Fluke fishing remains the only game in town
RON NUZZOLO Fish On
With Raritan Bay temps reaching 70 degrees, the fishing has turned on and the fish are hitting everything from squid-killie combos to peanut bunkers. The Atlantic Star continued to work the Raritan Reach, with plenty of fillets for the dinner table. The Atlantic Star is fishing for fluke on two trips daily - from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.

New York charters are showing signs of frustration as New Jersey anglers are picking away keepers right in New York's own backyard. A New York keeper has to be 20.5 inches while New Jersey has to be 18 inches. This is hurting business on the New York side and doesn't make any sense to New York anglers when both sides are fishing the same bay. Be sure to check up-to-date regulations and the latest fishing reports on NJSalt waterfisherman.com.

The 77-foot Bandit is doing it all. Capt. Scotty is mixing it up and found ling and sea bass in 120 to 140 feet. He also found blues on the east side of the Mud Hole, keeping patrons happy with a mixed bounty.

Capt. Greg from the Golden Eagle is still fighting blues from 3 to 10 pounds on night trips, and most patrons landed multiple choppers. It should get even better from here. One customer hooked a 150-pound mako shark that busted the line after a 20-minute fight. Daytime trips for blues were productive on jigs. The Golden Eagle is sailing daily for blues and stripers from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and for blues from 7:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. Also see its schedule of canyon tuna trips that will launch Aug. 25. Fluke fishing was slow on an open-boat trip.

From Brielle, Fish Monger charters' Capt. Jerry has been working a mixed bag of fluke, sea bass and a few ling from the Sea Girt Reef to Shrewsbury Rocks and "everything between," he said. Open-boat Monger Marathons are fishing for fluke from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. every Tuesday this month. Check them out on the Web if

you are planning a private charter. Capt. Jerry is very flexible and will accommodate all your needs.

The Big Jamaica's daytime trips continue to nail plenty of blues from 2 to 6 pounds. Nighttime trips for blues were slow, but the area fished yesterday looked promising, and the choppers should begin to turn on again in the dark. The Jamaica is sailing for blues and striped bass at 7:30 a.m. daily, and for blues at 7:30 p.m. daily. Fish On!

Did You Know?

The International Game Fish Association reported some disturbing numbers this month:

• One-third of all seafood in the U.S. is mislabeled as another species.

• In 2006 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration tested only 0.59 percent - that's less than 1 percent - of seafood imports.

• Seventy percent of tested grouper in the U.S. is mislabeled and is actually hake, catfish, tilapia and pollock.

For more facts about the seafood we buy and consume, log on to IGFA.org.