Fluke

The summer flounder, or “fluke,” is a flatfish 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.

Click here to see all of our Fluke Shows.

Click here to purchase our Fluke DVD Collection

Click here for our recommended Fluke Tackle.

Spawning: 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.

Feeding Habits: Fluke feed 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, 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 flatfishCooking: The meat of fluke is extremely flaky. 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. Our favorite way to eat fluke is to deep fry it and make a sandwich.