The Golden Eagle from Belmar has maintenance scheduled the next two days, but will try to get out for mackerel or cod later in the week. The first few were reported in Raritan Bay before the water got dirty, but they should be biting again on clams this week.

Bad weather kept the fleet in port during today's opening of the blackfish season, but the forecast for Sunday is good. Though most party boats will be seeking blackfish, the Golden Eagle from Belmar will be searching for the elusive mackerel -- with cod as the alternative.

A report from the Tackle Box in Hazlet arrived too late for the Friday column with news of stripers hitting clams as Raritan Bay waters have warmed up after falling to 34 degrees earlier in the week. They did get out last Saturday, but waters were too cold at that time and fishing was poor.

When I called a few years ago to question that listing, they conceded that they were using an outdated assessment though the coastal run had disappeared and even the big commercial boats were hardly catching any mackerel far offshore. His daughter, Natalie, was aboard Monday as they had hits every cast with live pilchards to Spanish mackerel and ladyfish, but could only manage a couple of small redfish (red drum) from among lots of non-biters.

The DEP issued the following update on the fluke regulation situation yesterday NEW JERSEY FILES FORMAL APPEAL OF SUMMER FLOUNDER QUOTA REDUCTIONS STATE'S REPRESENTATIVES ARGUE ASMFC DECISION WILL CAUSE ADVERSE IMPACTS TO FISHERY AND INDUSTRY (17 P25) TRENTON - New Jersey representatives to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission have filed an appeal requesting the commission reconsider its vote significantly reducing the state's recreational-fishing quota for summer flounder this year, Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Bob Martin announced today. The 34-percent quota reduction ASMFC approved in February will have a devastating impact on the state's fishing industry and tourism economy while paradoxically harming the long-term health of the state's summer flounder stocks, Commissioner Martin said.