KNOW YOUR FLOUNDER, I MEAN FLUKE

EDITOR'S NOTE: iBass360 has teamed up with the Long Island Beach Buggy Association to promote fishing and coastal conservation along the striper coast. Joe Pelligrini and an avid Long Island surfcaster and officer of the association and he writes a column for the members called Tackle Tuesday. iBass360 is pleased to be able to share Joe's work with the 360Nation

Many say that the English language is the most difficult to learn. There seems to be some truth to it because after all these years I’m still trying to master it. In college I took a class called “The History of English Words.” It was interesting, and I learned a lot such as how frequently Latin or Greek are at the root of our words. However, that course did not teach me why a bass is a fish, a musical instrument, and a vocal part in the choir.  Then there is the word “Fluke”- a whale’s tail, a stroke of luck, part of an anchor, a fish- well sometimes a fish and sometimes not that fish even though it looks a lot like that fish. See what I mean? English is hard. Really hard. Fluke is a tough one, and I have to admit I am really floundering over how to explain it all to you.

See what I did there? Fluke, flounder, flounder, fluke- no matter what you call it, it’s a fish, more specifically, a flatfish and bottom dweller. As a bottom dweller it has uniquely adapted, evolved might be a better word such that between their larval stage and juvenile stage their one eye migrates resulting in both eyes being on the same side of the fish- the side which faces up.

There are more flounder in the world than I thought. The Witch and European flounders are found, yes, you guessed it, in Europe. So is the sole- but not only off Dover.  In the North Pacific you’ll find the Olive flounder and the biggest member of the clan, the Halibut. But in the East, we primarily concern ourselves with the Gulf, Southern, Winter and Summer flounder.

Most of my readers are like striped bass ranging primarily from Virginia to Nova Scotia. You guys are the Winter and Summer Flounder folks. Stretch that from North Carolina down through the keys and into the Gulf of Mexico and you have the Southern Flounder joining the Summer Flounder. Along the Gulf states you’ll find both the Southern and Gulf flounders.

If you are with me so far, let me throw a curveball to you. If you fish in New Jersey or New Yok you better call the Summer Flounder a Fluke. Calling it a flounder is akin to tattooing ROOKIE on your forehead. So don’t do it. OK? So a fluke is a sharp toothed, rather aggressive, solitary bottom dwelling fish. They are known to chase a potential meal to the surface or over short distances, and despite their awkward looking shape, they are quick swimmers. They are referred to as a “left-eyed” fish with both eyes on the left side of its body when viewed from above with the dorsal fin facing up. 

Fluke have a white bottom with shades of brown accompanied with whitish spots on top. A cool feature fluke possess is the ability to change color and markings to match its surroundings. They use this to their advantage quite well by burying themselves in the sand with just their head sticking out to help protect them from predators. This camouflage also allows them to ambush prey.

Fluke don’t migrate like some of our other local species. They typically winter in deep ocean waters along the outer edge of the continental shelf. This is also their spawning grounds. They begin to spawn around age 2 to 3 years, and females typically lay up to 4 million eggs depending on their size. In the Spring they make their way to inshore waters usually staying until fall or early winter before heading back to deeper water.

Their average lifespan is 6-7 years, with a maximum reported age for a male being 12 years and a female 14 years. They have an estimated 90-95% juvenile mortality rate which explains why they have evolved into such a massive egg layer. On average they grow 15-20 inches in length and weighing in 2-6 pounds. The IGFA record weight is 22lbs.7oz, landed 9/15/75  by  Captain Charles Nappi off Montauk.

In New York the season runs from May 1st until October 9th. You’re allowed to keep 4 per day and they must be at least 18.5” in length. Side note: the NY state regulations for Winter Flounder is a minimum length of 12”, with a creel limit of 2. Their season is from April 1st until May 30th. In New Jersey the season, keeper length and creel limit changes year to year so please familiarize yourself withlocal regs. The same applies to other states’ regs.

Fluke are quite a delicacy, which explains both their popularity and the conservation limits around keep them for the table. The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) states that the 2023 assessment indicates that while the species is not officially overfished, it is experiencing overfishing. In plain terms, the stock is in trouble. Data compiled by the Northeast Fisheries Science Center states that the number of new fish entering the population has been below average for more than a decade. Fluke are maturing earlier at a smaller than normal size, indicating the species is under stress. Although biologists are not sure exactly why, there is speculation that the cause is the ocean becoming more acidic due to CO2 in the atmosphere. Closer to home the New York Marine Resources Advisory Council is paying close attention, and they are debating possible changes to reduce the keep by 28%. Nothing is official yet, but it’s safe to say that we can expect more regulatory tweaks in all states in the near future. 

In the meantime, catch and release is encouraged. Try to take extra precautions when releasing them such as keeping them in the water instead of dragging them on the beach or onto the boat. It also helps to be prepared by having your pliers in hand for quicker release.  If you are going to keep your catch, and you have every right to do so, maybe take home one or two instead of the allowed 4; every little bit helps.