Flounder Season Opens in New Jersey

By Ed Berger
Jun 2nd 2016

The early bird gets the worm, especially when it's opening day of flounder season in New Jersey. But Captain Ed Berger knows that, and that's why the FM Tuna was one of the first to leave the docks. We caught exclusively on Berkley Gulp! in chartreuse, but there are other days when nothing beats a fresh minnow.

A couple anglers and several fishing rods on a boat Paul Wheaton fishing off the side of a boat Kim Misher holding a flounder on a boa

To outfish us, here's what you need to know:

Know Bottom: Flounder prefer to ambush their prey, so use your depth-finder (and your jig) to look for structure and ledges that enable them to feed as desired. These aren't the only places you'll find flatties though — sometimes they're stacked in deep holes, other times they're warming up on shallow mud flats. It's important to know your fishery and assess your conditions each day.
Know Bites: Work your jig so that you can tell the difference between the bounce of the bottom and a bite. If you feel a nibble, set the hook by letting them eat and burying it home.
Jig, Baby, Jig: No really, keep that jig moving. Jury's out on whether a steady motion or the ol' changeup works best, but jury's in on movement — flick that wrist.
Cover Ground: A good drift will keep you in the strike zone longer. If you live for fluking, consider a trolling motor. Especially in windy conditions, a trolling motor with mapped drive will allow you to better control your drift and drift speed.

Two anglers fishing and one angler holding a white fluke in a net A teaser flounder lure with seaweed on it being held by an angler Ed Berger and Kraig Friedman fishing on the side of a boat