Saltwater
Fluke (Summer Flounder)
Where to find them, how to catch them and the tackle to use.
01Introduction
The summer flounder, called fluke by most anglers, is a flatfish with both eyes on its left side and a brown, spotted back that it can change to match the bottom. It lies partly buried in sand or mud and ambushes baitfish, squid and shrimp. Fluke are highly prized by anglers along the Atlantic coast and are caught from boats and from shore by drifting or casting baits and jigs along the bottom. Most are 15 to 22 inches.
02Where to Catch
Range: Nova Scotia to Florida, most abundant from Cape Cod, Massachusetts, to Cape Fear, North Carolina.
Habitat: sand and mud bottom in bays, inlets, channels and the nearshore ocean. Fluke hold along channel edges, ridges and drop-offs, and the biggest ones prowl the edges of reefs and wrecks. Young fluke spend their first year in shallow eelgrass beds and sandbars.
Seasonal movements: fluke come inshore into bays and coastal waters in spring and stay through early fall. As water temperatures drop and days shorten, they migrate offshore to depths of about 100 to 600 feet, where they spawn and spend the winter.
03How to Catch
Keep it moving
A still bait rarely catches fluke. From a boat, drift with the wind and tide so your rig drags along the bottom. From shore, cast up and across the current and let the sinker bump back along the bottom. Some anglers troll slowly with baits dragging over the bottom.
Bucktails
Bucktail jigs are now the standard on many boats. Use the lightest bucktail that holds bottom: as little as 5/8 ounce in shallow water with light current, up to 6 ounces or more in deep water. Sparsely tied bucktails hold bottom better. Tip the hook with a strip of squid or fish, a spearing, or a scented soft-plastic grub or mullet. Keep the jig bouncing with short hops or long lifts; constant motion draws far more strikes than dragging. When you feel weight, set the hook hard and keep steady pressure.
Rigs
- High-low rig: a bucktail on the bottom and a baitholder hook on a dropper loop 18 inches to 2 feet above it. It's good over rough bottom and structure.
- Popcorn rig: two light jigs on dropper loops above a sinker, for drifting over sandy, snag-free bottom.
- Three-way rig: a long leader for presenting large or live baits naturally on a fast drift.
Bait
Live killies (mummichogs), spearing and other small baitfish, and strips of squid are the classic fluke baits, alone or together on the hook.
04Tackle
Braided line to a 30-pound fluorocarbon leader. A spinning rod with backbone for the hookset and a flexible tip for bouncing a bucktail, or a conventional outfit for more line control in deeper water. Carry bucktails from about 5/8 ounce to 6 ounces to match the depth and current. Fluke size limits, bag limits and seasons are regulated and change often, so check your state's current rules.
05Questions anglers ask
Why do I need to keep my bait moving?
Fluke are aggressive hunters and prefer a moving bait. A bait left sitting still rarely gets hit. Let the boat drift with the wind and tide, or from shore, cast up and across the current, so the sinker drags along the bottom and the bait keeps moving.
When should I set the hook?
It depends on how you're fishing. With a bucktail, set the hook hard as soon as you feel weight, then keep steady pressure so the fish can't shake free. That's different from dragging bait, where anglers often let the fluke chew on it first.
Where do fluke go in winter?
As water temperatures drop and days shorten in fall, summer flounder leave the bays and move offshore, to depths of about 100 to 600 feet. They spawn during this migration and on their wintering grounds, and return inshore in spring.
How does a fluke hide?
Fluke lie on the bottom, partly buried, and change their color and pattern to match the sand or mud around them. They ambush baitfish, squid and shrimp that pass overhead.