As we’ve mentioned, docks, piers, rocks and pilings are all key areas where flounder (fluke) like to lay and ambush prey.
Where is the best place to catch flounder?
“Flounder like moving water around coves, estuaries and inlets that present fairly deep centers and shallow fringes. A sand or gravel bottom is ideal, but they’ll also feed over mud and grassy areas as well as mussel beds and creeks that empty into deeper water.
What is the best time to fish for flounder?
Flounder can actually be fished all year round, but they’re easier to catch in the fall, between September and November, when they migrate toward the ocean. They spawn during the spring and summer, and when they’re large enough, the swim to the ocean to spend the winter there before coming back.
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 is the best bait to use for flounder?
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.
Where do flounder lay their eggs?
Depending on their size, females have between 460,000 and more than 4 million eggs. They release the eggs into the water column and the eggs hatch in waters of the continental shelf. Newly hatched larvae move with the currents toward coastal areas, where they develop into juveniles.
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.
Are flounder hard to catch?
Fluke is not a bad fish to start with for beginners; it’s not too hard to catch, many times of the year work, and it’s a great chance to try bottom fishing. Flounder, also called fluke, are a great target for Mid-Atlantic anglers.
Can you catch flounder during the day?
Above: Flounder are masters of camouflage and are very difficult to spot in the daytime. At night they stand out clearly and remain motionless if a bright flounder gigging light is shone on them.
What temperature do flounder like?
Is there a preferred temperature range for flounder? The best water temperature for catching all species of flounder is generally between 55-68º F, although there are some noted differences in water temperature preferences between flounder of Atlantic, Pacific, and southern waters of the United States.
Where do flounder go in the winter?
Yes, you can catch flounder in the winter months but you will have to target them offshore or around near shore structure. Flounder move out into the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean in the winter to spawn so you might have to go offshore 30 or 40 miles to find them during the cooler months.
What size hooks for flounder fishing?
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.
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.
Do flounder like worms?
Flounder Bait
Their diet mostly consists of worms, clams, sand eels, and mussels. Bloodworms are the ticket to catching winter flounder. Worms make a great bait for these flatfish because they are the natural forage and stay on your hook better than shellfish.
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 many eggs does a flounder lay?
Each female can spawn up to 13 times a season and can produce around 29,000 eggs per spawn. Females release their eggs into the currents and the males then fertilize the eggs. After the eggs hatch, flounder larvae are symmetrical with their eyes on both sides of their body.
What’s the biggest flounder ever caught?
Captain Charles Nappi from Hicksville N.Y. holds the current fluke world record. Captain Nappi was fishing off of Montauk in 1975 when he landed his gigantic 22-pound, 4-ounce flatfish. Nappi’s record was almost dethroned in 2007 by Monica Oswald.
Where do flounder go during the day?
Trout or snook will hunt down their prey, redfish will forage for their prey in the mud, but flounder just sit and wait for their meals to float by. They bury themselves in the mud or sand and, with their two eyes on top of their head, look for something to float by them.
Are flounder active 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.
How do you catch giant flounder?
Live Shrimp
But if not, head to your local bait shop and pick up a few dozen live shrimp and be sure to keep them aerated. To catch big flounder, you can rig live shrimp on a 1/8 jig head the same as you would a finger mullet. But for a slightly better presentation, you can use a Carolina rig or a sliding sinker rig.
How do you jig flounder?
Obviously you’ll want to keep the jig near bottom when flounder fishing, but fast, aggressive upwards jigging motions that do take the lure outside of the fish’s striking distance for a second or two will often trigger an attack when the jig falls back into range. So jig constantly, and broadly. Keep on the move.