# Give it up ... Your Best flounder rig



## cygnus-x1 (Oct 12, 2005)

I would like to target the flatties more this year. I have been reading around and the rigs for flounder varies with the area that is fished. What are some of your favorite rigs for flattie fishin' ? Please indicate if you use this rig from the pier, surf, or boat. Pics would be great. I'll post a pic (this w/e) of a rig I made up to get some opinions.


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## catman (May 28, 2001)

I'm tying some new flounder rigs right now. Most of mine are meant to be drifted from a boat but a few can be used from shore. Will post some pics Sunday.


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## cygnus-x1 (Oct 12, 2005)

Drifting rigs (boat style) are fine too ... I live on the 'dark side' as they say too (at I will this year providing gas don't top $4.00 / gal at the marina this year).


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## catman (May 28, 2001)

Tied a bunch of flounder rigs over the weekend and this one is my all time favorite for drifting over a sandy bottom.









This one works well for either jigging from a bridge or casting in the surf. When used in the surf it's retreived very, very slowly.


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## Dae (Jun 25, 2002)

Why are Flounder riggs always so flashy when you're still adding bait? Do all those beads, feather, spinners or whatever really help?

Thanks,

- Dae


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## fyremanjef (Feb 17, 2005)

*Yep*

Flounder are sight feeders as they lay and wait. Hence the drifting or slow retrive when casting. All the bells and whistles help to attract 'em. The beads serve a dual purpose visual and audio the will click and bang creating noise and vibrations.


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## NTKG (Aug 16, 2003)

my flounder rig consists of a long shank half ounce jighead 90% of the time...

the other times a carolina rig or a 2oz jig head


with either plastics or strips or minnows, dont really think i care for the fuzzies, shinies or what not.


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## Big Rad (May 19, 2003)

*Hey Nick*

It is good to see someone else using the inline weights I use them whenever I go to da reel surf . No they don't hit and stick like the pyramid ad sputnik types but they do cast well and let you stay in touch with your bait better....IMHO.....


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## catman (May 28, 2001)

They make excellent sinkers for wreck fishing also, sort of like a drop shot sinker. About three yrs ago Trigger came walking down my pier struggling with a wooden box. When he got to my boat boat he was carrying about 70# of these trolling sinkers and just gave them to me. I won't need another sinker like these in a lifetime. Thanks again Trigger.


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## hengstthomas (Mar 11, 2006)

Cape Henlopen Pier . Take 2 quarter ounce lead heads and tie them spec rig fashion with 30# vanish and add a 3 0r 4 inch gulp swimming minnow ( diff days diff color ) and cast and retrieve slowly . I caught flounder from march 2005 to dec 2005 . I used to swear by bucktail/bluefish strip and still do but after using gulp baits last year...Well the results were geat and alot less messy . Downfalls are that when the sea perch and samll blues are in the will eat them up costing you a fortune .
Tom


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## catman (May 28, 2001)

Hi Tom and welcome to the forum. Great to see another Delaware resident who can provide some local knowledge of the area. Anything happening along the Broadkill River. Years ago we used to clean up on the trout at Broadkill Beach. Thanks for the flounder tip. So you're using strips of blue fish on a bucktail rigged spec style. Are you just retreiving it slowly along the bottom in the surf? I would imagine that BA's would work in place of Gulp. Looking forward to your input.


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## cygnus-x1 (Oct 12, 2005)

Hey Tom welcome to the forum and the tip. Can I as a question of ya? I have been interested in fishing 3 R's, CHSP, etc. I popped over to DNREC online and looked at fishing licenses. I did not see if I needed one for the ocean (3 R's etc) ... do I?


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## BigJeff823 (Oct 14, 2002)

Hey Tommas this is Bmorebob from the other site;good to see you on the board man.I like Carolina/Fish Finder rigs cuse Flounder can be a bite shy spicies.I also like jigs either a Speck Rig or Bucktails with a strip of cut fish or Plastic Minnow lures like the FinS's,Power Minnows,Saltwater Assasians,etc.Even top secret; better try a live Silverside(shiner)on a jighead) this is deadly if the fishing is real slow.


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## cygnus-x1 (Oct 12, 2005)

What is a spec rig? Anyone have any pictures of them. I have heard the term alot but never fished with anyone that used them.


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## BigJeff823 (Oct 14, 2002)

*Spec Rigs are*

They are 2 nylon hair jigs tied in tandem(one above the other).I like to use a rig that BillR uses at the Cape Henlopen Pier one 1/16oz FinS the 3/4" riged behind a 1/8-1/4ozoz FinS the 2 1/4".Most of the time I fish with one jig but jigs rigged up in tandem fashion work equally or better.


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## catman (May 28, 2001)

SPEC RIG - From Sue Foster's Oyster Bay Tackle Shop

A deadly double combination of two jigs with cadmium-plated hooks tied in tandem on 30 pound test leader. Hard chip-resistant paint is used on all Betts jigs. These tandem lures are great for shad, trout, and blues. Baited, you can also use them for flounder. Great to use from piers, bridges, and inlets. You can also use them from your boat. Add bait for drifting for flounder. The 1/4 ounce size is also called a Redfish fish as they are used in Southern water for red drum. The heavier 1/4 ounce spec rig sinks faster than the 1/8 ounce and is good when the tide is running, and the fish are deeper. The shrimp glow color has a luminous body and dark pink hair.


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## cygnus-x1 (Oct 12, 2005)

BigJeff, don't mean to sound like an idiot but could you translate that. Pretend I have never fished a tandem rig before. In fact The only tandem I have used is a bucktail tandem I use for deep trolling. What are FinS? Is it a type of lure or is it a brand name.


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## BigJeff823 (Oct 14, 2002)

The rig I'm talking about is you have a leader of 12-30lb test,you make a loop knot leaving 6-10"of mono one one side and 18-36" on the other side.On the longer side of the leader you will tie on a 1/16oz jig and on the shorter side the heavier 1/8-1/4oz jig.I tried to make a drawling but it came out messed up.
A FinSFish is a plastic minnow immitation that is real skinny and is shaped like a Silverside(Shiner)
It looks like a slender version of a Bass Assasian practically.They come in many diffrent sizes from 3/4-10";Its made by the same guys who braught you SluggOs;in fact it looks like a Sluggo with a minnow tail.FinS's are deadly on Sea Trout,Flounder,Rockfish,and White Perch.You can use them at Kent Narrows,Cape Henlopen,IRI,Freshwater,and other places.They will catch just about anything that swims cause they are a real close resemblence to a Shiner.You might be able to find them at Wal Mart espeally the Ocean City Wal Mart.


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## BigJeff823 (Oct 14, 2002)

Sorry bout that the drawling came out messed up.


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## cygnus-x1 (Oct 12, 2005)

I appreciate the effort ... thanks. It sounds like you don't add any bait as these jigs are real small. Do you add jewelry to your rigs (beads, spinners etc) or just the jigs and plastic shiners.

thanks again!


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## hengstthomas (Mar 11, 2006)

cygnus-x1 
You do not need a license to fish saltwater in Delaware . 
bmorebob did you get a chance to see the drum i caught off the pier . Black drum 70.5 pounds 55 inches long and 38 inch girth . Boy what a monster .... I think its the largest fish ever landed off the pier .
Tight Lines .... See ya on the water


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## hengstthomas (Mar 11, 2006)

catman yes just slowlt retrieve . And yes BA's will work also but in my opinion gulp works best as long as the water temps allow for full scent distribution so if not then its bucktail/bluefish time.fin"S" are also a good choice . Tom


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## BigJeff823 (Oct 14, 2002)

The Drum;didn't see it but I heard a awful lot about it;nice catch! I don't use alot of fancy stuff on my Flounder rigs but will use bucktail hair.I use floaters with beads to keep the rig off the bottom if I fish the surf or IRI to keep the Minnow and Squid combo away from bait stealers/crabs.You got bait rigs and lures I prefer lures cause its more fun.A Bucktail jig with a strip of cut Spot will catch just as many fish or more than a bait rig with a minnow/squid dragged across the bottom.A plastic minnow jig will catch as much fish or more than a live minnow.But if you can throw a cast net and catch live Silversides put them on a 1/4-3/8oz jighead and moderatly jig it the Flounder will nail it on a slow fishing day I almost caught a 25"Flounder from the IRI rocks doing just that.


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## hengstthomas (Mar 11, 2006)

Bmore here is a pic of that Drum..

http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/9117/drum3ya.jpg
Tom


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## catman (May 28, 2001)

WOW! That's a monster fish. Nice going.


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## BigJeff823 (Oct 14, 2002)

*Sweet!*


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## Speegs619 (Feb 16, 2004)

*I swear by these...*

I went to a flounder fishing seminar last year, and the guy giving the seminar (an old commercial fisherman from NY) whose philosophy was "whack 'em and stack 'em" turned me on to these rigs. 

I've used them everywhere, on a headboat, my boat, on the surf, and long-lining in IRI -- and I swear by them -- especially after last season. I caught more keeper flounder last year than I have in the 25 years I've been saltwater fishing.



















The top one should be used drifting or dead sticking from a pier, the beach, or from a bridge or the rail (like at IRI). 

The bottom is best fished by hand -- jerk up slow, let it hang for several seconds, and then down, repeat. 

As to why flounder rigs are so colorful -- the three key words when fishing for flounder are "sight, scent, and sound" these rigs do that for you provided you use the right stinky bait -- I'll let you guy argue over what that is. I won't tell you what I uses (unless you ask nicely).  

Take Care.


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## TRIGGERFISH (May 21, 2001)

So catman where's my rigs for payment for all those inline sinkers. j/k TRIGGER


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## catman (May 28, 2001)

TRIGGERFISH said:


> So catman where's my rigs for payment for all those inline sinkers. j/k TRIGGER


Not a problem dude. PM me your address and I'll make up some new ones and send them to you. What colors do you like? Do you need any jig heads? I'm going to be powder coating a bunch of them this week. BTW, I'm having my boat repowered with a new Evinrude 225 Hp. E-Tech outboard. You have to look at the tach to see if it's running. Very quiet and smooth.


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## Dae (Jun 25, 2002)

catman said:


> BTW, I'm having my boat repowered with a new Evinrude 225 Hp. E-Tech outboard. You have to look at the tach to see if it's running. Very quiet and smooth.


You are so lucky. I've love to replace my motors with E-Tecs. Are you planning on running XD100? Let me know how it performs. 

- Dae


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