Atlantic Bluefin Tuna

Atlantic bluefin tuna, is regarded as one of the most highly evolved fish species and one of the most prized fish in the ocean. Bluefin usually swim at speeds between 1.5 and 4 kts but can break 20 kts for short periods of time. They are the largest member of the Scombridae Family which includes albacores, bonitos, mackerels, tunas. Bluefin tuna can reach lengths of up to 9 feet, although they are more commonly found from 3ft m in length. Adult can weights anywhere from 300-1500 lbs, although the upper weight range is rare. They can dive as deep as 3000feet, and are known to swim long distances as they are a highly migratory species.

Atlantic bluefins are dark blue to black near the dorsal surface and silvery near the ventral surface. The bluefin is known for the finlets that run down the dorsal and ventrals sides toward the anal fin. There are 12-14 spines in the first dorsal fin and 13-15 rays in the second dorsal fin. The anal fin has 11-15 rays. The average lifespan of bluefin tuna is 15-30 years.
Atlantic bluefin are homeothermic (”warm-blooded”) and are therefore able to thermoregulate keeping their body temperatures higher than the surrounding water, which is why they are so well adapted to colder waters.

Winter Flounder

Winter flounder’s name derives from its tendency to move during the winter months to shallower inshore waters. It ranges from southern Labrador to the waters of South Carolina and Georgia and is most abundant from the gulf of St. Lawrence to the Chesapeake Bay. It is frequently called “blackback” when it is smaller than 3 pounds and a “lemon sole” when it is larger. Like all flat fish, the winter flounder has both eyes on one side of the head. A newly hatched flat fish larva has one eye in each side of its head but within months it adapts to a bottom dwelling lifestyle, by which time one eye has moved to the other side of the head. Unlike most other bottom dwelling fish that rest by lying on their bellies, a flat fish rests on its side. Having both eyes on one side of its head enables the flat fish to rest on the ocean’s floor while directing both eyes upward. The winter flounder is referred to as a right handed flounder because the eyes are located on its upper surface when the fish is pointing to the right. Female winter flounder grow faster than males and attain larger maximum sizes to about 8 pounds with a length of 25 inches.
Both male and female winter flounder normally reach sexual maturity at 3 years of age. The fecundity (number of eggs produced each year) increases with body size, with smaller females producing about 500,000 and larger females around 1,500,00 eggs per year. In New England, reproduction occurs in estuaries from January to May with peak activity during February and March when the water temperatures are the coldest of the year, ranging from 32 to 39 degrees F. Evidence suggests that specific individuals return for many years to the same site to spawn. Unlike the floating eggs of all other local flatfish, eggs of the winter flounder clump together in masses on the bottom. Eggs, usually laid on clean sand, hatch 15 to 18 days after being released.
Winter flounder are one of the most stationary of fishes, displaying a very limited seasonal migration. Fish stay overwinter in inshore areas. As summer approaches, the shallow inland waters become warm, and the larger fish move offshore to deeper waters. Although a given population usually remains fairly stationary, there is evidence of wide scale movement of some individuals perhaps in search of food.
Larval and juvenile winter flounder feed on the egg, larval and adult stages of various invertebrates. Adults feed on a great variety of organisms including shrimp, clams, polychaete worms, fish fry and bits of seaweed. Winter flounder feed mainly during daylight hours and are more active during flooding or ebbing tides than during slack water periods.
Anglers pursue this species from docks, jetties, party and private boats. Areas with sandy mud and patches of eelgrass providers anglers with the greatest opportunity for success.Winter flounder provide the most enjoyable action when caught on light tackle. Most anglers use 10 to 15 pound test monofilament line on a 6 1/2 foot medium action spinning rod or a small boat rod. Flounder hooks attached with snells or leaders can be fastened to the end of a wire spreader with a sinker attached to its center, or tied directly to the line 12 to 18 inches below a sinker. An alternative rig can be easily assembled. Pass the end of the line through a fish finder then attach a black swivel to it. Use a red snelled flounder hook with a yellow bead, attaching the loop end to the swivel. Attach a 2 to 4 ounce sinker to the fish finder. Seaworms are considered the best bait for winter flounder. The key is to use very little bait; an inch of worm will work best. Winter flounder can quickly and quietly sneak in and take baits; thus, unattended rods lose fish. The rod should be raised often to check for fish as well as to attract them.
Winter flounder should be iced immediately after capture. If they are iced in a large cooler the melt water should be drained occasionally so the fish do not soak in warming water. If they are iced in a boat fish box, remove the fish box’s drain plug.
No fish lends itself to more imaginative dishes as does the winter flounder. Its texture and delicate flavor are well suited to sauces, spices, fruits, vegetables and other seafoods. Few species can be mixed with so many things and still stand out. Winter flounder can be fried, steamed, baked, microwaved, or broiled and can be substituted for other species in most fish recipes.

Summer Flounder

The summer flounder, or “fluke,” a flatfish is found in coastal waters from the southern Gulf of Maine to Florida. Like other species of flatfish, the fluke has both eyes on one side of its head and rests on the ocean floor on its side. The fluke is called a left handed flatfish because its eyes are on the upper surface of the head when the fish is facing left. Summer flounder are called the chameleons of the sea because of their ability to change color to match the bottom on which they are found. Generally they are white below and darker above, but they can turn various shades of gray, blue, green/orange and almost black. The fluke may weigh up to 26 pounds with a length over 37 inches. Females may live up to 20 years and weigh more than 20 pounds, while males rarely exceed 7 years of age and 3 to 5 pounds in weight.
Both males and females become sexually mature at the age of 3. The fecundity (number of eggs produced in a single spawning season) of females increases with size and weight. A 14 inch female produces about 460,000, and a 27 inch female about 4,200,000 eggs in a season. Reproduction takes place in the fall, as soon as the fish begin migrating to wintering grounds. Peak spawning activity occurs from early September through early November in water temperatures of 53 to 66 degrees F and at depths of 60 to 160 feet. The center of spawning activity occurs off the coasts of New York and New Jersey with less concentrated activity occurring in southern New England waters. The eggs float in the water column, hatching 72 to 75 hours after being laid.
Summer flounder inhabit inshore areas during the warmer periods of the year. Fluke prefer eel grass beds and wharf pilings because of the protection they offer. In the summer, small and medium sized adults are found on the sandy and muddy bottoms of bays, harbors and along the open coastline. Most of the larger fish tend to stay in somewhat deeper water (50 to 60 feet). With the approach of fall, summer flounder migrate to more offshore waters in depths from 150 to more than 500 feet.
The summer flounder, which depends upon sight to capture its food, feeds most actively during daylight hours. Juveniles feed upon small shrimp and other crustaceans, while adults eat a variety of fish, including small winter flounder, menhaden, sand lance, red hake, silversides, bluefish, weakfish and mummichogs, as well as invertebrates such as blue crabs, squid, sand shrimp, opossum shrimp and mollusks. Adults are very active predators, often chasing schools of small fish to the surface and leaping out of the water in pursuit of them. This behavior clearly distinguishes the summer flounder from other more sluggish species of inshore flatfish.
Fluke are well known for the aggressive way they grab bait and battle when hooked. They offer a particular challenge to the angler bold enough to use light tackle. Average sized fluke, sometimes called “flatties”, weigh about 2 to 4 pounds, while the aptly named “doormats” (so called due to their similarity in size to a welcome mat) weigh 8 or more pounds and provide memorable battles for the angler lucky enough to hook them.Summer flounder can be found on sandy or muddy bottoms in many inshore habitats and are particularly abundant in fast moving rips that gather debris and bait fish. Anglers troll, chum, still-fish and cast for fluke, but the most popular method is drifting bait along the bottom. When drifting, the bail of the reel should be open and the line held by the finger. Once the line stops drifting and it tugged, it should run free for a moment to let the fish get the bait in its mouth before the hook is set. Casting baited red and white bucktail jigs juiced up with strips of fresh or frozen squid, sand lance, 4 to 5 inch strips of meat cut from the tails of fish such as sea robins or the belly area of a fluke or bluefish from boat or shore can also produce fish. The jig should be retrieved with a slow pumping action. When a fluke grabs the rig the rod tip should be lowered to slacken the line; when the line tightens again, the hook can be set.Shoreline anglers use medium weight spinning gear spooled with 12 pound test monofilament line, while boat anglers fishing deeper water with strong currents need 15 to 20 pound test line on light to medium conventional gear to match the larger fish found there.
Fluke should be iced immediately after capture. If they are iced in a large cooler the melt water should be drained occasionally so the fish do not soak in warming water. If they are iced in a boat fish box, remove the fish box’s drain plug.
The white flaky meat of the summer flounder is highly rated due to its delicate flavor and texture. This versatile fish provides delightful dining when steamed, poached, baked, broiled, sauteed, fried or microwaved. Large “door mats” can be quarter filleted for most recipes or cut into steaks and grilled over charcoal or gas.

Striped Bass

Striped Bass

The striped bass is a schooling species, moving about in small groups during the first two years of life and thereafter feeding and migrating in large schools. Seven or eight narrow stripes extending lengthwise from back of the head to the base of the tail form the most easily recognized characteristic of this species, hence the old Indian and colonial name of “linesider”. Striped bass can live up to 40 years and can reach weights greater than 100 pounds, although individuals larger than 50 pounds are rare. Females reach significantly greater sizes than do males; most stripers over 30 pounds are female. Thus, the term “bulls,” originally coined to describe extremely large individuals, has been more accurately changed to “cows” in recent times.
Striped bass reproduce in rivers and brackish areas of estuaries. Spawning occurs from the spring to early summer, with the greatest activity occurring when the water warms to about 65 degrees F. The eggs drift in currents until they hatch 1 1/2 to 3 days after being fertilized. The major spawning activity for the entire East Coast occurs in the Hudson River, the Chesapeake Bay and the Roanoke River - Albermarle Sound watershed. The number of eggs produced by female striped bass is directly related to the size of its body. A 12 - pound female may produce about 850,000 eggs and a 55 - pound female about 4,200,000 eggs.
The striped bass or “striper” is native to most of the East Coast, ranging from the lower St. Lawrence River in Canada to northern Florida, and along portions of the Gulf of Mexico. Stripers inhabit the whole coast surf, inshore bars, reefs, tide rips, bays and estuaries. Stripers are particularly active in areas with tidal and current flows and in the wash of breaking waves.
Striped bass eat a variety of foods, including fish such as alewives, flounder, sea herring, menhaden, sand lance, silver hake, tomcod, smelt, silversides and eels, as well as lobsters, crabs, soft clams, small mussels, sea worms and squid. They feed most actively at dusk and dawn, although some feeding occurs throughout the day. During the midsummer they tend to become more nocturnal.
Angling after dusk or dawn provides the greatest success most of the season, but night fishing is often best during the midsummer. Anglers are most successful when fishing the shoreline in areas where tidal rips, strong currents or wave action create turbulent “live” water.When surf fishing the beaches with swimming plugs and live eels many anglers prefer the 10 to 12 foot surf rod and conventional reel spooled with 30 to 40 pound test monofilament line. However, a medium to heavy spinning rod with 12 to 20 pound test monofilament line is considered ideal by many anglers for plugging, jigging or offering bottom fished baits to bass. Lures are attached directly to the line with a snap swivel. When bait fishing, the preferred rig consists of a pyramid sinker attached to a fish finder and about 2 feet of leader with a brightly colored float attached close to the hook. The float keeps bait away from bottom dwelling crabs, dogfish and skate.Live lining of herring, pogies or mackerel can be a very productive means of taking large bass. A fairly stiff boat rod with a conventional reel is the preferred rig. Bait fish are hooked through the back or snout using either a single or treble hook.When trolling for bass adjacent to shoreline areas, the rod should be equipped with a high ratio conventional reel and either carboloy, aluminum oxide or silicon carbide guides to prevent line wear. By choosing among monofilament, lead core or wire lines, depths from the surface to the bottom can be trolled. Many lures, including swimming plugs, jigs, tube and worm and umbrella rigs as well as live herring, pogies and eels lend themselves well to trolling for stripers.
Stripers should be iced immediately after capture. If they are iced in a large cooler the melt water should be drained occasionally so the fish do not soak in warming water. If they are iced in a boat fish box, remove the fish box’s drain plug.
Large bass can be steaked, then baked, broiled or grilled. If steaks are cut particularly thick, they can be stuffed with slices of bacon, onions, tomatoes, green peppers, parsley, apples, and even cranberries and spiced to taste. Place the lightly floured fish in a foil baking dish, add one cup of mild red wine and bake at 400 degrees until the fish flakes.

Atlantic Cod

The Atlantic Cod is a widely marketed food fish in the United States and Europe. It is a bottom-dwelling species that occurs on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean from Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, to Greenland, and from Iceland southward along the European coast to the Bay of Biscay off France and Spain. Four geographically distinct stocks are hypothesized for Atlantic Cod in American waters: Georges Banks, Gulf of Maine, Nantucket Shoals, and the Mid-Atlantic Bight. All but the last are believed to be nonmigratory. The species inhabits waters that are 32° to 50°F, and range from 200 to 1,300 feet in depth. Cod have heavy, tapering bodies, three dorsal fins and two anal fins, and a prominent chin barbel. The species may be distinguished from its relative the Pollock, Pollachius virens, by the projecting upper jaw. Although many color phases have been noted for Cod, most fish are either olive-green or deep red. Green, brown, or reddish spots occur along the back and sides, sometimes extending onto the fins.

Sexually mature fish, those older than 3 years, spawn in December and January off the Mid-Atlantic Bight, and from February through April farther north. Fecundity ranges from about 1 to 9 million eggs depending on the size of the fish. The eggs are transparent and buoyant and hatch in approximately 40 days at 32°F, and in 17 days when the surface water temperature is 41°F The slow-growing Atlantic Cod is capable of living for about 22 years. Cod feed on, or near the bottom, on many kinds of animals. Favorite foods are crabs, worms, clams, and fishes.

Fishing - Atlantic Cod are caught by anglers fishing from small private boats and party boats, and by commercial fishermen using hook and line, traps, and trawls. Commercial fishing vessels may be as small as one-man dories, or as large as 2,000-ton trawlers. Fishermen have braved the fog-shrouded, cold waters of the North Atlantic for hundreds of years fishing for Cod. Disembarking from larger vessels to their dories, men made their lonely and often dangerous treks to and from the fishing grounds.

Today, most Cod are caught from ships operating off Iceland, in the Barents Sea, off Newfoundland and Greenland, and in the Norwegian Sea. The most productive fishing areas are between the 35th and 80th north parallels. The Atlantic Cod is but one of many species of bottomfish that support important commercial fisheries along the northeastern United States. Besides the Cod and Pollock, others are Silver Hake, Meriuccius bilinearis, Atlantic Tomcod, Microgadus torn-cod, Haddock, Melanogrammus aeglefinus, and Atlantic Halibut, Flippoglossus hippo glossus.

Preparation - Cod are marketed fresh, frozen, and salted. A suggested dish is Cod Soufflé. The ingredients are 1 cup of cooked, flaked fish, 2 cups of chopped potatoes, 2 tablespoons of cream, 2 eggs, 1 tablespoon of butter, and ¼ teaspoon of white pepper. Place the fish and potatoes in enough boiling water to cover them, and boil until the potatoes are done. Drain thoroughly, mash the fish and potatoes, and beat them well with a fork, adding white pepper, butter, and cream. Beat in well-stirred yolks of 2 eggs, and fold in the well-whipped egg whites. Pour the soufflé mixture into a greased baking dish and bake at 375°F for 20 minutes, or until it is brown. Serve with pickles, horseradish, or fresh cucumbers.