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What is the best time of year to catch flounder in the surf and what is the best way to catch them? I plan on using gulp shrimp but I'm open to other ideas.
What he said ^^ except I use a Sea Striker double bucktail rig with a tapered strip of mullet or squid on the rear bucktail. Rigs are available in almost all coastal tackle shops. One ounce large bucktail with an 1/8 oz. trailer. You can thread a Gulp on the back (small) bucktail too. I don't use flounder belly any more because you have to keep the carcass of the flounder you are using to show a game warden if he checks you to make sure it was a legal fish. Pain in the neck.
If you go with the C-Rig option and a baitfish you can catch reds or Spanish too.
Be out there at sunrise and again in the late afternoon, evening. You can get 6-8 hours of peaceful fishing in per day this way. The rest of the time hit the public fishing areas.This is my first trip to topsail island. Will be there the 2nd week of August. Have been reading this forum for weeks now. The info has been great. Now just ready to hit the surf and wet a hook!
My question for you guys, Is the beach crowded on topsail? We have a house rented about half way between surf city and jolly roger piers. Just wondering if fishing at the house will be possible or if I will need to look into fishing some of the public access spots I've read about on here?
Thanks for the tips FishinTechnician - no need to trouble yourself with delivering mullet! But thanks for the offer! I may try trapping mud minnows, I'll have fairly close access to a pier on the sound side, and if that doesn't work I know exactly where you are talking about by the park in Surf City.Jay- if you have a minnow trap- buy a cheap can of the pop cap catfood and place that in the trap and go to the Surf City park area by the swing bridge. As you enter the park to your LEFT there is a bridge area over the water that should have plenty of mud minnows. You should be able to see them and if you put that catfood in your trap and keep it just under the water- within 10-15 minutes you should have plenty of bait. If your going to be down Friday- Monday ( Aug 1-4 th ) and let me know how to get in touch with you- I'll be glad to net you some mullet and bring them to you.
I'd like to add to this - if you are renting a house, then the beach in that area might be fairly uncrowded during the weekdays. At least that has been my experience the past few years. I always fish mornings and evenings at least, but during the week I've seen it uncrowded-enough where you could fish just about all day long if you wanted to. Just use common sense and be considerate when the families trickle out after the morning. If you got an oceanfront house, I think they all have steps down to the beach - you can't beat the instant access.Be out there at sunrise and again in the late afternoon, evening. You can get 6-8 hours of peaceful fishing in per day this way. The rest of the time hit the public fishing areas.
I'm a flounder surf fishing noob, but I figure I will try to find sloughs between the breakers, making sure I also hit near the drop offs from the sand bar and the shore. If I can find a rip, even better, I think. In between the breakers I figure it would be just like any other flounder jig bite I've had out of a boat. If the breakers interfere with feeling the bite itself, I am thinking I will still feel the "snag" or weight as I work the jig. I hope...When y'all target flounder from the surf with jigs where do y'all cast? Y'all fishing in the suds? Past the breakers? Seems like it would be tough to feel the bite until your got used to it with a 1/4 ounce jig head with all the waves. Thanks for the info.