Southern Flounder

The ambush specialist. Slow, methodical bottom presentations near current and structure.

Paralichthys lethostigma · Also known as: Flatfish, doormat (5 lb+); summer flounder/fluke fill the niche in MD. Ideal water temp 65–74°F.

Habitat & structure

Sand and mud bottom next to structure — channel edges, drop-offs, creek mouths, jetty rocks and dock pilings. They lie buried facing into the current waiting for bait to wash past.

Where they’re biting

Galveston Bay — Legendary November run out of the bayous toward the Gulf.
Apalachicola Bay — Creek mouths and dock edges on falling tide.
Panama City & St. Andrew Bay — Pass jetties and channel edges, best in fall.
Pamlico Sound & Outer Banks — Sloughs and drop-offs; NC manages the fishery tightly — check season.

Season by season

Season	Best bait	Best lures	Notes
Spring	Mud minnows on a jighead or Carolina rig	Scented swimming-mullet soft baits dragged slow	Fish return inshore from winter offshore spawn.
Summer	Live finger mullet, mud minnows	White or chartreuse paddle tails hopped along bottom	Spread through creeks and bay edges.
Fall	Finger mullet — the run bait	Heavier jigheads at passes and jetties	October–November migration to the Gulf/ocean is the peak. Seasons often close — verify regs.
Winter	Mostly offshore	—	Adults spawn offshore; inshore catch is incidental.

Preferred water temperature

Active from 62°F to 78°F — sweet spot 65–74°F. Watch the live water temp on our location pages.

Weather, light & cloud cover

Less light-driven than trout; tide and current position matter most. Moving water across a drop is the trigger. Clear water helps them see a slowly dragged bait.

Proven for southern flounder

3" Curl-Tail Grub on 1/4 oz Jighead — Soft plastic · spring / summer / fall / winter. The universal inshore search bait. Swim it steady over grass; hop it along bottom for flounder and bay bass.
3.5" Paddle Tail Swimbait — Soft plastic · spring / summer / fall. Match jighead to depth: 1/8 oz over flats, 3/8 oz on channel edges. Slow and steady beats fancy.
Scented Swimming Mullet 4" (Gulp-style) — Soft plastic · spring / summer / fall. Drag it slow across sand next to structure. When a flounder thumps, count to three before sweeping.
Bucktail Jig 1/2–3 oz — Jig · spring / summer / fall. Keep one rigged for surprise sightings — cobia, bull reds, stripers under birds. It catches everything.
Popping Cork + Live Shrimp — Rig · spring / summer / fall. The highest-percentage inshore rig there is. Pop, pause 5 seconds, repeat. The cork calls fish in dirty water.
Carolina-Rigged Soft Plastic — Rig · spring / summer / fall. Drift channels and drop-offs, dragging bottom. In CA, the same rig with a grub takes halibut on the flats.

What should you throw today?

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