NJ Flatty Report (8/16)

[Latimeria]

So I randomly get texts and pics from friends back in NJ about their recent trips and Eric is no exception.  The fluke, or Summer Flounder, is the same exact Genus as our California Halibut.  That just means our halibut is not a true halibut, but a left eyed flounder.  They just get bigger than all other left eyes, so California calls them a halibut.  When I was living and fishing out there, they only had to be 13" or so to keep which are tiny and they got decimated.  Restrictions have come into place where now they have to be 18".  (NJ Fluke Rules: Following what was probably the most restrictive fluke season to date in 2017, the New Jersey Marine Fisheries Council approved a recreational fluke season from May 25 to Sept. 22. The daily bag limit and size limit is the same as last year: three fish at 18 inches.)

So as you can imagine, not many legals are caught, but they are getting bigger!  My personal best fluke is a 27", 7#'er I caught off of Harrah's Casino in Brigantine inlet.  Back in the day, that was a monster.  Eric just sent me a picture of his personal best yesterday, a 28", 8 pound doormat!  These guys all use mummichogs and squid strips on bucktails with an occasional peanut bunker as bait, but he never said what he was fishing with.

Anyways, greetings from Eric from Brigantine!



As Fluke go, this is a true trophy.

[Angry]

When we visit family in Ocean City, we try for fluke in the bay and I've NEVER seen one over 20" or so.  That thing's huge

[sasquatch]

Nice fish Eric.

[vdisney]

Hell, 28" is nice by California's standards.  That thing is nice!!!!!!