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Welcome To Lowers Fishing Unlimited! |
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Bottom Fishing
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Methods we use for Successful Flounder, Croaker (hardhead), Spot, Perch,
Trout, and Black Drum.
Light Tackle, spinning rods, drifting, anchoring, wreaks, edges, and
structures.
We use only high, top quality Shimono Reels and Custom Rods to match.
All tackle, ice, and licenses provided. |
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Croaker |
Flounder |
Trout |
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Bottom Fishing Facts |
Croaker
Commercial landings of
Atlantic croaker from the Atlantic coast show a period of record high
landings during the 1940s of 65 million pounds. By the early 1950s the
commercial catch had decreased to less than 10 million pounds but was
followed by a moderate increase. In 1970 the commercial catch hit a
record low at 1 million pounds. There was a moderate peak in 1978 of 30
million pounds but over the past 10 years, croaker landings have
declined to approximately 10 million pounds annually. In 1990 the
landings were 6.7 million pounds. The majority of the catch came from
the south Atlantic, particularly North Carolina.
Commercial landings for croaker from the Chesapeake Bay also
declined dramatically from almost 60 million pounds in the 1940s to
approximately 2 million pounds in the 1980s. Historically, the
Chesapeake Bay region accounted for the majority of Atlantic Coast
croaker landings. Maryland landings reached a peak of 6 million pounds
in 1942 but by 1976 had declined to 1.06 million pounds. Virginia
landings have been as high as 55 million pounds in 1937 but in the past
few years have averaged 2.38 million pounds. In 1990 the Chesapeake
region harvested 196,000 pounds.
Croaker are considered an important recreational species in the
Chesapeake Bay, and usually rank within the top 10 species caught.
Recreational landings from the mid-Atlantic region peaked in 1986 but
have been declining. Maryland recreational catches in 1979 and 1980 were
estimated at 1.07 million pounds and 18,150 pounds, respectively.
Virginia recreational catches in 1985 and 1996 were 5.5 million and 3.06
million pounds, respectively.
Flounder
Flounder or flukes are flatfish that live in ocean waters ie.,
Northern Atlantic and waters along the east coast of the United States
and Canada, and the Pacific Ocean, as well. The name "flounder" refers
to several geographically and taxonomically distinct species. In Europe,
the name flounder refers to Platichthys flesus, in the Western Atlantic
there are the summer flounder Paralichthys dentatus, southern flounder
Paralichthys lethostigma, and the winter flounder Pseudopleuronectes
americanus, among other species. In Japan, the Japanese flounder
Paralichthys olivaceus is common.
While flounders have both eyes situated on one side of the head,
flukes are not born this way. Their life involves metamorphosis. During
metamorphosis, one eye migrates to the other side of the body so that
both eyes are situated on the upward-facing side of its body. After
metamorphosis, flounder lie on one side on the ocean floor; either the
left or right side might face upward depending on the species. Flounder
sizes typically vary from five to fifteen inches, though they sometimes
grow as large as three feet in length. Their breadth is about one-half
of their length. Flounder are ambush predators and their feeding ground
is the soft mud of the sea bottom, near bridge piles, docks, and other
bottom incumbrances; they are sometimes found on bass grounds as well.
Their diet consists mainly of fish spawn, crustaceans, polychaetes and
small fish.
Trout
The head and back of this fish is of dark brown color, with a
greenish tinge. The sides are of a faint silvery hue, with dusky specks,
and the belly is white. The common name of this fish seems to have
originated based on the weakness of the muscles in the mouth which often
cause a hook to tear free, allowing the fish to escape. It grows to 3
feet (1 m) in length and 19 pounds, 2 ounces (8.67 kg) in weight. The
range is from Nova Scotia, Canada to northern Florida. It is fished both
commercially and recreationally. |
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Lowers Right
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