Masters of Ambush: A Guide to Catching Flounder
They are one of the strangest and most fascinating fish in the inshore world. A flounder starts its life looking like a normal fish, but as it matures, one eye migrates to the other side of its head, and it turns on its side to spend the rest of its life flat on the bottom. This unique biology makes them the ultimate ambush predator, using their mottled skin as nearly perfect camouflage while they wait for a meal to swim overhead. Fishing for them is a game of patience, but the reward is one of the best-tasting fish in the sea.
Where to Find Flounder: Think Like a Predator
A flounder isn’t going to chase down a meal. It positions itself where the current will bring the meal to it. They lie on the bottom, facing into the current, waiting for baitfish and shrimp to be swept by. To find them, you must find these ambush points.
- Channel Edges and Drop-offs: Flounder love any kind of ledge or drop-off. They will sit on the bottom and wait for bait to swim over the edge.
- Jetties and Bridge Pilings: The structure of pilings and jetty rocks creates eddies and current breaks where flounder can lie in wait.
- Mouths of Creeks on an Outgoing Tide: This is a prime spot. Flounder will stack up at the mouth of a marsh creek as the tide goes out, waiting to intercept all the bait being flushed out.
The Best Baits for Flounder (Hint: They’re Alive)
While flounder will hit artificials, live bait is king. Their diet consists mainly of small fish and shrimp, so matching that is your best bet.
- Mud Minnows & Finger Mullet: These are the top two choices. They are hardy on a hook and are a primary food source for flounder.
- Live Shrimp: A live shrimp is candy to a flounder, but other smaller fish might steal it first.
Top Lures for Flounder Fishing
If you’re set on using artificials, the key is to keep it on the bottom and fish it SLOW. You are trying to drag it right across a flounder’s nose.
- Soft Plastics on a Jig Head: A 3-inch Gulp! Swimming Mullet on a 1/4 oz jig head is a legendary flounder catcher. The scent and slow-falling action are key.
- Bucktail Jigs: A simple white bucktail jig, often tipped with a small piece of shrimp or a soft plastic trailer, is another classic.
The Classic Flounder Rig: The Carolina Rig
The best way to present a live bait to a flounder is the Carolina Rig. It consists of an egg sinker, a bead, and a swivel on your main line, followed by an 18-inch leader and a wide-gap hook. This setup allows your live bait to swim naturally just above the bottom, right in the strike zone, while the heavy weight maintains bottom contact.
The Bite and the Hookset: The Art of Patience
This is the most critical part of flounder fishing, and it’s where most beginners fail. A flounder bite is not aggressive. It usually feels like a soft “thump” or a sudden heaviness. DO NOT set the hook. That “thump” is the flounder grabbing the bait with its teeth. It needs time to turn the bait and swallow it. The classic advice is to slowly lower your rod tip, give it some slack, and count to 10. After you’ve waited, slowly reel up the slack. If you feel a steady weight, use a long, sweeping hookset, not a sharp jerk.
These unique fish complete the inshore ‘Big Three’ and are one of the most rewarding targets in the world of Inshore Fishing.
-Captain Sal
