The NJ Marine Fisheries Council choose which “poison” they preferred at their March 5 meeting by opting for a summer flounder season from May 23 to Sept. 4 with an 18-inch limit, and a bag limit of six. Though the state only had to take a 4.1% cut from last year’s regs, the councilmen were also faced with a requirement to take most of it out of the season. Using the same 18-inch minimum as last year, they lowered the bag from eight to six in order to gain a few days – and had to decide on whether to include Memorial Day or Labor Day in the season. Southern New Jersey has good summer flounder fishing earlier than the north, and the Council meeting in Absecon was packed with South Jersey tackle dealers and anglers who were more concerned with the spring fishery.
