How to Catch a Flounder by Bob Kenig Flounder Belive it or not, this is my favorite fish to catch. Although I fish for Stripers, I would rather catch Flounder. Maybe, too many footballs have hit me in the head. When Due to Federal and State Regualtions, Flounder can only be taken during the legal season. Flounder actually appear in the back bays in March and can be found on the Lumps in the Ocean in late November and early December. For the best early season Flounder fishing, the back bays are the place. The water is shallow and warms up before the Ocean or the Delaware Bay. Many Flounder actually remain in the back bays during the entire summer. Depending on the weather and the water temperatures, in late May and early June, Flounder begin to bite in the Delaware Bay and the Ocean and continue throughout the entire season. Where Back Bays In the early season, the best place, by far, is the back bays. Fishing along the edges of the channels, along the Intercoastal Waterway (ICW) are the ideal locations. Another great location is the mouth of any creek on the outgoing tide. These locations produce Flounder during the entire season. Delaware Bay The Delaware Bay has many great Flounder Spots. The key to fishing in the Bay, or any place, is to fish when the tide is moving. Some spots are better on the outgoing tide, while others are at their best on the incoming tide. Brandywine Light - The north side of the Brandywine Shoal, on either the east or west side is an excellent location on the outgoing tide. It is best to fish on the edges of the shoal as the bottom drops into deeper water. Start the drift about two hundred yards north of the light and drift slightly beyond the light. This fishing spot is definitely best on the outgoing tide. #10 Buoy - This spot has produced some of the biggest Flounder caught in Delaware Bay. This area is best fished at the top or bottom of the tide, when the tidal flow is slow. The water depth is between 40 and 50 foot and when the tide starts moving, it is really hard to hold bottom. There are times when 8 to 10 ounces of lead will not hold. Fishing to the west of this area also produces good fishing when the tide is flowing toward the Buoy. By the way, there is an Osprey nest there and it is great to watch the adult birds with their young. Brown Shoal - Like the Brandywine Light, this location is best on the outgoing tide. There are numerous shoals in this location and the various depths, located between the shoals, provide excellent hiding places for baitfish as well as Flounder. Ocean The Old Grounds - This area is certainly one of the best places for catching large Flounder on the East Coast. It is a bit of a ride from Cape May (about twenty miles south) but well worth the trip. The water depth is between 60 to 100 foot and there are very strong currents. Heavy equipment is needed and the use of 8 to 14 ounce sinkers is the rule rather than the exception. The bottom is very rocky and losing quite a few rigs is the norm. However, there is a real benefit to the rocky bottom. There are many large Sea Bass to go along with the large Flounder. REMEMBER, these are federal waters and the federal fishing regulations apply here. The Rips - This area stretches across the mouth of the Delaware Bay from Cape May to Delaware. The Rips are formed by the tide flowing across shoals and the shoals are too numerous to count. When the tide is moving, the Rips are very easy to spot and this is the time to fish. When there are no Rips formed, there is no tide and the fishing is poor. The outgoing tide seems to be the best tide for catching Flounder in this region. However, many big Flounder have also been caught on the incoming tide. If an avid fisherman spent an entire week fishing the Rips from Cape May to Delaware, he would not be able to completely cover them. The Cape May Reef - This spot, over the last several years, has developed into an excellent location for Flounder. The key is to fish the areas very near some type of structure (concrete, wrecks, etc.) A good sonar unit is a necessity to have success on or near the reef. Structure must be identified and the edges of the structure are the areas to fish. The tide seems to make little difference as long as it is moving. When there is no tide, the sharks and skates seem to attack any bait avaiable. A real benefit to fishing this area is the avaiabilty of Black Sea Bass. The reef structure has provided excellent habitat for this species. How To be successful in catching Flounder, the bait must be moving or covering the bottom. This is done by drifting with the tide or slow trolling if the tide is not moving. People have caught Flounder from an anchored boat but this is the exception to the rule. Rule #1 - Use Fluorocarbon Leaders. Rule #2 - Use Fluorocarbon Leaders. Any rig is better if it is tied with Fluorocarbon Leaders. Single hook rigs, top and bottom rigs or bucktails are much more effective when fluorocarbon is employed. Regarding sinkers and bucktails, always use the lightest weights possible. This applies to all types of fishing, not just Flounder. Perhaps, the most common Flounder bait is the squid strip and minnow combination. At times, it is also the best bait, but not in all situations. Early in the season, a strip of Herring or Mackerl might be the best bait. Anytime during the season a strip of Flounder belly (keep the carcass on the boat) or Bluefish works exceptionally well. Small live Peanut Bunker or juvenile Bluefish are also very good baits. Believe it or not, Shedder Crab works exceptionally well in the back bays. If you have any comments or questions concerning this page, e-mail Bob Kenig @ kenig1@comcast.net