# 1am to 4am flatties



## jvalhenson (May 14, 2008)

Had what was by far my worst percentage of fish seen to gigged in my life last night. Hit the water about 1am left at 4 with 12 but missed opportunities at 19 fish. Now not all of those were legitimate shots at em with some being stepped on crossing deeper water that couldnt even come close to seeing in or spooking from 15 feet away as soon as the light hit em but at least 8 of those should have been on the string. Multiple factors made it very tough last night and I mean it was tough. Light west wind which by itself would have been no problem but there was also a little murk so the combination limited my vis quit a bit. Started loosing vis at about 8 inches and by 10 inches couldnt make out any detail on the bottom and the fish all seemed to be holding in about 10-12 inches of water. A few times I would see "something" and gig it and often it was a flounder....sometimes I would get it and sometimes I would gig right next to it or barely hit it and it would tear off. Also a few times I would see what I thought was a flounder and gig it and it turned out to be a bed and the flounder that made it was laying about 2 feet away just a little bit deeper and would take off when I gigged the bed. Still not a bad nght but man is it frustrating to see all those little dust streaks taking off.


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## Ruger7mmmag (Jun 3, 2011)

I'm jealous! Nice trip. Out of Mississippi?


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## fulish850 (Oct 21, 2008)

Nice haul , it seems like the farther west from FL the quantity of fish gets better . Keep up the great reports !


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## Ruger7mmmag (Jun 3, 2011)

When I lived in PC, we used to NAIL them in a number of places. The banks behind "Under the Oaks" park near Tyndall. Behind shell island. Then we used to absolutely drill them on the banks east of the 331 bridge. Never gigged in Pcola though or in Mobile yet. Though the time is getting close to give it a shot. Have done a bit of softshelling here with some good success before the spill though. Wasn't brave enough to eat them last year so we took a year off!


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## jvalhenson (May 14, 2008)

Yes in MS. As far as goin west and gettin more fish I can tell you they aren't just layin everywhere here. It takes a lot of patience, years of finding spots, and lots of walking/lookin but once you do find where some places where they like to lay you can get a mess. 100 yards in or out or going right instead of left when you start a lot of nights is the diff in gettin 3 vs a limit. Seems like now we have more people lookin for flounder than we have flounder....I have not had a single night yet where someone hasn't come out on top of me and cut me off. Last night a guy was coming from the other direction so once we got close I turned and started back where I came. He got out of the water and trotted about 20 yards past me and came back out just to get in front of me. Was very difficult to keep calm but my heavy string vs his totally empty one was satisfaction enough. Man I miss gettin softshells...that is by far my favorite thing in the sound...used to be nothin to go pick up 5 or 6 dozen on a full moon summer night but now a great night is 5 or 6 crabs instead of 5 or 6 dozen. I guess its just to many crab pots out there now so the ones we get to pick up are next to none. I did find a spot up one of our rivers that is slam full of crabs so plan on checkin that for softies on the next full moon.


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## TurtleLA (Mar 21, 2011)

*question*

In all my years of gigging, I've never seen a softshell out there. I've tapped on many crabs , but they are all hard. Are you finding hard crabs that are about to bust, or are they already soft? I've gotten soft shells in the daytime in grass beds, but never at night. By the way, nice fish. I scouted an area in LA last year and found the fish. I scouted my butt off and it has payed off. Luckily I haven't seen anyone else out there gigging so I have it all to myself.


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## Ruger7mmmag (Jun 3, 2011)

When I usually see them, I'm not floundering, but it is at night in an area different than where these guys are looking. More north of there in Mobile Bay. They are usually so soft when you find them that they can't even move when you go to pick them up. Usually get them the same time these guys are gigging. Low tides seem to work best in my experience.


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## Flounder9.75 (Sep 28, 2007)

Another nice mess of Miss. fish WTG. Yeah the water in the Sound hasn't been that good so fsr this year, seems to get worst on the in comin tide. Ain't nothin I hate more than for someone to come and jump in front of me.


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## banjovie (Nov 1, 2008)

*Awsome haul!*

People dont understand how much effort it takes:thumbsup: and miles walked to get a limmit wading. We cover a third of the water a boat covers in an hour, and work our butts off to kill that many fish. Great Job!!!


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## Travis12Allen (Jun 1, 2011)

Jval, what kind of gig head are you using? You do a great job of keeping those fish pretty. I can't find but where I see maybe one fish in those pictures with holes. Congrats on some nice fish. Keep them coming!:thumbsup:


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## jvalhenson (May 14, 2008)

I make my own gigs....I am out of town till fri but will post a pic when I get back. Just a good hardwood handle about 5ft long, about a 20in long piece of 5/16 spring steel rod, and 4in piece of copper tubing slightly smaller than the diameter of the handle. Drill a hole about 6 or 8in into the end of the handle and epoxy the steel into it. Then hammer the copper over the end of the handle to lock the rod in the handle...also epoxy the copper on...mainly to help keep the water out of the hole. You will prob have to rasp the handle down a little to get the copper to hammer on. Then just sharpen the end of the rod to a rounded point...not needle sharp as that will just become blunt and bent when hittin shells and junk. Makes one heck of a gig and stout enough to stick anything plus the long steel rod will get plenty deep in the sand or mud to really anchor it. I try my best to gig em either through the gill plate or at least right behind it at the pectoral fin...of course sometimes you just gotta stick em where you can see em but giging them in the head as much as possible and using a single prob gig doesn't leave much of a mark.


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## Travis12Allen (Jun 1, 2011)

That's what I'm talking about. I can't wait to see a pic of that rig. :thumbup:


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## jvalhenson (May 14, 2008)

here is a few pics of one of the gigs I make


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