Re: Fluke Options Poll
 

We have caught fluke in late April on many occasions while flounder fishing, especially in the river when we had an "open" season on fluke (open all year with no closure). There are times when we caught more fluke than flounder, and have caught plenty of keeper sized fluke while doing this. Log books show this in certain years in the 90's and early 00's - nothing as recent as 07' though. In the 80's, for whatever reason, the earliest I have EVER catching a fluke was early May with many flounder entries INTO the month of June.

Usually the boats in the Highlands have that quick shot of fish out at the CG station and the bug light and that usually happens from the last week of April into the second week or so in May - its traditional and its pretty dependable as every year that seems to go on.

For our ocean fluke fishing, we really haven't seen a good bite prior to Memorial Day in my memory or in the log book.

In fact, up until the early or even mid 90's, alot of the "fluke boats" that sail out of our inlet bottom fished up until the 15th or so of June, then started fluking. This mind you, was when we had no or little restrictions on tog and seabass, and had ling and whiting inshore in the spring.

Re: Fluke Options Poll
 

i voted for number 2.. this is a nice long season and with the higher bag limit.. If we give up the 8 fish bag limit we will never get it back.. Ever!.. 8 fish at 18in is the way to go.. Id rather have to catch larger fish.. I know last year my father and I would at least put 6 to 7 fish in the cooler each.. The bite isnt all ways that hot but it i don't feel that going down in the bag limit will help us.. half an inch for 3 fish doesn't add up in my book.

Re: Fluke Options Poll
 

i like option 3 the best for a longer season but the bag limit is a little much. do we really NEED to keep 8 18 inch fluke?

Re: Fluke Options Poll
 

yes.. because they taste sooo good!

Re: Fluke Options Poll
 

Keep them at 18, all those 17.5s may be good eating but if everyone keeps even five you will deplete the stock and next year it will go to 19 able to keep 3.

Re: Fluke Options Poll
 

I have it on good authority that we WILL have Sea Bass to fish for in Oct in federal waters ;) and Tog opens back up on 10/18.... As long as we have something else to fish for in Oct. I don't mind the shorter fluke season / smaller bag limit and definitly like the smaller size to increase keeper ratio.

Re: Fluke Options Poll
 

Capt Frank, I combined both you're replies.

A longer season (as dictated by this past season) does not necessarily mean that you will get to fish & catch. This past year we got what everyone wanted, a longer season (and a larger bag limit) but in the grand scheme of things meant nothing once Irene showed up. 2 days prior to Irene was the last time we caught any signifigant amount of fish. Furthermore, the interest for fluke fishing dwindled... not only from lack of fish, but also from people recovering from the hurricane. So, just because you have a longer season, doesn't mean you'll actually get to utilize the alotted time. Grant it, hurricanes are rare but NE'ers and residual hurricane effects are not.

Also, it may be "most popular fish for targeting" but really the majority of the fluke clientle/business is from Memorial Day to Labor Day. I'm not saying that people like you and I (fisherman) wouldn't target them before or after, but from a business stand point that's when you're going to see most people (IMO).

I know you mentioned that this is a mild winter, and it's hard to imagine but, but alot can happen from now until late April.

Overall, I would just rather see more people go home with fish for dinner during the height of the season, than gamble on a longer season during two of the more unpredictable months of the year. When people go home with something to eat, it actually brings people back. It gives them hope. I don't about you Frank, but i'm pretty tired of hearing "Last time I was out I caught (insert some ridiculous number here) of fluke & not a SINGLE keeper". :)

Re: Fluke Options Poll
 

8 fish @ 18 inches May 5 – Oct 21

Re: Fluke Options Poll
 

agreed 100% brother! also i like the longer season especially for the southern ports like fortescue who got cockolla to catch sometimes they get a decent early run of big fish. Also my fear with lowering size and bag limits is more fish will be kept thus we will go over our quota for the next year and have to do it SCI style wit no ky

Re: Fluke Options Poll
 

^ what he said.
5 @ 17.5" is best for us party boat fishermen.