Trolling for Flounder Slow-trolling is just that: going super-slow and hovering over, and frequently passing over, the areas that are productive. Dropping the engine in and out of gear when covering areas such as rockpiles or pilings is especially helpful in generating hookups.
What time of year is best for flounder gigging?
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.
What is the best bait for flounders?
Using live bait is essential for many flounder (fluke) fishermen around the country, and can be extremely effective for picky flounder (fluke). Shrimp, crabs, smaller flounder, sardines, shad, mullet, and mud minnows can all be great options for live bait.
What is the best depth to catch flounder?
Early in the spring flounder are often found in very shallow waters, sometimes just a foot or two deep, in coastal bays. But once warm weather sets in most anglers fishing in bay and inlet waters find flounder between five to 30 feet of water.
How fast do you troll for flounder?
2 miles an hour, regular flounder rig on a 3 way swivel, use enough weight to keep your line at a 45 degree angle. Usually 10 oz or so. A good depth sounder is a must to troll edges.
Where do you aim when gigging?
To hit your target, slide the gig into the water above the fish to adjust for refraction, and then aim behind the eyes. “You want to penetrate the bony gill plate. If you hit farther back, it will flop off before you have a chance to swing it into the boat.” And once you find one fish, you usually find a lot more.
What time of day are flounder most active?
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.
What size hook is best 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 pound line should I 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 catch flounder with frozen shrimp?
Dead or alive, fresh or frozen, shrimp are one of the best baits for inshore saltwater fishing. Black drum, bonefish, flounder, grouper, jackfish, pompano, redfish, snook, sea trout, sheepshead, tarpon, and whiting are among the species you can catch with this crustacean.
Can you catch flounder on lures?
Lure choice: in my harbour the flounder seem to prefer worm imitations, with other options like crab or prawn type lures being ignored. With enough patience and luck I’m sure they could be tempted with any small lure, the trick is to find one that is awake and switched on, then they will take anything.
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.
Which side of flounder is thicker?
Flounder begins its life as a round fish and then it starts to swim on its side, one of its eyes migrates to the top side, and it evolves into a flat fish. The dark side is typically thicker and more moist, while the white side is thinner and milder.
Can you catch flounder in the middle of the day?
During the middle of the day, you can still catch plenty of flounder as long as there is some moving water, but the middle of the day usually provides a slower bite than the morning and evening.
How far behind the boat should I troll?
20 feet to 150 feet
Proper distance for most boats will be anywhere from 20 feet to 150 feet behind your boat. Whether you have inboard diesel or outboard gas engines, your power dictates the distance you troll your baits and lures.
What bait is best for trolling?
Skirted lures are more effective for chasing bigger fish, while soft plastics are better suited for trolling for smaller game. Spoons and plugs are versatile options, and they fall somewhere in the middle. For saltwater trolling, squid, ballyhoo, mullet, and mackerel are go-to baits for most anglers.
How long should my line be for trolling?
Determining Trolling Depth
The tournament veteran estimates he casts out about 70 to 80 feet of line to begin long lining. “If you take the same size jig and cast it out as hard as you can to reach that 70- to 80-foot mark, you are going to do it time and time again at about the same length,” he said.
Can you gig flounder in the daytime?
Once successfully gigged, your Flounder doesn’t have much of a chance of surviving. Therefore, you only want to spear as many Flounders as you’re planning to eat later. All the action typically happens at night, although day trips are also possible.
Do you aim above or below a fish?
You always want to aim below the fish because the refraction of light makes the fish appear closer to the surface than they are. The distance that you aim depends on how far away you are from the fish, and how deep the fish is in the water.
Where is the best place to gig flounder?
It’s best to flounder gig near deeper pockets of water on a fast falling tide to keep from getting stranded and give you the most opportunities to see flounder coming out of the flats.
What is the best setup for flounder fishing?
Best Flounder Rigs
Like the basic fish-finder, this flounder fishing rig begins with the fishing line running through an egg, bullet or flat sinker, which is then tied to a barrel swivel. Next, a two-foot section of mono that’s lighter than the main line is tied to the opposite end of the barrel swivel.