My regular household plumber’s helper, duct-taped on a bamboo pole, does double duty as a quick, flounder pounder to ring the dinner bell for any flounder in the immediate area. Lift up and shake the pots, so you’re not only dispersing the clam, but you’re also stirring up the bottom. You can’t go wrong with the clam chum logs most bait & tackle shops sell, and you can always augment with mussels, corn, rice, cat food and other concoctions, but I’ve found motion to be more important than a potpourri of chum. I use two, one on either end of my fishing spot. What you do need is a chum pot, chum, and then some more chum. As little as 20 yards and certainly no more than 50 yards of braid is all you need. Since winter flounder aren’t exactly known for their sustained, blistering runs, a top shot of your favorite braid anywhere from 6-pound test on up over a backing of mono is the way to go. While monofilament line has caught a yeoman’s share of flounder over the decades, you can’t deny the sensitivity and effectiveness of braided line. I favor a 6-1/2- or 7-foot trigger style, “popping” rod with a baitcasting reel, or the same length spinning rod matched to a 6- to 10-pound class spinner. No real need for dedicated winter flounder outfits. The same freshwater or light tackle bay outfits you use in the sultry days of summer work just fine for winter flounder. Back-up spots are always a good idea.įishing for winter flatties from the shore can be as simple or complicated as you want it to be, but success lies somewhere in between. If that happens in my core fishing area, I’ll swing over to Island Heights, Gilford Park or the Bayshore section of Toms River township for more tranquil waters. Since my Second Pier hotspot is on the south shore of Toms River, winds out of the south quadrant work best, but I have a couple of back-up spots when it’s clear, cold and blowing northwest. I prefer to be in the lee of the wind, not only for warmth, but also for more accurate control of my bait and tackle. A 10 o’clock to 2 or 3 in the afternoon session will make for a full, pleasurable outing and day. Winter flounder fishing lets you hit the snooze alarm a couple of times and drink a leisurely cup of coffee while the springtime sun does its job of warming the bay up for the day. Look for water temps in the 45- to 55-degree range. If you find a spot where tides run strong, definitely fish the top water to ebb tide, as the warmer inshore waters will be more amenable to flounder activity than the outside ocean waters. Water anywhere from 4 to 12 feet has been the most productive for me, and time of day is more important than tide, but that’s because I fish mostly backwater bays where tidal movement is at a minimum. I try to look for a muddy bottom, since it holds the benthic marine life flounder feed on, plus its dark color attracts the sun’s warmth. Bulkheads, piers, even shore and marsh banks are all good starting points to blow the stink of winter off and bathe in the luxury of some much-needed sunshine and fresh, salt air. This particular pier offers a great set-up for consistent winter flounder action, and there are loads of such structures peppered throughout the Jersey Shore. So it was only right that we began our season where it all started, all those years ago. It’s where my kids also caught their first fish too, although they upgraded to snapper blues. That’s where I caught my first fish, the lowly blowfish, when I was a kid, feeling the electricity of that first bite. Winter flounder is a late winter family tradition along Central and North Jersey bulkheads that goes back several generations, regardless of regulations.ĭespite a two fish at 12-inch limit, the opening of winter flounder is as much about tradition as filling a cooler.Ĭome on, let’s go down the shore,” my wife and fishing partner said, “I need a change of scenery.” After a week of dreary weather, the day offered blue skies, sunshine and a southwest breeze, perfect conditions for our go-to winter flounder spot, the Second Pier.
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