Flounder Tactics

[Birdsnest]

I posted this today as part of another thread on the Saltwater forum and while very brief, it may be of some benefit to a person on a first time flounder quest.

As stated below, there is much more information on the subject scattered about the Saltwater forum. A quick search should turn up a ton of info by some very accomplished flounder pounders.

I know there have been some good posts on the board regarding flounder tactics and techniques, but I was reminded yesterday that a flattie bite is truly different than any other fish. As I was catching reds and trout when I got into the flat fish, I wasn't prepared at first. I missed three or four nice strikes just because I was in the trout and red mode. I was going for the standard (gentler) hook set as soon as I felt the tap, and I kept missing.

I stopped, smoked one (see previous comment about cigarettes), had a snack, and told myself that I had to let that intital strike happen and then wait....wait a little longer...(convince myself that it wasn't a trout that is now long gone)...wait some more, and then cross their eyes with a huge hook set. Bass are the only other fish I use as powerful of a hook set on. Once I got into that flounder mode, I really started catching them. I still lost 2 or 3 others too, but waiting after the initial strike and the big hookset, really increased my ratio of bites to netted fish.

And there in lies the rub...if you are not specifically targeting flounder I wouldn't suggest the long wait prior to hookset. You'll end up missing a bunch of nice fish and/or end up with a bunch of gut hooked pescadoes.
Hmmph.

2 cents,

Bird

[isubarui]

I think losing some flounder is just the price you buisness when fishing for trout. It is defenitely not a good idea to wait on every bite or you will get a lot of gut hooked fish. If you want to have a better chance of catching flounder while trout fishing you can always reel up on the fish when you get a bite instead of setting the hook right away. Then either the fish will hook itself if it is a trout (kind of, you still gotta set the hook) or stop on the bottom if it is a flounder.

[ryderredfish]

I think it's learning how each speies hits a bait. Most of the time I can tell before I even set the hook if it's a red, trout or flounder. The flounder kinda ticks and sits. You still have pressure on the line but it's not really going anywhere. That is why patience is a virtue when trying to hook a flattie and why using braided line helps you feel what is happening to your lure/bait. I have never met anybody who can count to ten while waiting to set the hook. Mostly I wait and feel a few slight pulls on the line then maybe I'll count 1,2,3,.....Heck, I couldn't wait.

They might be ugly, but I love me some flounder...