Flounder Fishing By Roger Viar

Fall fishing is a prime time of the year to catch what are called Saddle-Blanket Founder. These flat fish migrate to the Gulf area to spawn during the winter months. They travel to deeper water pockets that produce pressure on them to remove the eggs of the pregnant females.

These fish travel during the day so they can see. The currents play a big factor in steering the fish to the inlet channels. Fishing for these flat fish is a lot of fun. Flounder travel in schools sometimes and you can actually catch several in one spot. Flounder will move up in the shallows at night and bed down until they are disturbed or harvested.

Flounder Blues! Four Flat Flounders -  Music Video!

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Live finger mullet, small perch, mud minnows and small jigs are prime baits for catching these fish on a rod and reel. You cast out your bait and then start jiggling your bait slowly back to the boat or where you are wading.

Another popular way of harvesting flounder is flounder gigging, where a flounder gig is used. Flounder gigging requires a light, a gig, a stringer and a floating device to haul a 12 volt battery. Usually a 3' x 3' piece of styrofoam will work perfectly. In the good old days, Coleman lanterns were used for flounder gigging but now in the 21st Century we use under water lights, which enables you to see everything including other species of fish, crabs and sting rays.

To flounder gig, you begin walking slowly through the water looking for flounder or anything shaped like a flounder under the sand. They are very aware of you being there so you must gig them quickly. You will want to gig them in the head if possible so you won't destroy the main body of meat. Sometimes they bury in the sand and all you can see are two eyes sticking out in the sand, looking for prey.

Flounder have moveable fins around their bodies and when they find that special place to bed down in, which is usually a grass line or other structure, they start a wave action with their fins and this causes sand and debris to fall back down on them. This covers them with the sediment and makes them look like the sandy bottom of the bay. When you gig a flounder, in order to capture it successfully, you have to put your free hand under the fish to raise it out of the water. You then, put the flounder on a stringer as soon as possible. They will flop around and you can easily lose them if they are too active, so be very careful.

Remember, you can only have 10 per person with a 14 inch minimum on any fishing trip. You will also need a valid fishing license, so sharpen your hooks and gigs and have a good season!

Call Roger at 361-937-7100 to book a flounder fishing trip now!

Call Roger at 361-937-7100 to book a flounder fishing trip now!