“I want to catch a big flounder!”

It’s that time of year where there’s hundreds of little flounder that are
“just short” and a few big “flatties” out there just waiting to hop on your
hook. Sometimes an angler catches a big flounder because he was lucky or
just in the right place at the right time. But if you specifically fish for
the big ones, you are likely to catch some trophy fish.

The only problem with targeting “big” flounder is that you are not as likely
to catch as MANY fish. You may miss out on some of those tasty “just legal”
15 and a half-inch fish. Those small 10 to 14 inch fish tend to steer away
from those larger live baits. So if you are entertaining kids or want to
keep your wife from getting bored, fishing for big ones might not be for
you. You will also be eliminating “incidental catches” such as sea bass,
spot, and croaker when you target the big ones.

“What kind of bait should I use?”

Big bait, big fish! This is the first secret. It is the simple, elementary
truth! Anglers using a larger bait are much more likely to catch a 3 to 9
pound flounder. The typical, everyday flounder bait is a live minnow with a
strip of squid on the same hook or a frozen shiner with a strip of squid on
the same hook.

To target big fish this time of year is easy because there are so many
natural baits swimming around in the bay that you can catch. The first and
foremost popular bait this time of year is live spot. Kids can catch them in
any of the canals or marina basins with tiny hooks and little pieces of
bloodworm or Fishbite Bloodworm Alternative. You can also catch them around
the Route 90 Bridge in around 4 foot of water. Stay away from the 8-foot
hole, as the spot are too big there!

The best size spot to use for flounder bait is a spot around 3-inches.
Larger spot are good for stripers but for flounder the slightly smaller ones
are better. It’s hard to buy little ones so it is best if you catch them
yourself. When we go out in our boat, we go a couple hours before the good
flounder tide and fish for spot up by the Rt. 90 Bridge or hang out in the
marina and fish for spot. Tip: Smaller pieces of worm or Fishbites on the
smallest hooks will catch you the smaller spot.

Keep the spot alive in a 5-gallon bucket with a battery operated aerator or
put them in a live well. If you have them in a bucket you usually have to
change the water in them a couple times as they will poop right away and
make the water dirty! (That’s a nice way of putting it….)

THE RIG… The typical flounder rig of a top and bottom rig is out. Skip any
beads or spinner blades and use a plain hook. Make a single leadered rig
out of a 30-inch piece of leader material or buy long leadered hooks already
snelled. I like to set up the hook with either a fish finder rig or an egg
sinker. With your sinker “free” on the line the spot wiggling around will
not tangle up your line.

Every one seems to have a certain way they like to hook their spot. I like
to insert the hook in its mouth and go up through the hard part of the roof
of its mouth. (through the snout!) It seems to stay put and the spot does
not accidentally fall off the hook. Some people hook them through the back.
This is OK when the tide is slack (or almost slack) but when the tide is
running it is best to hook the spot through the mouth, lips, or eyes.

(When you hook a spot through the back, and then try to check your bait,
pulling it sideways through a running current can kill it after 2 or 3 bait
checks.)

LET ‘EM EAT IT!

A live spot is much bigger than a live minnow. A flounder actually turns a
bait around and swallows it “head first.” You have to give the flounder a
chance to turn it around and get it in its mouth. (About 10 seconds
counting.) If you jerk on the end of the line too soon, you’ll just pull it
away from the flounder. Remember, if the fish wants it, the fish will take
it. Be patient. If the tide is running, give the fish a little line. When
you are ready to set the hook, pull your rod tip UP without cranking. When
you feel the weight of the fish, THEN set the hook and start cranking right
away. Never let any slack get in your line once you have the fish hooked.
(A big mistake a beginner does is pull up on the rod to set the hook and
then let the rod tip fall without cranking in the line. Slack gets in the
line and the hook can come out because there is suddenly no tension on it.)

BIG BAIT, BIGGER HOOK!

Have you ever seriously looked at the size of a 4 pound flounder’s mouth?
It’s big! If you are using a larger live bait use a slightly larger hook.
Anglers use a typical #1 or #1/0 when fishing with live minnows. Go up to a
size #2/0 to #4/0. If you tie your own hooks pick up a “laser sharp” hook.
The sharper the hook the easier it is to hook a fish. An Octopus or Kayle
style hook is what you want to use.

DEEP WATER!

Bigger flounder tend to hang out in the deepest holes. You may catch one in
shallow water but I would bet that shallow water was real close to a deep
hole. The deep hole next to the island in the Thorofare is a popular “big
flounder” hole. The main east channel just north of the Rt. 50 Bridge is
another “hot spot” for big flounder. When the tide slacks up boaters get as
close to the draw of the bridge as they can without blocking the boat
traffic (a nice way of putting it….) and toss in their live spot. When the
tide just starts going out, the flounder can “stack up” in here.

Another “hot spot” for big fluke is the whole east channel from 6th Street
to 1st street close to the bulkhead. It is very snaggy in here and can be a
little frustrating, but some really nice fish are caught in these waters.
Closer to the bulkhead keeps your boat from moving too fast as well. What I
do is use those inexpensive fish finder rigs so if my sinker gets hung up,
the little plastic part breaks and I only lose my sinker and break the fish
finder rig. It also gets you quickly out of the snag so you can get your
boat out of harm’s way.

The Inlet is also a good place to fish for big flounder. Drifting closer to
the sea wall slows your drift a bit. The drift from the Route 50 Bridge
towards the Coast Guard Station during a slowing tide can also be EXTREMELY
good.

“What else can I use for bait?”

Little “peanut bunkers” or “finger mullet” you can catch with your cast net.
You can fillet and scale a larger spot and put a big strip of meat on your
hook. Frozen smelts, that look just like a big shiner are also excellent
“big flounder” bait. Offshore on the artificial wreck sites, a strip of
fresh bluefish, or sea robin is also good. A whole small squid will also
work wonders.

Big bait, deep water, patience, and a big hook on a single leadered hook
will hopefully catch you that trophy flounder that will put your mug in the
Coastal Fisherman!

Good fishing….