Are starry flounders common?

On Saturday, my a neighbor took his boat out of Moss Landing and caught a 25 lb salmon, a decent-sized halibut, a barely-legal halibut, and the biggest starry flounder I've ever seen, or am ever likely to see. He said that the starry was within 1 pound of the state record (which is 11 pounds, 4 ounces), and I believe it was easily a 10 pounder. I regret not getting a picture of it.

Anyways, I was just wondering how common starry founders are in CA. In a bit of Googling, I found pictures of them being caught from piers (Capitola, among others), but those pictures all seem to be fairly old. I also found some info saying that they were once a big part of the sportfish catch, but that was even a longer time ago. So, I get the impression that they were once common and are now somewhat rare.

They are rarer from years past. I hear of them occasionally caught in the ocean but seems like brackish waters near carquinez is where to target them. Never got one but would be totally stoked to get one as a bycatch

I think i have caught 1 starry flounder out of the decades i have fished Monterey bay. If i remember correctly it was somewhere at 6 lbs.  I even gave it away. I hear they are great tasting. Live and learn.

Alex

Caught a small one once off the SC Wharf, but not big.  Seen a few on AOTY over the years and soles too.  Never seen a lot of them like at once like halibut. 

They are pretty common in estuarine and back-bay-type terrain. They are not commonly caught, especially in the ocean, though fairly frequently spotted by divers. They have a fairly small mouth and are not really predatory, so it takes a big one to get hooked on anything that's not a perch offering. I witnessed someone catch one while salmon trolling in 60-70 fow. Go figure.

They are so-so to eat IMO, something like rubberlip perch, maybe a little nuttier.

I caught a starry flounder once and it’s gut was full of sand dollars. I had heard they were tasty too but this one was so minerally it was really interesting but not delicious.

I caught a starry flounder once and it’s gut was full of sand dollars. I had heard they were tasty too but this one was so minerally it was really interesting but not delicious.

I did read somewhere that they like sand dollars. Not exactly a common bait...

I caught a starry flounder once and it’s gut was full of sand dollars. I had heard they were tasty too but this one was so minerally it was really interesting but not delicious.

I did read somewhere that they like sand dollars. Not exactly a common bait...

Greediness makes the flesh taste dusty…

I've caught a few over the years maybe 20 or so.  I do not like to eat them.

Booshy

I've been so curious about them.

The old reports I've read indicate they were everywhere in the Bay.
Looks like their numbers went down and calibut numbers went up.
(not implying a causal link)

I grew up in Santa Cruz and fished the San Lorenzo river tidewater for cohos and steelhead. I often caught starrys then.
Those were the days!

Last one I saw pulled up with 2 years ago. Good sized fish off of Tides Hotel. ~ 21" range.

Talked to a commercial trawler this year. He said he still picks up alot of Starrys but they're deeeeepp.

I've picked up a few while halibut fishing, all between 8-6 pounds. So yeah, kinda rare now.

The meat is different from other flatfish, with a very fine grain. I like it, and my wife loves them with just a bit of butter and garlic like sanddabs.

Last one I saw pulled up with 2 years ago. Good sized fish off of Tides Hotel. ~ 21" range.

Talked to a commercial trawler this year. He said he still picks up alot of Starrys but they're deeeeepp.

That's interesting. It seems if they're in deep water, a few might be caught while fishing for sand dabs...

I grew up in Santa Cruz and fished the San Lorenzo river tidewater for cohos and steelhead. I often caught starrys then.
Those were the days!

That's good stuff!

I've caught a few starries at the Cove, and I've heard of them now and then in Humboldt Bay and even down at the mouth of the Eel.  Rare is a fair description for them.  Rough skinned like a toad - I'll release one next time if it's not hurt.