Summer Flounder Fishing Guide

Summer flounder — known almost universally as "fluke" along the Mid-Atlantic coast — are among the most popular saltwater sportfish from Cape Hatteras to Cape Cod. Unlike passive flatfish that simply wait on the bottom, fluke are aggressive ambush predators that readily swim up through the water column to chase squid, sand eels, and baitfish. They are left-eyed flatfish with a large, toothy mouth and exceptional camouflage ability — they can match gravel, sand, and even patchy bottom with near-perfect accuracy. The recreational fishery is heavily managed with strict size and bag limits due to past overfishing, but good-sized fluke are reliably caught in inlet channels, bays, and nearshore wrecks throughout summer. Their white, sweet fillets are considered among the best eating of any Atlantic flatfish.

Summer Flounder is a saltwater species.

Habitat

Summer flounder inhabit the Atlantic coast from Florida to Nova Scotia, with the heart of the fishery from Virginia to New England. They prefer sandy and mixed-bottom shallows, inlet channels, bays, and nearshore structure from just a few feet down to about 100 feet offshore. In fall they migrate south and deeper for offshore spawning; in spring they return to inshore areas as water warms above 50°F.

Diet

Fluke are aggressive predators that feed primarily on small fish — sand eels, bunker, bay anchovies, killies — as well as squid and crustaceans. They often pursue prey up off the bottom, and their large mouths and sharp teeth allow them to take surprisingly large prey.

Fishing Techniques

• Bucktail jigs tipped with squid strip and plastic tail
• Live killie on a fluke rig dragged across the bottom
• Gulp! baits on lead heads in bay channels
• Drifting squid strips in inlet current

Best Seasons

Summer, Spring, Fall

Size & Records

Average weight: 3 lbs. World record: 22.375 lbs (Montauk, New York, USA (1975)).