Summer Flounder Season

Paralichthys dentatus, summer flounder or fluke

Memorial Day weekend might be the unofficial start of summer at the Jersey shore, but another sign of Jersey summer is that the summer flounder season opened today, Friday, May 25.

The size and possession limits are as follows:
Island Beach State Park (shore fishing): 2 fish at 16”
Delaware Bay and Tributaries: 3 fish at 17”
All other marine waters: 3 fish at 18”

The summer flounder (Paralichthys dentatus) is a marine flatfish that is found in the Atlantic Ocean off the East coast of the United States and Canada. It is especially abundant in waters from North Carolina to Massachusetts.

The summer flounder is also called a fluke. It is a member of the large-tooth flounder family Paralichthyidae. There are typically 5 to 14 ocellated (eye-like) spots on the body.

Like most members of the left-eye flounders, they can change the color and pattern of their dark side to match the surrounding bottom, and are also capable of rapidly burrowing into muddy or sandy bottoms.

Watch out - their teeth are quite sharp and well developed on both upper and lower jaws.

The average summer flounder reaches sexual maturity at 2 years and weighs 1 to 3 pounds, typically 15 to 20 inches in length, though they may grow as large as 26 pounds and live up to 20 years with females making up the largest and oldest specimens.

Adults are highly predatory and considered mostly piscivorous (carnivorous animal that eats primarily fish) and often stays buried with only their head exposed to ambush prey which includes sand lance, menhaden, atlantic silverside, mummichog killifish, small bluefish, porgies, squid, shrimp, and crabs.

They are primarily a bottom fish. They are rapid swimmers over short distances and so they can become very aggressive, feeding actively at mid-depths, and even chasing prey to the surface.

Remember you need to go online for your NJ Salt Water Registration - but it is FREE - before you throw that bait into the water. See the "Attention Anglers" summary sheet for more information at nj.gov/dep/saltwaterregistry/

Reducing Summer Flounder Mortalities

The Department of Environmental Protection has begun distributing 20,000 free larger J-hooks to help reduce summer flounder mortalities as part of its campaign to educate the fishing public on how to safely release summer flounder that do not meet minimum size requirements.

Summer flounder, or fluke, is one of New Jersey’s most important recreational and commercial fish species. The “If You Can’t Keep It, Save It!” campaign focuses on the proper methods and gear to use to reduce unintentional mortalities that can occur when flounder that do not meet minimum length requirements are returned to the water.

The summer flounder season in New Jersey began May 25 and runs through Sept. 5. The minimum size is 18 inches for summer flounder for most coastal waters, including the ocean, estuaries and creeks. Anglers in these areas may keep three legally sized fish per day. The size limit for Delaware Bay is 17 inches, with a three-fish per day limit. At Island Beach State Park the size limit for shore fishing is 16 inches, with a daily two-fish limit.

“We are asking all anglers to help protect summer flounder for future generations,” DEP Commissioner Bob Martin said. “New Jersey is fully committed to doing the right thing by using science and public education to conserve a species that is critical to the fishing culture and economy of New Jersey.”

The DEP’s Division of Fish and Wildlife, in coordination with the American Sportfishing Association and Eagle Claw Fishing Tackle Co., are distributing larger-sized J-hooks that help anglers land bigger fish and reduce the potential for discards. These hooks are available at bait-and-tackle shops. They can make a difference by reducing the number of smaller fish that are caught as well as risk of serious injury to these fish.

For a list of shops, visit: www.SaveFluke.nj.gov or follow the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/NJFishandWildlife/

DEP Deputy Commissioner David Glass was joined by New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife staff today for the distribution of hooks at Fisherman’s Supply Co. in Point Pleasant Beach.

“Whether you are a seasoned angler or it’s your first time fishing, it’s important for everyone who reels in a fish to be educated on the proper ways to handle them in order to best preserve current and future stocks,” Glass said.

The “If you Can’t Keep It, Save It” campaign builds upon the FishSmart campaign promoted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). It features distribution of print and electronic brochures to anglers registered through the state’s Saltwater Registry, charter and party boat operations, bait-and-tackle shops and members of fishing organizations, as well as radio public-service announcements and newspaper advertisements. The DEP’s Division of Fish and Wildlife is also doing outreach through its website, email lists and social media.

U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross recently affirmed New Jersey’s size, bag limit and season length regulations for the current summer flounder season. NOAA falls under the jurisdiction of the Commerce Department.

Earlier this year, a regional fisheries management board voted to increase the size of fish that could be legally taken in New Jersey, a move that could have had severe economic impacts on the shore tourism economy.

The DEP provided NOAA with data that demonstrated that the increased size limit would have resulted in high rates of discard mortalities and would have forced anglers to keep female breeder fish, which account for the vast majority of the largest fluke found in New Jersey waters.

As part of its campaign, the Division of Fish and Wildlife encourages anglers to follow these techniques:

Plan ahead – Expect to release fish and have the necessary equipment to do so, including de-hookers and nets; more experienced anglers may also consider using a recompression tool, a device that allows fish to be returned to the water at a safer depth.
Use appropriate gear – Use gear suited to the size of the fish that you are trying to catch; 5/0 to 7/0 size hooks are recommended to successfully land bigger fish and reduce discards.
Handle fish carefully – Use knotless, rubberized landing nets and rubberized gloves to avoid removing the protective slime layer on fish and help ensure survival when the fish is returned to the water.