Flounder Revolution (R) is the concept and original project of award-winning outdoors communicator and conservationist Chester Moore. The goal is to fundamentally change the way flounder are viewed
to ensure their conservation for future generations.
Flounder Revolution: Monday Flounder Update:
Monday Flounder Update:
Greetings fellow flounder fanatics!
Over the weekend we got our first replica program entry of 2010. Angler Justin Hawkins caught a 20 1/2-inch beauty and released it right back into Sabine Lake.
Justin Hawkins with the first 2010 Flounder Revolution Online Tournament catch
Walleye Strategies for Flounder
I probably shouldn't give this business secret away but at this stage in my career, what the heck?
Many of the innovative saltwater techniques I have tested, tried and promoted via my articles come from heavily studying freshwater fisheries around the world. Walleye in particular are fascinating and although they can help us with flounder fishing in this case they can.
I got a press release from Traditions Media featuring a special release written by author Tony Roach regarding using slip floats for walleye. Read this text and replace the world "walleye" with "flounder" and think about using floats to put live bait in front of flounder in tough spots. I will have my own take on floats in a coming update but for now check this out and let me know what you think.
"But truthfully, the main thingwith floats—and this gets continually overlooked—is that they remain one of thefinest precision live bait delivery tools in existence. It’s easy to discount corkin’because the method sometimes feels too simple, too elementary to be takenseriously."
"A skilled float fisherman will many times fish circles around even thebest riggers and jiggers on the lake. Consider two big tournament wins by myfriend, Bruce “Doc” Samson—both on precision float methods. On Ottertail Lakein Minnesota in 2006, Doc was the only angler in the field using slip floats.Coupled with Northland Fishing Tackle Thumper Jigs (a small-bladed spinner jig)and lively ribbon leeches, he walked away with the title."
“Slip bobbers let me do things I just can’t accomplish any other way,”Doc told me recently.
“A properly rigged float system places a lively leech,minnow or nightcrawler right in the sweet spot. While a jig or slip-sinker rigpresents bait with precision, these tools only keep bait in front of the fishfor as long as boat control allows. When the wind is up and you’re attemptingto drift down a breakline, how often do you think your bait is really in frontof fish? In truth, it’s only positioned “right” for a few seconds at a time.
Doc continues: “Particularly early in the season, walleyes like to swimall around a bait, inspecting it from many angles, before moving in to eat. Aslip bobber keeps me in the zone for as long as necessary. Plus, when I anchoron a structure during a tournament, I’m better able to protect my spot fromother fishermen. If I were just drifting along with a jig or rig, I’d be unableto protect my spot. On lots of today’s crowded waters, this is sometimes a must.”
Have you used floats for flounder? Does any of this resonate with you? If so, let us know by commenting away.
The Black Salty
Over the last year I have had some pretty tremendous success using the Black Salty (a kind of carp that can take a pretty good amount of time in saltwater) on largemouth bass in some super hard to fish private waters. You know the kind of place loaded with fish but won't bite just about anything because they are so pressured. I am interested to see if they will work for flounder and will be field testing some beginning this weekend. Just thought I would pass this along and by the way my first go round with them will be under a float.
More details as they come. For more information on the Black Salty, click here.
4/12/2010 5:35 PM
Jim McKay wrote:
Floats for Flounder work great, I've been using them for years, especially when you can't fish with the bank due to shoreline contour or water depth. When the Flounder are holding tight to the bank and you can't get to them just add a float and let the current move that bait right down the shoreline. As far as the Black Salties, Flounder love them, the gang that fish the GSU Canal levee have been using them for years and do good with them, they also like baby Crabs and Crayfish, but why waste time experimenting, when You already know what they want the most.
I don't see experimenting as a waste of time. It's the only route toward innovation. There are times when fish (of any kind) shut down to just about anything but for some reason will hit a certain bait and sometimes it's an obscure one.
With the lack of places carrying mud minnows and mullet the Salty is intriguing because you can get them delivered to your door. I know they work on bass so glad to hear some experienced anglers such as yourself have confidence in them.
4/12/2010 8:47 PM
Devin wrote:
The walleye comparison is very interesting. I cant wait to hear more. I have caught flounder under floats on a pier before. Reply to this
4/12/2010 8:50 PM
Justin S. wrote:
Never fished a cork but after reading this about walleyes and thinking of flounder I have a few ideas. Reply to this
4/13/2010 8:09 AM
Neal wrote:
This is a great article about using float for flounder.
We fish fresh water more than salt water. We use float with artificial baits for all type of species, such as hybrids, stripers, sand bass, and crappies.
We have tried the float technique for flounder with artificial bait just like fresh water, but it doesn't really work. I guest we didn't try it hard enough and stick with it like we did with fresh water. This coming flounder season in the Fall and early Winter we will go back to the coast and will concentrate on using nothing but float with artificial bait. We will take picture and reply back to this same email with daily result.
4/13/2010 7:18 PM
Jesse wrote:
I have used cork around the riprap in the intracoastal where jigs get caught up. They work great especially if you have a really lively bait. Reply to this
4/14/2010 7:46 AM
Roy wrote:
I have a spot on the "West Shoreline of Galveston Bay" (not going to give it up as no one fishes this area and waders bypass it all the time). I use saltwater assassins carolia rig & flounder pounders, but on occasion I use live at the same time when bouncing lures. Live shad about 3-4ft below the cork in this area works great. I just don't care for live bait very much as you have to wait for a bite. I like covering an area and hitting specific spots...piers, rocks, pilons, grass flats and always on an outgoing tide. It's sad that the bag limit is now 5. It's not like the average fisherman is the problem. Good luck to all and May and June are my best months on the West Shoreline for flatties. Reply to this
The "west shoreline" is the Kemah, Seabrook area, near Clear Lake. Great wading area as the bottom is hard sand. Any wind w, sw, nw, or light s wind is great in this area. Reply to this
Floats for Flounder work great, I've been using them for years, especially when you can't fish with the bank due to shoreline contour or water depth. When the Flounder are holding tight to the bank and you can't get to them just add a float and let the current move that bait right down the shoreline.
As far as the Black Salties, Flounder love them, the gang that fish the GSU Canal levee have been using them for years and do good with them, they also like baby Crabs and Crayfish, but why waste time experimenting, when You already know what they want the most.
Jim McKay
Reply to this
Thanks for the info Jim.
Reply to this
The walleye comparison is very interesting. I cant wait to hear more. I have caught flounder under floats on a pier before.
Reply to this
Never fished a cork but after reading this about walleyes and thinking of flounder I have a few ideas.
Reply to this
This is a great article about using float for flounder.
We fish fresh water more than salt water. We use float with artificial baits for all type of species, such as hybrids, stripers, sand bass, and crappies.
We have tried the float technique for flounder with artificial bait just like fresh water, but it doesn't really work. I guest we didn't try it hard enough and stick with it like we did with fresh water. This coming flounder season in the Fall and early Winter we will go back to the coast and will concentrate on using nothing but float with artificial bait. We will take picture and reply back to this same email with daily result.
Thank you,
Neal
Reply to this
I have used cork around the riprap in the intracoastal where jigs get caught up. They work great especially if you have a really lively bait.
Reply to this
I have a spot on the "West Shoreline of Galveston Bay" (not going to give it up as no one fishes this area and waders bypass it all the time). I use saltwater assassins carolia rig & flounder pounders, but on occasion I use live at the same time when bouncing lures. Live shad about 3-4ft below the cork in this area works great. I just don't care for live bait very much as you have to wait for a bite. I like covering an area and hitting specific spots...piers, rocks, pilons, grass flats and always on an outgoing tide. It's sad that the bag limit is now 5. It's not like the average fisherman is the problem. Good luck to all and May and June are my best months on the West Shoreline for flatties.
Reply to this
West Shoreline ??????
We are located in Dallas and we rarely go there in the summer time. Wonder if you give a fellow a little for clue to this location.
Thanks a million,
Reply to this
Hello sir:
The "west shoreline" is the Kemah, Seabrook area, near Clear Lake. Great wading area as the bottom is hard sand. Any wind w, sw, nw, or light s wind is great in this area.
Reply to this