Fishing Fails for Flounder

You say you want to catch more flounder? Well, of course you do – who the heck doesn’t?! There are lots of ways to catch flounder, from jigging to live-baiting to slow-trolling. They all will work at different times in different places. But – and this is a big but – if you commit any of these flounder fishing faux pas, you’re not very likely to enjoy much success. So the next time you go flounder fishing make sure to avoid these fails.

• Letting the bait or lure sit still, even for a second – Flounder like a moving bait, period. Cast out and let something sit on bottom, and (excepting something alive and swimming) the flatfish will usually completely ignore it. In fact, contrary to popular belief they often swim along and follow their prey before striking. Don’t take my word for it – plug “underwater video flounder fishing” into the search box on YouTube and check out videos of flounder as they attack; it’s quite illuminating to see them in action.
• Fishing directly over a wreck, reef, or other structure – Sure, you’ll find most predators right in the thick of the structure. But this isn’t the niche flounder fill. They instead sit under and around the structure where they can lie right against the bottom. Once you locate structure it’s usually much more productive to fish just off the sides, as opposed to directly on top of it.
• Failing to adjust line length as depth changes – On occasion you’ll catch flounder up off the bottom (once I even saw them feeding on the surface!), but this is the exception not the rule. Most anglers know to keep their offerings on or very close to bottom when they’re flounder fishing. But when your boat passes over a drop-off or depth change, you should simultaneously be letting out line to keep it all the way down there. Get lazy and you’ll miss a lot of opportunity.

Remember, flounder are a unique fish that has unique habits and habitat as compared to most other species. So, these mistakes may not lead to a reduced catch when it comes to other types of fish. But, for flounder in specific? Avoid these faux pas at all cost.