WINTER FLOUNDER MORE LOST$$$$$please read

[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.

[sea nymph]

Right on Doug!
Even know the limit is 2, it's still a time to get out, wet the line and enjoy the camaraderie. I probably won't take my boat out, but if my favorite charter captain sails, I'll be on board!
I may only catch 2, but I'll be supporting "my" Captain because I know they work hard everytime and go the extra mile! Plus, I'll just need to get out of the house and you can't put a price on a good time!

[TurboDan]

I would think this will likely affect the charter captains most, as few people will pay the premium to have their pick of two fish. Also, these things are not overly difficult to catch (with potent chum and the correct bait) and keepers are not hard to find, meaning the full-day trip you paid for could be over in an hour or less since limiting out will be relatively easy.

The party boats may be able to do alright still, since they're a cheaper option and 1/2 day.

[TurboDan]

FWIW, the netters' limits were also cut this year. I believe they're down to 38 fish landed per day. In the past, it also didn't help that the fyke netters would take winter flounder from Nov. 1 to Feb. 20, reducing the local population before recs even got a shot at it.

[MartyS]

In the early spring, I'd rather go after ling and blackfish; definitely the case this year.

Last season, even with a reasonable bag limit, I didn't go out for flounder because the reports were so poor. There isn't much doubt that this fishery needs to rebuild.

I really don't mind leaving the flounder alone for a while, as long as the commercials have been constrained as well.