The official 2021 Marine Digest from the New Jersey Division of Fish & Wildlife is officially available online at www.njfishandwildlife.org. Posted on April 26, the 2021 Marine Digest web page itself has a PDF version of the Summary Sheet (see photo) as well as the complete 2021 Marine Digest.
For complete details on fluke fishing in the Garden State, refer to page 12 under Finfish which includes the following comprehensive summary of 2021 regulations on summer flounder.
The recreational summer flounder open season is May 22 to September 19. For Delaware Bay and tributaries, west of the COLREGS line, which delineates Delaware Bay from the Atlantic Ocean, the size limit is 17 inches and the possession limit is three fish. The 17 inch minimum size limit applicable to Delaware Bay does not include the waters of the Cape May Canal east of the Cape May Ferry Terminal. Transport of summer flounder caught in Delaware Bay, greater than or equal to 17 inches but less than the 18 inches may occur in waters east of the Cape May Ferry Terminal to the George Redding Bridge (Route 47) located at the entrance of Wildwood provided all fishing gear aboard the vessel is stowed with rigs removed and the vessel may not stop to fish for any species.
Shore-based anglers fishing at Island Beach State Park (IBSP) may retain 2 fish greater than or equal to 16 inches (total length) only at IBSP during the current open summer flounder fishing season. Shore-based fishing is defined as fishing from a pier, jetty, beach, bank or marsh. In all other waters, the size limit is 18 inches, the possession limit is three fish and transportation of summer flounder less than 18 inches is prohibited.
Anglers may fillet one legal-sized summer flounder from their daily possession limit catch for use as bait. This carcass, commonly known as the rack, shall be kept intact so it can be measured for compliance with the minimum size limit. Anglers shall not be in possession of any parts of any summer flounder caught on a previous fishing trip; only fish just caught on the current outing.
