How to Find Flounder

Flounder are camouflaged against the ocean floor.

If you've ever visited the coastal waters of North America, particularly in the southern states bordering the Gulf of Mexico, you may have seen fishermen patrolling the shoreline at night. These fishermen are typically out gigging flounder. The flounder rests on silty ocean bottoms, generally close to shore in calm waters. This makes it easy for a fisherman armed with a gig and a lantern to patrol the shallows and catch a few flounder. With the right tools, you can find flounder on calm nights.

Things You'll Need

• Lantern
• Flounder gig
• Hip waders (optional)

Instructions

1. Patrol in shallow waters --- less than waist-high at incoming tide --- near rock jetties, sandbars, oyster reefs and calm inlets. Shuffle your feet as you walk to avoid stepping on flounder or stingrays. The best time to look for flounder is during the migration period, generally between January and August. (Flounder can be found year-round along the shorelines of the Gulf of Mexico.)

2. Hold the lantern close to the water. Keep your gig tip slightly above the water, or barely penetrating it. This position will allow for a quick strike with the gig.

3. Look for the flounder's indicative shape against the ocean bottom. Angle the lantern against the water surface. This will allow you to see more shadows and outlines that will help to find flounder.

4. Walk parallel to the beach, along your selected location, back and forth --- in rows --- until you see a flounder. When you see a flounder, strike swiftly and hard.

Tips & Warnings

• You can also gig flounder from a boat; when doing so, using a fish finder can increase your chances of finding flounder.

• The period from the warm spring months to early fall is the best time to patrol the waters for flounder --- during this time the water is temperate and not too cold.

• Always ensure that you have a valid fishing license for your area.

• Use extreme caution when gigging flounder. Many times stingrays are mistaken for flounder --- these creatures can whip the tail toward an unwary fisherman and land a painful sting. Look carefully at your catch before retrieving it.

References

• Game and Fish Mag: How to Find the Flounder You Want
• Gulf Coast Kayak Fishing: How to Catch Flounder
• Flounder Gigging: When and Where to Gig Flounder