Spring Flounder Fishing
Spring Flounder Fishing
by Capt. Stan Gurganus
The front had passed and the winds had diminished as I watched the weather channel before my departure. I saw the big H symbolizing a high pressure system had settled over Southeastern North Carolina overnight---perfect conditions for an early spring flounder fishing trip.
As we idled out of the slip at the Ocean Isle Fishing Center, we anticipated a good flounder bite in the creek system surrounding Tubbs Inlet. We arrived at one of the many good fishing spots and retrieved a lively mud minnow from the live well, pinned it on the hook and made our first cast. With about three cranks of the reel, the first shout of "got him" was heard, followed by another, then another. With three casts, we had boated three flounders. This kind of action continued until the tide changed and the live well was almost empty. At last count, we had caught thirty-five flounders but only kept seven for the dinner table.
This kind of flounder action is typical while fishing the waters surrounding the Brunswick Islands and can be learned with a little understanding of their habitat and why and where Flounder live.
When the water temperature gets up to around 65 to 68 degrees, or, as the old timers say, when the dogwood trees begin their annual bloom, it is time to dust off the old fishing rods. This usually happens around the second week of April.
In the pursuit of these tasty little flatfish, there are several things that need to be taken into consideration. Mainly, where am I going fishing and what am I going to use for bait? As far as where to fish, this changes throughout the year as the water temperature rises and falls. During the spring bite, we like to fish in the back of creeks in deep holes. Sometimes, a hole can be very dramatic with depths falling from two to four feet and even fifteen to eighteen feet. Other holes are small one to two foot depressions on the bottom. Both can be very big producers. These holes are easily marked with any fish finder.
Now that we have found our hole, what do we use for bait? Springtime baits are usually mud minnows or tiger minnows. Mud minnows are available at most marinas, but, tiger minnows you have to catch yourself with a three or four foot cast net. The easiest time to catch minnows is at low tide while walking around the edge of sand bars. As you are walking, keep a watchful eye on the water in front of you and when you see a small school of five to ten minnows, throw your net on top of them. These are most likely tiger minnows. You will know by their tiger-like stripes running down their bodies.
Now that we have our location and our bait, it is time to start fishing. The most efficient way I have found to fish these holes is to anchor the boat down current of the hole and throw my bait back into the hole. Once the bait is in the water, let it sink for a few seconds until it reaches the bottom. Then, begin slowly retrieving the bait across the bottom. Once you feel the flounder bite, do not immediately set the hook. The way a flounder's mouth is situated sideways on his head causes him to take a few seconds to get the bait and hook inside. A good rule of thumb is, once you feel the bite, give him a ten second count before the hook set.
Another productive springtime technique is to drift or troll your bait. This method requires you to set out two or three lines behind your boat at varying distances and simply drift along with the tide. As you are drifting, your bait will bounce along the bottom. As this occurs, you rod tips will be bending and snapping back up regularly. For the novice, this looks to be a fish bite. But, when a flounder actually bites, while drifting, the rod will bend deeply and come back up very slowly. It almost appears that you have snagged a piece of grass or some weeds. When you feel like you have a flounder on your hook while drifting or trolling, it is best you put your reel into a free spool, as not to allow the fish to feel any pressure. Leave the reel in free spool for about five counts, then, return the reel to gear. As the line comes tight again, set your hook and reel him in. Once you get the fish boat side, place the landing net in a stationary position and steer the fish into it.
Springtime Flounder fishing is often fast and furious. As the Flounder move into the inlets from offshore, they are hungry and more than willing to take a bait presented in the right location. And as has been mentioned by Capt. Brant in the past, its all about location, location, location. One other note about Sprint Flounder fishing is that the majority of the Flounder you will encounter through April and early May will be less than the minimum legal size of 14 inches. Be sure to have a ruler on the boat to measure your catch. And finally, as I’ve mentioned, Spring Flounder fishing can be very productive. However, please only keep what you can eat in a reasonable amount of time and save the others for future fishermen.
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