Invention eliminates need to gig flounder
By Brandon Davis
Published in News on September 23, 2016 2:15 PM
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News-Argus/BRANDON DAVIS
David Turner reties the rope on his invention. The rope is used to open and close the cage when catching flounder. He has received a U.S. patent on the invention that he calls The No Gig Flounder Rig. It allows the fish to be taken without being wounded by a gig. Thompson has been fishing for flounder for 18 years.
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News-Argus/BRANDON DAVIS
David Turner stands on his flounder boat and demonstrates how a gig is used to stab flounder, place them in the boat and measure them on whether he will keep the flounder or throw them back in the water.
MOUNT OLIVE -- David Turner's newly patented invention could revolutionize the way flounder fishing operates -- for good.
Rather than stabbing flounder with a multi-pronged gig and throwing them back in the water because they do not meet the size requirement, Turner designed a cage to scoop in flounder for measuring them and keeping them alive.
His 2010 design, which is a seven-foot handle connected to the top of an aluminum cage that opens and closes with the pull of a rope, became patented several weeks ago when the United States Patent and Trademark Office certified Turner's invention, calling it a wildlife capturing device.
Turner, however, named it -- unofficially -- The No Gig Flounder Rig.
"I'm not saying I haven't gigged some undersized flounder," Turner said. "But I hate doing it every time I do it."
Turner began flounder fishing 18 years ago, but he repaired fishing boats with his brother, M.D. Turner, from 1971 until 1975 at Mount Olive Marine, which was the first such business in Mount Olive, Turner said. He went on to repair farm equipment in the mid 1980s, but two years later, Turner "didn't want to turn bolts anymore," he said.
He started taking law enforcement classes at Wilson Community College.
"I like helping people," he said. "I decided I could do some good in the world and help people and I'll still get a good paycheck."
The Clinton Police Department called Turner after he graduated from the Coastal Plain Law Enforcement Training Center. He worked as a criminal investigator for 16 years and became a sergeant before retiring after 21 years on the police force in 2009.
But even during his high-pressured job as a criminal investigator, Turner built a house for his daughter and returned to boats, water and flounder fishing. Turner said he helped his brother with the boat repairs and spent his off-time at Sneads Ferry in Onslow County.
He used a flounder boat with adjustable lights to see flounder fluttering 3 feet under the water, but he said figuring out the size of flounder from a boat became impossible.
Turner said the size requirement for catching flounder 18 years ago was 13 inches, which was issued by the Division of Marine Fisheries. He said he pulled the flounder up to the boat and saw that the flounder fell below the regulation.
Turner threw wounded flounder back in the water over and over.
"There's no regulation against stabbing that 12-inch one, but once you get him in the boat and realize he's undersized and not 13 inches, you got to throw him back," Turner said. "You've already stabbed him. He's not going to survive."
Turner continued gigging flounder, but an idea developed in the back of his mind six years ago.
He drew plans, thought some more about his idea, built a prototype -- and in 2013, Turner finished his invention.
An attorney and a marine biologist from Morehead City met with Turner and his wife, Pat, to ensure Turner had a credible invention. Turner said the meeting with an attorney and a biologist quickly transformed into 30 people in the room, who were impressed with his idea.
He and his wife completed the patent application -- and three years later, the patent was approved for the clever invention.
Pressure applied to the rope keeps the cage closed, and the cage opens when the rope is released. A 2-inch fishing net covers the top of the cage, which allows a fisherman to eye the size of the flounder, or the fisherman can place the flounder on a boat's measuring device.
Rather than stabbing the current regulated-size flounder of 15 inches, fishermen can release flounder back in the water without harming them.
Now that Turner sees his invention, he constantly thinks about what the The No Gig Flounder Rig could do for the future of flounder fishing and for the endangerment of southern flounder.
He said 90 percent of flounder comes from North Carolina for consumption in the entire country, which is one of the reasons the Marine Fisheries Commission voted in Nags Head last November to end commercial and recreational flounder fishing from Oct. 15 until Jan. 1, 2017.
Turner currently operates his own boat repair business after his brother's closed in 2006, and Turner knows he would be unable to mass produce the invention by himself.
But just as he designed it he can find a way to market it.
"He's a workaholic and he loves to stay busy," Mrs. Turner said. "He is creative. He can just come up with this stuff. He would be an awesome jeweler if he would help me make jewelry.
"He's got a lot of talent and he can do just about anything."