Great video. I live in the Piedmont area, just a little east of the mountains. I come to the NC coast (mostly topsail) twice a year and spend alot of time fishing. The flounder season thing is quite aggravating, especially considering the commercial market is still open. It's pretty obvious that commercial fishing decimates the population far worse than recreational. I normally use VUDU shrimp and VUDU mullets, and they work really well. Got on a decent ladyfish bite this week out in the sound, they were busting on glass minnows and shrimp late at night on slack low tide. Other than that I just got hammered by micro sea bass and grunts.
I cant say I really agree with your opinion that the flounder stock is/could be in danger and it's more about the wind pushing in small flounder. I fish every weekend all day. Everywhere from topsail all the way down to the end of oakisland. And every since the weather has warmed up the flounder are stacked all over each other everywhere where they should be. Not only that, pretty much all have been big aggressive flounder. Very, very few have been small. I've literally had to make changes to my fishing methods to try not to catch any flounder! However.. I do agree that the state is doing a HORRIBLE job at management!!!!!!! Absolutely no reason why legal, law-abiding recreational fishermen shouldn't get a season!!!! There is plenty for everyone in moderation. The state needs to get their heads out of their butts and some people need to get fired! All these new and pointless rules and regulations takes ALL the positive aspects of fishing and throws them out of the window! Honestly, fishing in nc is almost not worth fishing anymore! It makes me just want to give fishing up.
Thank you for your comment. Now as far as, Are the stocks in danger? You and I don't think so but we have to go on what we are told. My comment about the baby flounder being driven by the wind and that determines what estuary they end up in is not my opinion that is a scientific fact told by state biologist. If it's lie, they told it. (I found out by listening to a 4.5 hour symposium, Brutal) I have fished my entire life as I'm sure you have and it's a shame that we have even got to entertain the thought of quitting. The DMF needs an overhaul from top to bottom.
The wind thing sounds a little suspect to me but what do I know? I live in Ohio and visit twice a yr for fishing. I always catch a lot of Flounder, got my PB this May. Saw alot of Flounder being caught by fisherman, big ones, over 21 inchers. Just my experience.
If one is concerned with the flounder population, eliminating the sport fisherman while doing nothing to pro fisherman makes absolutely no sense at all, any old way you look at it. The officials responsible for these decisions need to reveal all of their sources of income.
They need to close the season for both recreational and commercial. Does the commercial industry have quotas. When that quota is reached do they close the season early? Sounds like hush money dictates the regulations.
My issue is why punish the recreational fisherman? But yet commercial fisherman still do their thing. Instead of cutting flounder out all together why not raise the size limit and number per day. Any responsible fisherman should be able to abide by laws and fish accordingly
Forget about the stock, the winds, and the fine people who work at the North Carolina Wildlife Resources division who are 'actually' knowledgeable in fisheries science. Research the who, what, where, why, when & how we select the commissioners making the decisions that the NCWR has to follow. Your answer lies there. Calling a politician isn't going to fix our recreational fishing problems. A unified voice of recreational fisherman in the thousands who are willing to take the time to become active in publicly exposing the mismanagement will. Myself, I'm not buying a license here anymore. This one runs out ... I'm done. There's bluer seas elsewhere that's recreational friendly. Dragging a boat to the coast to go fishing for a day is up to an average of about $150 now. The better half doesn't look kindly on my spending that much and coming home with an empty cooler. It's not empty because I didn't 'catch' any. It's because I couldn't 'keep' any. The bait man got his money. The gas man got his money. The restaurants got their money. The state got their license money. The state got the extra tax money on my tackle. And the fisherman got nothing. That's not a good scenario if you want fisherman to fish here. And rich politicians will never understand that.
