Does anyone miss flounder fishing in NJ like it used to be?

[cowherder]

I was out there this morning, fishing the surf. I was remembering when I used to go with my Dad. We fished when it was bitter cold, out of Shark River. We used to get a chum log or 2, bring some corn, and when the sun heated up the water a bit, we got them.

Maybe only 8 or 10 at a trip, but it was fun!
We got some fish, and some action. We took fish home for the table. We had a great day together, and it was quality time spent. Now, with the regulations at 2 per man, and the shortened season, it seems like hardly anyone fishes for them any more. That really kind of sucks. Does anyone remember the way it used to be? Does anyone miss that? I do. http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/images/icons/icon9.png

[hookset]

Shark River? Renting those leaky boats with the temperamental motors?:kooky:
Sure that brings back memories.:laugh: You are right, though, those were good times. The flounder were something to fish for when you couldn't fish for anything else. Now, it seems a lot of people have given up on them. which puts more pressure on the striped bass.

[storminsteve]

Absolutely. You have all these people giving other advice about bass fishing. Do a search and you will see that 10 years ago all they did was fish for flounder and fluke. They switched over to striped bass as the regs on the flatfish became tougher. I have some great memories of fishing winter flounder when I was a kid, and even around the roamer shoals lighthouse in the bay in the spring. It's sad that this is what we have come to, where a lot of people have given up on them. They are the perfect fish to introduce your family to fishing, since they are usually so easy to catch. Now, even if your kid does catch a few he can't keep them, same with the fluke. It's a shame.

[clamchucker]

We used to fill the bottom of the rowboat with blackbacks. Of course, that was over 50 years ago when there was not much known about fish conservation. Hookset you made a very strong point. The more these other species, like fluke, seabass, etc are restricted or shut down, it certainly puts more pressure on the striped bass.

[storminsteve]

Shark River? Renting those leaky boats with the temperamental motors?:kooky:
Sure that brings back memories.:laugh: You are right, though, those were good times. The flounder were something to fish for when you couldn't fish for anything else. Now, it seems a lot of people have given up on them. which puts more pressure on the striped bass.

I was searching for flounder threads and found this again. Hookset you said it. I really miss those days.

[buckethead]

God I miss it too. It was the one thing to do to get out in the house in the winter. Too cold for bass. Often too sporty for groundfish. Going into the back of the inlets in a small boat. Cans of corn, chum log as has been said. A thermos full of hot chocolate or hot rum. Seems like days like that are gone forever and now with the small limits it isn't the same.

[buckethead]

We used to fill the bottom of the rowboat with blackbacks. Of course, that was over 50 years ago when there was not much known about fish conservation. Hookset you made a very strong point. The more these other species, like fluke, seabass, etc are restricted or shut down, it certainly puts more pressure on the striped bass.

Spot on clamchucker.

[CharlieTuna]

When I lived in NJ we used to do it every year. Also would go on winter flounder bus trips to Quincy Ma. I think they were run by a black lady named Cynthia. Always had a good time on those. It's funny how the grass always seems greener on the other side. When I moved to Ma Quincy no longer seemed like the jewel it did when I lived in Jersey. I saw this and it reminded me of the old days fishing in NJ. Good thread

[captnemo]

Very true clamchucker. A lot of local businesses used to depend on us coming down to fish for flounder in the winter. Now, not so much. The limit of 2 is unreasonable when you have the draggers that are taking many more smaller fish.

[albiealert]

Nice read. We don't have many flounder in the Sound by us. Charlietuna, I remember my Dad going all the way up to Quincy Massachusetts to get them.

[bababooey]

I say we should push to make it 4 flounder. Make the size an inch bigger if you have to but give us 4 fish. That would make it feasible to target them and could give the incentive for some head boats to make 1/2 day trips. I would not pay the fee to go on a boat for only 2. Give me 4 and we have a new ball game.

[cowherder]

We used to fill the bottom of the rowboat with blackbacks. Of course, that was over 50 years ago when there was not much known about fish conservation. Hookset you made a very strong point. The more these other species, like fluke, seabass, etc are restricted or shut down, it certainly puts more pressure on the striped bass.

Wow that must have been something to have an abundance of fish like that. Thanks for sharing.

[Blazin420]

I remeber the days of flounder fishing with pops!! I ALWAYS looked forward to it as a lil guy! My dad also used to take trips up to Quicy for them with his buddys and used to get boat loads full!! And they were so damn tasty !! Any one no when it actually opens this year? Read a few places it was opening March 1st opposed to the 23rd this year...I no it will probably not be worth it with the bitter cold winter we had..But still curious?

[captnemo]

blazin I recall they extended it to all year. The problem with that is waiting for various orgs to approve. So there will be no change this year, 2 at 12" I believe.
Here is a statement by Paul Haertel-
"The ASMFC approved having no closed season for winter flounder. It is now up to the NJMFC to adopt a regulation reflecting the change. I contacted a NJMFC member and asked if this might be expedited so that the season could open sooner. He expects the council to approve a 365 day season but they do not intend to take action on this until their Mach meeting. Then is must be signed by the DEP Commisioner before it becomes law. Therfore, I do not expect the season to open earlier this year than in the past but once it is open it should remain open for the rest of the year. Lastly, no changes in the bag or size limit are anticipated."

[captnemo]

The latest update on that- posted in www.app.com (http://www.app.com)


Extended winter flounder season receives approval

Mar. 7, 2014 |
Comments (http://stripersandanglers.com/comments/article/20140306/NJSPORTS06/303060127/Extended-winter-flounder-season-receives-approval)

http://cmsimg.app.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=B3&Date=20140306&Category=NJSPORTS06&ArtNo=303060127&Ref=AR&MaxW=640&Border=0&Extended-winter-flounder-season-receives-approval


Gilbert Epstein of Long Branch with a 31/4-pound winter flounder he caught on a sandworm in Shark River Inlet last year. / Photo Courtesy of the Bait Shop in Bradley Beach


http://cmsimg.app.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/persbilde?Avis=B3&ID=joswald&maxH=34&maxW=34 (joswald@njpressmedia.com) Written by

John Oswald (joswald@njpressmedia.com)
@oswaldapp

http://cmsimg.app.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=B3&Date=20140306&Category=NJSPORTS06&ArtNo=303060127&Ref=V1&MaxW=300&Border=0&Extended-winter-flounder-season-receives-approval Zoom (http://javascript<strong></strong>:void(null);)

Bob Misak, Jr. and his daughter Brynn Misak, 6, both of Waretown, with a double limit of winter flounder caught in 2013. / Photo courtesy of Bob Misak, Sr.

On Thursday, the New Jersey Marine Fisheries Council followed the lead of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and approved a winter flounder season that starts on March 1 and ends on Dec. 31.

However, Paul Haertel, president of the Jersey Coast Anglers Association who was at the afternoon meeting, said the change will not take effect until the NJ Department of Environmental Protection adds its approval and signs the change into law.

That may or may not come before the state’s winter flounder season was scheduled to begin on March 23. If the new season is approved prior to the 23rd, the DEP will issue an announcement.

This unexpected turn of events came about when the ASMFC set its specifications for winter flounder for 2014 with a season from March 1 to Dec. 31 for the Southern New England and Mid-Atlantic stock. The size and bag limit was kept at two fish at 12 inches.

The change was made, according to the ASMFC, to increase fishing opportunities for recreational anglers when the seasons are closed for other species.
Some suspicious minds believe that the extended winter flounder season was an attempt to mollify New Jersey anglers angered by the imposition of regional summer flounder measures on New Jersey.

While the longer season is a welcome development, it is a bit surprising.
Just a few years ago, fishery managers were considering placing a moratorium on winter flounder because the stock was deemed to be in dismal shape due to habitat destruction and overfishing.

The 60-day season generated little excitement among anglers and participation was a far cry from when the fishery had a 10-fish limit in 2009.
In 2012, the ASMFC reported that only 40 pounds of winter flounder were caught by New Jersey’s recreational anglers.

Melissa Yuen, fishery management plan coordinator for winter flounder at the ASMFC said that the winter flounder stock remains in trouble but it is believed that the two-fish limit will not have a serious impact on the state of the fishery.
Regardless of how it all came about, the new season is welcome news for anglers and bait and tackle shops alike. Bob Matthews at Fisherman’s Den in Belmar said that winter flounder fishing is actually at its best in the fall when the fish are fat and feeding.

Haertel also reported that a meeting will be held on April 3 at 4 p.m. at the Stafford Township Municipal Building in Manahawkin to announce the size, season and bag limits for summer flounder and black sea bass.
More details on that meeting will be provided in Hook, Line & Sinker as they become available.

[DarkSkies]

^Thanks for the update and follow up, Capt.......
I was given the following update by Finchaser, who we should thank as well.

" Although the NJMFC Council already approved this, it was sitting on the sidelines. The hold up was the DEP. After yesterday's Jetty meeting in Long Branch, it was revealed by the DEP that they would finally approve this, a winter flounder season that starts on March 1 and ends on Dec. 31.
Was that just a convenient coincidence, or a political panacea offered to the fishermen, to make up for the screwing they got in losing the jetties and most of the good beaches in NJ to sand replenishment?
You decide"








(Of course, finchaser didn't put that quite so nicely....
Anyone who knows him is aware of his fondness for honesty and candid remarks..;)..)

As usual, Fin predicted the outcome on this and the jetty issue, before they were decided.....thanks for your honesty and eternal grouchiness, Fin.......where would we fishermen be without old salts like you and some others, to raise the alarm when we are getting shafted?

[buckethead]

Charlietuna, I remember my Dad going all the way up to Quincy Massachusetts to get them.


I remeber the days of flounder fishing with pops!! I ALWAYS looked forward to it as a lil guy! My dad also used to take trips up to Quicy for them with his buddys and used to get boat loads full!! And they were so damn tasty !! Any one no when it actually opens this year? Read a few places it was opening March 1st opposed to the 23rd this year...I no it will probably not be worth it with the bitter cold winter we had..But still curious?

It's hard to believe how good the flounder fishing used to be back then. I guess we didn't know any better because we took it for granted. My Dad and I used to fill the bottom of the rowboat with them back in the day. Now we sit around discussing it like it was ancient history. I must be getting too old because those days were the best memories.

[dogfish]

Nice read. We don't have many flounder in the Sound by us. Charlietuna, I remember my Dad going all the way up to Quincy Massachusetts to get them.

Well you should come back to MA. Fishing in Boston Harbor has improved a lot.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8OGECApPzU&amp;list=PLZgJ0f2VFCCaRg1AiTaoqLHy tP21Glq_a

[basshunter]

Cool beans thanks for sharing!

[plugcrazy]

My Uncles were just talking about winter flounder fishing at Christmas. They were saying how easy it used to be and how many they could catch in 2 hours. Last time I was out there I managed my 2 limit with worms but it was a slow pick. Maybe I'll give it a try in March have been bored out of my mind lately.

[storminsteve]

Some awesome memories and video here thanks for posting fellas. I have never been to Quincy but the remarks inspired a search. Check this out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVmPomzqQrg