Flounder fishing is one of the highlights for amateur and professional anglers alike. Flounders have a reputation as being a top game fish for several reasons. They’re widespread and found throughout their range. If you find an area that is known for flounder, you’ll probably find them. They’re also not finicky eaters. They’ll take a variety of baits, including artificial lures.
There are several techniques for fishing flounder that will greatly improve your odds of catching one. So it pays to listen to the pros and apply their advice. You need to know which baits to use, which artificial lures work best, and how and where to find them. You also need to know which fishing rigs work best for catching flounder.
Presentation of your bait is everything when it comes to catching flounder. Selecting the correct rig for your location and water conditions is important. Since flounder live and feed on the bottom you want to start with a fishing rig that will get your bait on the bottom. Below are some of the most popular rigs that will get your bait on the bottom and present it in a fashion that is irresistible to flounder.
A surf fishing rig used to catch a large variety of fishing including stripers and redfish
Effective rig that provokes an agressive strick from flounder and other sea fish
A bass fishing rig that can be fished deep, shallow, and anywhere in between
Ideal for still fishing or drift fishing the bottom for light biting fish such as walleye
This is a traditional saltwater drift fishing rig designed to fish on the bottom
A versatile rig for fishing natural or artificial bait from shallow to deep water
Presents two baited hooks at once doubling an angler odds of a catching a fish
Trolling rig that keeps bait close to the bottom while minimizing snags from cover
Jig rig with natural action and presentation ideal for targeting flounder (fluke)
A baited bottom fishing rig used primarily for surf fishing for pompano
Fish Finder Rig with Live Bait
When baited with live mullet, shrimp or squid, the fish finder rig is hands down one of the best bottom fishing rigs for targeting flounder. It works well for drift fishing, fishing anchored from a boat, or when fishing the surf from shore.
The magic of the fish finder rig is that the line flows freely through the sliding sleeve connecting the sinker to line. This allows the flounder to take the bait without feeling any resistance from the weight of the sinker. The flounder has a little extra time to fully commit to the bait and the angler is able to achieve a more solid hookup.
When fishing flounder in nearshore shallows or bays, go with a 3/0 to 5/0 octopus, circle or wide gap hook. When fishing deeper waters, targeting larger fluke with live bait, we recommend a 6/0 to 8/0 hook. Bigger hooks work better for presenting larger baits.
Just remember, when a flounder hits, give it a little time (4-5 seconds) to take the bait before setting the hook with a smooth, firm flip of the rod. Waiting a few seconds will ensure a solid hookset and increase your catch rate.
When targetng flounder, a 1/2- to 2-ounce egg sinker is usually sufficient. If a large weight is needed, you can use either a bank sinker or pyramid sinker. If you’re going to drag your bait along the bottom, an egg sinker is preferred. If you need extra weight to hold your line down and in place, a 2-3 ounce bank sinker or pyramid sinker will do the trick.
Drop Shot Rig
Most anglers use the drop shot rig exclusively for bass fishing, but it works equally well for saltwater flounder fishing. In fact, some saltwater anglers rely almost entirely on the drop shot rig for targeting flounder—and they reel flounder in consistently with nothing more than this setup.
The drop shot rig consists of a sinker weight suspended below a hook. Using a drop shot setup for nearshore flounder fishing in 2 to 15 feet of water we recommend a size 1/0 long shank straight worm hook with a 5″ Kalin’s Lunker Grub and 2 oz torpedo sinker positioned about 8-10 inches below your hook. Feed your hook into the head of the grub and run it about 1″ down the shaft and out the side.
To work the drop shot rig cast out where flounder tend to group along sandy bottoms. Let your weight settle on the bottom and then slow retrieve ensuring your grub and weight stay in contact with the bottom. When you feel a bite, pause just a moment and then with a flip of your wrist bring the tip of your rod up and set the hook.
Some anglers replace the sinker on the drop shot rig with a 1 oz bucktail jig. This setup is a bit nontraditional, but it gets bites. You can vary the weight of the bucktail jig based on water conditions.
Trolling With a Three Way Swivel Rig
When targeting flounder in deeper waters, slow trolling over productive areas by boat fishing a three-way swivel rig with live bait can be one of the more effective methods to catch flounder. Trolling flat sandy bottom areas near rockpiles and pilings can be especially effective for getting hookups.
For a three-way swivel rig for trolling flounder, you’re going to want a longer 40-50 lb mono leader in the 32 to 36 inch range. If you’re bay fishing where the water is a bit murky, go with Trilene Green leader line. If you’re trolling clear coastal waters a standard mono for the leader works fine.
For the main line we recommend a 50 lb braid. For your weight 8 to 12 oz is usually sufficient. If you’re trolling strong current, you may need to increase your weight amount and decrease your weight line length to avoid rig twisting.
When fishing live finger mullet we recommend using a 4/0 J hook. For minnows a 3/0 J hook. And for live spot increase your hook size to 5/0. A 2/0 to 3/0 swivel is ideal for targeting your average 12″ to 18″ flounder.
