Fewer Fluke Reports?

[Billfish715]

Is it just me, or does anyone else notice the decline in the number of fluke reports on this board? It has me wondering and perhaps assuring me of my most frightening realities. The fluke have disappeared! It's a nightmare that has been reoccurring more often and from the decline in the reports, I'd say that the nightmare is indeed becoming a reality.

If the fluking was that good, we would hear about it. Look at Sandy Hook Channel, or the Reach or Ambrose or anywhere for the once omnipresent fleet of boats. Fluke were spread across a very wide area and it didn't really matter much where you went. There were always good numbers of fluke to catch even if they were 15-16 inches. Everyone had their spots and everyone caught fluke at all of them, sometimes in good numbers and sometimes not. But, you could go to several spots and still catch them. Now, boats are going from spot A to spot B because the first spot didn't produce. Then from spot B to spot C for the same reason and so on.

As Captain John mentioned, there are pockets of fluke here and there and if you are lucky to find a patch, and one of the only boats there, you'll bring home a few fillets. I tag a lot of fluke each year and usually get returns from last year's tagging during the current season. So far, I haven't received even one.

The questions remain. If fishermen were catching fluke in any numbers, we would hear about it. Except for the party boats which post reports, there are few private captains who are saying much. Even if you read the party boat reports, and see the pictures, there is a lot to be missed in between the lines. There are ways to explain how even bad days of fishing can be made to seem like they were okay. The captains have been very accurate in their reports and no one will ever say how much the fishing stinks and rightly so. I wonder how the fishing logs that are charted by each captain compares to the same time last year or over the last few years. (You can't count the Covid year.) How do the numbers compare? I'm guessing this year is the lowest count in many previous seasons.

If fishermen are catching, we would be hearing about it. Let's face it. No one writes reports about how many fluke they didn't catch. Those that catch are proud enough to say so. Those that don't, get pretty tight-lipped. With the lack of reports, I'd say that there are a lot of tight-lipped fishermen out there. Just saying!

[Capt John]

Spot on Billie....spot on.

[Brewlugger]

Definitely a lack of Doormat Fluke being reported this summer.

[Skolmann]

I’ve only done one party boat fluke trip-a magic hour trip on the Misty Morn and got 2 keepers.

Did one ocean fluke trip on my boat, 2 keepers

Did 2 upper bay fluke trips on my boat, 2 slots

Made 1 Navesink River fluke trip, 1 keeper & 1 slot

Been doing mainly land based fluking both from the beach & back bay/river spots 20+ keepers & 4 or 5 slots

Did get a 21” fluke while jigging sea bass.

Land based spots getting better (both in quantity & quality the past few weeks).

[FishingSinceIWasThree]

My group of three did very well with constant action and 6 keepers in a few hours near Sandy Hook last Sunday. Best fluke fishing I've had in 5 years or so.

[FishingSinceIWasThree]

My group of three did very well with constant action and 6 keepers in a few hours near Sandy Hook last Sunday. Best fluke fishing I've had in 5 years or so.

One of the fluke was 24 inches....at least a mini doormat in my world

[Billfish715]

Originally Posted by FishingSinceIWasThree

My group of three did very well with constant action and 6 keepers in a few hours near Sandy Hook last Sunday. Best fluke fishing I've had in 5 years or so.

One of the fluke was 24 inches....at least a mini doormat in my world

That’s great but………..have you done it twice or three times? One boat, one day, one good trip over one patch of fish does not make a season. Let us know ( good or bad) how you do the next time out. How many fluke did you release? By today’s standards 6 keepers is a great day. Historically, not so much.

[Gerry Zagorski]

The fishery is not what it used to be for sure but I don't think it's doom and gloom. Years ago we had Fluke in the Sandy Hook and Raritan bays all through the summer and it's seems the bay fishery has not been the same since Sandy.

I also think some of it is people are fishing the same methods and the same places and expecting the same results they used to get. It's changed and if you want to catch, you're fishing the sticky stuff and people know where that stuff is and those areas tend to get fished out. You also see many of the boats fishing the sticky stuff are moving around a lot picking fish here and there and have to move to different spots to put a catch together...

Fuel at $5.00 a gallon is also playing into it on the private boat side. Now you think twice about making a longer run to the sticky stuff.

[Togfather2530]

Hurricane Sandy and going to the sticky stuff LOL. Everyone has their answers of how you have to catch fish now. The truth of it is fluke fishing sucks compared to the way it was 10 to 15 years ago. No sense in sugarcoating anything. I know you know the answer to your own question and just need reassuring so I’m giving you that reassurance.

[frugalfisherman]

It's Putin's fault.