Can you catch flounder in the winter?
Can you catch flounder in the winter?
Fishing for winter flounder can be just as productive as the spring and summer months as long as your timing and location is just right. Winter is spawning season for flounder, and you may have to go offshore to catch them during this time.
Where are flounder in the winter?
Where They Live. Winter flounder are found in estuaries and on the continental shelf of the Northwest Atlantic, from the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Canada to North Carolina. They are most common north of Delaware Bay.
What time of the year is best for flounder fishing?
While flounder can be caught year round, they are more concentrated and easier to catch or gig in fall and early winter. The best rod and reel fishing starts mid-September and goes on through December, and sometimes well into January depending on weather and how cold it gets.
How do you know if a flounder is winter?
Easy: Winter Flounder are darker than Summer Flounder. They can look almost black – hence their nickname, “Blackback”. Summer Flounder are light brown with cream or whitish spots.
Can you catch flounder in January?
Flounder can be caught in the winter months but you have to head offshore to wrecks, reefs and any other structure to find the fish. Most of the larger flounder will head offshore in the Winter in order to spawn.
Can you catch flounder in December?
Yes, you can catch flounder in the winter months but you will have to target them offshore or around near shore structure. Flounder move out into the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean in the winter to spawn so you might have to go offshore 30 or 40 miles to find them during the cooler months.
What size hooks for winter flounder?
Small Hooks size 8 or 9 ultra sharp hooks such as the Gamakatsu or Owner octopus series, etc tied into bottom rigs. Light sensitive fishing rod with line of 6 to 10 pound test. Sinkers.
What is the difference between fluke and winter flounder?
Generally speaking, left-side up flounder are flukes, and right-side up flounders are called flounders. That sounds easy enough to remember, but it gets worse. Flukes are also called “summer flounder,” and flounder, or right-side fish, are called “winter flounder.”