# How to catch flounder from a pier



## nemo

In the past, I have caught flounder from the pier by using your basic 2 hook bottom rig with eagle claw hooks.(I was actually fishing for spot and croaker). Is there another technique or rig that I can use in order to better my chances of catching a flounder? I saw some rigs at Wal mart called Fluke Killer and flounder rig. Can these be used from the pier?


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## johnnyleo11

With those fluke killer rigs, you can stick a minnow or a squid strip on there so the fish has something to snack on before he gets to the hook. Put an appropriate amount of weight on the three way swivel and cast out. I reel in about three feet and let it sit for a couple of seconds. Keep doing that until it you feel something hit. If you're at a place where the current is ripping, I put on a pyramid sinker and let the current push the hook out so it can flutter. Hopefully your squid is stinky enough that it makes a scent trail for the flounder to find. Might be a good idea to slap on a "fish bite" for stinky trail. Might be a good idea to pick up your bait every once in a while to keep the crabs off.


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## jay

*THE BEST WAY EVER!!!!!!!!!!(and i mean it!)*

OMG, i'm glad u asked. The best way to really catch them from a pier is...is....(sssshhhhh)....a speck rig with cut bait on it , it's VERY IMPORTANT THAT U USE A LIGHT ROD, i MEAN LIKE AN LIGHT TO ULTRA LIGHT TIP, IT'S OF UP MOST IMPORTANCE TO USE A ROD LIKE THIS BECAUSE OF HOW LIGHT IT IS.

---this is my "trade" way to catch flounder---

--P.S.- maybe some time well get to gether and I'll show u the "way" to fish it 
--p.p.s-- I CAN out catch anybody using a flounder rig, bottom rig or any rig, better yet i'll bet that i can  --


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## jay

opps did not mean to do this


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## johnnyleo11

It's also best to experiment. Go ahead and drop that $2 for the rig.


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## Fishman

I will use the hi lo rig with two long shank eagle claw hooks and a minnow. when harrisons pier was open i did real well in the spring in shallow water in the late or middle of the summer i would fish the end of the pier. 

I will also keep my bait movig casting out with a slow retrieve until the rig comes out of the water.

I like medium to medium heavy rods with either a spinning or a bait caster reel spooled with fourteen pound test line.


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## Flounder Pounder

Flounder can be caught on just about any rig available, live bait, cut bait, squid, peeler crab, jigs, plastic. My personal preference is a simple carolina rig (1 oz egg sinker, swivel, and @ 14 inch leader and a 2/0 wide bend hook) and live bait, either bull minnow or finger mullet. The trick is to keep the bait moving, a slow drag is all that is required. Flounder lay and ambush their prey (movement is the key). Most people fan cast and drag the bait back to the pier or walk up and down the pier jigging straight up and down. Catching them is the easy part, finding a keeper is the challenge.


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## Cutbait Bob

Like they all said most any kind of rig will work... a long strip bait is always good - fillet a mullet... cut the white belly out flat and cut long strips and cover them with salt the night before - makes them very tough. Then get out to the peir about 9:30 or ten or so and fish close to the fish cleaning tables(when they're cleaning fish, of course)... it becomes a "founder chum line".

Bob


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## Big EL

*I like ta jig fer em*

Every flounder I've ever caught ,I've caught on a lead head jig with a curly tail on it or a Chartruse bucktail with a teaser above it.

No, I wasn't tryin ta catch flounder either  but seems like when I'm fishin for the one fish(  ) I end up catchin Flounder instead.

><))))*>


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## AL_N_VB

I suggest using a pancake weight,so the current can move the rig as appropiate..with that said,don't use this weight if it's butt to elbow spanish/blue fish., fishin.

I dd witness at the LIP flattie (C-N-R'ed) @ the LIP that was caught on a grn & wht Gotcha.Wadda ya know?


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## wizardude

jay said:


> OMG, i'm glad u asked. --P.S.- maybe some time well get to gether and I'll show u the "way" to fish it
> --p.p.s-- I CAN out catch anybody using a flounder rig, bottom rig or any rig, better yet i'll bet that i can  --


Personally, the jig or a single hook little bitty Hopkins, and Jay, just might have to take ya up on that


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## Flounder Pounder

Jay,

If you ever want to hit NOB or GPP and tag some flounder for the VMRC, I'll take you up on your offer of out catching anyone. I've been in a bad dry spell the last few weeks, so you you might stand a chance. A little friendly competition, plus it will help me catch up with Jake Ace in total flounder tagged.


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## jay

hehehe...loser buy's lunch!!!!!!      
We'll have to figure out somtime to do it. , I have a little story about how good it is:

one day me and my friend were fishing to gether, he was using the carliona rig with mullet, minnows, and cut bait- even switching to the bottom rig with minnows, and I was using the spec rig with cut bait(I think I had spot that day) , he would troll in front of me. Every time he would get a hit in one place, I would go over thier and catch the flatty, I kept telling him to switch, but he never did, so buy the end of the day i had about 30 - 40 flounders i caught, with 3 keepers and he had 12-18 flounders, with no keepers, And here's the good part I actually got him to switch over to them after that day.

----Note---- Thier is a very keen way that u fish it, I've learned over time, (but i'm only 16), but the light tip pole is VERY important! 
----More Notes----- Even better if the pole has a action class of "ultra light"


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## rattler

*flounder*

thick pole...thin pole....makes no diff...know your equip...feel comfortable with it, and you can catch almost anything  as for them flatties...i agree that movement is the key, but what movement......i think since they look up, they react to things above...like rain...chop...etc. the best way to catch big flatties is the one that works for you


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## BigJeff823

Theres all sorts of rigs to use for Flounder;I like the no frills Carolina Rig discribed above,the Bucktail/Squid or Cut Fish preferably Spot or Bluefish,The Fish Finder with Spin n Glow rig or plain riggin for areas with current,and a cuple of Spit Shots/Wide Gap Hook.The list goes on an on;but the the thing about Flounder fishin is KEEP THE BAIT MOVING.EITHER CAST OR RETRIVE,DRIFT FISH OR USE A BOBBER TO DRIFT.ONLY EXCEPTION IS AREAS WITH ALOT OF CURRENT THEN YOU CAN DEADSTICK AND THE CURRENT WILL KEEP THE BAIT ABOVE THE BOTTOM WHERE THE FLOUNDER CAN SEE IT FLUTTERING.You dont always have to use the fancy store baught stuff but if you keep it movin or deadstick in fast currents you'll will get em.


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## jay

yes very important! keep it moving, no matter how ur fishing for them!


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## johnnyleo11

I was fishing with a hi lo rig trying to get croaker for bait in the autumn, and I caught two flounder using squid and shrimp. So what ever works man! Go out and try things out for yourself. Instant gratification isn't as much fun as figuring something out for yourself.


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