# Flounder Gigging



## Coastal Lady (Nov 2, 2005)

I need help. When is it best to gig flounder at night? I have studied the tides, the spread between tides, the moon, the temperatures, the wind, the water clarity and I have not had luck finding many flounder. We have hit the water just after the high tide on an outgoing tide in the shallow waters near a natural pass and can see where they have been bedded down but they are gone. All they've left is their impression in the sand. Should I fish before the high tide on an outgoing tide. (This is Fall season, of course, that I am speaking of.)
My question may be more simple: When do the heck the little fellas go night-night? Any help will be appreciated.


----------



## Freshwaterman (May 21, 2004)

Here is the long and short of it.

Flounder gigging is a summer time thing. This time of year most flounder are starting to move to deeper water. Catch them in the passes on rod and reel this time of year.

As for the best time to go. Right after a low tide. Flounder move into shallow water on the shorelines and marshes with the incoming tide. But as soon as the tide turns and starts to go out again they will retreat to deeper water. Clear water is key. so if the winds out of the south you need to be on the south shoreline.

Good luck!


----------



## Bigsharks6 (Jun 23, 2005)

i would have to say that flounder gigging is a winter time thing... more so then summer here in texas you can do it year round... i have been getting a handfull every night these past few weeks... i just walk a long way untill i find where it looks good... dumb luck i guess...


----------



## goinpostal3 (Jul 2, 2004)

GUNnROD said:


> Here is the long and short of it.
> 
> Flounder gigging is a summer time thing. This time of year most flounder are starting to move to deeper water. Catch them in the passes on rod and reel this time of year.
> 
> ...


Actually, i disagree with several points here, lol. But I guess it's all based on previous experiences. I spend at least 80% of my trips gigging... I gig all year round. Granted the winter months aren't usually limits, but the quality of fish is better.

All of my most productive spots are best on the end of an outgoing tide. The flounder come up to feed on the bait coming out of the grass as the tide goes out. Infact, the lower the water the better, lol.

Coastal Lady - If you are seeing the beds, then IMHO you are doing "almost" everything right. Right place, Right clarity, etc. One thing that I find is the dominant factor when gigging (and even fishing) is the barometric pressure. When it's up, they will back off into deeper water no matter how good the rest of the conditions are.

Just think about those no wind, clear sky days when everyone strikes out. But the next day those who tough out the wind/rain do good. Barometric pressure at work there...

Just something else to analyze before the trip, lol.

Home my .02 helps


----------



## deebo (May 22, 2004)

I gig year round as well, and its not just a summer thing. I will pretty much second everything Goinpostal said. I esp agree with the time. There are lots of different opinions on when the best time to go is based on tide. I have to say also, that i like the end of a falling tide, so pretty much low tide. I dont like to go right at the start of a falling tide, i find gigging better at the end of it.Going gigging this weekend, and i will let you know how it goes.


----------



## MarshMellow (Dec 17, 2004)

Welcome to the board, Coastal Lady. It's a good one. From feedback that I've seen in the past, there seems to be some that don't regard gigging as fishing, but I assure you that both require luck along with skill. If it were that easy, everyone would be getting limits all the time, but I don't see that here. Also, it would probably become illegal.

Now that you're thoroughly confused about the summertime/wintertime opinions, I'll give you mine and try to answer your questions from my experiences. I gig year round from a boat, and don't believe that all the fish migrate out for the winter, however my best months seem to be July and August. I've gone the night before Xmas Eve and gotten 7 or 8, though in a couple of hours.

Tides: I seem to have best luck near low tide
Moon: doesn't seem to matter
Temperatures: more fish when warm, but water is usually clearer when cooler and easier to spot the remaining fish.
Wind: 5mph or less is desired (or find protected area) because of ripples on surface reducing visibility.
Impressions: footprints of recent giggers on foot resemble flounder beds.
Depth: look close to shore. I got a 24 incher in less than 3 inches of water once.

Bonus:
Crabs: this sounds weird, but when you see a crab, start looking for a flattie (my secret is now out!)

Do a search of my posts from this summer and check out the photos. Hope this helps and good luck!


----------



## Coastal Lady (Nov 2, 2005)

Thanks, went out Sat am about 3am. Got 2. Saw a ton of impressions. These were clearly identifiable flounder impressions. No doubt about it. You could have laid the flatty down and drawn the outline and not had much better lines. Anyway, we did see a crab or two. My son (who plays football in college was with me). He was so excited and also confused about all the impressions, that he went again Monday night. Crazy thing. As if football isn't enough exercise. He's crazy about fishing, though. Storm came through that night and water was pretty cloudy. He saw nothing but again he saw impressions. He wants to go again tonight because his team flies out tomorrow for a game (figures he can sleep on the plane, I guess, the crazy guy). Anyway, just trying to figure out the time to go if we go tonight.
Thanks.


----------



## anton (Aug 2, 2005)

What team does he play for


----------



## Hooked (Oct 15, 2004)

The answer to that question might weigh heavily on how much 'specific' floundering advice you get......lol
I'm in the flounder-year-round-end-of-falling tide crowd with July and August being best for me.
Looking at the Galveston area tides I'm not sure tonight would be the best choice -- low tides are mostly early in the afternoon/evening so we'll see incoming in most areas tonight.
If your son goes to tonight hope he finds some.


----------



## MarshMellow (Dec 17, 2004)

Coastal Lady, I forgot to tell you that I usually start gigging as soon as it gets dark. I've never started at 3am. Too lazy for that. 

You should be able to write your own book after getting all this great information!


----------



## Coastal Lady (Nov 2, 2005)

Followup. My son and I went out last night. Only had one light with us. But we saw nothing. Hit the water wading about 11:30pm and waded until about 1am. Not many impressions. Low tide. Low wind 10mphSSE. Water was slightly murky.


----------



## Haynie24Cat (Jul 11, 2012)

*I'm in agreement with Shark*



Bigsharks6 said:


> i would have to say that flounder gigging is a winter time thing... more so then summer here in texas you can do it year round... i have been getting a handfull every night these past few weeks... i just walk a long way untill i find where it looks good... dumb luck i guess...


I historically haven't had much luck during the summer, I usually wait til after the first cold front and go out right after that, I'll start gigging at around midnight.


----------



## dugue4 (May 29, 2012)

Nice necro-post


----------



## robolivar (Oct 7, 2011)

Good luck coastal lady! 
haha!


----------



## Jaysand247 (Aug 19, 2012)

Lol that thread is so old her son would have already retired from the nfl.


----------



## Brandon1107 (Jun 16, 2009)

Jaysand247 said:


> Lol that thread is so old her son would have already retired from the nfl.


That's funny right there!
B


----------



## Fishingmatt (Aug 16, 2012)

jaysand247 said:


> lol that thread is so old her son would have already retired from the nfl.


hahahahahaha


----------



## Pocketfisherman (May 30, 2005)

One other thing, if you're not seeing any bait moving around, hang it up and go home, or come back later.


----------



## Smackdaddy53 (Nov 4, 2011)

Pocketfisherman said:


> One other thing, if you're not seeing any bait moving around, hang it up and go home, or come back later.


I don't gig bait. If you don't see flounder in an area, try something different or be watching for tide movement. That means watching THE WATER not the internet. Too many people rely on the internet for tides, wind etc. If you want to be good at CATCHING you need to learn the areas you fish. That means knowing how the ******** website forecasts correlate with real life conditions. 
Get out there and see for yourself what conditions are like. I am sick of internet fishermen thinking if they sit in an area on windfinder that the wind is going to cooperate to the "T". 
Get off the web and go.

http://www.fishingscout.com/scouts/SmackDaddy


----------



## captainharvey (Mar 1, 2011)

True words Mac. I've been gigging all my life, as long as I can find clear enough water and the winds are not blowing 30 mph+.... I'm going! 
The only slow time is after the fall run when the water temps get down in the lower 50s and less. Late Dec-mid Feb. But even then you can find some fish in areas. 

Flounder just like any fish, can be found in all tides, moon phases, all types of bottoms, etc. 
When you find fish in an area, remember the current conditions and try to find out why the spot is working. Next time the conditions are similar, try that spot again. After you have gone to enough areas in all types of conditions you will start to pick up on their patterns. 
If you find an area loaded with beds, you were late. Try to get there earlier the next night, or the next time the conditions line up that way again, get there earlier. Flounder feed during the day as well. I have gone to areas right at sunset only to find empty beds. 

It's really just a pattern and memorization game. Some parts of the bay hold fish year round, while others only work in the cooler months. I have my spots for low tide, high tide, super low, super high, incoming, outgoing, etc etc. Sometimes an area that holds flounder will be murky for weeks and when it finally gets clear....boom, you can tear em up. 

Here is some top secret advice. Go floundering and watch the other boats out there. Don't crowd in on them, just observe. When they leave, go check it out. Not everybody knows where to gig, but they were probably in that area for a reason. Just make sure to have several options for any given conditions and quit listening to the talkers and go do it, remember the conditions and results. Repeat


----------



## flounder daddy (Mar 22, 2012)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> I don't gig bait. If you don't see flounder in an area, try something different or be watching for tide movement. That means watching THE WATER not the internet. Too many people rely on the internet for tides, wind etc. If you want to be good at CATCHING you need to learn the areas you fish. That means knowing how the ******** website forecasts correlate with real life conditions.
> Get out there and see for yourself what conditions are like. I am sick of internet fishermen thinking if they sit in an area on windfinder that the wind is going to cooperate to the "T".
> Get off the web and go.
> 
> http://www.fishingscout.com/scouts/SmackDaddy


Could not have said it better. I used the live tide bouys and know where that level is in REALITY in certain areas AND the ACTUAL level/time variation in miles from the bouys. You dont learn that stuff by sitting on the interweb. You learn it by getting on the water and putting in the time.


----------



## Smackdaddy53 (Nov 4, 2011)

captainharvey said:


> True words Mac. I've been gigging all my life, as long as I can find clear enough water and the winds are not blowing 30 mph+.... I'm going!
> 
> The only slow time is after the fall run when the water temps get down in the lower 50s and less. Late Dec-mid Feb. But even then you can find some fish in areas.
> 
> ...


Captain Harvey is a grinder. He will get out there and move around until he finds them. I have gigged with him twice and actually got him off his boat and we gigged on foot once. This guy loves what he does and is dang good at it.
One thing I have noticed about flounder movement is that if you get there just after dark and there are fresh beds (the outline is still super crisp, not sanding in already) you can usually move to another area further away and the flounder will be there OR you can soak some live mullet for reds and gig super early and the flounder will move back in those areas you saw the beds. If you give up too soon you may miss out on a good stringer of flatties. I know some of you have read this from me before but I have gigged a limit before the sun set once. Too many times I have also walked a shoreline for a half mile or so and on the way back there were flounder moving in and laying in my footprints. Wait them out and you will usually get on them. I have yet to gig enough consecutive nights to really pattern flounder but have gigged the same areas over several years to get a good feel of what they may be doing but most of the time if I go gigging it is going to be an all nighter and I will take breaks and soak mullet for reds between runs.


----------

