Hot Summer Fluking

The fluke are settling into their summer patterns, and more shorts are arriving daily, to go with the bigger fish. Twenty years of fisheries management has produced less fluke in the population, but the average size is bigger then anything seen in our lifetime. Capt. Monty Hawkins of the Morning Star based in O.C.,MD has some interesting observations on his website about the effects of management on the sea bass stocks. I believe this holds true to the fluke also. There have been numerous fluke over ten pounds caught this week, including a 14 1/2lber. on the Elaine B II. The average keeper we see now doesn't even go on the ruler, as it is 20 inches or better. Five pounders are seen as common, and seven and eight pounders are daily pool winners around the fleet. Yesterday I caught two fluke over five pounds and took home a fillet bag that would have required at least twelve "keepers" to equal the amount of meat twenty years ago. If you have never caught a big fluke or enjoy the opportunity to feel that solid bite and big head shakes of a "Pioneer" fluke, this is now the time to go fishing. Plenty of weekdays are available.