Look for something out of the ordinary. You may see eyes, a vague outline of the fish, a mouth. Look for something that looks out of place.
When a flounder is spotted and then stuck with the gig, it might seem that the hard part is over. Many flounder have been lost to giggers because they slipped off the gig when the gig was lifted from the water.
Keep him moving on the gig. Flounder will jump when the gig is removed. I have a wooden wedge attached to an ice chest so I can just pull the gig out and the flounder will fall into the ice chest. When it comes to the moment of truth, there is a definite technique to maximize the chances of a successful thrust.
He offers some good advice for those of us who are just getting started in the gigging game. Marie and Maresa learned how to stick flatfish from their dad, Capt. Yano Serra. Full moon conditions are not the best for gigging. On a full moon, the flounder can see you coming before you see them.
They spook. Try to go with the wind. This is quiet and the wind pushes you over the bottom. Follow the tides. Be aware of what the tide is doing. A falling tide can leave you stuck up a bayou.
All of those factors make. We recently visited with Clint Williams of Fish Stik. Fish Stik is a manufacture of flounder gigging. We asked Clint for tips on the best ways to stalk and catch a flounder by flounder. He gave us some great tips for gigging from both a boat or while walking in the shallow waters.
First, Clint told us that the best time to flounder gig is in the warmer months. While this is an obvious,. He recomended looking for areas where bait may. Using the mounted or handheld light, start looking for the outline of the flounder on. In Panama City, Gigging for Doormats is a popular sporting event in the spring and summer months. Many guides around the state offer this fun alternative to hook and line fishing. You can also go gigging for frogs or fish.
Locals find this sport just as exciting as hooking up a big fish. For those of you who do not know what a Gig is, it is a pole with a forked-end containing one or more sharp spears called barbed tines. A gig is also called a spear, trident, trishul or leister.
Gig's are in the same category as spear guns so the Rules for Spearing apply to Gigs - it is OK to use a gig to catch a fish as long as it is not on the can't spearfish list and you are not allowed to gig in Collier or Monroe Counties. You may NOT spear, bowfish or gig: in Volusia County inland waters with the exception of Flounder and Sheepshead using a spear with three or fewer prongs. Always inquire locally as to the rules to stay out of trouble.
See Fishing Regulations for the rules. Flounder settle in on sandy bottoms covered in sand with only their eyes and outline visible from above. They lay still, camouflaged waiting to ambush their dinner of shrimp or bait fish. The mission is to shine the light into the water to see the Flounder resting in the sand and the reflection of the Flounders eyes.
Once you find the Flounder, Gig him! You will also look for the Flounder's tracks in the sandy bottom. Flounder are seldom found on muddy bottoms so look for shallow sandy areas with clear water. Lighting up the water also reveals amazing sea life below the surface so you get a wonderful education along with dinner if you catch a Doormat.
Tracking Flounder as they move with the tide is actually "seeing" the Flounder tracks in the sand as they move around. Flounder Tracks are the depressions left behind by the fish, a shallow hole in the shape of the fish. Flounder seldom travel very far from the tracks so following the tracks can bring you to the fish. At the end of the track you should be able to see the Flounder's eyes illuminate in the light you shine on them.
Flounder generally travel in groups so if you find one you know there are many in the general area. Once you see the Flounder slowly put the gig into the water, line your gig head up with the back of his eyes, and with one swift jab pitch the gig just behind the eyes all the way through the fish, if you don't stab hard and get thru the fish you will loose him!
When you spear the Flounder with your gig the water will explode in a cloud of sand and you have to hold on tight. Hold the speared fish on the bottom until he stops fighting they slowly lift him out of the water in a motion like you are shoveling, this will prevent the fish from backing out of the tine and loosing him. Gigging the Flounder in the head behind the eyes and in front of the gill plate reduces the amount of struggle the fish will exert.
If you gig a large Flounder you may have to get your buddy to jump in the water and wrap his arms around the fish as you lift it, gigging it in the head may not slow down a big fish.
Another thing to note is the distance between the eyes on legal sized Flounder. After you catch your first legal one, put it back in the water and study the distance between the eyes so you know next time if it is legal before spearing.
If you set the hook too soon you will miss many fish. When fishing near the pass or on the near shore reefs and wrecks you are primarily going to fish a Carolina rig with a 1oz to 4oz lead. Bull minnows are again the best baits but a few fish can be caught on soft plastic lures.
The water depth, wind and current on the outside of the pass will be too much for a soft plastic fish by itself. When and Where to Gig Flounder. Gigging normally starts in mid to late August and goes through to mid-November. The flounders we gig are mostly in the bay along the shallows in ft of water that has access to deep water. Having the right lights, gigs, and poles are essential.
You can start looking for flounder shortly after dark when they move onto the flats and shallows looking to ambush small bait fish. Learning to spot the flounder takes a little patience but once you find the first one they become much easier to spot.
The only thing you have to look out for are star gazers and electric rays. They look similar to flounder on the bottom and if you are using the newer gigs and poles that are all metal they can give you a small shock when you gig one unlike if you are using the old bamboo gig poles. The shock is not great enough to hurt you but you will definitely know it was not a flounder.
Flounder can be gigged wading, from a skiff, bay boat, kayak or paddle board. After the Catch. Flounder freeze well in vacuum sealer bags.
I have had flounder that kept well for a very long time buried deep in the freezer.
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