Winter flounder
 

While fluke fishing in Sandy Hook Bay I caught what at first we thought was a short. We realized that it was not a short fluke, but a good sized winter flounder.

Is that unusual this time of the year or is it fairly routine to catch one?

Re: Winter flounder
 

They usually leave the bay by mid may when the water warms up but not totally unusual to still catch one occationally.

Re: Winter flounder
 

pic of the fish?

Re: Winter flounder
 

Winter Flounder on a Fluke bait :confused: Me-thinks it was a Sundial

Re: Winter flounder
 

IMHO there are always a few in the bay... I caught a BIG one many years ago near the ammo pier.. I was weak fishing early morning with a 3+3 rig using a whole big sandworm and a big Weakfish sized hook.. That was in late July or august,,... We used to catch tog in the bay as well in mid summer, if you knew where to go... In the rivers we used to catch a lot of flounder in summer, in the warm weedy water, but they were always very small... bob

Re: Winter flounder
 

It grabbed a small Gulp. Small mouth, no teeth, different color from the fluke we were catching. About 14". Didn't think to snap a pic

Re: Winter flounder
 

I don't know man. Very skeptical but... We've been catching the flounder out in the deep this year, and in years past on seabass hooks LOL

Not sure what ya caught, you should've taken a picture. I think it's very late for them to be in there but stranger things have happened.

Re: Winter flounder
 

That cold water push might have bought one in for sure. Hammer handle Dogfish invaded the hook and a lot of fat ling on inshore rockpiles.

This South wind has GOT TO STOP!!!

Marked 62-63 degree surface temps in the bay at the top of the tide Thursday. WTF?!?

Re: Winter flounder
 

I agree with Fin-S Small gulp bait, Cold water, very possible this year.

Re: Winter flounder
 

Was the fish dark in color or was it light and kind of transparent on the edges? The latter would most likely be a sundial I've caught a bunch of them this year in the surf. When I was fishing last Thursday the water was 56 degrees according to the sign with the tides on it near the beach in Belmar, so wouldn't shock me if a winter came back in close to shore.