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Winter flounder around the corner

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Lost Cause

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I know it’s like finding a needle in a haystack these days but I’m going to give it a shot for the second year in a row and try and find some life on the salt when the season opens up at the end of the month. Last year I went out a couple times and didn’t get squat but I’m willing to keep trying. 

 

What kind of areas should I be covering like back bays, bridges, flats, jetties etc? (Not looking to spot burn)

 

I don’t have a boat everyone I’ve spoken to about this has said chumming is key, stupid question to ask could I just chum off a pier?

 

Last year I used blood/sand worms on a high/low set up. My question here is it similar to fluke where I need to keep some action on it to attract them in or just a dead stick kind of thing?

 

Any other tips or advice would be great.

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Every place you mentioned is where the fish are..... I fish basically the same areas and the way to chum is to use a can of cat food that you attach a string to and punch a bunch of holes in the can and then drop it n the area where you are fishing.. Patience is the key to catching fish...  

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I would always slow drift (very slow) the back bays of the western LI Sound.  I used a sash weight to slow my kayak drift and at the same time stir up the bottom.  If I hit a hole that had fish I'd stay there until the action stopped.  My preferred bait was always muscles which I could pick for free.  Flounder are more aggresive than you think which is one of the reasons I slow drift.  I havent fished for them in many years since the stock crashed.  I think if I did catch one I send it back.  They are tasty though good luck.

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11 hours ago, Grayson said:

I use #2 owner mosquito hooks for 95% of my flounder fishing, usually throw a hi lo with two long triangle pieces of cut bait then bounce something on a Carolina rig

Different species.

Your flounder is our fluke. Our flounder are actually winter flounder, and fluke are summer flounder. 

Winter flounder have small, rubbery mouths suited for mussel, clam (sometimes dyed yellow or red) and worms. 

 

I havent fished for winter flounder in 30 years, easy. Good luck to the op. 

 

 

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On ‎3‎/‎14‎/‎2018 at 0:42 PM, Lost Cause said:

I know it’s like finding a needle in a haystack these days but I’m going to give it a shot for the second year in a row and try and find some life on the salt when the season opens up at the end of the month. Last year I went out a couple times and didn’t get squat but I’m willing to keep trying. 

 

What kind of areas should I be covering like back bays, bridges, flats, jetties etc? (Not looking to spot burn)

 

I don’t have a boat everyone I’ve spoken to about this has said chumming is key, stupid question to ask could I just chum off a pier?

 

Last year I used blood/sand worms on a high/low set up. My question here is it similar to fluke where I need to keep some action on it to attract them in or just a dead stick kind of thing?

 

Any other tips or advice would be great.

 

"Early on" (like now to the middle of April), you are best off in really shallow water, say 5-8 feet deep. Dark mud and a sunny day will warm the flounder up and get them active. An out-going tide on the edge of a channel adjacent to a big mud flat will increase your odds but the incoming is ok too on a sunny afternoon.

Anchor and chum. If the current is running strong use a lobster bait bag on a 1/4 inch line (like a crab trap line) and a window sash weight to keep it on the bottom. Crushed mussels are great as well as the cat-food mentioned earlier (use shrimp flavor). If the current is not strong you can simply crush mussels around the boat, the weight of the shells will hold them nearby. Use a two hook rig with both hooks on the bottom. I use size 2 streamer hooks from Mustad (R73-9671 size #2. Terminal Tackle in Kings Park says he has them). I don't use Chesterton's which is what I grew up on because back in the day, we used to keep everything and the Chesterton's gut hook 1/2 the fish but it didn't matter. My limit up in Quincy (MA.) is 8 fish/person and we do a lot of catch and release to keep the limit of good sized fish. With your limit of only 2, you need to be even more careful about mortality on released fish. Those Mustad's hook over 90% in the mouth and hold the better sized fish really well. 

Use sea worm (sand or blood) on one hook and clam or mussel on the other. With the clam or mussel it works far better (you get far more bites) the softer/gooier it is. On the other hand, it is much harder to bait and keep on the hook but the results are worth the extra effort.

Drifting an area is also good if you have the right conditions. When the water temps are below 53F I like to keep the drift at less than .6 MPH and preferably below .5.... On the drift bait with 1/2 a worm on each hook as it will be a lot easier to hook them, they ingest the worm a lot faster then the other baits.

 

Good luck!

 

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

Water is still cold but

I think we should give it a rest for a year or two or longer.

 

 

 Bad day fishing is still much better than good day work.

 

"Any man who thinks he can be happy and prosperous by letting the government take care of him had better take a much closer look at the American Indian.
                                                                                     - Henry Ford-

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