What Do Flounder Eat?
Flounder are found in coastal waters as far south as Florida and as far north as Maine, as well as in similar latitudes around the world. It is known as a "flat fish" because its body is extremely wide and flat. IBoth of their eyes are on the same side of their head so that they can lie completely flat on the ocean floor. If you are fishing for flounder, then you will need to not only factor in their favorite foods, but also their seasonal habits and normal swimming behavior.
-
Types
-
Summer flounder, or flukes, live off the eastern coast of the United States, while winter flounder live in deeper-ocean waters during the summer, then move inland during the winter. These flounder are also found off the eastern United States coast, as well as in New Zealand's coastal waters.
Identification
-
Flounder lie on the bottom of lakes, rivers or oceans and watch for unsuspecting prey.
Flounders are hard to see and can be very hard to fish for because of their body type. They lie in the sand and mud at the bottom of the ocean. They often cover themselves with sediment so that only their eyes are showing. They can raise, lower and shift their eyes independently of each other.
Size
-
Average flounder weigh between 2 and 4 pounds. They are often referred to as "flatties" by fishermen. Some flounder can grow to be more than 8 pounds, and they are referred to as "doormats" due to their similarities in size and shape.
Features
-
Flounder eat a varied diet that depends largely on their location, the time of year and the state of the aquatic environment around them. In nature, they eat mainly small worms, shrimp, mussels and small fish and crabs. As flounder age, they prefer mainly mollusks and fish, but younger flounder feed mainly on crustaceans. Bait your hook with any of these delicacies, or try squid and baby flounder. Flounder are extremely aggressive hunters, and you can often attract them simply with a small piece of bait floating above them. They will even leap out of the water to chase jumping schools of small fish.
Benefits
-
Flounder are delicious and can be prepared in a variety of ways. They are also an excellent source of vitamin B12, according to the Food and Drug Administration, which means that a serving of flounder contains more 20 percent of the recommended daily allowance for this nutrient. They are also high in potassium, which is good for heart health, and vitamin B6, which is important to the function of your metabolism.
-
