WINTER FLOUNDER MORE LOST$$$$$please read

[Reel Class]

They still catch flounder at the causeway and at points south - problem is nobody fishes for them. One of the deckhands that will work for me on a part-time basis this summer has a house on LBI and he had a very good spring last year fishing from behind LBI all the way S towards BHI.

We used to fill five gallon buckets in a tide or two of flounders in the early 80's fishing off the abutments of the 35 bridge inside of will's hole BEFORE the "Kingsbridge" Marina (I think it was a Donzi dealership when it first opened) and its docks were built. The canal used to be the same.

This is a slap in the face to the recs - in the case of winter flounder fyke nets, draggers (NON-Rec pressure) has decimated a specie that used to be as thick as flies on poop in most of our inshore waters in the spring.

Every year I could depend on a dozen flounder trips to start out the year - no more. The only thing that's going to bring this resource back is to close the commercials to fishing for them - NOT US.

[Capt Sal]

capt. allen you are so right.this post was put up for a number of reasons.i hoped it would get more tackle shops on board for the24 in was.each year they take away a little piece of our fishery.10 charters here 10there and before you know it you can't make a years pay.i love being a charter capt but i still need to make money.we need every single angler to be involved in changing the way noaa does things.if not guys like you and i will out of here.

[Capt. Jerry P]

Real Shame!!! Loved Winter flounder fishing season.... Worked deck starting mar 1 every year on the Miss Point, then Nk 2 until i had my license and started running afternoon trips.... Was a great way to get out of the house and end the winter a little early!!! Some of the funniest trips meet a lot of great people.

I was against when they closed the Fall fishery (once ya lose it ya tend to not see much back and only face further closures)... Despite what most think... fishing was good in the fall right up to the closure.

plenty of winter flounder in the ocean at times were getting scooped up net and fike nets in the river... i guess all adds up over time.

but....

Even though the fishery isnt what it was... there was still enough of them to target and put a good catch together within reasonable bag limits... 2 fish is an insult... Most will not charter a boat for that... tackle shop also take a big hit that used to be the jump start of their season.

Flounder trips were a big hit last year on the Fish Monger... Letting our customers end their winter a little early come out and catch a few fish for the table. We sailed almost every fishable day for em. Not any more!!!

See ya in Washington!!!

[joefish4]

where and how can i get information to attend these meetings and for this march... i would like to get more involved!!! thanks for any information you can provide..

[1captainron]

joefish....

www.ssfff.net All the info you need.....
Thanks for the enthusiasm!! Hope to see you on the 24th.

[Blackfish Doug]

I will still fish for them if anybody targets them. I only need 2 anyway 1 for me & 1 for the Mrs. I will cull my fish for the nicest size fish. All you need now is half day boat for them unless you mix up a Striper trip to go with it.

[Capt Sal]

Originally Posted by Blackfish Doug

I will still fish for them if anybody targets them. I only need 2 anyway 1 for me & 1 for the Mrs. I will cull my fish for the nicest size fish. All you need now is half day boat for them unless you mix up a Striper trip to go with it.

sounds like a good idea doug.problem is it will never happen.if you are bass fishing and put out a dead stick you might get 1 or 2.that won't work on a head boat,it will create tangles.it would eliminate you from the pool for using 2 rods also.raritan bay also has a fall flounder run.when the ocean is rough we could hide in the west end of the bay and catch some nice flatties.all gone!!a little bit each year.we will probably have a monster run of weakfish this summer.who will go on a head boat or charter for 1 fish.all gone!!what is next?everyone posted about the great blackfishing when the limit was 1 fish.the season should be open in october!i can remember catching black fish on shrewsbury rocks in oct.long before sandy hook reef was even thought of.black fish are not a catch and release fish.they are a catch and fillet and eat fish!when the blackfish are 5 min. from my dock the bag limit is 1.when they open it to 6 the fish are gone.

[MartyS]

Originally Posted by Capt Sal Cathy Sea Charters

when the blackfish are 5 min. from my dock the bag limit is 1.when they open it to 6 the fish are gone.

And you probably thought NOAA didn't know what they were doing.

[Blackfish Doug]

I agree with you about the party boat thing. I would not try to fish with 2 rods anyway while Bass fishing. I like most my age fished for winter flounder all my life & will still go out at least 1 time this year for them. It's a way to kick start my season it's not always about how much you put in the bucket. It's about being out for the day talking about the great fishing of the past & fishing with some of the great fisherman from this board. I know quite a few on this board that feel the same way as I do. I hate these regulations just like everybody else does but it does have 1 upside the rod is bending more than it did in the past. Almost all of us want to remember the good trips what about the bad ones. Does anybody here remember a boat load of fisherman fishing & not 1 single fish being caught I do & it happened to me more than once. And this was not attributed to bad weather on those days either. Ever since since the regulations were put into place I have not seen this happen once. Lets just hope next year the regulation numbers will increase favorably. To me the most important thing about fishing is getting home safe. I want to thank all the party boat & charter captains for doing that enough does not said about this. Keep up the faith you put up that Flounder sign & I will still come & I'm sure others will as well.

[shresearchdude]

Good Post Doug.