|
Fish Identification Guide
Summer
Fluke (left)
& Winter Flounder
(below right)
Both flat-sided bottom fish, the main physical differences
between the two is the design of the mouth and placement of the eyes.
Paralichthys dentatus
Summer Flounder (Fluke)
The Fluke has the larger
mouth, full of teeth. A left eye fish. The lateral line curves over the
pectoral fin. Dorsal and anal fins evenly sized and rounded.Coloration
varies widely, depending primarily on where the fish was caught, this bottom
dweller altering it's color slightly to blend into the sandy or muddy bottom
of the bays and harbors it prefers. Variations from light brown to an almost
black shade of sable, with light to dark mottled patterns of spots and
blotches. Average wieght is about 2-6 lbs, some reaching 15-20 lbs.
Summer months found in shallow waters, moving offshore during the winter.
A fast swimmer, it feeds on small fish, squid, crabs and shrimps.
Fluke bait
 Quicktime Film
Short clip of a summer flounder with the genetic quirk of being brown on both sides. On this particular trip they caught two of these fish in the same area.
~Courtesy of Rich King Jr.
Pseudopleuronectes americanus
Winter Flounder
The Winter Flounder's mouth is hardly more than an inch around,
and lacks visible teeth. A right eye fish. The lateral line is straight.
Dorsal and anal fins angular in shape, moving to a wide point on the anal
fin. Coloration varies from coppery brown to dark grey, sometimes olivy
dark green. Darker fish usually have visible darker spot pattern. They
can be found in extremely shallow water (even 2 feet deep) prefering muddy
sand bottoms, as well as clay and gravelly sand. They can sometimes
be caught in only slightly brackish water, up near fresh water areas. They
head offshore in the spring, with a usually good run of fishing during
the winter months before. Average wieght is only 1- 1/2 pounds, some reaching
as high as 5 lbs.
Flounder
bait
Back To Common Fishes Section or
Return to FishGuide
| FishingPage
|
