This time of year there is so much going on in the flounder world it is hard to keep up with especially when you are trying to spend as much time on the water as possible. So, with that I will go right to a tech tip.

The flounder on Sabine Lake and Lake Calcasieu where I have been fishing have been very finicky, especially at Sabine. Instead of getting the classic "thump" the bite has been more akin to feeling pressure on the line or getting a "spongy" feeling as the lure is worked across the bottom. 

In these situations I have started to downsize my lure. I typically use a Bomber Saltwater Grade Mud Minnow Curl Tail in hot pink which is four inches long. If I am not using that then I use the smoke-colored Gulp! Swimming Mullet, also at four inches. However, when the bite is strange, I switch a 3-inch Twister Tail in hot pink tipped with shrimp. On Sabine it has been about the only thing to produce more fish for me since October and on Calcasieu last week it proved to be valuable as well.

We were fishing an an area of the ship channel nearby some waders who were catching lots of fish. The catch was we were in a boat and could not get shallow enough to make short casts like they were and have full contact with our lures. The current was strong and the casts were long which I do not like when flounder fishing.

Within a few minutes of downsizing, I started getting bit.

The reason?

I think it is is twofold: action and convenience.

Although we were not in the zone where the fish were up shallow feeding, we were able to catch some fish on the perimeter than were on a less aggressive feeding pattern. The smaller curltail has a faster action on the tail and by simply letting it flow with the current making tiny, tiny hops you can work it and keep contact with the bottom. Secondly, flounder are unique among our big sport fish. While fishing BIG live baits or lures will eliminate a lot of smaller fish, they do prefer smaller baits. Studies have shown that even big flounder (unlike speckled trout which switch to chiefly larger finish at maturity)prefer smaller baitfish as they grow larger. I have found that when they are on an aggressive feed, they will hit big or small lures, however when you find some fish that are not so hungry downsizing can make a big difference.

I had planned to announce the first Flatfish University (TM) of 2011 here on this blog at the first of December. However, there is a slight problem. It sold out!

I gave out a flyer at the introductory event at Fishing Tackle Unlimited back in October and sold half of the 20 slots that day. Since then I have been getting emails asking about availability officially making it a sellout yesterday with all participants paid in full. So technically it sold out before it was ever announced to the general public. 

The event will be held at Gander Mountain in Beaumont, TX Sat. Feb. 12 and will focus on "Spring and Summer Flounder Strategies".

All Flatfish University (TM) events will have limited attendance so everyone gets one on one attention and instruction. This is the new level of flounder education and I for one could not be more excited with the response and the curriculum I have put together for these events.

Here's a teaser for the next event. It will be held April 9 and the course will be "Advanced Flounder Tactics and Strategies".

The location? Well, that's a secret for now.

Keep checking back for details. It will sell out fast.

As we reported last week angler Charlie Hansen will be hosting a flounder roundup this Saturday at Boyd's One Stop on the Texas City Dike. Flounder Revolution (R) will provide a replica for the angler bringing in the largest fish. Here's the flyer for more information.

God bless,

Chester Moore

Founder

Flounder Revolution (R)