There may not be a fluke season for 2007 in New York

[Striperjim]

http://www.libba.org/index1.htm
There was a meeting last night run by the United Boatmen.
(this from LIBBA)
At that meeting we were asked to let our membership know that there may not be a fluke season for the upcoming 2007 season.
Unless something is done NOW!
We ask all of our members to Please go to Libba.com and download the letter to your Congressman and send it out. There is also a link to the United Boatman website to send the letter by E-mail.
There will be more of an impact if you send the letter by US Mail.
Thank you in advance for sending the letters
Board of Directors
Long Island Beach Buggy Ass'n

[Sudsy]

Unless something is done fast ,here in Jersey we're looking at a 2 fluke limit at 18 1/2 " and a 6 week season in 2007 with a complete closure for 2008.

And everyone fishing is saying that the bottom is paved with fluke!
The politicians also say the dogfish needs additional protection and we all know about them, swarming over every piece of structure all spring long.

Bottom line, we need scientists not politicians to handle the fisheries.

[Striperjim]

Suds
Heres a good Link from Mels Place on the Fluke problem
The Fluke that roared

[zimno1]

armed with all the present data it is (clearly) safe to say that the fluke season will be closed as the numbers just do not pan out in favor of keeping any semblence of a season open

[pete3370]

I stopped fluke fishing altogether.I am just to frustrated to do it anymore.

[BassNuts]

As it stands now, it doesn't look like there will be a fluke fishery next year...no decisions have been made on whether or not to extend it further.

[Sudsy]

Originally Posted by zimno1

armed with all the present data it is (clearly) safe to say that the fluke season will be closed as the numbers just do not pan out in favor of keeping any semblence of a season open

I'm not as up on the fluke data as I should be but in my own limited experience this has been an incredibly good year for fluke off the beach. Thursday before Ernesto came through was my best beach fluking day ever. For a half hour it was fish on every single cast, then it slowed for the next 2 hours to a fish every 3 to 5 casts. Most were just under 16 !/2 but there were more then enough keepers to 19" to fill a cooler (I threw most all back though, gave a few away that were hooked ugly).

I haven't been out much but I've had good fishing every time I've gone.

[zimno1]

remarkably, it has been a real good fluke season. my gut feeling is these dec/ marine fisheries knuckleheads know that as well but who coulda predicted such a slaughter. (keeper sized fish) so just get ticketed next season for targeting them (and i'm sure they will be relentless in that department)