Massachusetts state waters, out to 3 miles
North of Cape Cod; south and west of the Cape it's 2 fish, Mar 1 – Dec 31.
MA DMF 2026 · checked · the official rulebook is the final word
Often mistaken for
Summer flounderLeft-facing with a big toothy mouth. Tell them apart
Windowpane flounderThin enough to see through. Tell them apartKeep the wrong fish and its rule applies.
Massachusetts state record
MA DMF Saltwater Game Fish Records · checked 2026-09-04
How to tell it
RIGHT-facing thick flatfish with a small mouth and straight lateral line; muddy black-brown. More on the winter flounder page: every state’s rule, the records, and how anglers catch it.
Winter flounder in other states8 rulebooks
Questions anglers ask5
What is the size limit for winter flounder in Massachusetts?
12 in total length. Measured as total length: snout to the tip of the tail, tail lobes squeezed together.
How many winter flounder can you keep in Massachusetts?
8 per day.
When is winter flounder season in Massachusetts?
Open year-round.
What is the Massachusetts record winter flounder?
8 lb 2 oz, Georges Bank (1996).
How current is this Massachusetts winter flounder rule?
Source: MA DMF 2026, last checked Sep 7, 2026. A watchman re-reads the agency's pages nightly. Rules change mid-season by proclamation; the official rulebook is the final word.
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