11/5/21 winter flounder
 

Took most of the day off Friday and felt like enduring a lesson in futility targeting winter flounder in the way back bay from shore around some creeks. Got some worms on my way down to the sedge banks and started around 10 am.

I don't bait and wait. I fish like I'm fluking but in slo mo. Worked in and outta some holes I've found the last couple years in the back. Never a soul in sight! Anyhow, 3rd cast I feel a nibble... a faint, tap tap tap. I wait. Slowly turn the handle to stay tight. Tap tap tap. Unreal. Somethings messing with my mind. I wait. Tap tap tap. Slowly lift, and feel some weight and gently set the hook home. I'm hooked up but it's just gliding in towards me, nice and slow. Get it within a rod or 2 distance from me and it boogies and digs hard, peeling drag. I get a glimpse thinking it's a fluke. Nope... big ass snowshoe flounder! Slide it up the bank and gawk at it. Pull the tape out and it measured 18.5"--a beast, esp for shore-based fishing. I was pumped. Bled the fish and into the cooler bag it went.

After that things got slow. Cast after cast. Nada. Zilch. About 1.5 hours later my bait gets hammered. I set the hook and land a 12" fish, barely hooked. Do I keep it or keep trying? I decided to release it hoping for something a tad bigger.

Back it, a few minutes later my bait gets hammered again! Set the hook and another 12" fish lol. De ja vu. Same deal. Keep or release? I released it HOPING for something a bit larger.

Now the tides really starting to move out and I move further out, seeing some of the holes i was fishing. I keep casting my bait. About 45 min goes by and i get whacked but no hook up. I wait and pop the worm, shake the bait, kick up some mud and BAM! Whacks it again... this time i set the hook and stuck the fish. Slide it up onto shore and it taped out at 14". Nice. A small reward for the releases! Bleed the fish and into the cooler bag.

It was rewarding. And goddamn tasty of a meal tonite with the fresh sauteed bok choy from my garden. It was a good day on the water. Sink shot and a tape measure on the biggun below.

Re: 11/5/21 winter flounder
 

Jeremy awesome report! Brings back memories, would love to see that fishery recover. 18.5" is a beast of a winter flounder. Slow moving retrieve like you did or bouncing it under a boat while chumming are the best ways to catch winter flounder. Nice job. Some good looking bok choy, must have been a great meal. Winter flounder make a great meal, noticeably better in my opinion than their summer cousins.

Re: 11/5/21 winter flounder
 

Back in the day moving the bait was good technique that many fishermen didn't use when fishing for flounder for some reason.
We used to drift to locate them matter of fact, and then would anchor up and chum. They would hit readily while drifting along at "fluke speed". There are still some out there, as your post indicates, just not many guys making the effort,, Seems everyone has stripers on the brain these days..

Re: 11/5/21 winter flounder
 

Wow a Flounder report, very cool!!

Re: 11/5/21 winter flounder
 

My Dad and I use to drift for Winter Flounders out in L.I all the time. It's a good method once the water warms up a bit. This is a great report. Makes me want to go out there and try for some! Tight lines!

Re: 11/5/21 winter flounder
 

Great report man! Awesome Flounder report and good eats for sure! Wow!!!:D

Re: 11/5/21 winter flounder
 

I actually dream about catching winter flounder in the least likely places. I will look over the side of the boat and see asphalt and wonder "Hmmm, I might be a bit shallow" Great Report. I tried in earnest to chum up some last spring in a couple holes around Atlantic Highlands. Was this down in Barnegat?

Re: 11/5/21 winter flounder
 

Capt. Marty on the Sea Pigeon would often drift for winter flounder. Especially on Round Shoal.

Although I haven’t done it in a few years (might try this year)-I used to either rent a skiff from The Fisherman’s Den in Belmar the weekend before Thanksgiving and target winter flounder in Shark River. If I didn’t rent a skiff I’d fish from shore on either side of the boat ramp. Both always would provide a few tasty meals.

Re: 11/5/21 winter flounder
 

Raritan bay.

Re: 11/5/21 winter flounder
 

Are the Winter flounder present throughout the winter? Or do they leave a offshore in December and then return in the early spring?