THE QUEST FOR TROPHY FLOUNDER

BUSHY LEAGUE COMEBACK
March 3, 2021
THE CATFISH PLAN
March 3, 2021

Flounder Revolution is Back, with a New, More Inclusive Format

THERE MAY BE NOTHING more impressive on the Texas Gulf Coast than seeing a big saddle-blanket-sized flounder slide into your net.

That experience has two points of excitement.

The first is seeing such a big flounder. The second is that it actually made it into the net. No fish is better at getting to the boat, almost in the net and then spitting the hook.

For the fishery, the most important thing for such a flounder is the decision on what to do next.

In 2008, I called for a Flounder Revolution and for anglers to release all flounder measuring 20 inches or better.

Anglers can only keep one oversized bull redfish a year. They will get shamed for keeping a huge trout and we even protect oversized black drum, but it has been OK to keep big, breeding-sized flounder.

I shame no one for keeping any legal fish, but I do promote putting big flounder back for the sake of the fishery. They produce more eggs than smaller ones, and those eggs have genetic potential to produce more big flounder.

It’s a concept bass fishermen have mastered. I believe while flounder fisheries are at a record low in numbers it’s time, we remember to conserve the bigger fish.

That’s why the Flounder Revolution is back!

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The flounder catch-and-release conservation program I ran between 2008 to 2013 has been reborn with a new twist.

We are giving some amazing conservation challenge coins to every angler that submits proof of a flounder over 20 inches that they released to produce more of its kind.

This is our Flounder Revolution “Catch, Release & Conserve Award.” For anglers who have caught and released a flounder 24 inches or better, we have another coin called the “Save the Saddle Blanket” award. All anglers who submit fish get a super cool flounder decal as well.

All anglers who enter fish receive an entry for a drawing of special prizes There is an opportunity for a lucky angler to get a replica of their catch at the end of the year. Get all of the information at flounderrevolution.com.

Flounder Revolution’s awards are sponsored by CCA-Texas, who have been very generous in funding our awards. They look so good. I’m going to have to catch and release a big flounder to earn one.

On top of that we have special wooden token challenge coins for kids who catch their first flounder. If you send a photo of a kid age 17 or under with their first flounder caught anytime from 2020 on, email the photo to chester@chestermoore.com with their name, age and a mailing address. They will get one of these collector’s edition tokens and a decal.

Flounder have a short life cycle in comparison to redfish or speckled trout, living six to seven years.

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Some might argue they might as well keep a 24-inch flounder because it will probably be its last year anyway.

I say, why not release that fish and give it one more chance to spawn.

Eat the smaller flounder. I do.

Release the big ones and you can help sustain the fishery for the future and win some awesome prizes.

Viva La Revolution!

 

DIGITAL EDITION BONUS

Southern Flounder

Southern flounder populations are in decline. Coastal fish hatcheries use brood stock to produce thousands of small flounder that will eventually go back into the bays. Stocking fish into areas that are needed is another tool that can help the population recover.

 

—story by CHESTER MOORE

 

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