Fish of the Day Flounder!

The flounder has two eyes situated on one side of its head and one eye migrates to the other side of the body as it grows to a juvenile. Adult flounder changes its habits and camouflages itself by lying on the bottom of the ocean floor for protection against predators.  Finally the eyes are on the side which faces up. The side to which the eyes migrate is dependent on the species type. Flounder ambush their prey, feeding at soft muddy areas of the sea bottom, near bridge piles, docks , bars inshore that hold bait and they are influenced much buy the temp of the water and the tide and will stay on the shallow edges with the dropping of the tide.

A flounder's diet consists mainly of small fish spawn, crustaceans, and Flounder will grow to lengths of 15 inches to as large as 24 inches. Their width is about half their length.  Big Males have been found up to 80 miles off the coast usually in area with crustaceans and reef areas and live loose or muddy type bottom.

The Flounder is also along has cousins and other names sole, halibut is a cousin, they are aggressively fished for around the world. The populations are coming back now with better management but up until about 2003 the populations were down to about 10% of what they once were. One thing we can do better for the flounder is get the pollution under control particularly in the gulf, the flounder is sensitive to pollution levels and the oils and petroleum industry in the southern Louisiana and Texas areas have reduce populations.   Summer Flounder are more aggressive in nature and will strike and hold a hook with much greater abandon. Either should be fished with patience.

Fishing for Flounder there are couple things you  should know and # 1 is fall you will not see them usually as close as spring and summer, making their fall migration to deeper water starting in late September and October depending on where you live. This migration to deeper water they find sandy bottom 25 to 30 miles offshore and lay in the sand around any artificial reefs and wrecks.

#2,  spring and summer months the large flounder can be found inshore close and you can catch flounder in the winter months but they are this year’s spawn all the other left to make the trip offshore are gone.

Flounder are targeted a couple of ways by angler’s traditional rod and reel and also gigging and this is done at night with light and slowly covering the inshore areas around the estuaries and using spot light and spearing the flounder as they lay on the bottom, The flounder is one of the best table fare fish out of the inshore fish most of us have had stuffed flounder at least once. More on tackle and techniques are available and we will cover in a later segment.

Drifting works well for flounder using bait or if you know an area where the likely hood that flounder are around like the same areas as Reds and Trout anchored boat or on foot works well to. Most flounder caught in or around creek systems.  Jigs, live bait rigs and not setting the hook very hard are important the flounder can feel like a thump followed by a second thumb and start reeling if you are a bass angler and like big hook sets flounder catches will be limited.

 TACKLE:

In the north Atlantic:  7′ spinning rod rated for 20lb braid and lure weights up to 1 ounce, Spinning reel rated 20lb , 20lb fluorocarbon  leader, 50lb barrel swivel,,2/0 beak bait holder hooks, if you are fishing from the bank got to get on the bottom so 4 oz. sinkers

In the Southern States: Flounder love minnows, Shrimp ,and  Berkley Gulps or other scented baits, Plastic Baits , jigs, MirrOLures, Rigging for Flounder for bait  Circle hooks [A1] will both help hook the fish and lower the number of false hookups when sliding across a grassy or rough bottom. 1/0 hook, swivel by 12 pound test ¼-1/2 oz. egg sinker freely sliding. Medium-light rod, light braided line for more feel, and finally a fluorocarbon leader 10-12lb. If you have never made the leaders buy a premade and you can learn and graduate to making your own as you learn. If you want to get more tips on how to catch the flounder send us an email at Info@wahootackleandfishing .com and we will share some other tips on preparing for or rigging for flounder.

 

Recipe:

Preheat the oven to 425°. In a large baking dish, season the fish fillets with salt and pepper. Mix the Parmesan with the bread crumbs, melted butter and olive oil and sprinkle over the fillets. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the fish is cooked and the topping is golden. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Recipe from Nigel Slater