Give me your flounder secrets

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Flounderholic
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Give me your flounder secrets

Post by Flounderholic »

I mainly target flounder and would love to discuss some tactics surrounding flounder fishing. What pound test braid and leader line do you guys use? Favorite tide? Favorite baits?

Thanks! :horse:
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Neumie
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Re: Give me your flounder secrets

Post by Neumie »

I never target flounder so I'd like to know others tactics as well.
junkyard chihuahua
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Re: Give me your flounder secrets

Post by junkyard chihuahua »

Once upon a time I was fishing on the piers at the LCRA park in Matagorda. It was a quiet, perfect night. Not too many people, and not too many fish. mainly sandy's for me... A couple of guys showed up and started chit chatting. They mentioned they were locals, just out to catch some flounder. No one on the pier had caught a single flounder all night. They watched the water a bit and decided to go grab their rods. They used spec rigs, with small glo paddle tails on it and proceeded to put on a demonstration of how to catch flounder. They could see something in the water and cast to it. They would point them out to each other. "Theres one over there..." One would cast to it and hook up a flounder nearly everytime. After about an hour and maybe 10 or 12 flatties each they decided to go to the harbor to catch a couple redfish to round out the night... It was the most amazing thing I have ever seen.

They were watching for mud boils in the river... They had their techniques down. Everyone on the pier talked about what they had seen and learned after they left... sight casting to flounder off a pier in the river.
SWFinatic
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Re: Give me your flounder secrets

Post by SWFinatic »

Flounderholic wrote:I mainly target flounder and would love to discuss some tactics surrounding flounder fishing. What pound test braid and leader line do you guys use? Favorite tide? Favorite baits?

Thanks! :horse:
troutsupport.com and joint Club Texas. Great lessons on flounder. You won't be disappointed.
mwatson71
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Re: Give me your flounder secrets

Post by mwatson71 »

I don’t necessarily target flounder, but have caught my share on the greenback Vudu shad with Inshore Fishing Pro-Cure slathered on it.
ben_beyer
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Re: Give me your flounder secrets

Post by ben_beyer »

I've been told a white or Chartreuse Gulp Swimmin' Mullet on a 1/16 or 1/8 ounce jighead can be killer. Target areas where back lakes drain or shorelines near marsh.

I've never caught one as I don't get to fish saltwater as much as I would like but this is from anglers that seem to be have some luck catching them. I hope to catch one in 2021, but we will see if I can get down to POC for a trip to Matagorda Island in early May.
Flounderholic
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Re: Give me your flounder secrets

Post by Flounderholic »

SWFinatic wrote:
Flounderholic wrote:I mainly target flounder and would love to discuss some tactics surrounding flounder fishing. What pound test braid and leader line do you guys use? Favorite tide? Favorite baits?

Thanks! :horse:
troutsupport.com and joint Club Texas. Great lessons on flounder. You won't be disappointed.
I visited trout support but didn't see any lessons on flounder fishing. What is joint club texas? Do you mind sending me a link? Thank you
SWFinatic
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Re: Give me your flounder secrets

Post by SWFinatic »

Flounderholic wrote:
SWFinatic wrote:
Flounderholic wrote:I mainly target flounder and would love to discuss some tactics surrounding flounder fishing. What pound test braid and leader line do you guys use? Favorite tide? Favorite baits?

Thanks! :horse:
troutsupport.com and joint Club Texas. Great lessons on flounder. You won't be disappointed.
I visited trout support but didn't see any lessons on flounder fishing. What is joint club texas? Do you mind sending me a link? Thank you
Go to Troutsupport. Click on Products, then Mastery Courses/Club.

This is not just a flounder session but definitely does have good info on how to locate flounder based on a seasonal situation, how to fish for them and more.
Flounderholic
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Re: Give me your flounder secrets

Post by Flounderholic »

SWFinatic wrote:
Flounderholic wrote:
SWFinatic wrote: troutsupport.com and joint Club Texas. Great lessons on flounder. You won't be disappointed.
I visited trout support but didn't see any lessons on flounder fishing. What is joint club texas? Do you mind sending me a link? Thank you
Go to Troutsupport. Click on Products, then Mastery Courses/Club.

This is not just a flounder session but definitely does have good info on how to locate flounder based on a seasonal situation, how to fish for them and more.
Ah I found it. I was considering signing up for trout support or salt strong to master flounder fishing. Is the community big on trout support?
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Mellow-Yellow
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Re: Give me your flounder secrets

Post by Mellow-Yellow »

I always have had luck with a double rig using a dropper loop knot. I usually put a 1/4 oz jig head on the bottom and a 1/8th on the loop. I have used mud minnows (caught at the launch site), cut bait, and White gulp mullet. All work well. This is my method for a drift.
I have also had decent luck with a popping cork with shrimp at the mouths of inlets and canal drains. Just cast up stream and let the current cover the water for you.

I am interested in seeing what others use for their set ups.
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OldTownYakBoi
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Re: Give me your flounder secrets

Post by OldTownYakBoi »

I usually catch them on minnow or Shad imitations. I’ve had great success using both for flounder. Vudu Shad of any color has been a go to for me when targeting flounder.

Depending on the time of year they’ll be in slightly different t areas, but always seem to be near major pieces of structure. Another key aspect is current, if you can find structure and current you’ll be in a good position to find flounder.
Image

Caught this guy last November on a minnow imitation. 1/4 ounce jog head tied straight to 30 lb braid (Flounder are not line shy)


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outbreaker
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Re: Give me your flounder secrets

Post by outbreaker »

I use 30lb braid and a 40lb mono leader. I know this is going to sound weird but bowhunting taught me how to fish for flounder.

Baitfish are just like whitetailed deer. They are creatures of the edge of cover. This is where they can get food and retreat quickly to the protection of cover. I look at it like I was bowhunting, where would I set up to put an arrow in a mullet?

Points, Drains, and other natural funnels. But it must have cover of some kind and food for bait in the area. Lastly I must see bait. If all those exist I cover every square inch. If water is 3' or less with gulp shrimp under a popping cork. If deeper I use a high low rig with a 3/8 oz bottom jig with gulp, and a #1 cirlce hook with a white or chartruse gulp swimming mullet.
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LagunaFisher
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Re: Give me your flounder secrets

Post by LagunaFisher »

I like to target them, probably my favorite fish to catch. I catch most of mine in the spring - late summer. I don't really hammer them during the fall like most do, but I have caught some real good ones in the fall. I focus on current and structure foremost. Structure can be pilings, sand dropoffs, bars, jetty edges, any change. It's favorable to have bait present as well. My favorite bait of all time would be a Gulp Shrimp on a 1/4oz jighead. I don't use the gulp swimming mullet because the pinfish tear them up where I fish. Another bait I've had luck on is the Zman NED rig, especially the "white lightning" color in the spring because I think it mimics the small baitfish well. I also like a small paddle tail, slow rolled or hopped along the bottom - I like the Slayer Lures brand because they are durable and have a great tail action. When I take my kids, we use live mullet on occasion, which has landed some of our bigger fish. I don't use corks much, but I bet it can be a valuable tool over heavy oyster, or other structure and will allow you to dial in to the strike zone more.

Finding them can be the challenge, but typically where you find one, you'll find some more. Sometimes you can throw in the same spot repeatedly and finally get thumped on the third or fourth cast. You can also catch a few smalls in one spot before you start catching the bigger ones, as the little ones can be more aggressive than the larger fish. I've been to the hatchery at Sea Center and it's amazing how many fish will stack up in one spot, or even lay sideways on small pieces of structure.

I have the Salt Strong Flounder book, it's OK. It focuses on flounder along the southern states, with one chapter on Galveston. I fish in Corpus, so it didn't help a whole lot, but has some interesting tips others use. For years I've been waiting on the Trout Support flounder video, but he told me he'll keep it in the members club. I might join, I don't know.
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screwston420
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Re: Give me your flounder secrets

Post by screwston420 »

Flounderholic wrote:
SWFinatic wrote:
Flounderholic wrote:
I visited trout support but didn't see any lessons on flounder fishing. What is joint club texas? Do you mind sending me a link? Thank you
Go to Troutsupport. Click on Products, then Mastery Courses/Club.

This is not just a flounder session but definitely does have good info on how to locate flounder based on a seasonal situation, how to fish for them and more.
Ah I found it. I was considering signing up for trout support or salt strong to master flounder fishing. Is the community big on trout support?
id go with troutsupport, Tobin the owner is a great guy and is willing to discuss fishing whenever ur needing some advice or anything really plus his grasswalker lure is the greatest casting soft plastic on earth and catches fosh lol sometimes i stare at the lure when it gets close amazed in how awesome an action it has lol. his DVDs are invaluable as far as im concerned i oonly own the shallw redfish one right now buty i will be getting more very soon
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screwston420
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Re: Give me your flounder secrets

Post by screwston420 »

i catch more flounder than anything, i use gulp swimming mullet on them or hogies and h&h the usual suspects anything really if ur not getting a bit try tipping the hook of the jig n plastic with a tiny piece of shrimp and if the flatties r there ull def. catch em if theres no clear drains nearby try the grass lines you can usually see the flounder blowing up on bait u know its aflounder when u eitehr see them or they keep blowing up in the same general spot
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impulse
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Re: Give me your flounder secrets

Post by impulse »

The best day of flounder fishing I ever had in Texas was back in the early '80s in Galveston. Ran out of mud minnows and dragged my egg sinker in with a bare hook. Hooked a flounder. Thought it was a fluke, but I cast out again and hooked another. We caught about a dozen flounder in the next 30 minutes just dragging 1/4 oz egg sinkers across the bottom in just over a foot of water. I guess they thought they were sand fleas or maybe tiny minnows.

I don't target flounder because I don't keep fish and they don't really put up much of a fight (except the rare big 'un). But I do catch few throwing a white Gulp shrimp with a hot pink tail for reds and trout. That's kind of a family go-to lure for flounder here in West Bay.
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Ron Mc
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Re: Give me your flounder secrets

Post by Ron Mc »

Mine was Cedar Bayou on a cold December day.
We were on the first wide spot up the bayou from the surf.
They weren't big, but I caught 40 on consecutive casts with a fly rod.
Probably could have caught more, but it was cold and a 15-mi boat ride back home.
I was creeping a Teeny sinking line across the sand bottom and dragging this whistler:
Image

One day catching trout in Cedar Bayou, we all caught then 10-fish limits while a guy across the bayou was fighting a flounder. When he finally landed it, would have draped a coffee table.

Sand holes in the flats are also a good place to search both for flounder and big trout.
My PB flounder, 24" was on a fly rod in Pather Lake at the inside of Cedar Bayou, casting into a sand hole.
This is Green island, just showing sand holes.
A year earlier, kayak in Rattlesnake Bay, probably a 30" trout from a sand hole came unhooked on me.
Image
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Dandydon
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Re: Give me your flounder secrets

Post by Dandydon »

I hardly ever target Flounder but am happy when one is accidentally caught. They are delicious.

But this hyper-active TKF thread convinces me that Flounder are highly prized and sought.

My best tactic has been to follow Watson around and try to throw what he's using...

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shoffer
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Re: Give me your flounder secrets

Post by shoffer »

I saw a video from the Texas All Water Fishing guy with a great flounder rig.


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2 Weight Willie
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Re: RE: Re: Give me your flounder secrets

Post by 2 Weight Willie »

Flounderholic wrote:
SWFinatic wrote:
Flounderholic wrote:
I visited trout support but didn't see any lessons on flounder fishing. What is joint club texas? Do you mind sending me a link? Thank you
Go to Troutsupport. Click on Products, then Mastery Courses/Club.

This is not just a flounder session but definitely does have good info on how to locate flounder based on a seasonal situation, how to fish for them and more.
Ah I found it. I was considering signing up for trout support or salt strong to master flounder fishing. Is the community big on trout support?
My cousin is a member of salt strong. It helped him alot.....he took approach mastery or something like that and he sure can catch more fish. Their information is kinda the same stuff over and over, and some of their information contradicts their other resources.

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2 Weight Willie
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Re: Give me your flounder secrets

Post by 2 Weight Willie »

When I target flounder I go to places like trout bayou and turtle bayou...find a cut and cast up current. Retrieve with the current with a bounce, bounce, 3 sec. Pause. I use these killer shad rigs. Work like a charm.Image

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