Any one have any advice on how to catch a keeper?
Caught 117 shorts from 14" to 20" but couldn't keep any thank goodness for seabass.
I use either 2 2oz green or white bucktail jigs with squid or scup strips. Lately using a 4oz with a teaser.
Any advice beside going to the fish store or getting a commercial license.

Not sure any help for RI area, but the keeper to release ratio for Quick's Hole area about 1 out of 4 (18.5 inch min). Using double hooks bare or with feathers/teasers and 4-6 oz weight to hold bottom. Deeper water producing more keepers. Circle hooks baited with mac also very good if you can keep out of the dogfish's mouth.

what is your min size in RI? If over 20 inches I would expect you will be culling thru lots of fish. My daughter and I caught 30 fluke last trip and only 4 keepers and our min is 18.5"..Sounds like you are doing pretty much what you are supposed to. If it is big fluke you are after I would target deeper waters and use big baits. I like to use fresh sand eels but to catch a fluke over 20" I usually use a fluke belly or a strip bait along with 2 sand eels and a 2 hook rig. That is just me. I am sure there are as many ways to fish for this species as there are fisherman.

Try fishing bigger baits in deeper water. Last trip out three of us only had five keepers in a tide, so you're not alone.

Big Baits = Big Fish, we have had a really good season so far with many fish 5+lbs and 2 that were just over 7, and you would not believe the size of the fish that these fluke cough up when you get them on the deck. And while I know it holds true to fish deeper water for larger, I have yet to fish any deeper than 40' so don't overlook the 40' - 25' areas that have a good current and structure.

Seems like whenever I through on a whole squid the dogfish are first to the feast!! I fish from 30-70 ft of water.

DMF has its head up its rear (again). By culling thru that many fish the mortality actually increases in small fish. Last year the fluke mortality was the highest ever. Why? Because they assume that 10% of what is released dies. (Probably a good assumption, it fact for a lot of folks it is probably more than that) When you release more in trying to catch a keeper, you in fact kill more. So, what did they do?...they increased the size further so that you release (and kill) more young fish. Now, they will tell you "we did this because we were forced to by another agency..." (finger pointing) whatever, it is still STUPID.

IMO there are simple solutions to reduce mortality, but they are just downright lost and are pulled in too many directions by too many competing groups and agencies.:wall: We have to live with downright stupid, convoluted, inconsistent laws.

catchemup.

I agree stupid policy and lots of dead released fish. I would think a lot higher on their assessment of the mortality rate. Just keep 5 and be on your way. The comm. guys get to keep the little ones so why not us.

Right, it is not that hard to come up with a sensible plan, just limit the number of fish... I would rather see an otherwise dead fish make it to a table than feed green crabs.
:smash:

Thanks guys I guess I'll continue to contribute to the by catch mortality. Kinda of makes me want to stop fishing. RI has a 21" min. Rec. limit commercial guys can take 14".

Fished BI yesterday, not bad, Two guys had 8 keeper about 1/2 of which were in the 4-5 pound range. Still lots of shorts to wade through.

Thank you I'll have to make the trip. Saw your post on Noreast.
The reports I've been getting from BI North rip where thick doggies.
I'll try it for my self.

DMF has its head up its rear (again). By culling thru that many fish the mortality actually increases in small fish. Last year the fluke mortality was the highest ever. Why? Because they assume that 10% of what is released dies. (Probably a good assumption, it fact for a lot of folks it is probably more than that) When you release more in trying to catch a keeper, you in fact kill more. So, what did they do?...they increased the size further so that you release (and kill) more young fish. Now, they will tell you "we did this because we were forced to by another agency..." (finger pointing) whatever, it is still STUPID.

IMO there are simple solutions to reduce mortality, but they are just downright lost and are pulled in too many directions by too many competing groups and agencies.:wall: We have to live with downright stupid, convoluted, inconsistent laws.

catchemup.

I agree with Sandman but there is a further part of the story. Thre is an ongoing attempt to correct this by the organized recrational fishgin community and it is sufferring from one thing and one thing only. Fishermen are not joining clubs and national organizations that represent them. A lot of perople display and rfa sticker but don;t pay dues. Membership in almost every recreational club is down and was heading that way before the current economic issues. LAws are written by those that show up or send others to show up for them. Extreme Enviros and others show up so they win.

that is a sad fact Pat.