# 7/22 windy flounder



## jvalhenson (May 14, 2008)

got to my spot about 11 last night and man it was slick calm and not a speck of wind. first little hump i walked around stuck four on it and thought it was gonna be a great night. as i was stringing up the 4th one the wind suddenly kicked up to about 10 to 15 out of the Southwest and that pretty much ended it for me. water got muddy and mantles started tryin to blow out. messed around another hour or so and stuck 3 more and could not deal with the wind anymore so left with 7. 14.5, 15, 16, 16, 19, 20, and 21 inches so a pretty good mess even though it was only 7. 

thought i would mention this for you guys who are just getting started and seem a little frustrated with not seeing many. 99% of the time i simply walk with a lantern and homemade gig and stringer. no fancy light rigs or generators or anything else. been giggin this way for almost 30 years and most of the time stick just as many as anyone else. the key is to do a little homework and more importantly leg work and just keep at it till you find a couple spots and then work them over hard. for the past 3 years i have been gigging in almost one spot only. every once in a while when i want to look at some different bottom i go somewhere else to change it up a little but been sticking to this spot pretty exclusively. this is only about a 300 yard stretch of small bayou that i found kinda randomly during a low tide one day at a family members house and noticed all the humps sticking up. turned out to be a great find. this year alone i have stuck 168 flounder from this one spot. thats not counting the ones stepped on or that spooked or whatever. just wanting to let some of you new guys know that it does not take a big crazy set up of boats and lights and all that. you can make a minimum investment in some very basic stuff and if you are willing to put in a little legwork and pay attention to finding some good spots you can stick plenty so keep at it and you will find some good spots soon enough. that being said i am not bashing the boat guys as i do every once in a while go in the skiff with the lights and generator and gig from the boat just that its not necessary to get gig a good mess. ok...enough of that...here a couple pics of last nights pickings.


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## Murphy's Law (Sep 27, 2007)

Those are some thick flatties, Congrat's :clap


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## User6882 (Feb 4, 2009)

great flatties.. i wouldnt mind a few for the fryer


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## roll tide roll (Jun 13, 2008)

where are the gig holes?


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## Midnight Rider (Sep 30, 2007)

> *roll tide roll (7/23/2009)*where are the gig holes?


Most likely using a single gig without a barb and bending over and sliding hand under fish to pick up off the bottom. Single gig hole hard to see in pick but I think I see a hole in the gill plate of the biggest one. Nice fish and great report.


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## jamesc (Oct 16, 2008)

Fine Catch!


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## recess (Oct 8, 2007)

Looks like dinner to me. Good catch. Gene


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## jvalhenson (May 14, 2008)

yes single no barb gig. most of the time i only stick them throught the gill plates since thats the hardest part of the fish plus no holes in the meat(although it sure do not bother me if i need to center punch one). obviously thats when they are laying there nice and pretty and its easy to tell whats what. if they are buried or cant really tell what end is what then they get a center punch for sure. but these were all gill plate shots pretty much. i use a homemade gig made from a 5 foot hardwood handle, 2 foot piece of 5/16 spring steel, and about an 8 inch piece of copper tube. drill in about 8 inches into the handle just big enough to fit the steel in without splitting it. slide steel into hole in handle, then hammer the copper tube over the handle till it flush to lock the steel into the handle. then just for good measure put some type of expoxy sealent on it to lock it all in place but thats really not necessary. they sharpen the steel to a dull point....dont want a needle sharp point as that will bend.made one about 15 years ago like this and used it for years till some jackhole stole it out of the back of my truck in Mobile. Shocker. so had to make another one last year. anyway.....this make a very strong light gigthat is gets plenty deep enough under the flounder to keep the really fat boys from pulling away. and the way i string them is i just reach down and grab them up under the gills and pull the gig out...just make sure to have a good grip under the gills and they cant flip away..much easier to string them up like that with the gills flared open.


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## choppedliver (Apr 4, 2009)

> *jvalhenson (7/24/2009)*yes single no barb gig. most of the time i only stick them throught the gill plates since thats the hardest part of the fish plus no holes in the meat(although it sure do not bother me if i need to center punch one). obviously thats when they are laying there nice and pretty and its easy to tell whats what. if they are buried or cant really tell what end is what then they get a center punch for sure. but these were all gill plate shots pretty much. i use a homemade gig made from a 5 foot hardwood handle, 2 foot piece of 5/16 spring steel, and about an 8 inch piece of copper tube. drill in about 8 inches into the handle just big enough to fit the steel in without splitting it. slide steel into hole in handle, then hammer the copper tube over the handle till it flush to lock the steel into the handle. then just for good measure put some type of expoxy sealent on it to lock it all in place but thats really not necessary. they sharpen the steel to a dull point....dont want a needle sharp point as that will bend.made one about 15 years ago like this and used it for years till some jackhole stole it out of the back of my truck in Mobile. Shocker. so had to make another one last year. anyway.....this make a very strong light gigthat is gets plenty deep enough under the flounder to keep the really fat boys from pulling away. and the way i string them is i just reach down and grab them up under the gills and pull the gig out...just make sure to have a good grip under the gills and they cant flip away..much easier to string them up like that with the gills flared open.


would love to see a pic of your homemade gig!


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## Shiznik (Feb 24, 2008)

Sounds like a true honey hole to me. Keep up the good work!


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## Death From Above (Sep 28, 2007)

> *choppedliver (7/24/2009)*
> 
> 
> > *jvalhenson (7/24/2009)*yes single no barb gig. most of the time i only stick them throught the gill plates since thats the hardest part of the fish plus no holes in the meat(although it sure do not bother me if i need to center punch one). obviously thats when they are laying there nice and pretty and its easy to tell whats what. if they are buried or cant really tell what end is what then they get a center punch for sure. but these were all gill plate shots pretty much. i use a homemade gig made from a 5 foot hardwood handle, 2 foot piece of 5/16 spring steel, and about an 8 inch piece of copper tube. drill in about 8 inches into the handle just big enough to fit the steel in without splitting it. slide steel into hole in handle, then hammer the copper tube over the handle till it flush to lock the steel into the handle. then just for good measure put some type of expoxy sealent on it to lock it all in place but thats really not necessary. they sharpen the steel to a dull point....dont want a needle sharp point as that will bend.made one about 15 years ago like this and used it for years till some jackhole stole it out of the back of my truck in Mobile. Shocker. so had to make another one last year. anyway.....this make a very strong light gigthat is gets plenty deep enough under the flounder to keep the really fat boys from pulling away. and the way i string them is i just reach down and grab them up under the gills and pull the gig out...just make sure to have a good grip under the gills and they cant flip away..much easier to string them up like that with the gills flared open.
> ...


+1 on the gig picture

How do you keep from sinking knee/thigh deep in mud in the bayous over there?


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## Flounder9.75 (Sep 28, 2007)

Nice fish. Sounds like you've got a real "Honey Hole" for sure.


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## jvalhenson (May 14, 2008)

ok here are a few gig pics....as you can see nothing special just a big heavy duty walking gig. great for walking but would be pretty useless from a boat but everything has its place.


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## choppedliver (Apr 4, 2009)

Thats a mean looking gig! I guess when sharp part is that long you dont need any barbs


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