Last week when we were out on the Lagoon Pond doing core samples, one of our friendly fishermen came by our boat and tossed a nice, mature 12 inch winter flounder on to our culling board. It came up in his bay scallop dredge.
Today I had a casual conversation in the bank with one of our Menemsha scallopers. He tows three scallop dredges and catches four bushels of bay scallops in three hours. The fishing is good and the price is up and he is happy, along with most of our mosquito fleet. So, I asked if he was seeing any flounder. He said "Tons. More than in recent years. These fish are making a comeback."
I asked a few more pointed questions. He said he saw 40 to 50 flounders per day on his culling board. The fish vary in size from 2 inches to 10 inches. They push them off the side of the culling board and expect all of them to live. They are only out of the water for five minutes or so.
So our early anecdotal reports indicate that the flounders are here. Now, let's see what our beam trawl will catch.
Warren
WELCOME! This blog will record the activities of a group of fishermen, scientists, members of the aquaculture industry, and fisheries managers who are collaborating in research designed to find ways to protect and enhance the winter flounder and its fishery. The project is based at the University of New Hampshire and includes sites in Massachusetts.
The suspense is killing me! When are you beam trawling?
ReplyDeleteWe have been beam trawling. We did nine tows today in Lagoon Pond and we found only six flounders (all small) in nine tows. We have not hit the flounder haul yet. Are we in the wrong spot?
ReplyDeleteWarren