Dark Horse Charter Fishing

06/01/2026

Out this evening for our 6:30PM Eeling trip with a good crowd. Had wind against tide for the first half of the night making bites hard to come by. Tried a bunch of different areas but only saw a couple of bites. Once we got the other tide and had decent drifting conditions the bites picked up seeing a couple bites a drift to end the night. Lost a bunch but were able to land a handful to salvage the night. Readings were nuts and it seemed like they got better and better as the tide got stronger.

Keeping an eye on the weather for Monday night, see some east wind in the forecast. Will post an update in the AM.

****Thinking about putting up a Squid Jigging Special trip on Wednesday night... 7PM-1AM There's been a big body of squid that moved into our area, and we've been catching them on our daytime seabass trips. The night bite has been significantly better... If there's any interest, let me know! If we get enough interest we'll put the trip up! Super fun trips to load up your cooler with the highest quality calamari!****

Sailing daily 7:30AM-2:30PM for Seabass and 6:30PM-11:30PM for Stripers

2 Simon Lake Dr Atlantic Highlands NJ

For more information please call/text 973-440-0335 or visit fishdarkhorse.com to book your spot now

05/31/2026

Back out this morning on the seabass grouds with a sold out crew after being tied up yesterday with the blow. Big left over swell and water temp dropped a few degrees. Got out there and saw significantly less life than we've seen the past few trips. Bounced around a bunch of different areas seeing more of the same, some short life and some keepers but not enough to stay anywhere. Kept looking and finally found some consistent short life in an area with a mix of keepers. Conditions were tough with a screaming tide and a wind against it, but we made due. Overall much slower fishing today. Some guys got dialed in with the jigs and were able to put some quality keepers in the box, but nothing came easy. Hopefully once we're off this moon and the swell dies down the bite goes back to how it was. Had a good amount of ling to fill in the voids today, which was a pleasant sign to see. Also lots of blackfish going back.

We are sailing tonight at 6:30PM for Stripers. Otherwise, back at it on the Seabass grounds in the morning!

7:30AM-2:30PM Seabass
6:30PM-11:30PM Stripers

2 Simon Lake Dr Atlantic Highlands NJ

For more information please call/text 973-440-0335 or book your spot now at fishdarkhorse.com

05/30/2026

Tonight's 6:30PM trip is canceled due to high N winds. We'll be back at it tomorrow for both trips, weather looks good!

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Experience top fishing trips with Dark Horse Charter Fishing in Atlantic Highlands. Join us for striped bass, seabass, fluke, and blackfish adventures. Book your trip today!

05/30/2026

Well after a bunch of nights of good striper fishing, they won the battle tonight. Steamed out with a sold out crowd excited to get in on the excellent bite we've been having. From the start conditions were not in our favor. First couple areas we had 0 drift whatsoever with dead wind against tide. Finally found some movement and started picking at the fish. Kept bouncing around looking for better, and a faster drift until our 1.2kt drift turned into 3kts in a blink of an eye. Wind came up real hard and made us slide at 3kts, making it very difficult to keep the lines straight. We landed a few, and lost a few but overall we definitely saw a lack of bites tonight. Can't win them all unfortunately, and tonight was just one of those nights! Thanks to everyone for fishing hard and working together when we hooked these fish.

Keeping an eye on the weather for Saturday night but right now it doesn't look promising.

Will post about it in the AM... But time for some rest. The crew and I have been going non stop for some time now... Can't thank everyone enough for fishing with us recently. I always say it, we have some of the best customers in the industry!!!

Sailing daily 7:30AM-2:30PM for Seabass and 6:30PM-11:30PM for Stripers

2 Simon Lake Dr Atlantic Highlands NJ

For more information please call/text 973-440-0335 or visit us at fishdarkhorse.com to book your upcoming trip now.

05/29/2026

Had the Rutherford Rotary Club out today for their annual trip. Beautiful day on the water, but the fishing was slower than it's been. Had a couple good shots of keepers in the morning mixed in with very fast short life. Bounced around a lot of bottom looking for better but saw mostly the same everywhere. Pick of keepers with good short action. Would've loved to see more keepers but the action kept everyone busy. Also saw a couple of cod and blackfish that were all released.

We are going to take a pass on tomorrow mornings trip. Forecast is calling for 30mph+ out of the North. Definitely not ideal for where we're fishing.

We'll be back at it on Sunday! Still have room right now, but I definitely suggest to book your spot in advance! Don't want to be left at the dock.

7:30AM-2:30PM Seabass
6:30PM-11:30PM Stripers

2 Simon Lake Dr Atlantic Highlands NJ

For more information please call/text 973-440-0335, or book you spot now at fishdarkhorse.com

05/29/2026

We are now SOLD OUT for tonight's 6:30PM trip. Sorry for any inconvenience, we have plenty of room the rest of the weekend!

As always, all trips can be booked in advance at fishdarkhorse.com

05/28/2026

Another good day of Seabass fishing today!
Got to where we had our best bite yesterday and was greeted with a ton of boat traffic and a sluggish bite. Picked at the keepers with OK short life. Knew it wasn't going to happen so took a ride looking for better. Hit a million little spots picking a couple off each, until we landed on one with the right sized ones. Got a good shot at keepers with drop and reel short life. Lasted about an hour until it slowed up and we went looking again. Landed on another good pile to end the day, with drop and reel double headers with some beautiful keepers coming up. Left them snapping before the wind came up and headed home. If we had that fishing all day it would've been something..... Bunch of limits, and lots with 6-8 a piece. Not as good as yesterday, but still plenty of fish to be caught!

***WE ARE NOT AVAILABLE TOMORROW MORNING, FRIDAY 5/29***

Sorry for the inconvenience, but we have a private charter.

We have room on both Saturday and Sundays trips though! Come on down and fill the coolers.

Took a pass on tonight's 6:30PM trip with the wind, but back at it tomorrow night. Sailing every night weather permitting!

7:30AM Seabass
6:30PM Stripers

2 Simon Lake Dr Atlantic Highlands NJ

For more information please call/text 973-440-0335 or visit our website at fishdarkhorse.com to book your spot now

05/28/2026

Unfortunately tonight's 6:30 PM trip is now canceled. The wind came up harder and quicker than expected. Conditions will not be ideal where we need to fish. Friday night looks very nice as of now, see everyone then.

Sorry for any inconvenience

05/28/2026

Another great night of Trophy Striped Bass fishing! Took a few drifts to get some current, but once we had it we had non stop bites every drift! Steady fishing with 1-3 fish per drift with a couple drifts of 4-5. That lasted a couple hours, then decided to take a ride and look at some different bottom. Again had fish right away with 6 on our first drift, then settled into the same 1-3 fish a drift for the rest of the night. Definitely non stop action with a ton of bites tonight! Thanks to everyone for fishing hard and working together as these fish ran circles around the boat. Love this time of year, some of my favorite fishing!!!

Back at it again tomorrow for both trips!

7:30AM-2:30PM Seabass
6:30PM-11:30PM Trophy Stripers

***NOT AVAILABLE FRIDAY AM***

2 Simon Lake Dr Atlantic Highlands NJ

For more information please call/text 973-440-0335 or visit our website fishdarkhorse.com to book your spots now

05/27/2026

Full crush on the jigs today!!
Steamed out this morning to where we left them biting yesterday. Took a few drops of picking a handful of keepers through millions of shorts, but once we landed on them it was game on. Double headers were flying on both bait and jigs, but the majority of keepers came up on the jigs! The guys who were dialed in had their limit before 10am. It was as fast as you could pull them for the majority of the day, the jigs weren't even hitting the bottom. Drifting conditions were perfect, so we were able to cherry pick the keepers off each drop and not waste any time with the anchor. HH had over 20k(orl) himself on the jigs. Bare A17 and a sandeel teaser was all you needed, but they ate pretty much any jig/teaser you threw at them. Bite lasted until the change of tide, but by then it was time to start heading home. Ended the day just a couple fish shy of our 17 man limit. Super fun fishing when they bite like that on the jigs! Also saw our first keeper fluke of the season, as well as some blues. Lots of life out there!

Back at it tomorrow! Bring a spinning rod with some jigs! But as always we're loaded up on clam bellies for those who like to bait fish!

7:30AM-2:30PM

Still have plenty of room on tonight's 6:30PM Striper trip as well.

***WE ARE NOT AVAILABLE FRIDAY AM 5/29*** Open boat every other day besides this Friday....

2 Simon Lake Dr Atlantic Highlands NJ

For more information please call/text 973-440-0335 or visit us at fishdarkhorse.com to book your spots.