Once again the anticipated flounder season has finally arrived along the Eastern Shore of Virginia and Maryland. With a mild winter, little rain, high salinity and fast warming back bay waters, the flounder season is moving into high gear. As I write this, flounder are pouring into the coastal bays, following their sense of warming waters and the presence of prey species. Flounder often travel in age classes and it seems larger, mature fish leads the vanguard of the early migration. So the spring season is usually the best opportunity for anglers to get a shot at the biggest fish of the year, which are found in the greatest numbers.

FLOUNDER FINDER
The most effective way to catch big flounder is by drift fishing from a boat. Drift fishing accomplishes two things: it allows anglers to cover more prime bottom real estate using tide and wind as power; and second, the moving boat gives the bait a more natural presentation mimicking a fleeing meal. And almost any small boat will do fine for protected water drifting, including tin boats. I prefer fiberglass boats though, since the added weight allows me a more controlled drift, especially in high wind or a hard tide.

The best place to locate flounder is to identify their travel and feeding corridors such as channels, sloughs, drop-offs and flats that fall away to deeper water. Flounder are ambush predators and they like to be in moving water to nail prey species that get swept through these areas. During the spring, many fish will congregate where several channels or sloughs converge. These areas are hot spots because they hold not only baitfish, but also warm water being flushed out of shallow creeks and tidal flats. Also flounder like clear water - find clear water and you'll usually find fish.

There are several ways anglers new to an area can locate the best flounder spots. The simplest is to ask other fishermen or check in with a local tackle shop. Another is to buy a good fishing map of your target waters and identify sloughs, creeks and flats. Or you can cheat like most anglers new to an area and just go where you see a lot of other boats. "Flounder hot spots can change weekly depending on wind and weather conditions, so we often get veteran anglers checking in to find out where the current action is. We also carry maps of the area and try to help new anglers navigate the best places to fish. Fortunately the channel right in front of our marina has always been a consistent flounder catching area for decades," says Donna Roeske owner of Capt Bobs Marina in Chincoteague Island. But the best weapon on your boat will be your depth finder since this invaluable tool will tell you where those drop-offs and contour slopes are and when you've drifted out of the strike zone.

There are also natural conditions that can influence your potential flounder catch, including wind and tide. Veteran flounder finder Capt. Dale Brown of Ocean City once told me "I catch more fish on a west or northwest wind, though the dominant wind along the Eastern Shore is usually out of the southwest. Also I usually catch more fish on an outgoing tide." As for myself I prefer to fish from the top of the high all the way through to the bottom of the ebb tide. During the top of the tide, flounder can be found up on warmer shallow sand flats chasing baitfish. As the tide falls, fish will stage near drop-offs and tidal creek outflow to ambush bait. That's why most flounder are caught on slopes of channels. They face up-hill waiting for prey to tumble down with the outgoing tide.

TACKLE TRICKS
Flounder are not the hardest fighters in the world, but catching them does take some angling finesse and that usually means starting with good, comfortable tackle. My favorite flounder conventional outfit is a 7ft. Catera rod with a Trion 66 reel and 12lb test Supreme line. My spinning rod is a 6'6 Ugly Stik Custom Inshore rod, with diamond wraps; double footed guides and cork grips. On this I've lashed a Pflueger 7540 Contender spinning reel, which has 5 stainless ball bearings and a constant anti-reverse, so I never have to worry about being "in-gear." I've had good results with red "Cajun Lightnin" line in 14 pound test, which can also handle seatrout and puppy drum.

Since flounder are bottom feeders, always keep your bait in the strike zone, adjusting your weight for wind and current. Usually 2-4 ounces will do. A simple rig can be a 3-way swivel tied directly to the line which you then attach a 24 inch leader to a 2/0 hook and a 6 inch sinker dropper loop below that. Add beads and/or a blade for added attraction. Double dropper rigs work fine as well, and give you a chance to fish two types of bait at once. There are plenty of good pre-tied flounder rigs out there on the market. I always keep a few simple pre-tied single and double rigs in my gear bag for backup.

Best spring flounder baits include live minnows, long strips of squid, fresh frozen silversides, and cut strips of fresh bait such as croaker or spot. Also white bucktails with rubber tails or strips of squid work great, especially when bounced in deep holes and along slopes.

So fire up the boat, pull out the rods and follow the warming tides to Eastern Shore back bay channels and sloughs. The flounder have arrived and this spring may be your best chance for that trophy fish you always dreamed of.