Flounder are fun to reel in, active through multiple seasons and fishing for them is a great chance to try bottom fishing. This popular species is great for beginners and experienced anglers alike. Read on for where to find them and the fishing gear you need to reel them in.
- Types of Flounder
- Where Can You Catch Flounder?
- When Can You Catch Flounder?
- What Type of Tackle Do You Need to Catch Flounder?
- Best Bait and Lures for Catching Flounder
- What Rig Should You Use for Flounder?
- How to Get Flounder to Bite
Types of Flounder
There are three popular types of flounder in the U.S. — summer flounder (also know as fluke), winter flounder and southern flounder. Summer flounder are found all along the east coast from north of Main all the way down to Chesapeake Bay. Winter flounder can be found in the same waters as summer flounder and you can often catch them both in the same area. Wondering which one you just reeled in? An easy way to tell is that winter flounder’s eyes are on the right side of their head while fluke’s eyes are on the left. Finally, southern flounder are found in the warm waters of the southern Atlantic coast and in the Gulf of Mexico.
Where Can You Catch Flounder?
Once you’re in the right region, your next step is to find where they’re hiding. Flounder are ambush predators, since their flat shape and brown color allow them to bury themselves into muddy or sandy bottoms and wait for prey to come to them. They often hide around underwater structures such as jetties, bridge pylons, docks, rocks or fallen trees. Flounder also group up around strong currents since the fast-moving water will deliver unsuspecting bait fish right to them. If you’re fishing from the beach, cast towards holes in shallow water, sandbars, oyster bars or drop-offs for the best chance at landing one.
When Can You Catch Flounder?
Timing
If there are bait fish around, odds are flounder are, too. While flounders feed throughout the day and night, most anglers agree that they have the best success during high tide.
Seasons
Spring: Flounder are mostly in shallow water. Follow where the bait fish are and you should be on them before long. This is a great time of year to fish grass flats or around jetties, piers and bays.
Summer: The start of summer is a very popular time to catch flounder. Higher temperatures mean flounder will start moving out of the shallows but will still stay inshore. You can usually find flounder in water up to 30 ft deep this time of year.
Fall: Weather can be a barrier in fall, but there are plenty of flounder moving offshore during the fall flounder run. During this run, flounder will eat just about anything that comes their way which includes the lure you’re bouncing across the bottom.
Winter: Flounder spawn in winter making them less active and harder to find. Don’t give up though. With some patience and skill, it can be done.
What Type of Tackle Do You Need To Catch Flounder?
Have you been inshore fishing before? If so, the gear you already have should be great for catching flounder. If not, we recommend a 2,500 – 4,000 series spinning reel paired with a 7 – 8’ medium action spinning rod. Wind on some 10 – 20 lb braided line and a 10 – 20 lb leader and you’re good to go
Remember, flounder are often found around underwater obstacles so keep in mind that your terminal tackle might snag or break off. Bring extras so you don’t have to cut your trip short.
Best Bait and Lures for Catching Flounder
Live bait and lures both work for catching flounder. Rember that flounder are ambush predators that bury themselves in the bottom waiting for prey so you should be bouncing or dragging your bait across the bottom all the time. Flounder don’t strike quite as hard as other fish either so pay extra attention so you don’t miss a bite.
Live Bait
Use bait fish that live in the area you’re fishing. The flounder are used to eating it already so they’ll be attracted to the bait on your hook as well. Mud minnows, shrimp, finger mullet and pinfish are all popular live bait. Once you feel the first bite, wait about 10 seconds before you set the hook so you know the flounder is really on there.
Artificial Lures
Choose artificial lures with a strong scent and a lot of movement. Soft plastics and jigheads have a lot of success in shallow water. Bucktails with a strong scent work great in deep waters. Flounder have a habit of quickly spitting out artificial lures though, so make sure to set the hook as soon as you feel a bite.
What Rig Should You Use for Flounder?
The Carolina rig, also know as the “fish finder”, is great for targeting flounder when you’re using live bait. This rig is perfect for letting your bait sit on the bottom or for bouncing it along the bottom as you reel it in. Luckily, you only need a few things to set up a Carolina rig:
- An egg sinker
- A glass bead
- A two-way swivel
- About a foot of leader line
- A small hook
- Your bait
To tie a Carolina rig, take the line from your fishing rod and put it through the egg sinker, followed by the glass bead. Tie the line from the rod to one end of the barrel swivel and tie your leader and hook to the other end of your swivel. Hook your bait and you're ready to cast!
If you’re using artificial lures, then jigheads are a popular choice. If you’re fishing in shallows then a ¼ oz jighead should work great and a 3/8 oz jighead should work well for most other circumstances.
How to Get Flounder to Bite
You need to give flounder the chance to see your bait so reel it in slowly whether you’re using an artificial lure or live bait. You can also bump your rod as you retrieve to give some movement to the bait and entice the flounder. Twitch the rod twice, pause for a second and reel in the slack in the line.
Need More Help?
West Marine is the perfect place to get ready for your next fishing trip. We offer free line spooling and locally assorted tackle in most of our stores to gear you up for what’s biting in your area. Plus, with plenty of anglers on our crew, we have the know-how you need to get ready. Find your store here.