Flounders

[SpeciMan]

Following Hungrys request new thread started. Feel free to step in here and add/correct things.These are the tactics I'll be using for this flounder season.

 

Different baits for different areas - for Poole Harbour small/medium sized ragworm is popular and if you're lucky enough to find small white rag all the better. Some hook them bunched others try single. Idea with the bunched is that theres a bit more movement.

 

For somewhere like the Teign estuary peeler crab works better. After having a dig down there I found crabs but few rag - different story in Poole Harbour we get crabs(bait robbing bandits!) but there is a lot of ragworm in this area too.

 

Hooks don't need to be too big - aberdeens size 2's to 1/0s. There is a chance of a 4lber later in the season and also a good bass so I wouldn't go too small or use fine wire but thats just me.

 

I'd take the barb off hooks as there is a good chance a bass may take the bait. With flounder you should let the bite develop (if you let a bass bite develop for too long the chances are it will deep hook itself - hence take the barbs off). Flounder bites put a slower bend in the rod tip compared to the rattle rattle rattle bites of the bass.

 

Rods - a nice light boat, spinning or carp rod(maybe too long on the yak) is best. Zzippy had a 2 1/2lber earlier year on a 6lb class rod when Simon came down to Lymington for the smoothhound article. It fought like a demon stripping line from his reel! Zzippy has caught lots of flounder from the shore and they didn't fight like this. Yak fishing for flounder could be quite sporting -look forward to finding out.

 

Rigs - for the kayak I will be using a light ball weight on one rod with a 2-3 foot length of flourocarbon or amnesia and a couple of small float beads to increasing buoyancy of the bait and let it gently waft around with the current.

 

On the other rod I will use a silver spoon (not a flounder spoon!) with holes drilled on either end and a swivel attached to each end - one swivel connected to the main rig line and the other to a 1 1/2" -3" hooklength below the spoon. This will be used when trolling for them. I may add a few beads to the rigs & I'll also try float fishing for them where theres flow. Flounder will pop up and grab baits floating above them. Float fishing may prove popular when the crabs are out in full force... alternatively use popups or just stick it out and rebait every few mins.

 

As for places in Poole Harbour the edges of deep water channels seem popular with the boats. There are a few places on the other side of the harbour where you can't really get a boat through due to depth. There are small creeks which look perfect for a kayak as you can ambush them as they come through with the tide.

 

Bear in mind that a lot of flattie marks are bass nursery areas (eg Poole harbour, Fleet - Portland Habour). In Poole Harbour you can target the bass out of season in the nursery area but they still have to back (according to the southern fisheries officer we once spoke to). UK Bass Nursery Areas.

Nursery season ends on the 1st Nov in Poole Habour.

 

Should be a good season for the flounder down here. They're being caught in reasonable numbers already.

 

[ 04. October 2005, 01:31 AM: Message edited by: SpeciMan ]

[Zzippy]

Hiya Speciman.

Nice write up m8

If anyone is intrested in a bit of flounder fishing Speciman and I will be going this Friday.

We will launch from lake pier Poole harbour(Rockley,Next to the marine camp)and paddle or drift up to Holton heath and fish between the islands.The depth of water here ranges between 4 and 5 feet and is a muddy bottom.Bait will be just rag worm.I have tried peeler crab in the past but had no luck.

Alot of flounders can be caught at this location.

From the shore a few years back myself and a friend had just over 20 out in one session,on a bad day you could still catch a few.It might be a bit early yet to get them in numbers,but we shall try.

Zzippy

[musket]

Hi Speciman,

I'm looking forward to flounder fishing in my local estuary this autumn/winter.I used to fish here twentyfive/thirty years ago (so was Simon Everett unknown to me)

I'm intrigued as to why you say "not a flounder spoon!" I used to troll one behind a tiny pram dinghy with great success.This photo was taken in the bad old days ,now I would release all but one or two.

 

I can never understand why the angling press refer to flounder as being poor sport.As you say they can provide great sport,I used a small spinning rod.There is a knack to getting the spoon to work correctly,when you're doing it right the rod tip "ticks" slowly.

I might be out on friday too,although only for an hour or too.Will let you know if I have any luck,

cheers Jon.

[SpeciMan]

Hi Jon

 

This season I'll be tryng a spoon with swivels on each end as I've heard from a few people who have fished the harbour for years that this will increase your chances of picking up other species as well as flounder... I don't know why! Flounder spoons certainly work but if I can up the chance of catching a plaice then I'll try this. In Poole Harbour the plaice tend to be in the lower parts although on Friday we'll be fishing the upper part. If Zzippy is outfishing me with a flounder spoon I'll whip my blade off and swap over

[Scotty T]

Heard they are picking a few up in Wareham channel speciman. I'm fishing a match on Sunday, so wouldn't mind abit of inside info if you'd be so kind.

 

Scotty

[Zzippy]

Hi Scotty.

Is it the British legion match you are fishing sunday?If it is I think it is over 3 zones if I am not mistaken.

Baiter,Rockly and Hamworthy.

We will let you know how we get on:)

Zzippy

[SpeciMan]

No Problem Scotty.

[Scotty T]

Zzippy/SpeciMan, thats the one lads, first one i've entered but I thought I'd give it a bash as its on my doorstep. Think baiter might be a bad draw, the other stretch is lake pier to rockley, ham park is a free stretch if you don't like your draw, fishing the tide up from 9 until 1.30 I think.

 

Thanks guys, good luck on Friday, i'll kep my ear to the ground.

 

Scotty

[Zzippy]

Scotty.

If you Draw rockley,your best bet would be to fish the first set of concrete steps,failing that just below the clay cliffs.

If you draw Baiter then Personaly I would fish Ham park.Fish either to the far right or to the left at the end of the beach huts,just off the point.

If there is a strong south westerly wind then fish the powder house or the point at baiter.

I used to fish the Flounder league and all the opens.

I havnt done any this year though due to fishing the Kayak all the time now.

Good luck for Sunday m8

Zzippy

[Scotty T]

Cheers Zzippy, good info mate. I'll let you know how I get on, and what i'm going to do with my £200 winnings.

 

Scotty