Fluke fisherman

[hammer4reel 9,305]

Now is the time to get your comments heard .

takes a few minutes to fill out and email in .

time to push for s slot fish to be part of the bag limit to start keeping less breeding female fish .

https://www.njfishandwildlife.com/news/2021/smrflndr_options21.htm

 

 

 

Edited February 20 by hammer4reel

[blackpowder 19]

I may have missed it. But doesn’t look like they are open to suggestions for slot fish. At least not this year. 
 

are your thoughts to just right in the want for slot fish?  

[hammer4reel 9,305]

1 minute ago, blackpowder said:

I may have missed it. But doesn’t look like they are open to suggestions for slot fish. At least not this year. 
 

are your thoughts to just right in the want for slot fish?  

You can add additional comments below your pic of season choices etc.

 

 

NMFS has tried to say allowing a slot fish would shorten our season , 

‘but if approached correctly it shouldn’t .

currently if you caught ten shorts your charged with a release mortality of 4 fish .

thsts why even when not bringing fish home they are saying we over fished .

makes ZERO  sense to over fish and have nothing to show for it .

‘IMO. When anglers reach their limit most stop fishing .

Would be less release mortality charged against our quota .

and it would allow more male fish to be retained taking some pressure off breeding females as we currently do .

We had a sustainable fluke fishery when the limit was 16 1/2” according to all biomass spawning data .

NMFS  crashed the fishery when they pushed the 18” bag limit which targets too many female fish .

yet have refused to accept the fishery crash on their own data 

Edited February 20 by hammer4reel

[smittty 1,326]

Your beating a dead horse there cappy any comments made are gonna fall on blind eyes. There asking for comments about the opening and closing dates and I’m sure they even have that all hashed out already that public comment crap is just that crap you should no better. Welp good luck any how’s. 

[hiking 413]

I already responded and yes my comment was for slot fish

[Nanuk 560]

Just left my  comment,  Thank You 

[Mallard1100 1,331]

Sent. Left comment expressing hammers views as I am in total agreement. 

[ithaca10 369]

Took the survey open at the earliest date and close it on the later date. Don't agree with slot limit.

[Booner 904]

Ever since I bought a boat, I now realize how much I really enjoy fluke fishing with my son. And I agree about the slot fish. We need to protect our fishery and future. 

You fish hard all day and keep the breeders.Throw  back someborderline fish that worth be just fine for the table. We don't keep everything  but a few  comes home every trip.

[hammer4reel 9,305]

2 minutes ago, ithaca10 said:

Took the survey open at the earliest date and close it on the later date. Don't agree with slot limit.

So explain why  then 

[Booner 904]

I like the later start date. Last year fish didn't show up till later and would have loved a later end date. 

[SoxFan 414]

Just left my comment!

[hammer4reel 9,305]

1 minute ago, Booner said:

I like the later start date. Last year fish didn't show up till later and would have loved a later end date. 

Problem with late start is many places in the state , bays , back river , south etc have a much earlier presence of fluke that leave those areas as water warms .

‘our ocean fishery is def better with a later start date ., but that hurts a lot of other areas .

‘before sandy we used to have great fluking until October , those last few weeks were incredible fishing .

‘but as I’m sure you will remember from last season , once September rolls one bad storm the fluke are gone over night .

‘our end of  September date would actually Lose us opportunity at fish for the longest window ...

 

while I want the longest season possible I would rather it be during the most productive days 

 

 

[ithaca10 369]

3 minutes ago, hammer4reel said:

So explain why  then 

It all depends on the slot limit size. Fluke too me are table fair are not a gamefish like blues or bass. I would prefer to catch bluefish on topwater on light tackle. I can't see the difference as far as breeders are concerned between a 17" fluke or 18". The mortality rate i guess you can say that about any fish including freshwater.

[hammer4reel 9,305]

1 hour ago, ithaca10 said:

It all depends on the slot limit size. Fluke too me are table fair are not a gamefish like blues or bass. I would prefer to catch bluefish on topwater on light tackle. I can't see the difference as far as breeders are concerned between a 17" fluke or 18". The mortality rate i guess you can say that about any fish including freshwater.

Guess you not seeing the slot size we are looking for . , it’s not simaler to redfish etc

right now fluke need to be 18” , it’s been proven that very few male fish are larger than 18” so we are only harvesting females .

‘since the increase to 18” happened putting all the harvest on females the spawning biomass has crashed .

 

when the limit size was 14- 16 1/2 “ and we were harvesting many keeper size males the biomass was at an all time High . And we had a super sustainable fishery .

What’s being asked is that 2 of the fish in the bag limit could actually be smaller fish of 16 1/2”.

 

right now If you fished and caught ten 17 1/2” fish . You are charged with harvesting 4 of those fish (release mortality of 40%)

. Since the limit is only 3, you over fished by 33% without actually taking a fish home ..

 

the slot is a lowering for a few fish to have a shorter size limit .

.

the slot I’m hearing 

(2) fish  17” - 22”

(1) fish 22”  and larger .

(3) fish maximum bag 

 

 

Edited February 20 by hammer4reel