2018 Fluke Options
 

This is what I’ve heard the 2018 fluke options (if you can call it that) are;

Three options were proposed for 2018 summer flounder regulations for New Jersey, and all call for a minimum of 18 inches to be a keeper with a three-fish daily possession limit.

There are season variations that can be implemented within each state. New Jersey can adopt a season of May 25-Sept. 22, May 22 to Sept. 20 or May 15 to Sept. 16.

Re: 2018 Fluke Options
 

so much for getting our 4th fish back .
while just adding two week to the end of the season
Bullshit again.

most guys wont be fishing those 2 weeks after Labor Day

Re: 2018 Fluke Options
 

I would go the longest season , May 15 to Sept. 16 . We never know if it will be an early spring , or a late summer hurricane will shut it down . We would all like more fish , but I think most skippers would agree last year was very bad early on , but got better later . There were quite a few days I would have loved three keepers .

Re: 2018 Fluke Options
 

One season away from the summer flounder bag limit the same as winter flounder !!

Re: 2018 Fluke Options
 

BOHICA

Bend over, here it comes again

I think we get 10 at 12 inches here. (Florida)

Re: 2018 Fluke Options
 

you are being beat up real bad down there on flounder, in nova scotia they are still allowing us 10 fish any size and I looks like a good year as the population is growing every year. any real small fish get tossed back and we usually get an average size of 14 inch. in may when the fish show up at the wharfs they are prespawn and very fat and give a good fight when hooked.

Re: 2018 Fluke Options
 

May 25 - Sept 22 for the Party Boat fleet !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: 2018 Fluke Options
 

Neither of you are talking about fluke/summer flounder

Re: 2018 Fluke Options
 

That’s exactly what I’m talking about.

Re: 2018 Fluke Options
 

Agreed the most common species of flounder along the east coast of flounder is the southern flounder (Paralichthys lethostigma) which looks like a summer flounder (Paralichthys dentatus).

Southern flounder range from Virginia to southeast Florida and into the Gulf Of Mexico.

Summer flounder range from the Gulf Of Maine to South Carolina and occasionall to the northeast coast of Florida

There is another species of flounder common in Florida, the Gulf flounder (Paralichthys albigutta).

All 3 species look similar

Re: 2018 Fluke Options
 

So true.Winter flounder was norm every spring and sustained the for hire party and charter boats.To think we are one fish away from that ridiculous limit is scary!

Re: 2018 Fluke Options
 

while I understand your reasoning. Its crazy to think a million recreational boaters should base their season on a handful of party boats gaining three weeks to your season.
so that we keep a lesser limit for the rest of us for an entire season.

Three fish limit is a joke.
larger limit would be a lot more cost effective to the rest of the recreational fishing fleet

Re: 2018 Fluke Options
 

Not gonna argue but I definitely know there is a summer flounder fishery here on the east coast of Florida. From Sebastian inlet north. I am also aware of the southern and gulf flounder. But summer flounder are here.

Re: 2018 Fluke Options
 

thats why our bag limits are crap cause u SOUTHERNERS have coaxed them all to Florida...:p

:p

as for our bag limits ....said many years ago here...keep giving your NEVER GETTING IT BACK...was greated with you dont know what your talking about..no one needs 5-6-7-8 fish....lol....really where are we now ????...... Wait till they start closing for the entire month of june or july......

Re: 2018 Fluke Options
 

I would prefer as long a season as possible and would trade more days for lower bag limits. To me it's all about access and the more days I can fish for Fluke the more access I have. You could argue that being able to keep less fish is less access but how often would a person limit out even if it's 3 fish?? Sure you have your sharpies that limit out more frequently then others but I think that is the exception, not the rule.

Re: 2018 Fluke Options
 

Just curious , do you keep a fishing log ???
How consistant of a fluke bite have you seen in September ??


we USED to have a great September / October fluke fishery.
Last year there were still a bunch of fluke around, and NY reaped the reward of having a little longer season into September than us

BUT the previous 7 years the majority of fluke were gone the first week in September.
SO IMO keeping the season open at a time when there is a good chance there will be few fish around is silly.

During the summer, July and August there are a lot more fish here to be caught.

catching 3 keepers a guy during that time is a joke , as many days it takes just a drift or two to do it.

Wait all year to fluke fish I wanna fish all day not an hour

They PROMISED a more liberal bag limit this year. as usual their Promise is BUllSHIT.


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Re: 2018 Fluke Options
 

Don't forget starting early in may will overlap seabass AGAIN and the party boats have nothing to fish for end of September.

Re: 2018 Fluke Options
 

:D

Re: 2018 Fluke Options
 

once again, the tin boat fishing fleet can watch the RIVERS get raped by a couple commercial rod and reel permit holders during the month of may!...14" fluke no less...while our boats sit on our trailers...bullshit!

Re: 2018 Fluke Options
 

Too me . The longer the season the better. 3 @ 18" stinks! We are getting closer to zero! I just don't understand it. There are plenty of Fluke out there and to make the bag limit so low is a sham! Something really needs to be done about this!

Re: 2018 Fluke Options
 

The ''Fluke" we catch in Sebastian Inlet will be as big as 10 lbs. or more.They are the same species as up north.We also have Gulf flounder that are much smaller.

Re: 2018 Fluke Options
 

Well, we're never getting better regs for fluke. Once they take away fish, it's rare to get them back. Can't remember the last time they increased the limit on a fish in NJ. In a few years the fluke is going the way of the winter Flounder - 2 fish limit. And I'm sure blackfish limit will go down this year.

Re: 2018 Fluke Options
 

As with every year much will change before the actual options are presented.
Some may be better / some as you all stated.
Too early to debate.

Re: 2018 Fluke Options
 

Couldn't agree more with you Al.
Some of the best fluke fishing of the year is early, and right at the end of the dock. It was a long standing family tradition of ours to catch, clean, and prepare fluke for Easter dinner. Now we get to stand at the end of the dock and watch a few pin hookers take their 500lbs a day in a matter of hours. It is aggravating and unjust.

Re: 2018 Fluke Options
 

I can understand your anger of course, and feel pretty much as you do, but we must clarify the situation.. I think there are only 7 or 8 of those licenses in the entire state of NJ, and from what I have read, they are no longer issuing them at any price.
Also read they were incredibly expensive when they were available... A few years back an older guy was selling his on a fishing site, and wanted like $50k... You would have to be out there an awful lot to make it pay.. I think most of the licenses still out there are owned by a few old timers and their families.. that doesn't help the situation of course.. Personally, I feel they do less damage with rod and reel than a dragger would do.. Killing every damn little one that gets netted, along with everything else on the bottom... bob

Re: 2018 Fluke Options
 

They issued a brand new pin hooker license to a guy for Shark River last spring

Re: 2018 Fluke Options
 

I wouldn’t go so far to say it is quite like that. I know those guys that have the licenses and I promise if they get 75lbs a day that is a good day and it’s only a few weeks in may. It amazes me we are still here trying to fight other fisherman. I want my piece instead of the other guy routine. Very sad in 2018 with the advancement in science and fisheries management that we’re still reading this garbage

Re: 2018 Fluke Options
 

What advancements in science and fisheries management are we talking about here? Nothing's changed in the last twenty or more years other than reducing catch quotas through increased size limits and or reduced possession limits and shortened seasons. It's failed and will continue to fail. NMFS claimed the stock rebuilt in '09 and did an about face a year or two later. They hide their incompetence behind the shield of the federal government and MSA. What people have issues with is if the fishery is struggling, why should buying a license entitle a select few to harvest that resources which is off limits to the general public. They don't own the resource yet profit from it because they can. I'm not against someone making a living, I am against a resource that belongs to all of us being awarded to the highest bidder.

Re: 2018 Fluke Options
 

Here's my take on this and on our society as a whole... Everyone wants instant gratification . You get it online, you get it on TV or from Amazon. Couple that with the fact that there is little to no accountability anymore and we're at the point where we don't even keep score for kids baseball games because someone's feelings might be hurt...

I have a point here so bear with me :D

We didn't get in the predicament we are in with our fisheries overnight and it's going to take some time to get out of it. It's also going to take people to continue the fight, not just when the crappy regs come out but committed long term. We also need to hold people and organizations accountable.

Everyone is quick to say this needs to be done or that needs to be done. Look in the mirror and ask yourself what have you done??

Get involved and be part of the solution or you if you choose, you can sit on the sidelines and blame others when things don't go your way.

Stepping off my soap box here now ;)

Re: 2018 Fluke Options
 

IMO a big part of the problem is the For Hire sector is lazy and wants everyone else to do it for them.
There are a few for hire capts here that have busted their ass while all the rest of them sit and watch.
when guys who earn a living off the ocean ALL get involved the rest of the RECS will be more to get in line.
The showing we had both times in Washington, as well as the fluke meetings spoke volumes,
NOT ENOUGH GUYS THERE , to even make an impression that enough guys care.
Writing emails that for the most part just get an automatic reply sent back shows they are not cutting it.
PUBLIC displays of guys showing up and OVER FILLING the meetings would get 10 times the press and attention


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Re: 2018 Fluke Options
 

spot on Dakota.

BelmarGuy.. Let me make clear that I am not looking for an argument.
I also "know a guy" who has one of those permits. With the fish in place, and a 14" size limit, it is not uncommon to catch 75 lbs in an hour, especially when you have the grounds to yourself.

Re: 2018 Fluke Options
 

Down south some groups buy up the comm licenses to lessen the take. How much does a fluke pinhooker license go for? Can they be bought by a club or any other entity.

And if I were wealthy, I'd buy one just so I could enjoy the resource more. Forget about selling. Knew a guy who did that down in the Carolinas.

Re: 2018 Fluke Options
 

Virginia and Maryland for 2018 4 fish @17" no closed season.Same as last year.

Re: 2018 Fluke Options
 

South Carolina reduced the number from 15 to 10 and raised the size limit from 14 inches to 15 inches. There are technically 3 species of flounder there but I have never caught anything other than summer flounder.

Re: 2018 Fluke Options
 

All the fluke have moved south because of the taxes in NJ .Did the state get there exit tax?

Re: 2018 Fluke Options
 

Down to a 3 fish limit? I might limit out once this year! LMAO