The 2011 summer flounder regulations approved last Thursday by the New Jersey Marine Fisheries Commission increased the bag limit by two fish and lengthened the season to 142 days of fishing. Anglers can now keep eight fish at 18 inches and fish from May 7 to Sept. 25. Last year's regs were six fish at 18 inches with a season that started later, May 29, and ended sooner, Sept. 6.
While fishermen will be hard pressed to catch even a couple of 18-inch fish, let alone eight, the longer season will provide an opportunity to fish into the early fall when most anglers feel the fishing is at its best.
It also allows party and charter boat captains to continue earning a living. The longer season helps bridge the gap between the end of fluking and the start of the fall bass run.
This is of critical importance this year due to the very uncertain status of the black sea bass season, which has been thrown into turmoil by new state-by-state harvest reductions mandated by the Atlantic State Marine Fisheries Commission. New Jersey must reduce its black sea bass harvest by 40 percent over last year.
At the same meeting that approved the fluke rules, it was decided that New Jersey's sea bass season will start start June 4, instead of the expected May 22. The rest of the regulations have yet to be determined, but the fishing days have already been lost. Look for more on the black sea bass fishery in this Friday's Hook Line & Sinker.
Saturday turned out to be a nice one for opening day of trout season. The Trout Contest for Kids at Spring Lake drew an impressive group of young anglers with trout over eight pounds being landed.
Greg Bogan of Brielle Bait and Tackle reported James Foy, 9, fished the Manasquan River with his dad and got seven brook trout up to 14 inches, all on rooster tails.
Tom Giglio, of Giglio's Bait and Tackle, Sea Bright, reported their first weigh-ins over the weekend. Chris Buchta from Toms River had two bass of 12.7 and 12.8 pounds caught on clams at Sandy Hook Bay. He also said Gene Bradford caught four flounder up to 2 pounds, 7 ounces, and Tom Jahr did just as well in the Shrewsbury River. Both men are from Rumson. Giglio also reported there were some big striper readings in the Shrewsbury around Sea Bright.
Capt. Joseph Bogan of the Jamaica II, Brielle, reported a pretty good day of cod fishing on Saturday with some bigger cod mixed into the catch.
Larry Louallen from the Bronx took high hook and pool honors catching 11 cod up to 32 pounds and Dennis Yoo, 6, Little Ferry, caught two nice cod on his first trip.
Finally, the information number for the Buddy Crappie Tournament at Lake Assunpink on April 17 was incorrect in last Friday's Fishing Calendar. The correct number is (732) 910-6225.
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