Strathmere's bayside boat ramp has been closed since October 19 and will stay closed through January 15, 2027. Upper Township closed it so a contractor can build the Strathmere Living Shoreline Project, which puts a stone barrier in the water to protect the marsh along the ramp. The work runs through the best stretch of the fall season. Mid-October reports had bluefish and blackfish at Corson's Inlet and stripers moving into the back bays, and a bigger tautog limit takes effect November 16. You can still get on the water. Until mid-January, you just launch from a different ramp.
What's Going Into the Water off Bayview Drive
The Cape May County Herald summed it up in an October 8 subhead: "The work will create a rock barrier in the water to protect rapidly eroding marshland in Strathmere." The Herald's photo shows a snowy egret hunting in the shallows by the Bayview Drive ramp, which is the spot the barrier will protect.
The township's bid documents spell out the build. Addendum No. 1 calls for a stone sill about 530 linear feet long, with a gravel core covered by primary and secondary armor stone. The contractor has to work from waterborne equipment. Machines can't go on the nearby wetlands, and no wetland outside the sill's footprint can be disturbed. That explains why the ramp is closed. The same addendum lets the contractor close the ramp and its parking area and use them for staging, so the launch site is now the construction yard.
The site goes by three names. The township's closure notice says Bay Avenue, the bid addendum says Bayview Drive, and the township's parks list says Bayview Avenue. It's the same ramp in all three, and the parks list says it has a kayak launch too.
How the Project Landed in October
The October start traces back through the bid process:
- May 20, 2026: The township opened the first round of bids.
- June 8, 2026: All three bids were rejected because they came in above the engineer's estimate and the money set aside. The township ordered revised specifications and a rebid.
- August 24, 2026: The committee agenda included a contract for ACT Engineers to prepare a Round 2 application for New Jersey's RGGI Natural Climate Solutions grants. It also listed a second memorandum of understanding with the Strathmere Fishing & Environmental Association.
- August 26, 2026: Addendum No. 1 came out with the sill specifications.
- September 9, 2026: The township opened the rebid.
- October 8, 2026: The Herald reported the project was set to begin.
- October 19, 2026: The ramp closed for a closure running through January 15, 2027.
The township's legal notices list ACT Engineers for the engineering consulting, the RGGI grant application, and construction management and inspection. The Strathmere Fishing & Environmental Association shows up on that August agenda as well. In other words, a group made up of people who use this water has been part of the project's paperwork.
Where to Launch Through January 15
The township's notice sends boaters to one ramp. A second free option sits right by the inlet.
| Ramp | Status through Jan. 15 | Access details |
|---|---|---|
| Bayview Drive / Bay Avenue, Strathmere | Closed Oct. 19, 2026 to Jan. 15, 2027 | Contractor staging area |
| Taylor Avenue, Strathmere | Open, the township's designated alternate | Listed by the township as a no-permit ramp |
| Corson's Inlet State Park, Bay Ave / County Hwy 619 | Open 24/7, year-round | Launch fees charged only Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day; park gate open sunrise to sunset |
The township's closure notice puts it simply:
"During the closure, please use the boat ramp at Taylor Avenue."
If you have questions about the closure, call Upper Township Public Works at 609-628-2011, extension 359.
The Corson's Inlet State Park ramp is the useful one this time of year. Launch fees end after Labor Day, so it's free in late October, and the state says the ramp stays open around the clock all year. The park gate is a different story. It opens at sunrise and closes at sunset, so check which access you need before planning a pre-dawn trip. The state's park page describes Corson's Inlet as a place for boating, kayaking, fishing, and crabbing. It names bluefish, kingfish, striped bass, and weakfish among the species there. As of late October, the closure notices don't list any closure at the state park.
What Was Biting at Corson's Inlet in Mid-October
The fishing reports point to the same place the alternate ramps do. In its report for the week of October 11, Fin-Atics, at 1325 West Avenue in Ocean City, had bluefish at Corson's Inlet, Great Egg Inlet, the surf, and the back bays, caught on metal lures and fresh mullet or bunker. The same report put tautog at local bridges, jetties, reefs, and Corson's Inlet, on green crabs and sand fleas.
Fin-Atics' October 5 report in The Fisherman noted a wave of 2- to 3-pound bluefish at Corson's Inlet hitting metals. The October 12 entry had back-bay and river stripers up to 26 inches. Live eels and live spot were catching the bigger fish, in bonus-tag range, and soft plastics were catching schoolies near bridges at night.
Up the road, Tight Lines Bait & Tackle in Somers Point told On The Water that bait was moving through the Ocean City and Sea Isle City backwaters. Stripers were taking topwaters near tidal creeks and sedge islands, and bridge fishing was spotty and best late at night. On The Water's October 15 report added that migrating bass were chasing adult menhaden offshore. Ocean City guide Brian Williams reported throwback flounder in the low 20-inch range.
These reports date from October 5 to October 15, and fall fishing changes week to week. Still, the pattern was clear in mid-October. The action was at the inlet and around the sedge islands and creeks, and both alternate ramps get you there.
November 16 Changes the Blackfish Math
The ramp stays closed past a date that matters to blackfish anglers. New Jersey's 2026 tautog rules set a 15-inch minimum and a limit of one fish from August 1 through November 15. On November 16, the limit goes up to five fish through December 31. For about six of the closure's twelve weeks, Corson's Inlet tautog anglers can keep five fish a day. For that part of the season, the State Park ramp works as the main launch, not just a backup.
The striped bass rules for 2026 haven't changed. The limit is one fish between 28 and 31 inches. The state's summary chart lists no closed season in ocean waters within three miles of shore, and a March 1 through December 31 season in other marine waters. With a 2026 Striped Bass Bonus Program permit, an angler can keep one more fish from 24 inches up to just under 28 inches through December 31, and has to report it within 24 hours. Those 26-inch back-bay fish in the Fin-Atics report fall in that range. As of July 14, 2026, the state's Marine Digest says a striper is measured with the mouth closed and the tail squeezed together.
New Jersey doesn't require a saltwater fishing license. Anglers 16 and older do have to sign up for the free saltwater registry before fishing, with some exemptions. The state notes that regulations can change after its digest is published. This is general information, not legal advice, so check the current rules with NJDEP Fish & Wildlife before you keep a fish.
After the Ramp Reopens
The closure is set to run through January 15, 2027. When the ramp reopens, a stone sill that wasn't there in the summer will sit offshore of the marsh. The next change for Strathmere comes from the township's August 24 vote on the ocean side. Starting with the 2027 season, beach tags will be required at Strathmere, Corson's Inlet, and Whale Beach for visitors 16 and older, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Shore Local reported prices of $10 for a daily tag and $20 for a weekly tag. A seasonal tag costs $30 during the early-purchase window and $45 after that. Separately, the township's April minutes describe $28 million in federal funds and $28 million in state funds for the Strathmere Beach Replenishment Project.
Questions about how bayside work like the Strathmere sill affects a waterfront property's value, now or at resale? Alexander Huffard follows these township projects all year and can walk you through what they mean for a specific address. Start with a free home valuation, and we'll get into the details from there.
