[philjam]

Is it legal to use flounder belly for bait? In NJ you can only use it if you keep the rack from a legal flounder. I guess the inshore flounder here would eat it same as fluke.

 

[RouseD]

Some one will come on that knows all the regs, but I think it is ok if you keep the carcass and it is legal size for NC

 

[h2ohhh]

You have to keep the carcass with you in NC too. Frankly a strip of mullet or squid works just as well.

 

[mikeski]

I have done this. I forget where I learned it. I think allot has to do with the thickness and pliability or action of the thin strip from the white belly. If you cut mullet or squid or spot or anything the same way it should work the same.

I learned doing this with perch in Maine for smallies. I tried it here too and it works great on the perch. I have not run into any bass with it yet.

mike

 

[mharmelink]

It works well but it needs to be a legal sized flounder. I think it works better than mullet of squid because it is tougher and stands up better to the trash fish messing with it. Shark belly or strips of a skate work well also.

 

[ecksdog]

Hi all. I'm new to this board. I'm from NJ and vacation in OBX every year.
My favorite method is to go on a mackerel head boat and catch a bunch then I fillet and freeze for strip bait and freeze heads for my crab traps.

 

[ditdotter]

A wise old fisherman from around the Straits told me once that, and I quote, "flounder catches flounder." Used flounder belly many a time at the Core Banks (Cape Lookout) down by the jetty with much success.

 

[ncdead]

Personally i never understood the logic of wasting a perfectly good flounder fillet by using it for bait. The belly of a nice sized flounder will give you a solid serving for dinner...not as thick as the topside but delicious just the same. As hard as it is to catch a handful of legal flounder these days it seems a shame to use edible meat for bait when squid, pinfish, etc work just as well IMO.