Raritan Bay?

[Detour66]

I have been doing most my fishing this year in Raritan Bay and it seems that it is almost always very choppy and rough even though the winds are 5-12 knots from the SE and it's much calmer on the ocean side or in the back bay. I realize this is a big body of water but it seems like it's continuously rough waters. I think this is due to the many rivers running into this area plus all the boat traffic. What is your view or knowledge on this? Thanks

[NoLimit]

Wind out of south east means waves start building at the mouth of the Shrewsbury. This plus the boat traffic of everyone fishing inside means lots of waves and wakes.

The waves should be the same outside but fewer boats will mean less wakes

[O'Man]

Conditions on the bay are calmer when wind & tide are moving in the same direction.

I also think there are more boats on the water this year than the past few. Fuel is cheaper, and Sandy has become a more distant memory, so the number of wakes is becoming more like what it used to be.

[bunkatabunka]

It is beyond annoying how choppy the bay is on a consistent basis. I ask myself why this is all the time, especially right now as I just spent a ton of money today to have my T top re-welded from stress cracks.

[Duffman]

Agree with more boats causing it. The times ive been out lately have been with almost zero wind, yet the bay from the triangle out to the hook had been a washing machine.

Taking into account the hot reach fluke bite and thousands of boats fishing it, then tanker traffic, sea streak,on top of guys running at speed to head outside it all adds up.

Just gives ya better sea legs....:D

[ChumDumpster]

I'm out there during the week after work most nights and to be honest there's barely any boats in sight on a monday night at 6, 7, 8 oclock...so I don't buy the boat wake thing. At times yea there's some boat wake, especially in sandy hook channel. It's a large body of water with extremely strong tides, if you own a boat in a marina by the triangle area, how much different is your creek at low tide vs high tide? Mine is extremely different. That's a lot of water moving really quick, now add the wind to that! It's the best fishery though and you get to learn how to properly trim your motor and trim tabs to avoid the banging around lol

[NoLimit]

I dont believe in Global Warming but is there Global Blowing? I wonder if anyone keeps average mph by year on record.

[Ry609]

^^^Too many jokes come to mind with this one :D:D

[MDeSi]

Wind against tide=chop

[Gerry Zagorski]

Yes wind against tide. We have a 5 to 6 foot tide swing since the bay is open to the ocean. That volume of water moving against the wind will stack up the chop.

[Capt. Debbie]

Pick a mid Raritan Bay spot. You have large tidal currents from 1- Shrewsbury/Navesink, 2- Upper NY Harbor, 3- Arthur Kill, 4- Raritan River and 5- cats and dogs of Keyport/Morgan creeks also dumping into Raritan Bay.

A LOT of moving water. Add even a 10 knot wind as factor #6.

And factor #7. what the ATLANTIC OCEAN send in/takes out with a 5-7' (Cheesequake is over 7 feet on a moon tide) tidal drop moving all that water four times a day.

If you like a lake, don't come here. Albeit Sunday was weird. I ran up into NY Harbor and back to Highlands and the whole trip was less than a foot both ways. But hot as hell- NO WIND. That's rare.


Yes wind against tide. We have a 5 to 6 foot tide swing since the bay is open to the ocean. That volume of water moving against the wind will stack up the chop.