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Winter flounder

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Alexey

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I used to many many moons ago. I like back bays, (Pelham Bay, Silver Hole, Sheepshead bay) mud flats and even the East River between the Man. and Bklyn Bridges was a hot spot. I used worms and mussels were even better. I put a few kernels of corn on the worm rigs. I used a regular two hook flounder rig. But this was back when there were Flounder to be had. :howdy:

AKN-2 USS Sagittarius

BE ENCOURAGING, NOT DISCOURAGING

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Sadly, I consider them to be recreationally extinct at this point. 

 

It’s possible to catch one or two but to actively target them and expect decent results, that’s not gonna happen. 

ASMFC - Destroying public resources and fisheries one stock at a time since 1942.

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If you're fishing from a boat - the right place, right tide, etc - you could probably have some fun and get some fish. But from shore, I wouldn't bother. They are a fish that I would pursue despite the low limits (probably 2 fish per angler) but it's just not worth it. It's a damn shame tho, spring flounder used to be one of my favorite types of fishing.

 

If you really want flounder, a trip to Mass would be needed. Every winter I say that I'm going to go but I never get around to it.

 

 

ASMFC - Destroying public resources and fisheries one stock at a time since 1942.

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Don't waste your time. Seriously, I spent some 60 hours flounder fishing from shore, last year, without so much as a tap. I know guys that went on party boats with 25 people on board and the boat would come back with 1 or 2 fish. Some of the more honest party boat captains won't even fish for them. Some of the more dishonest ones will recycle pictures from years past or take the same fish and have 5 different people take a pic with it.

the human race has proved darwins theory of evolution wrong. we let the dumb survive. 

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I still target them. Primarily in March when the water temps are between 40-50 degrees. Not the most exciting fishing. Anchor up, chum, drop blood worms, and WAIT! For me, it’s the first species to target in the year. If it wasn’t the first and I didn’t have cabin fever, I probably would just skip it. They are delicious though.

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There are so few around that it's almost irresponsible to kill them at this point.  Some local New York populations have fallen so low that inbreeding is adding to the fish's problems.

 

If I had to catch a flounder, I probably wouldn't go out now, when whatever fish remain will be scattered throughout the bay.  Instead, I'd wait until May (the precise time depending upon how quickly the water warms), when fish are beginning to move toward the inlets prior to heading offshore, and fish in areas where they tend to bunch up.

 

But I feel guilty when I kill them now, and so haven't targeted them in over 10 years.  So my boat will hopefully go into the water within the next two weeks, weather permitting, but I have no idea what I'm going to do with it until I start weakfishing in May. 

"I have always believed that outdoor writers who come out against fish and wildlife conservation are in the wrong business. To me, it makes as much sense golf writers coming out against grass.."  --  Ted Williams

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I go out with the attitude that whatever I catch is going back in. Every year I give it a shot hoping that miraculously the population will rebound and ill get 10 fish in 3 hours. Its a long wait.

the human race has proved darwins theory of evolution wrong. we let the dumb survive. 

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I really love fishing for and eating blackbacks but I grew up fishing Boston Harbor and Quincy bay and believe this is the last viable population that exists. They have declined up their entire range and feel their should be a commercial moratorium on them. 

We used to race to each fill up a five gallon pail and would be home before the tide change. Even now we can scratch out 8 fish limits on a nice sunny May or June morning even though part of me feels guilty killing these fish. 

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