# help with flounder?



## Captain_Saylor (May 4, 2012)

I have been fishing ever since I was 3. I have caught all the usual fish around our area (pensacola bay,pass, gulf). I have been trying to catch flounder for the past two years. I have been to catfish basin garcon point and all throughout blackwater. i have been to 3 mile and fished many grass flats on the bay. I HAVENT CAUGHT A FLOUNDER EVER IN MY LIFE. CAN YOU PLEASE HELP ME????

THANKS,

Saylor Davis


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## fsu alex (Aug 3, 2011)

Catfish basin is a great place to catch flatties. I always catch them on 5"Gulp jerkshads. Just make sure that you bounce them off the bottom.


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## Ocean Master (May 20, 2008)

There around any kind of structure in the bays and intercoastal. Use a light 1/2 to 3/4 oz. egg sinker for a carolina rig with live bait and slowly drag and bump the bottom. If it feels like you just got hung up wait a minute. Slowly lift the rod tip and feel if anything pulls back. If it does wait a few seconds longer before setting the hook. Flounder can swim away with the bait and just hold it before swallowing.

I like bull minnows the best followed by finger mullet. 

If you're using jigs and plastics just slowly drag and bump the bottom.

You will catch them somwhere..! When you do there are usually more real close by.


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## Captain_Saylor (May 4, 2012)

Thank you guys very much!!!!! Is baiting with catfood a good way to bring them in? Do you have any Other just general area spots not like a golden secret spot but just a normal talked about flounder habitat is?
Thanks a lot, 

Saylor


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## Ft.Walton_Angler (Jan 8, 2009)

Captain_Saylor said:


> Thank you guys very much!!!!! Is baiting with catfood a good way to bring them in? Do you have any Other just general area spots not like a golden secret spot but just a normal talked about flounder habitat is?
> Thanks a lot,
> 
> Saylor


Next time you're in the Destin area just fish around the Harbor walk docks, the jetty's on both side of the pass and the sand peninsula. You will see other folks at all of these places. Follow Ocean Master's directions and you will catch them in this area. He knows what he's talkin about.

P.S. leave the cat food at home and stick with minnows and shrimp there. You'll find 3 or 4 bait shops around this area that will sell everything you need.


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## hjorgan (Sep 30, 2007)

I have been in the same boat. Followed the above methods and finally caught a few on porpoise. Just have to be patient.


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## Sedge (Apr 30, 2012)

fsu alex said:


> Catfish basin is a great place to catch flatties.


Where is Catfish Basin?


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## Captain_Saylor (May 4, 2012)

Over in black water east


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## Ocean Master (May 20, 2008)

There should be some around the rock jetties in Pensacola Pass. If you don't get a Flounder you will probably get a Redfish or Spanish.

In the 70's we used to keep a pole spear hidden in the rocks b/c it was illegal to have any type of speargun where the beach is accessible to the public and the law did check. We would dive and "stack um up" on the end of the pole spear. Don't you love the ole' days..!!


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## JD7.62 (Feb 13, 2008)

hjorgan said:


> I have been in the same boat. Followed the above methods and finally caught a few on porpoise. Just have to be patient.


Thats gotta be some monster flatties, forget doormats, more like area rugs, to eat a porpoise.


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## oxbeast1210 (Jun 21, 2010)

Wife got this one near catfish basin saturday had a couple more we lost at the boat ...
They were hiting gulp shrimp and rattle traps..

jd I was thinking the same thing when I read porpoise lol.


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## jackstraw (Jan 3, 2011)

Captain_Saylor said:


> I have been fishing ever since I was 3. I have caught all the usual fish around our area (pensacola bay,pass, gulf). I have been trying to catch flounder for the past two years. I have been to catfish basin garcon point and all throughout blackwater. i have been to 3 mile and fished many grass flats on the bay. I HAVENT CAUGHT A FLOUNDER EVER IN MY LIFE. CAN YOU PLEASE HELP ME????
> 
> THANKS,
> 
> Saylor Davis


this works pretty much everywhere

http://capt-tim.blogspot.com/2011/05/targeting-flounder-on-georgia-coast.html


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## Johnms (Nov 29, 2010)

oxbeast1210 said:


> Wife got this one near catfish basin saturday had a couple more we lost at the boat ...
> They were hiting gulp shrimp and rattle traps..}]
> 
> YOU are a lucky man. Pretty Wife!


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## oxbeast1210 (Jun 21, 2010)

Thank you! I am lucky She enjoys fishing and that makes the sport better ...although she usually out fishes me...


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## reelthrill (Oct 3, 2007)

I have been catching flounder on rod and reel for over forty years around here. Take a 5/8oz - 3/4oz pompano jig and tip the back of it with a strip of fresh mullet, pinfish, croaker, etc.... The strip needs to be about the size of your middle finger. Toss around stucture, (Garcon pier pilings real good right now), and just shake the jig back to you at an angle where the jig will stay on the bottom. Many times you want feel a bite, but the jig will feel heavy. When you feel this, wait a few seconds and set the hook. Note: it is harder to keep the jig on bottom with braided line because it does not sink as well as mono.


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## willie b (Jul 11, 2011)

oxbeast1210 said:


> Thank you! I am lucky She enjoys fishing and that makes the sport better ...although she usually out fishes me...


You are a wise man, oxbeast.


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## Captain_Saylor (May 4, 2012)

What's a pompano jig is it like the same as the ones I use on a gulp


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## oxbeast1210 (Jun 21, 2010)

Reelthrill I just bought a handful of pomp jigs to try out your technique . Do you usually fish the deeper columns or more shallow?


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## oxbeast1210 (Jun 21, 2010)

pomp


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## Captain_Saylor (May 4, 2012)

http://sfttackle.com/index.cfm?fuse...8&ParentCat=13&CFID=25674119&CFTOKEN=96802356 

Just a piece of pinfish or a full live one?


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## Captain_Saylor (May 4, 2012)

Johnms Were you just throwing on the grass flats?


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## oxbeast1210 (Jun 21, 2010)

Strip of bait . I'm going to try it this weekend. pompano jigs are like the ones in my pic


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## Captain_Saylor (May 4, 2012)

reelthrill said:


> I have been catching flounder on rod and reel for over forty years around here. Take a 5/8oz - 3/4oz pompano jig and tip the back of it with a strip of fresh mullet, pinfish, croaker, etc.... The strip needs to be about the size of your middle finger. Toss around stucture, (Garcon pier pilings real good right now), and just shake the jig back to you at an angle where the jig will stay on the bottom. Many times you want feel a bite, but the jig will feel heavy. When you feel this, wait a few seconds and set the hook. Note: it is harder to keep the jig on bottom with braided line because it does not sink as well as mono.


How do you set the hook on a flounder?


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## Johnms (Nov 29, 2010)

Captain_Saylor said:


> Johnms Were you just throwing on the grass flats?


that was my neighbor and they struck out. I will be hitting them at dawn tomorrow.


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## reelthrill (Oct 3, 2007)

Captain_Saylor said:


> How do you set the hook on a flounder?


 Just one good hard jerk, (like a bass). Make sure you use a net because flounder will shake vigorously if you lift them out of the water and will easily shake off the hook.


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## hjorgan (Sep 30, 2007)

oxbeast1210 said:


> Wife got this one near catfish basin saturday had a couple more we lost at the boat ...
> They were hiting gulp shrimp and rattle traps..
> 
> jd I was thinking the same thing when I read porpoise lol.


Sorry, caught a few ON PURPOSE.


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## oxbeast1210 (Jun 21, 2010)

No need to apologize I knew what you ment just made me laugh .


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## FishGolfDrink (Apr 19, 2011)

check out the flounder fanatic... landed my 1st place inshore slam flounder on it @ this year's GCKFA..

www.flounderfanatic.com you can use it with live or plastic baits.. slowly roll it on the bottom.


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## naclh2oDave (Apr 8, 2008)

Ocean Master said:


> There around any kind of structure in the bays and intercoastal. Use a light 1/2 to 3/4 oz. egg sinker for a carolina rig with live bait and slowly drag and bump the bottom. If it feels like you just got hung up wait a minute. Slowly lift the rod tip and feel if anything pulls back. If it does wait a few seconds longer before setting the hook. Flounder can swim away with the bait and just hold it before swallowing.
> 
> I like bull minnows the best followed by finger mullet.
> 
> ...



+1:yes:
Could not have said it better myself!


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## mcbig1 (Sep 25, 2008)

Hey Man,
I,m by no means an expert but like several of the previous posts,they will mash a jig !!!!For the past several years ,my brothers and I have been 
making a trip down to pensacola beach and my favorite flounder set up is
3/8 - 3/4 oz. jighead with either a zoom super fluke or a berkely gulp minnow
threaded onto it,If the tide is,nt too stiff go with the lighter jighead,I like to pitch it around bridge/pier pilings or open spots in the grass and just slowly bounce it back,the strike is very much like that of a bass hitting a plastic worm.let your rod load up a little then 'lay the smack down on him','ram home the steel','give him the hammerlock','cross his eyes',or just simply set the hook! 61/2 -7 ft rod and 12-15 lb test and you should be okay.


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## CLEVE3990 (Feb 24, 2012)

I have caught hundreds of flounder using a pomp jig and strip. That is about all I use. The best strip is a piece of Flounder belly. When I filet a flounder, I cut down the middle of the back. Take 2 filet off . Turn over to white side and do the same. You will notice some flesh and skin where the fin was attached.Cut this strip off and cut into about 2-3 " lengths. Put in ziplock bag and put in freezer. Take with you on next fishing trip.It is tough and not easy for trash fish to take off. I have also used the bottom of skate or ray.


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## oxbeast1210 (Jun 21, 2010)

Thanks for the tip cleve


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## jackstraw (Jan 3, 2011)

mcbig1 said:


> Hey Man,
> I,m by no means an expert but like several of the previous posts,they will mash a jig !!!!For the past several years ,my brothers and I have been
> making a trip down to pensacola beach and my favorite flounder set up is
> 3/8 - 3/4 oz. jighead with either a zoom super fluke or a berkely gulp minnow
> threaded onto it,If the tide is,nt too stiff go with the lighter jighead,I like to pitch it around bridge/pier pilings or open spots in the grass and just slowly bounce it back,the strike is very much like that of a bass hitting a plastic worm.let your rod load up a little then 'lay the smack down on him','ram home the steel','give him the hammerlock','cross his eyes',or just simply set the hook! 61/2 -7 ft rod and 12-15 lb test and you should be okay.


what he said. if you pop him good, he won't come off. even if i lift and feel him swim, i still pop him. once the hook is thru his face he is a had lad. that flounderfanatic jig looks kind of interesting though


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## Ruger7mmmag (Jun 3, 2011)

Wow, all these posts and haven't seen the rig I use which slays em. I use 30lb power pro line with a carolina rig with 30lb red mono leader tied to a Kahle hook. I usually use finger mullet if I have time to net them, followed by bull minnows followed by shrimp. Everything LIVE, however, when it's hot, they'll hit about anything. I have done some damage on the chartreuse gulps put on the same rig. With that kahle hook i never set the hook. I simply drag until it "hangs up." Then I slowly lift them up, but don't reel them until I feel the first jerk back. Once that happens, you can bet it's through that hard jaw and you can sling em in the boat. I often fish by myself and only net them when they get over 18" for fear I'd be sick IF they fell off. 

They're right though, when you catch one, hang in there, there's usually more.


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