Biggest of the Year

 not a personal best, but did get a 20” flounder last week. Always nice to finally hook a good one. Lots of meat

Fishing vs. Working

Another time out on the water, and another windy day!

Managed to get the boat back in and actually fish for a little while. Found some "hiding places" to get out of the wind enough, then it was a matter of finding some fish willing to bite.

Very slow pick, but managed one 21" flounder which provided a good fight.  Flounder are opportunistic hunters, waiting for prey to entice them, camouflaged until they strike without warning... this crab must've fallen victim shortly before I caught her:

 

I mention "her" because statistically, every flounder over 17" is most likely a breeding sized female, but the regulations are what they are, and I know I'm not putting even the slightest dent in the population, given the times I actually get out on the water. But still, regs need to be adjusted to allow anglers to keep some males and leave more breeding females alone.

 Big mouths with a fierce set of teeth to grab, and hold onto, it's prey... if they can't grab it in one bite, that is!

2017 Flounder

If you thought it was bad this year, with the best South Jersey catches being found well before opening day, just wait til next year.
 http://blogs.courierpostonline.com/fishhead/2009/12/16/tough-quotas-set-for-2010/

We will be hammered because of flawed data.

We will be hammered because of the continued, enforced harvest, of our best female breeders.

We will be hammered because of bad science. What do I mean by that? The regulations are ignoring the shift in male/female ratios as the size increases. What does that mean? As we raise the minimum size limit, we are guaranteeing a reduction in the overall female population will which impact future recruitment numbers. This will lead to an effective shutdown of the recreational fishery. Several organizations have scientists engaged to get the statistical data needed to get the fisheries management to see what's going on. But it's probably too late to help in the short run:
2016 Assessment Update: Key Findings

The key findings of the stock assessment update include:

• Fishing mortality rates for summer flounder continue to exceed the fishing mortality threshold, meaning that the stock is experiencing overfishing. The fishing mortality rate in 2014 was estimated to be 16% above the fishing mortality threshold reference point. In 2015, fishing mortality was estimated to be 26% above the threshold. With the exception of 2007, the update assessment reveals a consistent pattern of overfishing since 1981, albeit at a greatly reduced level in last 15 years.
• Estimated biomass has been trending down since 2010. The 2015 estimate of spawning stock biomass is at 58% of the biomass target and only 16% above the minimum stock size threshold. If the stock were to fall below the minimum stock size threshold, the stock would be considered “overfished,” which, under the Magnuson-Stevens Act, would require the development of a rebuilding plan to reduce fishing mortality rates and rebuild stock biomass. If overfishing continues, “overfished” status could potentially be triggered as early as next year.
• In terms of recruitment, the stock has experienced below-average year classes each year for the past six years (2010-2015). Recruitment has also been overestimated in several of the most recent years. For example, in the 2015 update, 2014 recruitment appeared average, but has since been adjusted downward with the most recent update. Recruitment in 2015 is also estimated to be below average.
• For the past several years the assessment has shown a “retrospective pattern,” in this case meaning a consistent pattern of underestimating fishing mortality rates, overestimating spawning stock biomass, and overestimating recruitment. In other words, when the assessment is updated, it reveals that past projections of fishing mortality rates have been exceeded, while projections of spawning stock biomass and recruitment have not been reached. This result is in part due to below-average recruitment to the stock for year classes from 2010-2015, and could also be due to mortality that is not being properly accounted for the assessment.
• Nearly all fishery-independent federal and state survey indices (including recruitment indices) have been decreasing from their most recent peaks over the last 5-7 years, some substantially.

The Road Less Traveled

Two Roads diverged in a Yellow Wood

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

This weekend was a celebration: of a birthday, of a beautiful summer day, and of God's creation.

We live in a state called "The Garden State", and I've commented before how this state has transitioned from being full of "gardening" or farming, into a mix of urban and suburban landscape, bedroom communities, small fiefdoms of soccer moms and dads. Interspersed are some areas that approach "wildness", albeit getting far and few between.

Our south jersey corner of the world really begins at the Mullica.

The Mullica River is a 50.6-mile-long river in southern New Jersey in the United States. The Mullica was once known as the Little Egg Harbor River. The river provides one of the principal drainages into the Atlantic Ocean of the extensive Pinelands. Its estuary on Great Bay is considered one of the least-disturbed marine wetlands habitats in the northeastern United States.

 So back to the weekend. Went up to the land of "Benny"s to see the hapless Yankees get blasted by the equally hapless Minnesota Twins:

 

It was a birthday celebration for both one of my daughter's, as well as a different daughter's husband. He is an anti-Yankee fan, meaning he'll root for anyone else. But he didn't come all dressed up in some other team's jersey, so at least he didn't embarrass me. 

That, however, cannot be said for the team.

Boom Boom Eovaldi was pitching for the Yankees, and cruised along to the 6th inning, when his curve flattened out and his fast ball was more akin to a softball.  6 runs later the Yankees, whose hitting resembles, well, no hitting at all, were done.

Fans were so excited that some were already starting to plan out the week's groceries

 

Yankee Stadium, even the "new" stadium, holds a special place in my heart, since it was the team of my youth , but after a great day, it was time to extricate myself from the urban landscape and return

to fresh air.

 

The next day it was time to hit the water for some flatties...

 

Tried a new spot in order to try to get out of a stiff wind, and it was still tough. Don't think we had more than 3 or 4 consistent good drifts. However, in those drifts we managed to pick up a few keepers.  While Rich was re-rigging, I maneuvered for the next drift and was ready to drop.

A few bounces of the bucktail and I felt a tap-tap, let the line out, lifted to feel weight and then it was on.

Really was a challenge, and I knew I had a very very good fish on. The head shake confirmed it was another flounder but I had not personally fought one of this weight before. Thought it was going to take me around the boat, it did take me under, and for a few moments we were at a standstill.  The drag was set perfect, got it going again and after a few minutes got it to the surface where Rich made a textbook net pickup.

Who says flounder only eat minnows? Nobody :)

Baked Flounder - PERFECT

Oh yeah, 6.55lbs, 27"... by far the biggest flounder I've ever personally caught, or for that matter, seen in person!