This is the sixth hide on our cache series based on the fish and shellfish that inhabit the Barnegat Bay. Since growing up here as kids and now raising our kids here, we wanted to come up with a cache series to show the fish and shellfish we have enjoyed catching in this area. We respect the bay and hope these caches help to spread awareness to people to keep the bay clean and healthy to allow future generations to catch these species. Thank you for searching for these caches and we hope you will enjoy this area as we have for years. Happy searching!
Summer Flounder Paralichthys dentatus
Physical: Summer Flounder are large, flat fish with a distinctive ivory to light brown coloration and white blotchy spots. They attain an average size of 15 to 20 inches and a weight of 25 lbs. Females are larger than males.
Habitat: P. dentatus range from Maine through North Florida. They inhabit estuaries and coastal waters, and are bottom dwellers.
Feeding: P. dentatus are carnivorous, and hunt small fishes, squid, worms, shrimp, and other crustaceans.
Breeding: Summer Flounder spawn during their offshore migration from late summer to mid-winter. Larvae then drift inshore and enter protected coastal habitats from October to May. After hatching, the summer flounder has one eye on each side of the head. Over time the right eye gradually migrates to the left side of the head, distinguishing Summer Flounder from the right-sided Winter Flounder, and the body flattens.