five.
The new rules will also increase the minimum size necessary to harvest a flounder from 12 to 14 inches and reduce the bag limit from 10 to five. The new rules will go into effect on March 21, 2021. Flounder are one of the region’s most highly sought inshore fish, prized for both its quality as game and table fare.
Is there a limit on flounder in Florida?
We have the Gulf Flounder and the Southern Flounder. They both currently have the same size limits and maximum number of fish that you can keep per person. The current minimum size for both species is 12 inches in length. The maximum number that one angler can keep is 10 per person.
Why is flounder season closed in Florida?
A recent stock status update suggested that the flounder fishery statewide is likely overfished and undergoing overfishing on the Atlantic coast of Florida, which led the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to approve an annual season closure late last year.
Is it flounder season in Florida?
As a result their inability to elude humans, flounder numbers have been, well, floundering for years in Florida, prompting state wildlife enforcers to make these flaky bottom feeders off-limits from Oct. 15 to Dec. 1.
How big should a flounder be to keep?
14 inches
The minimum commercial size limit for summer flounder is 14 inches in total length.
What is the biggest flounder caught in Florida?
20 pounds, 9 ounces
It averages 2-4 pounds, but fish running 8-12 pounds are caught each year—mostly in the fall around major inlets from the Georgia line to Sebastian. World and Florida records 20 pounds, 9 ounces.
How deep do you fish for flounder?
Flounder congregate in sandy areas in 10- to 15-foot depths just off those reefs. Soak a Sardine: Live sardines with a 1/0 to 3/0 hook, fished with just enough split shot to get them to the bottom, are hard to beat.
What is the best month to catch flounder?
The best time to catch flounder is during their fall migration to the Gulf, typically from October to December, in the channels and passes leading to the Gulf. Flounder may be caught using rod and reel but most people prefer gigs.
Where is the best flounder in Florida?
The best places to find flounder in Florida are inlets; around docks; around tidal creek and river mouths that empty into salt water; sandy pot holes in grass flats and around near shore structure like piers, wrecks and reefs. Inlets are a great place to target flounder.
Where is the best flounder fishing in Florida?
Top Florida flounder fishing spots
- Fernandina Beach.
- St Johns River in Jacksonville.
- Pensacola and Escambia Bay Pensacola.
- St Augustine rivers and inlet.
- Indian and Banana Rivers at Cape Canaveral.
- Choctawatchee Bay.
- Ft Pierce Inlet.
- Panama Bay.
What time of day is best for flounder?
Flounder are the most active early in the morning and late in the afternoon offshore at sites like wrecks and reefs. Inshore, flounder are the most active swimming and feeding at high tide. You can find them searching for food near grasses, channels, flats, and at the mouths of feeder creeks.
Where is the best place to catch flounder?
As we’ve mentioned, docks, piers, rocks and pilings are all key areas where flounder (fluke) like to lay and ambush prey. They can hold multiple fish and provide safety from predators such as dolphins, sharks, and larger fish.
How old is a 25 inch flounder?
7
Summer Flounder (Fluke)
| Age (years) | Length (inches) |
|---|---|
| 5 | 22 |
| 6 | 23.5 |
| 7 | 25 |
| 8 | 26 |
How old is a 20 inch flounder?
Females grow faster than males, and juvenile summer flounder can reach a length of 9 to 12 inches during their first year. Fourteen-inch summer flounder are generally 2 or 3 years old and weigh about a pound. A twenty-inch summer flounder is usually 4 years old or older and weighs about 3 pounds.
How old is a 14 inch flounder?
12 – 14 inches, 1 – 2 pounds; South Carolina State Record: 17 pounds, 6 ounces (1974); maximum age: approx. males – 5 years, females – 7 or 8 years; females are generally larger and outlive males.
What is the best time of year to catch flounder in Florida?
The best time of the year for flounder gigging is during the fall flounder run and the spring flounder run. These two flounder runs mark the beginning and end of the warmer weather along the coast, and are well known for producing consistent limits of flounder.
Can a flounder bite you?
A flounder bite is different from any other backwater fish like redfish or speckled trout, and sometimes it requires a little more patience when targeting this fish. Most times, a flounder bite is not neccesarily a hard bite, in fact, it might not even feel like a bite at all.
How much is a pound of flounder?
Prices have also remained consistent with the average retail price from $8 to $12 a pound for filets and $4 to $5 a pound for whole fish.
What is the best hook for flounder?
Hooks can and usually should be a bit on the larger size for flounder fishing. They have large mouths full of sharp teeth, not something you really want to play with. I either use 3/0 to 5/0 circle hooks or a 2/0–4/0 worm hook for flounder fishing. Jig heads in the 1/4–3/8ths range are well suited to flounder fishing.
What kind of rod do you use for flounder?
The best tackle for flounder is a 7 foot medium heavy rod coupled with a 3500 series spinning reel. You will want to spool your reel with 20 pound braided line and a 20 pound clear or pink mono filament leader.
Can you flounder fish at night?
Yes, they do bite a night. You will find them on the edge of lights (ambush style). Most of your larger fish are caught during the day.