11 Tips to More and Bigger Flounder

Southern flounder are a favourite amongst inshore anglers from North Carolina to Texas. They’re widespread and comparatively frequent, they’re scrumptious, and below the correct circumstances will eagerly hit a wide range of baits, each pure and synthetic.

That being mentioned, nobody is suggesting flounder fishing is straightforward. They are often choosy and generally onerous to seek out, particularly the larger “doormats.” That will help you put extra flatfish within the boat, we spoke to a number of the greatest flounder fishermen from across the Southeast. Listed below are a number of the suggestions and tips they use to provide them an edge.

Discover Flatfish on the Ledges

Jake Markris, of Fairhope, Alabama, is a die-hard flounder fisherman. He makes use of gentle sort out and primarily 1/4-ounce jigs, and his specialty is working sandbar drop-offs and small, inshore ledges many anglers overlook.

“Flounder relate to the slightest drop-off, generally solely 6 or 8 inches, and a 1- or 2-foot ledge could be a actual fish magnet,” he explains. “I take advantage of a ship to get to prime fishing places, however I discover that wading is usually the easiest way to strategy flounder in shallow water. Wading doesn’t spook the fish, and you should utilize your ft to really feel for the little drop-offs that usually maintain fish.”

Markris fan-casts to those drop-off areas, probing the underside with jigs. Casts made parallel to the ledge are sometimes most efficient as a result of the lure is saved within the strike zone all through the retrieve.

Markris additionally factors out that ledges are greatest fished when the present is flowing from shallow to deep. On this situation, flounder typically collect on the deep facet of the ledge, ready for bait to be swept off the shallow flats.

Observe Flounder Tracks

Ever heard of “flounder tracks?” You’ll be able to truly see the place flounder have been for those who study shallow mud and sand flats at low tide. Subsequent time you’re out on a flat at low tide—perhaps in search of bait—search for imprints of the place flounder buried themselves on the underside to hunt throughout a better tide. It’s going to appear like simply what it’s: the define of a flounder.

Discover a flat with a number of these tracks, and it gives you a good suggestion of the place to fish when the tide comes again in. Though strolling round on a flat when there’s little or no water on it’s scouting if you would possibly moderately be fishing, it’s legwork that may find some actual hot-spots.

Flounder tracks stand out properly and are surprisingly simple to identify. They’re a positive signal of an space the place flounder wish to be.

Drag a Lure on the Backside

Capt. Michael Okruhlik is the proprietor and lure designer of Knockin Tail Lures. He has spent a whole lot of time on the water testing gentle plastics, and flounder are a major goal within the Texas marshes. 

“To successfully catch flounder, I advocate retaining the bait in fixed contact with the underside,” he says. “By pointing my rod tip down and utilizing a sweeping movement, I create a mud path that pulls fish. After I really feel the preliminary faucet, I pause, ready for a second and probably a 3rd bump. Flounder often maintain on longer than trout, possible attempting to injure their prey earlier than swallowing.”

When he’s particularly focusing on flatfish, Okruhlik focuses on buildings like bulkheads and rocks the place bigger flounder discover safety in addition to plentiful baitfish. Small drain openings will be prime places on an outgoing tide, notably in the event that they circulation from marsh swimming pools filled with bait. Even smaller drains shouldn’t be missed, as they are often simply missed however yield good catches.

A Fancy Flounder Rig

The “flicker rig” is solely a modified model of the usual fish-finder rig, which many anglers use for working reside baits. It’s particularly standard with North Carolina flounder fishermen. Like the fundamental fish-finder, this flounder fishing rig begins with the fishing line operating by way of an egg, bullet or flat sinker, which is then tied to a barrel swivel. Subsequent, a 2-foot part of mono that’s lighter than the principle line is tied to the other finish of the barrel swivel. Roughly 1 foot from the chief finish, a bright-colored foam or cork float is positioned. Some floats have plastic “stoppers” at their ends for positive positioning, and yellow or pink floats are most well-liked. A few small, pink, plastic beads are threaded onto the chief, adopted by a small, chrome or brass spinnerblade. Many anglers desire Colorado blades as a result of they offer off a whole lot of flounder-attracting vibration, however willow-leaf or Indiana blades can be utilized as properly.

A clevis can be utilized to facilitate the spinning motion of the blade. Lastly, thread a pair extra plastic beads onto the chief and tie on an appropriate hook, akin to a 1/0 Kahle. The float retains the bait off the underside, the place it’s extra weak and simply seen by fish. The float’s shiny shade serves to draw flounder, as does the spinnerblade. The beads permit the spinnerblade to show freely on the fishing line with out binding towards the hook, cork or tangling within the line.

Carry Them to the Boat

“About half the flounder I catch are taken lower than a rod size from my boat,” says Bo Hamilton, of Ocean Springs, Mississippi. “Flounder typically don’t take a bait or lure straight away, however observe it in the course of the retrieve. When flounder do that, they often settle to the underside, proper below the boat. Subsequently, it’s a good suggestion to periodically work a jig or bait instantly below the skiff. It’s wonderful what number of flounder will be caught this manner. Generally it takes a number of tries, but when there’s a flounder down there, it may be made to strike by repeatedly dropping a jig or pure bait in entrance of it.”

Flounder Up the Creek

In line with Capt. Mark Noble of Brunswick, Georgia, the myriad creeks that feed into bays, bayous, rivers, sounds and the Intracoastal Waterway provide prime, largely untapped flounder motion.

“Chasing creek flounder is traditional ‘spot’ angling, which means {that a} sure spot will ceaselessly yield a number of fish briefly order,” says Noble. “Falling tides are usually greatest, and virtually any creek run-out can maintain fish. The very best run-outs are sometimes situated close to deep creek bends. Ceaselessly, a creek bend that has a number of run-outs pouring in from totally different instructions will maintain a very giant variety of flounder.

“If I hook a fish or two, I’ll ceaselessly ease over a light-weight anchor or nostril the skiff into the marsh till the world is totally and completely labored. However I by no means fish a spot too lengthy. I desire to maintain shifting in the course of the falling tide. The important thing to success is masking the water rapidly, quietly and effectively.”

Flippin’ for Flatties

Flippin’ is a way developed by freshwater bass anglers to fish heavy cowl. Inshore fishermen have discovered that flippin’ is a good way to focus on flounder in hard-to-reach spots, akin to below docks. Whereas most bass anglers flip with baitcasting gear, you may as well use your common inshore spinning outfits for this method.

With the trolling motor, ease in near no matter construction you’ll be fishing. When you’re working with out a trolling motor, anchor rigorously close to pilings, bulkheads or jetties. The casting approach is fairly easy. You’re basically utilizing the rod to swing a lure to the goal space at brief distance.

Use your left hand to tug an arm’s size of line by way of the guides as you increase the lure from the water. Then swing or flip the lure out with the rod tip, releasing the road in your left hand to offer far. Bounce your jig round on the underside. When you don’t get hit, pull it up and flip it to the subsequent spot. You’ll be able to rapidly and effectively cowl a bit of construction this manner with out getting hung up or lower off on barnacles. Use a trolling motor to methodically cowl a complete space, or flip your method across the boat earlier than re-anchoring to work some new backside.

Drifting and Bumping

An excellent strategy to find flounder and be taught a fishing space on the similar time is to float or bump troll. If you’re fishing a brand new space, discover a possible goal akin to a jetty edge, a rolling backside or some outdated pilings, run upcurrent of it after which flip the boat broadside to the circulation and easily drift whereas working the underside. This lets you cowl a whole lot of water at a great clip.

Fish bottom-bumping live-bait rigs or jigs, and use the trolling motor to carry the boat heading in the right direction. With a number of anglers on the boat, it is a excellent strategy to examine a brand new creek as a result of you may virtually cowl your complete width of the waterway in a single drift.

When the present and/or wind isn’t favorable for drifting, use the trolling motor or bump the outboard out and in of drugs to bump troll and canopy water till you discover the fish.

Maintain It Shifting

Information Kirk Stansel of Hackberry, Louisiana says a good way to catch extra flounder is to all the time maintain your bait shifting. This can enable you find rocks and pilings on the underside, plus it presents the bait in a pure method.

“Flounder often await a bait to return to them.” Stansel explains. “So it’s necessary to maintain your bait shifting.”

Stansel additionally has a trick for catching flounder round line-cutting construction. “Many occasions when a flounder hits a bait in a extremely powerful tangle of pilings or rocks, it’s attainable to softly lead the fish away from the quilt earlier than setting the hook. When a flounder needs a bait, you virtually can’t pull it away from him. So when it strikes a bait in a tough spot, akin to below a dock, simply slowly reel in line and lead the fish to a spot the place it may be performed with out the danger of a cut-off.”

The place to Catch Flounder

An necessary key to profitable flounder fishing is familiarity with the world, in line with high inshore angler and Mississippi native Kim Norton.

“After I first began flounder fishing, I picked a spot inside an inlet the place I knew different anglers constantly caught flounder,” Norton remembers. “I used to be decided to be taught a half-mile part of that inlet shoreline higher than anybody else. In time, I discovered each foot of it. By fishing jigs and bottom-bumping baits, and by checking the world repeatedly with a really delicate depthsounder, I received to know that water in only a season of fishing.

“Too many anglers rely solely on their depthsounder to indicate them the placement of rocks and drop-offs the place flounder would possibly maintain. However by slowly fishing jigs and/or reside bait on a regular fish-finder rig, you be taught much more in regards to the backside. That is very true when utilizing low-stretch braided line. With expertise, you’ll be capable to really feel whether or not the underside consists of mud, sand, oyster shell or rock. This can enable you find the perfect flounder-holding locations.

“It’s necessary to grasp that flounder are an ambush-type fish. They maintain close to construction, and if you discover construction by feeling it with bottom-bumping lures and bait rigs, you’ll be taught the place to focus your fishing efforts – and put extra fish within the boat because of this.”

Greatest Dwell Baits and Lures for Flounder Fishing

Dwell baitfish are numero uno for flatfish. Nearly any sort of small baitfish will work, however flounder will be selective, and also you by no means know what they’ll need till you begin fishing. Because of this, catching a wide range of native baitfish may also help dial within the chew. Use a minnow entice or throw a solid web in salt creeks and marshes to catch reside bait close to the place you’ll fish. Flounder love mullet, menhaden, croakers, spot and dust minnows (killifish). They’ll additionally eat shrimp, however minnows are greatest for flounder.

Giant baits (3 to 4 inches lengthy) are greatest for these huge doormat flounder. Hook giant minnows by way of the lips and smaller baits by way of the eyes. Forged reside baits to the perimeters of jetties, pilings, bulkheads and different construction earlier than retrieving them ever so slowly throughout the underside.

In relation to synthetic lures, grub-tailed jigs work very properly, particularly the curly tail fashions. Good colours are white, pink, smoke, silver and yellow. Generally tipping a grub jig with a bit of pure bait will tempt reluctant fish to strike. Strip baits constructed from small mullet or different baitfish will be excellent on jigs, too.