About Belmar
Belmar sits on the south side of Shark River Inlet, 17 miles south of Sandy Hook Light, on the central New Jersey coast. The municipal boat basin is 1.2 miles above the jetties on the Shark River, the only small-craft harbor between Sandy Hook and Manasquan Inlet.
Fishing runs effectively year-round, and the species mix shifts with the water. Anglers target striped bass, fluke, black sea bass, tautog, bluefish, porgy, cod, ling, bluefin tuna and yellowfin tuna. Trailer boats work the inshore reefs, and bigger boats run offshore to the Mud Hole and the canyons. For the wider regional view, see the Atlantic Northeast offshore picture.
Access and navigation
Boats reach the Atlantic from Belmar through Shark River Inlet, past the Ocean Avenue Bridge at the inner end of the jetties.
Public ramps and marinas:
- Belmar Manutti Municipal Marina dual boat ramppublic dual ramp into the Shark River.
- Belmar Manutti Marinamunicipal slips, fuel listed, 7 ft at mean low water, under half a mile from the ocean.
The State of New Jersey maintains and marks several channels through the flats north and west of the boat basin. Stay in the marked channels.
The Ocean Avenue Bridge has 15 ft of vertical clearance. The bridge tender monitors VHF 13, and the marina’s navigation notes say inbound openings are on demand. A cross current can be found at the bridge, and it tends to be strongest on the ebb.
Breakers can form on the bar in stormy weather. The inlet tends to be difficult to enter when wind and tide are opposed, a condition boaters call wind against tide. For New Jersey’s shallow-draft inlets, a rising tide with a smooth sea is usually the better time to enter.
The inlet approach is on an Army Corps of Engineers maintenance dredging schedule. Depths can change between surveys, so treat charted depths as a starting point.
Where to read conditions:
- NWS marine forecast ANZ450Sandy Hook to Manasquan Inlet out 20 NM.
- NDBC 44091 Barnegat waveriderwave height and period.
- Coast Pilot 3, Chapter 4inlet, bar, bridge and distances.
The 44091 buoy sits off Barnegat, south of the inlet, so it gives nearby context rather than a reading at the inlet mouth.
Manasquan Inlet is the alternative approach, 22 miles south of Sandy Hook Light. It carries a large volume of commercial and pleasure traffic, and it can also be difficult when wind and tide oppose.
On arrival, check the water against the official forecast, and switch approaches if conditions look bigger than you want.
Fishing conditions
Belmar fishes inshore artificial reefs and offshore grounds that run out to the canyons.
Inshore, the reefs are Shark River Reef, at 125 ft, and Sea Girt Reef. Offshore, the named grounds are the Mud Hole, Chicken Canyon, the Glory Hole and The Fingers. The canyon and tuna grounds are where yellowfin tuna fishing sits for bigger boats. NJDEP Fish and Wildlife runs the Artificial Reef Program, and its artificial reef deployment map lists the material and location of each reef site.
Size, bag and season rules change by species and quota, so check the NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife before you fish. Anglers 16 and older must register, free, with the New Jersey Saltwater Recreational Registry. Tunas, billfish, swordfish and sharks require a federal HMS permit.
Before committing to a run, check OBS SST and Chlorophyll for edges and color breaks. Chart layers are not for navigation.
Winter
Striped bass, bluefish, tautog, ling and cod make up the winter list. Tautog hold on reef structure such as Shark River Reef and Sea Girt Reef.
Spring
Tautog, ling, cod, black sea bass, striped bass, bluefish, fluke and tuna all feature in spring. The reefs hold black sea bass and tautog, and tuna begin to appear offshore.
Summer
Summer brings striped bass, bluefish, fluke, black sea bass, porgy, bluefin tuna and yellowfin tuna. The Mud Hole and the canyons are the tuna grounds. Regional timing for blue marlin and other billfish is in our Atlantic Northeast blue marlin guide and the blue marlin species guide.
Autumn
Bluefish, striped bass, black sea bass, porgy, ling, tautog and cod fill the autumn list. The reefs hold tautog and black sea bass, and the offshore grounds hold tuna. Bluefin tuna carry into the fall list, so the offshore run stays open after the summer crowd thins.
