# Virginia Flounder Regulations 2010



## Greg's Baitshack (Nov 5, 2007)

11. PUBLIC HEARING: Consideration of amendments to Regulation 4VAC20-620-10 et seq., to establish summer flounder recreational fishery measures for 2010. THE COMMISSION VOTED 8-1 TO LOOSEN THE FLOUNDER SIZE REGULATIONS FOR THE 2010 SEASON. THE NEW REGULATIONS SET THE FLOUNDER SIZE LIMIT AT 18.5 INCHES BUT LOWER THE CREEL LIMIT FROM FIVE TO FOUR FISH PER DAY, WITH NO MID-SEASON CLOSURE. COMMISSIONER LAINE VOTED AGAINST THE MEASURE, PREFERRING TO LOWER THE SIZE LIMIT FROM LAST YEAR’S 19-INCH LIMIT TO 18.5 INCHES AND MAINTAIN THE FIVE-FISH CREEL LIMIT. A LOOSENING OF THE CATCH REGULATIONS WAS POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF AN INCREASED HARVEST QUOTA AUTHORIZED BY THE ATLANTIC STATES MARINE FISHERIES COMMISSION


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## OneGoodFisherman (May 8, 2006)

Greg,

When is this regulation effective? Is this year around or during specific months.


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## OBX Jay (Sep 3, 2007)

2010 - No Closed Season

Minimum Size Limit............................18.5 inches 
Possession Limit.................................4 per person 

The above flounder restrictions apply to Virginia tidal waters, except that in Virginia's Potomac River tributaries the minimum size limit, closed season, and possession limit will be the same as established by PRFC for the mainstem Potomac River.


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## andrews (Jul 20, 2009)

Last year, it seems like every flounder I caught was 18.5 inches, and only slightly under the 19 inch regs. How much do you want to bet this year all of my flounder are going to be 18 inches?


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## seeknfin (Dec 28, 2006)

andrews said:


> Last year, it seems like every flounder I caught was 18.5 inches, and only slightly under the 19 inch regs. How much do you want to bet this year all of my flounder are going to be 18 inches?


I'll bet you'll catch bigger fish this year than last... I've tagged a couple of fish that were caught 11 months later and was surprised at just how much they were reported to have grown. 

It's just a matter of time :fishing:


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## OBX Jay (Sep 3, 2007)

Here's a safe bet: I'll bet if a flounder under 18.5" is released it will be bigger next year. Too bad that ain't gonna always happen. Too many "fisherman" think that the size limit is stupid and they will keep what *they* think should be legal. And then there's some who don't know, and don't care to find out what the size limit is. Hot grease stunts their growth every time.


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## channelbass (Feb 4, 2008)

ChesBay Jay said:


> Here's a safe bet: I'll bet if a flounder under 18.5" is released it will be bigger next year. Too bad that ain't gonna always happen. Too many "fisherman" think that the size limit is stupid and they will keep what *they* think should be legal. And then there's some who don't know, and don't care to find out what the size limit is. Hot grease stunts their growth every time.


Still quite a few knuckle heads keepin em under size, but also seeing a lot more folks that are scared to death of having an undersized fish on their boat. Seems like every year there are more people doing the right thing. As for those not doing the right thing, the man will get em sooner or later...


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## [email protected] (Jan 28, 2003)

do the right thing?????????????????no ticket.....


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## channelbass (Feb 4, 2008)

[email protected] said:


> do the right thing?????????????????no ticket.....


No ticket? what r u talkin about? Did you misunderstand my post? R U implying that everyone out there is a illegal fish murdering b**terd? I'm just sayin that I notice more people are obeying the law, more folks are thinking about being responsible anglers. That seems like a good thing to me...do you disagree? I would rather see a small step forward than a huge step back, but thats just me I guess. As far as doing the right thing goes...if somebody is keepin illegal fish then eventually the man will have em grabin their ankles at the boat ramp...


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## WaterLou (Oct 4, 2007)

*I hope so*

I am still skeptical! Have seen too many folks keeping the short ones. Even told the man several times including the boat registrations but never saw anything happen. We lose credibility when we don't follow the rules, just takes longer for the regs to catch up with the stocks.


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## channelbass (Feb 4, 2008)

Doom and gloom, You guys are right...every body out there murders illegal fish and it will never ever get better... Don't know why I waste my time trying to point out the little bit of positive there is, nobody seems to give a s***
have a nice day


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## [email protected] (Jan 28, 2003)

a few years ago i ,was fishing at keptopeke, when the game warden checked my fish.the game warden said i had a flounder that was short , i had a heated disscussion with him telling him it was legal size. he said it was short 1/8 inch my tape measure said legal, his said short. I went to court , the judge measured the frozen fish and said it was LEGAL size. i left smileing the game warden was pissed you could see it in his eyes.luckly the gudge had the same tape measure i did. thats why i say DO THE RIGHT THING . release any fish your not sure about.....................................


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## VBpierkingmac (Feb 18, 2009)

Heres an idea instead of bitchin at other rec fisherman for keeping illegal fish or "right there" fish everyone should worry more on what the commercial guys are doing. I was at the ramp at Kiptopeake State park a few years back when some commercial guys came in with a skiff loaded and I mean LOADED with fish. I was amazed that probally 90 % of the fish that they had were no where even close to what the rec limits were. And its just bycatch so anything that is too small to sell just gets thrown away. I know for a fact that if I kept every flounder at Ive ever caught (legal size or not) it wouldnt come close to the number of undersized fish that I saw in that boat that day. So the only people I see to bitch at are the ones telling you that you cant keep a 16 inch flounder BUT you can go to the fish market and buy a 14 inch flounder anyday of the week. I personally dont keep undersized fish the ticket is not worth it to me but I wont fuss at someone else that does that ones on them.


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## channelbass (Feb 4, 2008)

Bummer the commercial limit is only 14" in va.


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## [email protected] (Jan 28, 2003)

i have seen the net fishermen dump a boat load of dead 10inch grey trout back into the bay after getting their legal fish out. (at keptopeke.) i called the game commission,they agreed with me, but did nothing. that was about 5 years ago.


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