is no shelter in the middle. Clarity swings from 3.5 to 13.1 feet between our readings — the water you meet is not the water someone photographed. Winter water drops to 39°F, and the warm-water species stop feeding well before you do.

Where this data comes from

  • USACE eHydro — USACE eHydro channel surveys: class A, a survey of the bottom.
  • NOAA NOS Hydro — NOAA NOS hydrographic survey archive: class A, a survey of the bottom.
  • NOAA Digital Coast — NOAA Digital Coast bathymetric lidar: class A, a survey of the bottom, 2017.
  • NOAA National Bathymetric Source (S-102 ed3.0.0) — NOAA S-102 bathymetric surfaces: contours: class A, a survey of the bottom.
  • NOAA BlueTopo: class A, a survey of the bottom.
  • NOAA ENC — NOAA Electronic Navigational Charts: soundings: class A, a survey of the bottom.
  • NOAA ENC — NOAA Electronic Navigational Charts: depth contours: class A, a survey of the bottom.