Among all the early-spring season fish in the Mid-Atlantic, the winter flounder is perhaps the best -- and worst -- of the bunch.

I enjoy its taste, and for such a small fish, it provides a decent fight. But despite all of its other positive attributes, winter flounders are facing an uphill battle that many experts predict they cannot win.

During the first months of the fishing season, when the ice on the lakes is just starting to melt, a friend and I often will board a party boat and take a short trip on the Manasquan River.

Other boats, like the Jamaica and the Norma K, fish the river here for winter flounders during early spring.

The arrival of these flatfish usually indicates the beginning of another picture-perfect fishing season along the East Coast. I recall using a small ultralight trout rod equipped with a double flounder rig, with each hook having a small yellow bead above the eye. In years past, we used to take home many fillets and enjoyed this fishing before the stripers made their annual run.

But over the past few seasons, the regulations on the winter flounder have put a chokehold on this fishery, which many claim to be the backbone of the spring fishing season.

In recent years, several size and limit changes enforced by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) have all but destroyed the flounder fishery in New Jersey and many other Mid-Atlantic states.

Due to further regulations, high fuel prices and other factors, just last year more than five of New Jersey's party fishing boats had to be sold out of state due to lack of business. Most tackle shops in the central Jersey area have also reported tremendous losses in revenue due to the limit changes.

These statistics may not seem like much. But in states like New Jersey, where folks depend on the fishing for winter flounders, a shortened season and limit changes could mean losing a family business.

Other states far to the south, like the Carolinas and Florida, have year-round fishing seasons. Less restrictive fishing regulations and warmer climates give anglers the chance to take home a few fillets for their hard-earned money.

Fisherfolk from New Jersey, Maryland and Delaware do not have that benefit. In fact, many local businesses consider the winter flounders' arrival to be the start of the fishing season.

In the past, they've based their business around it. But within the last few years, increased size limits, along with the ever-rising cost of marine fuel, have bankrupted several long-standing fishing businesses.

Many anglers were outraged by the limit changes for the 2008 season, especially for fluke (or summer flounder), a cousin to the winter flounder. Each year, the size limit for both fish changes, but with not much hope of the fishery getting better.

In the eight years since 2000, for example, New Jersey's limits for the winter flounder have increased by 1 1/2 inches. Though that's a small increase, it's almost impossible for a winter flounder to grow more than 2 inches in a year.

It would take another two fishing seasons for anglers to be able to catch those same fish that were legal only a few years ago. With all the fishing pressure now on barely legal flounders, the chances of catching a keeper flounder are bleak.

New Jersey's season dates have also been changed. The winter flounder season used to start on March 1 and extend until May 31, with a fall season usually starting on August 1.