A staple fish on any seafood restaurant’s menu is flounder or what some call fluke. Fluke is a fish caught in a variety of saltwater environments although it can be a tricky fish to target. Many people spend countless days targeting fluke due to its firm and mild tasting meat, which is considered by many to be one of the best tasting fish in the ocean. Fluke is found on both coasts of the United States under a number of different names although most people agree on its edibility no matter what part of the world he or she may be in. Fresh fluke cannot be matched in texture and taste and is the preferred way to have the fish although one must know how to catch the fish before he or she will be able to have it for dinner. There are a few tips and tricks that one should keep in mind when targeting fluke, which depend on what type of environment one is fishing in. For instance, if you are using a boat for fishing, you will be able to fish deeper structures or structures that cannot be reached by foot. This will give you an advantage although those surf fishing or walking to their fishing hole still have plenty of opportunities to catch fluke.
Boat Fishing
Fishing for fluke from a boat is very different than fishing from a creek bed, river, or from the surf. When fishing for fluke from a boat, you will probably be around underwater structure that is not very deep. Sometimes, the water may be impassable at low tide. Many times flounder use oyster beds as a prime area for their habitat. However, as many anglers who fish oyster beds know, oysters are sharp and can snag, rip, and snap almost any line with the exception of steel leaders. For this reason, it is best to suspend your bait just above the oyster bed to ensure that your line does not become entangled in the chaos that exists below. There are large flounder float rigs that many people use when fishing around bridge pilings and oyster beds. These float rigs can be used with live minnows or cut bait although live minnows are the preferred bait. The type of rod to use can range from a smaller bass rod to a medium action spinning setup. Either of these rod and reel combos will work when boat fishing for flounder.
Surf Fishing and River Beds
On the East Coast of the United States, fluke roam many different areas although North Carolina southward offers prime flounder habitat. Flounder come up the coastline during the spring of the year and use shallow waters in the sound to spawn. After the water temperature increases to 65 degrees, flounder will start appearing at inlets, in the surf, and move back into rivers and creeks seeking cooler water when the heat of the summer sets in. Due to this fact, the best time for catching flounder is during the spring and fall. Fluke fishing from the surf and rivers are different than boat fishing and require a bit more patience and skill. First, one should set up a flounder rig, which for sandy bottoms should not include a float. A fluke rig is like a basic Carolina rig. A leader is attached to a terminal line. At the end of the leader can be a single hook or bucktail. Attach a live minnow, cut bait, or shrimp to the leader with a circle hook on the end. When using cut baits such as mullet or menhaden, a good practice is to cut the bait into strips resembling small eels. Eels are a favorite of fluke. Find a slough in the surf and cast your rig past the breakers only to reel slowly back towards shore. When a fluke strikes, the fish usually taps on the bait. Do not immediately set the hook but allow the fluke to swallow the bait. The circle hook will help ensure that the hook does not get lodge deep within the bowels of the fish. One will know that he or she has a flounder by the tapping on the line.