Fishing for Flounder (Fluke)

well well well... look who fell in the well....

that's the old saying from an "Our Gang" episode of yesteryear (yes, this old fart was around back in the early days of "talkies" on the "black and white" television *LOL*)

helping bait up my son's rod, this bugger took my bottom bait and rocketed out... my rod bent over and the fight was on... not so much the fish but rather to keep the buggah from tangling 16 other lines in the water :)







Someone on the other side of the boat pulled up an oyster toadfish... also known locally as an oyster cracker!

The last time I saw one was when crabbing with my dad in Red Bank circa 1962!!

Family: Batrachoididae

Species: Opsanus tau (Linnaeus, 1766)

Range: western Atlantic from Maine to the West Indies.

Habitat: found on mud, oyster shell, rock, along sand bottoms and garbage dumps in shallow water.

Food: preys on crustaceans, mollusks, fish, and just about anything else it can get its mouth on.

Characters useful in identification: bulging eyes; fleshy flaps (whiskers) on cheeks and jaws; broad, flat heads.

Color: skin is yellowish to brown with dark brown oblique bars and brown reticulations.

Image courtesy: Fisherman's Guide: Fishes of the Southeastern United States.
Charles Manooch, III, author. Duane Raver, Jr. , illustrator.

Reproduction: toadfish are known for producing vocalizations, accomplished by rapid muscle contractions. The male produces a "foghorn" sound which may attract females to a nesting site. The spawning season lasts from April to October.

Maximum size: 38 cm TL (1.25 ft.)

Other interesting tidbits:

• The toadfish has no commercial value and is generally considered a nuisance due to its powerful and potentially dangerous jaws which make it tough to remove from fishing hooks; however, it is edible.
• It can survive out of water for extended periods.
• This fish is also plays an important role in medical research.
• NASA and the Marine Biological Lab in Woods Hole just completed experiments in which toadfish were sent to space. These estuarine fish are known for their ability to communicate with one another by producing sound from the rapidly contracting sonic musculature that surrounds the stomach. They are therefore useful models for studying muscular contraction. In addition, the readily accessible beta cells of the pancreas (site of insulin production) make it a useful animal model for diabetes research.
  
  Two oyster toadfish, collected from the waters off Woods Hole participated in an experiment designed to help scientists better understand the effects that microgravity has on our vestibular, or balance, system. These fish traveled more than 3 million miles through space on shuttle mission STS-95, which launched from Kennedy Space Center on October 29, 1998.

References:

Murdy, E.O., R.S. Birdsong, and J.A. Musick. 1997. Fishes of Chesapeake Bay. Smithsonian Institution Press, 324 pp.

oh yeah, now the flounder (fluke):

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Dreaming of Tuckerman's Ravine / Mt. Washington, N.H.

Tuckerman Ravine - The Bowl

LEGEND

1 - Left Gulley 2 - Chute Variation South 3 - The Chute 4 - Chute Variation North 5 - Center Gully South

6 - Center Gully North 7 - The Icefall 8 - The Lip 9 - The Sluice 10 - Right Gully (Lobster Claw, Lion Head Gully 1 2 & 3 further over)

Easier routes are Left Gully, Right Gully (and Hillmans over and south of the bowl) from my experience.

The cornice at the top of Left Gulley has been measured at 55 degrees.

Middle routes are steeper reaching 40-50+ degrees at their steeper sections. Most routes get steep the higher you go with the sever pitches just below the lip of the headwall.

Certainly the Icefall is the steepest and usually involves some airtime, at least in the spring.

The Lip and Sluice are very steep up higher. The Lip averages 40-45 degrees.

The Chute is very intimidating from the top in the spring since it narrows with ugly looking rock walls on either side.

Dodges Drop which is located to the left looking up at Hillmans Highway is apparently over 50 degrees. Hillmans Highway is most consistent I found and is probably in the neighbourhood of 40 degrees.

Remember! It is highly recommended that you hike up where you will be skiing down so that you will be familiar with your route of descent. As well you need to be aware of any hazards and be confident you are skiing within your ability.

Tuckerman Ravine - Hillmans Highway

LEGEND

1 - The Duchess 2 - Hillmans Highway 3 - Hillmans Highway 4 - Dodge's Drop

Busted!

No, NOT ME! :)

an interesting read...

NJ Conservation Officers Cast Enforcement Net for Recreational Anglers, Issue Summonses for Illegal Catches

Aug. 20, 2007

Working to heighten awareness of New Jersey’s marine fisheries regulations and the consequences of violating them, state conservation officers yesterday inspected scores of recreational fishing boats and popular fishing spots along the Sandy Hook and Raritan bays and the Arthur Kill.

Eighteen conservation officers with the Department of Environmental Protection’s Division of Fish and Wildlife, Bureau of Law Enforcement checked 500 anglers during the eight-hour special operation -- part of an ongoing effort to spur greater compliance with regulations and laws that protect New Jersey’s fish and wildlife resources.

Throughout the day, conservation officers inspected 195 private fishing vessels and also checked more than 100 anglers at various marinas and jetties along the targeted waters, Marine Region Capt. Joe Meyer said.

Conservation officers issued 53 summonses and six written warnings for various marine fisheries violations:

• 28 summonses for possession of summer flounder less than 17 inches
• 2 summonses for exceeding the limit on summer flounder
• 2 summonses for possession of weak fish less than 13 inches
• 8 summonses for possession of summer flounder parts
• 2 summonses for interference with a conservation officer for attempting to throw fish overboard
• 2 summonses for possession of undersized porgies
• 1 summons for possession of parts of porgies
• 1 summons for trespassing while fishing
• 2 summonses for possession of black sea bass less than 12 inches
• 1 summons for exceeding the limit of 15 blue fish
• 2 summonses for harvesting shellfish (mussels) from condemned waters of the Raritan and Sandy Hook bays
• 2 summonses for possession of undersized blue crabs
• 4 written warnings for harvesting hard crabs recreationally from the Newark Bay Complex
• 2 written warnings for dumping trash on a wildlife management area

Lawmen also seized a dozen fishing poles and one seine net used to illegally harvest marine species.

Sportsmen and sportswomen can help New Jersey’s conservation officers by reporting marine fish and shellfish violations to 609-748-2050 or call the DEP’s 24-hour hotline at 877-WARN-DEP.

getting "schooled"

A "school" sized striped bass (morone saxatilis), also known as a "schoolie" is usually considered a smaller fish for the species...somewhere in the mid-20's in length, less than 8 or 9 lbs in weight.

Today I was "schooled"...managed 7 or 8 of these 22" length (measured) fish in the Grey morning light along the beautiful beach of Avon by the Sea, NJ.

Unfortunately, I arrived early (4:15AM) to also take in the splendid Perseid meteor shower. Alas, they did not "show up", being blocked by an unexpected layer of CLOUDS.

The Summer Flounder or (for us Yankees)... the Fluke

Common Names: Fluke, summer flounder

Scientific Name: Paralichthys dentatus

Range: Estuarine and coastal waters from Nova Scotia to Florida. Most abundant between Massachusetts and North Carolina.

Migration

Fluke are normally found in the nearshore coastal waters and bays where they are available to anglers in the warmer months of the year, thus their other common name of summer flounder. In the fall and winter they move offshore into depths of 100 to 500 feet of water. There is also a tendency for fish to return to more northern estuaries in successive years, resulting in a higher occurrence of larger, older fish in the more northern parts of its range.

Growth and Spawning

Fluke can grow to a length of more than 30 inches and weigh in excess of 20 pounds, although 1 to 3 pound fish are more typical with an 8 pounder being considered large. The New Jersey State Record was set in 1953 and weighed 19 pounds, 12 ounces. Juvenile fluke grow very fast and can reach a length of 9 to 12 inches during their first year. A 15 inch fluke is generally in its third year of life and will weigh between one and two pounds.

Most fluke are sexually mature in their third year and spawn in the fall or early winter while migrating offshore or on their wintering grounds. The number of eggs a female fluke has is directly proportioned to her size, with large fish being able to release as many as 4 million eggs in a single season. Larvae and post larvae drift and migrate inshore, entering coastal and estuarine nursery areas from October to May. When they first hatch from the egg, fluke larvae look just like any other fishes. Within a few days, however, the right eye starts to migrate over the top of the head. By the time it reaches its' inshore nursery area and settles to the bottom, both eyes are on the left hand side of the body and the little fish looks like a fluke. Fluke belong to a larger group of flat fishes called left eye flounders, whereas our winter flounder belongs to the right eye flounders, with both eyes on the right hand side of the fish.

Recreational and Commercial Importance

Fluke are highly prized food fish sought by both sport and commercial fishermen. They are typically one of the top three fish taken in the sport fishery each year. The New Jersey recreational harvest in 1997 was estimated to be in excess of 1.7 million fish. Under a coastwide management plan, recreational harvest is controlled by size and possession limits. By 2002, the minimum size limit was increased to 16.5 inches with a daily possession limit of eight fish per angler.

Fluke also represent one of the three or four most important finfish in New Jersey's commercial fishery, with a value of over two million dollars annually. The commercial fishery is also controlled by the coastwide management plan. Entry into the fishery is limited and vessels must abide by gear restrictions, a size limit and state landing quotas. The 1998 commercial quota for New Jersey was 1,858,363 pounds.

Angling Techniques

Fluke can be taken from May through October in most years. Because of their extensive distribution in the nearshore coastal waters and bays throughout New Jersey, they can be caught by private boat, party boat or while fishing from shore. A typical fishing outfit would include a five to six foot rod with either a conventional or spinning reel filled with 10 to 20 pound test line.

Summer flounder lie on the bottom, partly concealed with sand and partly by its coloration, which can be changed to blend in with the surrounding environment. When suitable prey appears, it rushes out and devours the victim. The best fishing strategy to take advantage of this "ambush" behavior is to fish very near the bottom with a moving bait.

Due to their large mouth and aggressive nature, large hooks (4/0 - 6/0) work well and reduce the chance that smaller, sub-legal fish may swallow the hook and be damaged or killed. A good rig would start with a three way swivel on the end of your line. A 10 to 12 inch leader should be attached from the swivel to a bucktail tipped with bait such as a strip of squid or clam. The third eye of the swivel should have a longer leader, approximately 2 feet in length, attached to an unweighted hook, possibly adorned with a feather or mylar streamer, and another bait. The second bait should be different from the first bait, possible a live killie.

If you notice one bait catching more fish than the other, then put the bait that is working best on both hooks. If you are drift-fishing or slow trolling from a boat, adjust the weight of the bucktail so that it Just touches bottom occasionally. If the bucktail is too heavy and drags along the bottom, it is more likely to get fouled with debris or be eaten by crabs. A surf caster may want to use a longer rod and heavier bucktail to allow longer casts, and to retrieve the rig slowly to cover ground where fluke may be lying in wait.