328 Northern Fluke 



Northern Fluke, Summer Flounder 

 Paralichthys dent at us (Linnaeus) 



Color: Eyed side: color variable, commonly brown or gray. 

 Most specimens marked with dark spots surrounded by 

 white margins. Blind side: white. 



Distribution: Occurs from Maine to South Carolina. Most 

 common south of Cape Cod. 



Size: Maximum length reported almost 4 feet, with a 

 weight of 26 pounds. A 30-pound fish has also been re- 

 ported. 



General Information: This species is found on the Con- 

 tinental Shelf in depths of 150-500 feet during the winter 

 and early spring. In late spring and summer large numbers 

 of Northern Fluke move inshore close to the beaches and 

 also enter bays and harbors. The Northern Fluke spawns 

 from late autumn to early spring. The eggs are probably 

 buoyant. The principal foods of this species are small 

 fishes, crustaceans, and shellfish. The Northern Fluke is an 

 active, predaceous species; it will follow small fish to the 

 surface and jump clear of the water in the excitement of 

 the chase. 



Economic Importance: An excellent food fish of con- 

 siderable importance in the commercial fisheries, particu- 

 larly in the otter trawl fishery of the Middle Atlantic and 

 Chesapeake regions. The Northern Fluke bites readily on 

 natural baits or artificial lures and is subject to an inten- 

 sive recreational fishery from Cape Cod south to Virginia, 

 particularly in the New York-New Jersey area. 



