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[joshuag232]

Just so you all know, there's Starry Flounder starting to come into the river to spawn. Not as many right now as there are in April but they can be caught from March-late April with ease. All you need is shrimp on a sliding bottom rig. Just to get all you people off of your asses, go give it a try! They are edible if you like mushy fish meat (Which I do). Or possible sewage contamination. They don't taste bad fried, my disclaimer is there however. Get out and wet a line. Went out this morning walking the dogs with a friend and tried for a few minutes(Massive storm lol), lost my bait. Was thinking could have been a flounder due to bullhead swallowing the whole freakin' bait every time. So why not go give this interesting fishery in a try. If you care to look back to a last year or longer you can see my results. For those that don't want to do that I'll make it easy for you.
Those were caught just at the end of No.5 road, by the tunnel. Yes they do come that far upstream to spawn.

[Noahs Arc]

Mmmmmmm contaminated mushy meat!! You really sold that one. 

[TimL]

Nice fish! How big was the largest one you caught out there? I went out to fish for them near Garry Point and Imperial Landing earlier in the year and then near the mouth of the Cap but was not successful. I was aware that they spawn near river mouths and estuaries during late winter and early spring but I previously have not tried targeting them this early in the year.  I've usually caught them from shore in Indian Arm (Belcarra area) from spring through summer- biggest ones around 2-3 lbs I think.

As for eating, they're ok but I still prefer sole (rock and English soles) over starries. Meat is much firmer and tastier. There is also a weird iodine smell in the meat of starry flounder.

[poper]

Lol,sounds like a great meal.

[riptide]

quote : TimL (There is also a weird iodine smell in the meat of starry flounder. )

Are you sure that it isn't an ammonia taste or smell, if so your meat is already started to decompose. Sounds like you do a lot of bottom fishing, so I would guess you probably know the difference

[TimL]

quote : TimL (There is also a weird iodine smell in the meat of starry flounder. )

Are you sure that it isn't an ammonia taste or smell, if so your meat is already started to decompose. Sounds like you do a lot of bottom fishing, so I would guess you probably know the difference

I think it's just starry flounder..I don't get that from sole..anyway they still make good fried fish or fish tacos..

[joshuag232]

The largest one Ive got is the big boy on the left.

[joshuag232]

And yes english and rock sole over starries anyday. Still the survivorman in me tells me to eat them for some reason. At least it's better than eating squaws and peamouths. I graduated from doing that at age 13. Been on this forum a long time lol.

[joshuag232]

BTW, May is best if you're targeting starries. Judging by the reports section, it seems like nobodies going fishing so I figured I'd share what I like to do at this time of the year. And nice catch man 2-3lbs is biggg. They get huge in the salt. Saw the shrimp draggers selling one in Steveston that must have been 7-8 lbs. My buddy got one once off the ferry causeway that was about 2lbs or so.

[Dave]

Back in the day (late 90's) I sampled fish and crustaceans from the lower Fraser River and tribs like the Brunette and Serpentine for contaminants; Starry Flounders were part of the catch, along with various sculpin species, Largescale Suckers, Pikeminnows and crayfish.

Starry flounders were by far the worst looking fish with lesions and pustules very common, especially near fins and on the back.  As far as I know the data collected was not analysed nor published, sadly a common practice back then ...  I can attest the flounders were fish I would not eat.
 
Perhaps the quality of these fish have improved since then; let's hope so.

[milo]

Many years ago, not long upon settling in Vancouver, a friend invited me to go fish for flounders off some rocks in West Vancouver. We caught a bunch. I invested all my culinary skills in preparing them so they'd taste at least decent. No luck. 

They have been off my list since. 

[TimL]

And yes english and rock sole over starries anyday. Still the survivorman in me tells me to eat them for some reason. At least it's better than eating squaws and peamouths. I graduated from doing that at age 13. Been on this forum a long time lol.

Pikeminnows have lots of bones don't they? I've never eaten one, but that's what I've heard.
There's plenty of sole in the areas where I catch starries...rock sole is the species I most often catch from shore/pier- biggest I've seen are around 1-1.5 lbs. They can come in quite close to shore during the incoming tides. English sole from slightly deeper water further offshore..when we had the inflatable years ago, we used to get them in the middle of bays, in areas near eelgrass (where starries like to hang out as well) and off the pier at Belcarra.

[Rieber]

The two undersized ones look like they were flossed.  Yes it's time to start warming up the annual flossing debate.

Given that they are flat like halibut, I bet they put up a fun battle on light gear.

I wouldn't knowingly target or consume that bottom crap eating fish.

But, enjoy.

Fishing is whatever you make of it and as long as you enjoy it, don't let guys like me give you a hard time. Hey, I love fishing Mill Lake in Abbotsford. I wouldn't eat anything from there but that's my choice. I know there are lots of people that won't even step into or even run their line through that lake but to each their own.

Nice to see something different caught in local waters, that I would ever target.

[Voyager]

I went after them at Cresent beach last year in my Kayak, kept a couple to eat but was not impressed with the taste, still fun to catch and release though.

[Burbot]

I have caught flounder and the odd eel over the years just using worms and roe under the Knight Strret bridge and off Mitchell Island...I never eat them, I toss them back.