Flounder limits cut through April

[shresearchdude]

from somewhere near Georges Bank

[Billfish715]

Allen: You are so right about the flounder in N.J. back in the day! When was the last time any of the PP party boats made a left into the river and went under the 35 bridge and set up shop at the end of the canal or better yet, just west of the 35 bridge during the spring run? Will we ever see that again? Do the AH party boats ever go up the river any more? With today's size and bag limits, would it pay for them to do so? You've got me reminiscing about the inshore ling, whiting, and mackerel fishing back then too. Again, I ask the same question.....Will we ever see that again?

[Gerry Zagorski]

Spent many a spring day in the late 80s/early 90s fishing for Flounder way back in Raritan Bay. Fishing was good, very good.

I think one of the Atlantic Highlands party boats had a trip or 2 back up in the river last spring but it was a total bust.

[bulletbob]

Originally Posted by Gerry Zagorski

Spent many a spring day in the late 80s/early 90s fishing for Flounder way back in Raritan Bay. Fishing was good, very good.

I think one of the Atlantic Highlands party boats had a trip or 2 back up in the river last spring but it was a total bust.

I have known about the Quincy Bay flounder fishing for decades, since the early 70's, and the original NJ Fisherman.. Russ Wilson used to write about Quincy Bay most years.... Legendary fishing..
However it was SO incredible right in Raritan Bay, that I could never see the sense in driving up there.. How much flounder does anyone need?.. Back in the 80's when I lived in Union Beach we got tired of looking at them.. honestly...
In those years, I recall several AH head boats making the run down to the flats off of Keansburg, Union Beach, almost down to Keyport.. One day my older brother and I saw 2 party boats go stern to stern, right off the old broken down Keansburg Pier, and start churning the water up until the water was a muddy mess.. They then settled back close to it and started fishing.. I think it was a form of chumming, stirring the hell out of the bottom.. NEVER before saw that, and never since.. Those were the areas we had caught a few big yellowtails during those days.. The grounds off of Keansburg/Union Beach.. How I miss that fishing...bob

[Gerry Zagorski]

Originally Posted by bulletbob

I have known about the Quincy Bay flounder fishing for decades, since the early 70's, and the original NJ Fisherman.. Russ Wilson used to write about Quincy Bay most years.... Legendary fishing..
However it was SO incredible right in Raritan Bay, that I could never see the sense in driving up there.. How much flounder does anyone need?.. Back in the 80's when I lived in Union Beach we got tired of looking at them.. honestly...
In those years, I recall several AH head boats making the run down to the flats off of Keansburg, Union Beach, almost down to Keyport.. One day my older brother and I saw 2 party boats go stern to stern, right off the old broken down Keansburg Pier, and start churning the water up until the water was a muddy mess.. They then settled back close to it and started fishing.. I think it was a form of chumming, stirring the hell out of the bottom.. NEVER before saw that, and never since.. Those were the areas we had caught a few big yellowtails during those days.. The grounds off of Keansburg/Union Beach.. How I miss that fishing...bob

I miss it too Bob..... Haven't fished for Flounder in many years because of the regs. Not sure if the fish are still there or not. I know of one friend who still fishes for them each Spring but he does not go all the way back there and tends to stay in and around the Naval Weapons peer... He did not do well this past year but fishing was pretty good the year before.

One thing I've always thought, it's what I call "The Fish Tank Theory" I think if the fish are being fed by us fisherman day after day in a particular area, they are going to stick around for the easy meal. If that's the case that might be part of the issue with the local flounder fishery here. We're not feeding them.

Point in case, there used to be a ton of boats on areas like Round Shoal on any give day in April. All of them with chum logs, corn, catfood and cracking clams etc. I would think this helped attract the fish and kept them there.

[bulletbob]

Originally Posted by Gerry Zagorski

I miss it too Bob..... Haven't fished for Flounder in many years because of the regs. Not sure if the fish are still there or not. I know of one friend who still fishes for them each Spring but he does not go all the way back there and tends to stay in and around the Naval Weapons peer... He did not do well this past year but fishing was pretty good the year before.

One thing I've always thought, it's what I call "The Fish Tank Theory" I think if the fish are being fed by us fisherman day after day in a particular area, they are going to stick around for the easy meal. If that's the case that might be part of the issue with the local flounder fishery here. We're not feeding them.

Point in case, there used to be a ton of boats on areas like Round Shoal on any give day in April. All of them with chum logs, corn, catfood and cracking clams etc. I would think this helped attract the fish and kept them there.

Your theory is a good one.. I tend to agree with it... bob

[shresearchdude]

Well there is plenty of natural food for the fish. They eat worms and nip the siphons off of clams so they don't need to clams cracked open. Cat food and corn really aren't on their natural search image

[Reel Class]

Originally Posted by Billfish715

Allen: You are so right about the flounder in N.J. back in the day! When was the last time any of the PP party boats made a left into the river and went under the 35 bridge and set up shop at the end of the canal or better yet, just west of the 35 bridge during the spring run? Will we ever see that again? Do the AH party boats ever go up the river any more? With today's size and bag limits, would it pay for them to do so? You've got me reminiscing about the inshore ling, whiting, and mackerel fishing back then too. Again, I ask the same question.....Will we ever see that again?

I can tell you when - when the regs were at 10 fish per man!

2 fish per man on a half day with very inconsistent fishing is a joke.

The only viable "fishery" for party and charter boats for winter flounder w/ the current regs is the deep water wreck trips (which we do a lot of!) from June-September. We caught our boat "limit" several times and every trip we had at least a few. FWIW, having fished the deep water wrecks consistently for 5 years now last summer was the best we've seen.

Some pics below from this past summer's fishery. All but one in the pics were caught on ling hooks, hi lo rigs, and huge hunks of clam lol - no chum pots, no worms

[NoLimit]

Winter Flounder is my favorite. We took busses to Quincy in the 70s and even caught lobsters along with 50-100 flounder. Ladies filleted the fish with a knife and pliers and charged ten cents a fish. Kegs of beer on the bus - every St Pats and Columbus Day.

Anyone remember the huge fall run in 1995 or so? Boats were packed right outside the Atlantic Highlands breakwater.

[Capt Sal]

Originally Posted by NoLimit

Winter Flounder is my favorite. We took busses to Quincy in the 70s and even caught lobsters along with 50-100 flounder. Ladies filleted the fish with a knife and pliers and charged ten cents a fish. Kegs of beer on the bus - every St Pats and Columbus Day.

Anyone remember the huge fall run in 1995 or so? Boats were packed right outside the Atlantic Highlands breakwater.

Did that well in good ole Raritan Bay in the nineties. Keyport flats.Sure was nice to get bass and flounder on the same trip and a short ride. The bus rides were good in the seventies going to Quincy. Lot of fun,party all the way there,fish hard and sleep all the way home lol