| If you've ever fished for flounder, no doubt | | | | The other option of course if you're dealing with |
| you've discovered that these flat fish with lots of | | | | slightly lethargic fish is the snap method. This is |
| teeth have an attitude that is well known. These | | | | actually quite simple to do - once your line hits |
| fish are masters of camouflage and they are as | | | | bottom, snap it back quickly and allow it to fall |
| quick as lightening. There are very few east coast | | | | slack. This usually will grab the attention of a lazy |
| fish that are as sought after as the summer | | | | fluke. |
| flounder. The reason for this is two-fold - first, | | | | After hooking and landing the fluke make sure |
| they fight like mad and second their tasty while | | | | you find a way to pinpoint your location - whether |
| fillets are pleasing to nearly any palate. | | | | via GPS or triangulation. Chances are that there |
| Summer flounder start to appear on the | | | | are more fluke in that location and repositioning |
| shorelines of the northeast generally sometime in | | | | your boat will allow you to make the same pass. |
| May. Warmer water means they will follow their | | | | This is when a GPS becomes invaluable. |
| food (squid, sand eels and other bait fish) into | | | | As the season progresses the water near the |
| bays, tidal river mouths and shallow beach waters. | | | | shore becomes too warm for fluke. This is when |
| During the warmest days of summer, flounder | | | | you'll want to wander out to areas that are forty |
| can be found as close to thirty feet to as many | | | | to one hundred twenty feet. Target fishing will be |
| as one hundred and twenty feet from shore. This | | | | the most beneficial to you at these depths. Most |
| allows them to lurk in the water that has a | | | | fluke rigs are now spinner rigs - they are the |
| temperature they are comfortable in. This means | | | | most common. Your local bait and tackle shop will |
| that fall weather will find the close to shore as | | | | likely carry a variety of fluke spinner rigs. |
| they are in late spring. During late fall the fluke will | | | | Experiment until you find which one you prefer |
| again migrate back to the deeper waters of the | | | | and then you can begin designing your own based |
| Atlantic so they can find warmer water to live | | | | on your individual preferences and success. |
| out the Northeast winter. | | | | A spinner rig consists of three eyes - the first |
| Fishing for fluke takes some various approaches | | | | connects to the main line, the second for |
| dictated by where you're fishing. Let's first discuss | | | | connecting a sinker and finally the last eye holds a |
| shallow water fishing which is preferable early and | | | | leader. To get the most out of your spinner rig, |
| late in the season. Depending on your location you | | | | place a series of colored beads and spinner blade |
| may want to start in twenty feet or less of | | | | just above your hook. Add your favorite bait to |
| water, near the beach. The ideal tackle for these | | | | your hook and use a large enough sinker to |
| conditions can be either a conventional or spinning | | | | ensure that you will be in contact with the bottom |
| rod. Jigs in the one to four ounce range are | | | | of the water bed and still have a vertical line. As |
| usually best and can be tipped with squid. You | | | | your boat drifts, the spinner rig will create |
| should deploy your jigs straight down from the | | | | vibrations and a visual queue to get the attention |
| side of your drifting boat. Make sure that your jig | | | | of the fluke. This is caused when your boat is |
| is heavy enough that your line stays vertical. This | | | | drifting with the current and the spinner blade is |
| will ensure that the line is in contact with the | | | | rotating ahead of your hook. |
| water bed where the fluke are most likely to be | | | | Using a combination of techniques for shallow |
| located. If the jig is too light chances are that it | | | | water jigging can help you catch more fluke than |
| will lose not come close enough to the bottom to | | | | you could hope for. The deeper water spinner rigs |
| allow a successful fishing expedition. | | | | ensure that even as they move out to cooler |
| Work your jig by raising and lowering it as the | | | | waters, you'll still be able to quickly and easily find |
| boat drifts. The rule of thumb is one to two feet | | | | some of the best tasting fish you can catch. |
| from the bottom. Do this by lifting your rod tip | | | | Tipping your spinner rigs and jigs with squid strips |
| and try to not raise it more than two feet. When | | | | helps you be more successful and it's readily |
| lowering the jig back to the bottom, do so slowly. | | | | available in most bait shops. |