Flounder is considered one of the most valuable and sought after fish in the fishing industry. Flounder spends most of its life at the bottom, so hunting for it has a specific process.
The result of fishing directly depends on the equipment of the fisherman and how correctly the gear is selected. Before hunting for such a specimen, you should know some features and nuances.
Peculiarities of flounder behavior
Flounders are predators and, despite their unique body, are able to move quickly and agilely. Fish live throughout Eurasia, as well as in inland seas.
The Pacific and Arctic Oceans are especially rich in flounder fish. Some species can be found in the Black, Azov and Caspian Seas.
These fish spend their lives alone, masterfully camouflaging themselves to match the color of their surroundings. Flounder are characterized by passive behavior; they often bury themselves in the bottom and wait for prey. The ability to camouflage is necessary for fish not only for hunting, but also for hiding from predators.
Note! In its normal state, flounder moves slowly along the bottom, but if necessary, it can develop greater speed using wave-like movements. If it wants to catch prey, the flounder can shoot from the shelter in the required direction.
Fishing Features
Among the features, it is worth highlighting the selection of sinkers. Sea fishing differs from freshwater fishing due to the strong current. That’s why you should choose a reinforced sinker, preferably with anchors.
Fishing from the shore is complicated by the fact that due to the current and the horizontal position of the fishing line, the fisherman does not feel the bite. Therefore, you have to check every 30-40 minutes. But there is a little trick here too. Instead of monofilament, it is better to choose a cord, as it will enhance the bite sensation. If it doesn’t bite for a long time, you should move to the right or left along the shore a few meters. To cover the largest area, it is recommended to install 3-4 tackles. This method fundamentally distinguishes sea fishing from the shore from fishing in freshwater bodies.
Flounder is a neat fish and it is almost impossible to determine whether it has bitten or not. It happens that the fish swallowed the hook along with the bait and remained in place. But if you feel a bite, don’t rush. It is necessary to first reel out the fish and slowly drag it to the shore. And if the moment of biting is practically not felt, then when pulling the fish to the shore you can encounter increased resistance, for which you need to be prepared.
In fact, catching flounder is a jewelry job. The habitat in the coastal zone makes fishing very comfortable, but the characteristics of the fish and its “gentle” bite must be taken into account. And the process of playing with fish and bringing it to the shore will make fishing spectacular and exciting for any true fisherman.
What to catch flounder with - bait
Animal bait
Flounder is a predator, so it bites on many different types of bait. It is not particularly picky about food, so it does not require special searches or significant costs for bait.
Mainly used:
- shellfish meat;
- shrimp;
- worms;
- parts of crab and squid;
- pieces of fish;
- small crustaceans;
- mussels;
- anchovies and small gobies.
The advantage of flounder is that it bites on anything that moves, which makes it much easier to prepare for fishing.
Artificial baits
Artificial baits are also widely used when hunting this fish. Fans of spinning fishing actively use weighted jigs and various types of wobblers. When fishing on a boat, experts recommend using vertical lures.
Fishing from a boat
When fishing from a boat, it is best to use a short spinning rod with a spinning reel. The tackle is similar to that used from the shore, only the sinker can be placed smaller - there is no need for long casts. Good results are obtained by vertical fishing, when the bait is lowered directly under the boat. It is very good if the boat slowly drifts, moving the bait along with it. Such a game can better excite the flounder to bite.
While on a boat, you can alternate fishing vertically with short casts. The chances of catching flounder with this combined approach are much greater.
An additional advantage of fishing from a boat is that you can find flounder habitats at any time of the year, and control over the behavior of the bait is much better.
Below, watch an interesting video of catching flounder from a boat in the seaside.
Tackle for catching flounder
Fishing from the shore
It is advisable to go fishing from the shore in the second half of autumn. The predator gets closest to the shores in November and December. It is optimal to choose gear for casting over long distances. Feeder-type rods with a length of more than 4 meters are suitable, on which you can attach heavy weights.
Experts recommend using gear with an additional protective coating in seawater, since the aggressive environment negatively affects the fishing rod:
- The fishing line is chosen with a diameter greater than 0.4 mm.
- The reel should be strong and reliable, allowing you to place about 150 meters of fishing line.
- The sinker should weigh at least 60 g, and hooks should be numbered 6-10. Depending on the place where fishing is carried out, the size of the sinker may vary, since waves and undercurrents often occur in the seas.
- The leash is made of fishing line, the diameter should be up to 0.25 mm. When choosing baits, you should pay attention to the brighter ones.
Fishing from a boat
Fishing by boat has a number of undeniable advantages:
- It is more convenient to monitor the fish.
- The fishing process is a little easier.
- Opportunity to go fishing at a convenient time of year.
- This way it is more convenient to look for places where fish accumulate.
When going out on the water with a boat, there is no need to take a long fishing rod. Basically, it is recommended to take the same equipment as for the shore, but choose less weight of the sinker.
Experts highlight the most convenient method of fishing - vertical. It is characterized by dipping the bait under the swimming device, and then tapping the bait on the bottom.
Thus, the bait forms muddy water and attracts predators. For more successful fishing, several fishing variations are used at once.
Equipment for fishing from a boat should be selected according to the following criteria:
- small rod;
- leash diameter up to 0.35 mm;
- sinker weighing 70-130 g;
- fishing line 0.6 mm thick;
- hooks numbers 9-13.
How to catch flounder?
The main period for catching flounder is the end of summer and the beginning of autumn, but on the Black Sea fishermen do this all year round, including winter. On autumn days, this valuable commercial fish comes closest to the shore, and casting of gear is carried out both from the shore and from a boat. At night and at dawn, predators of the flounder family are easy to catch; they are most often caught at this time. During the day the number of bites decreases. After a storm, if there is slight roughness at sea, this fish is as active as possible.
When playing with bait, you need to try to attract several nearby individuals and catch them. According to the principle of redistribution of the herd, others come to take their place. If the bite stops, it is recommended to change the place, because... With passivity, the fish can move less in the water.
Mostly flounder is located at the very bottom of the reservoir, with the light part of the belly towards the bottom. This is a predator's method of hunting, attacking whatever comes within its reach. Therefore, the bait must sink into the bottom layers of water; the depth can be from 4 to 25 m. Places where the shallows abruptly turn into depth are also attractive to the predator.
The object of the hunt swallows the bait in a lying position and immediately tries to leave, causing the alarm to go off. It is necessary to strike immediately, but do not rush into landing, the predator puts up active resistance. You need to be patient and wait until the prey is exhausted. Due to the structure of its mouth, this fish rarely breaks off after hooking. Flounder must be handled carefully when it is in the hands of a fisherman; it has a sharp spike on its belly for protection.
Coastal fishing is the most accessible; almost every amateur can fish from the coast. You should try to look for places where there are fewer stones. It is recommended to throw the bait as far as possible, approximately 50-70 m, and keep the spinning rod at an angle of 75º to the land. If there is several gears, then casting should be done in different directions. On flat coastal areas, fish are pulled out by dragging.
When fishing from a boat, if the depth is deep, you need to lower the bait vertically down. At shallow depths, it is recommended to make a short cast, and then smoothly pull it along the bottom all the way to the boat. If there is no result, you can cast in a different direction. If the bite is weak, then you can use 2 spinning rods: lower one under the boat, and use the other to cast.
In winter fishing, equipment is launched from the ice into a pocket, and almost everything is used as when fishing from a boat.
How to make your own tackle for flounder?
Due to savings, fishermen prefer to prepare their tackle with their own hands; to do this, you should know some rules. The process of making the gear is very simple and also does not require financial costs.
Tackle for flounder is made according to the following principle:
- Prepare a leash about 13-15 cm long.
- Hooks are attached to the leash.
- Several colored beads are placed on top of the hook.
- The leashes are placed on the rig with a distance of 20-30 cm.
- Carabiners are attached to the ends.
Let's celebrate! It is best to make several items for stock.
For convenient use, they are hooked onto a reel. The final result is to connect the load and the main line, and the equipment will be completely ready.
Bottom line and helicopter. Catching flounder on a donk.
It was spring 2021. The navigation season for small vessels has opened, everyone is waiting for flounder fishing to begin.
They are preparing their gear - some with spinning rods, some with donks. But there’s no flounder yet. And will it be... After all, our Ussuri Bay was very well trawled with a bottom trawl last season. Will there be fish this year?
I thought about it in my spare time and something came to mind. How to improve tackle (donks). This may not be my idea, but I haven’t seen any of these here for catching flounder. In principle, this is not a new idea, just a slightly reworked idea and adapted to our materials. He called one donka “bottom sweep”, the other “helicopter”. If you are interested, write in the comments. I'll make a description and publish it with photos. Why didn’t you give me the material right away? I have a great desire to try the donks myself, and only then give a description of the donks.
Good luck with your fishing.
Techniques and tactics for catching flounder
- It is recommended to cast the tackle further away, positioning the rod at a large angle. Some piers have special sides that are just right for a convenient position of the fishing rod.
- Flounder behaves especially when biting; it can grab prey and lie motionless for some time. If there was a long cast, then such a bite can be missed.
- It is important to carefully monitor the condition of the rod; a shudder will appear at the tip when the fish moves.
- They hook flounder quickly and confidently. Catching such a fish does not tolerate slowness. It should be remembered that flounder can actively resist. That is why, before pulling her towards you, it is advisable to tire her out.
- Flounders tend to swallow bait deeply; in this case, you need to have an extractor or hook with you.
- You will have to make some components of the equipment yourself. These include leashes; there should be at least 10 of them in stock.
- Fishing on a boat eliminates the need to take heavy weights. This is due to the fact that the rod does not need to be cast far.
- The boat uses vertical fishing techniques, alternating tapping on the bottom and small casts along with pulling up the equipment.
- The more powerful the tackle, the easier it is to pull out the flounder while fishing.
Flounder fishing
Appearance
What is most interesting is that what is seen is not the truth. The back and belly of the flounder are actually the sides of the fish, some of which are colored and others not.
At the same time, both eyes of the fish are located on one side, although they can look in different directions, independently of one another. This allows the fish to react in time to external stimuli, such as the enemies of flounder.
They also help her hunt.
In adult individuals, there is a strong asymmetry of the body, and the part of the body on which it spends almost its entire life is characterized by very pronounced roughness. Its color is somewhat pale, and its eyes are located on the other side.
As for the other side, it is smooth and has a sandy color, which helps the fish camouflage on the bottom. The color of the top may depend on the fish's habitat.
Young individuals are practically no different from ordinary fish species and swim just as vertically. In the process of growing up, certain metamorphoses occur.
Flounder hides from its enemies at the bottom, burying itself in sand or other soil. At the same time, she leaves her eyes outside to monitor what is happening around her. In this position, she also monitors potential prey. If it suits her, she instantly grabs it.
The lower part of the flounder has quite durable and rough skin. This is due to the fact that the fish mainly moves along the bottom, among scatterings of stones and shells, which can be quite sharp.
Where does flounder live?
Flounder can be found in almost all oceans and seas. Most representatives of this species prefer the waters of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, as well as the waters of the Sea of Japan, etc. Oddly enough, the flounder was discovered in the Mariana Trench, at a depth of 11 km.
This type of flounder grows up to 30 cm in length. Three species of flounder live in the Black Sea.
The largest species is the kalkan flounder. Some individuals are capable of gaining weight up to 15 kg.
In addition, the kalkan flounder is capable of changing its color, adapting to external living conditions. This species of flounder has no scales.
In the Black Sea there are river flounder (gloss) and sole, which also belongs to this type of fish. Many fishermen note that the most catchy place is the Kerch Strait. In addition, fishing can be no less productive at Cape Tarkhankut, as well as at the mouths of the Dniester and Dnieper. The same types of flounder are also found in the Sea of Azov.
Flounder catch
Flounder meat is valued for its taste, which is why it is caught on an industrial scale. Especially, olive Japanese flounder and European flounder are in great demand.
Flounders are also very popular among amateur fishermen, especially those that inhabit the northern and western parts of the Atlantic Ocean. As a rule, amateur fishermen go to the open ocean or open sea to catch this tasty fish and try their hand.
Line selection
The main line should have a thickness of about 0.5-0.7 mm, and the line for the leash is chosen a little thinner, about 0.4-0.6 mm. This is necessary so that the fishing line can withstand a large specimen, which gets hooked quite often.
When fishing, flounder exhibits great resistance. This is also due to the structure of her body.
The strongly flattened body provides a lot of resistance, plus the resistance of the fish itself. When fishing from the shore, you need to have enough line to cast the tackle as far as possible.
Selection of hooks
It is better to choose hooks for catching flounder with a long shank and numbers No. 6, No. 7. This is due to the fact that flounder can swallow the bait quite deeply. Therefore, other sizes and shapes of hooks are subsequently difficult to remove from the fish’s mouth.
Bait
Experienced fishermen point out that small mollusks, crabs or small fish, which form the basis of its diet, can be put on the hook. You need to attach it so that the hook is not visible.
Methods for catching flounder
You need to wait the right time, gradually pulling it either to the shore or to the boat. During this time she will get tired, and at the end of the event she will not resist so much. This will allow you not only to catch such tasty fish, but also to keep your tackle intact.
Reviews from fishermen
I prefer to catch flounder using a donkey. Instead of a sinker, I hook a heavy copper spoon into place between the hooks. Hooks are chosen thicker, preferably from number 10. On the modern market you can find special hooks for flounder, but I have not tried them, as I am used to mine. I use a variety of bait, I take worms, fish, squid or mussels.
Grade:
Vitaly 34 years old
I fish in Magadan very often. The last place was the central bay. I fished in the cold season, but the result is worth it. The fish are biting great. During the day of fishing, we managed to catch more than 20 individuals. Due to the fact that I hunted in the autumn, the fish pecked very vigorously and rushed to any bait. I was especially lucky with my lard catch. Grade:
Igor 38 years old
I prefer to catch flounder using a scallop. It holds the hook well and attracts attention. I don’t like to use meat and shrimp, since that’s the kind of food I like to eat myself. I consider capelin and herring to be good bait. In my opinion, the bait does not play the main role, it is the ability to use it that is important. Grade:
Konstantin 40 years old
At first, fishing for flounder seemed difficult to me, but gradually I learned how to catch this specimen and now I share my experience with everyone I know. I prefer to take a small spinning rod, a fishing line of about 7 m. I attach a sinker and several hooks to the end. You can look for bait as you go, since on the shore you can often find snails that are perfect for the role of bait. The fish attaches itself very quickly and every time you pull it out, a surprise awaits you, since it is impossible to predict the size of the individual.
Grade:
Vladislav 29 years old
Very often I go out fishing for flounder, as this fish attracts me not only with its special appearance, but also with its exquisite taste. From such a specimen you can make various dishes. Also, when fishing, you practice very well in the field of fishing, since pulling out a flounder to yourself is not always easy. Very often these fish bury themselves in the sand, so during the entire practice, several times I had to climb into the water and get the catch with my own hands.
Grade:
Nikolay 46 years old
Very often among fishermen you can meet true connoisseurs of sea hunting. Sea fishing is usually the way to catch flounder.
The process of catching this species is distinguished by the special behavior of the fish. That is why many people, when going on vacation to the sea, do not miss the opportunity to go fishing. When going hunting, the main thing to remember is the basic rules for a successful catch.
Baits
Now I want to say a few words about the bait that is used when fishing for flounder. Any small fish is perfect for this - be it firin, anchovy, small goby, large raw mussel or other sea shellfish; squid meat and ox heart are also used. All of these baits, with the exception of mussels, stick perfectly to the hook and are not knocked down by small fish. I will also advise you to put several small multi-colored beads on the shank of the hook, as they encourage the flounder to attack, which increases the likelihood of a bite.
Flounder fishing in the Black Sea
In this article I will tell you about all the nuances and features of flounder fishing in the Black Sea, which I learned after devoting many years of my life to fishing.
Flounder is a bottom-dwelling sea fish that lives throughout the world’s oceans, but we will talk about fishing for flounder specifically in the Black Sea. This fish spends its entire life on the surface of the bottom.
The originality of this fish lies in the fact that it spends its entire life lying on one side, which soon turns white, and the eye gradually moves from it to the other side. This fish can gain weight up to 15 kg. It feeds mainly on small fish and all kinds of crustaceans.
Its hunting method is ambush: the flounder lies on the bottom, half-buried in the sand, and waits until the prey swims past it at a fairly short distance. The fish makes a lightning-fast throw and swallows its prey thanks to its huge mouth. In order for the flounder not to be noticed by its victims and enemies, it can change its color and adapt to its environment.
One day, scientists released a flounder into an aquarium with a black-and-white checkered bottom. Soon the flounder also became like a chessboard. All these interesting facts, as well as excellent gastronomic qualities and exciting fishing make this fish a desirable prey for fishermen.
Tackle for catching flounder
Now I will tell you how to make good and reliable tackle for catching this bottom predator. For this we will need: a strong rod 3-4 m, and 80-200 g of dough.
, a powerful inertia-free reel with a spool (you can read about the reel here), which can hold 200-300 m of fishing line, mono fishing line 0.4-0.6 mm.
, an anchor sinker from 50 to 200 g, depending on the weather in which we will be fishing, as well as hooks No. 8-14 according to domestic numbering with a long shank. The rigging of such tackle is very simple: a sinker is attached to the end of the fishing line, and a hook is attached a little higher, on a leash of 40-70 cm.
, which is made from a fishing line that differs in thickness from the main one in a smaller direction. This simple and reliable tackle is used for catching flounder. It is better to have 2-3 such gear, since you will have to fish not a small river, but a decent area of the sea.
Place and time of fishing
Next, you should decide on the time and place of fishing. As for the time of year, I can say one thing: it’s worth catching flounder only in the fall, since it is in the fall that it comes closer to the shore and becomes accessible to the fisherman, while in the spring and summer it stays at a distance of 3-10 km. from the shore. In winter, its activity is almost zero.
You don’t have to rack your brains too much about the fishing location: this could be any section of the beach outside the city, since there are no breakwaters that prevent the flounder from approaching the shore. The greatest activity of this fish is observed at night and at dawn, but during the day the bite subsides.
It should also be added that the best bite is observed immediately after the end of the storm, when there is still residual roughness in the sea.
Baits
Now I want to say a few words about the bait that is used when fishing for flounder.
Any small fish is perfect for this - be it firin, anchovy, small goby, large raw mussel or other sea shellfish; squid meat and ox heart are also used.
All of these baits, with the exception of mussels, stick perfectly to the hook and are not knocked down by small fish. I will also advise you to put several small multi-colored beads on the shank of the hook, as they encourage the flounder to attack, which increases the likelihood of a bite.
Fishing technique
Well, that’s all, now you can move on to the technique of catching flounder. So you arrived at the seaside early in the fall, standing in the middle of a deserted beach and shivering in the cold wind. What's next? Next, you should evaluate the strength of the waves, as well as the possible current, and select the appropriate weight of the sinker.
As I said above, it should be a small cat so that it can hold the tackle in the current and waves. Then we bait and throw our tackle into the sea. If you have several tackles, then it is worth throwing them at different distances. For example, at 60 m, 35 m and 15 m, since the flounder can be located both near the shore and a little further into the sea.
In most cases, you will not see a bite due to the long leader and choppy sea. And it’s difficult to keep an eye on three rods at once for a long time. Therefore, every 30-40 minutes you need to check the gear. If you haven’t seen any fish for several hours, you need to move to the right or left along the shore and try there.
That's all, I wish you a good time at the seaside.
No tail, no scales, good luck!
