One of the best times to catch flounder is during their fall migration to the Gulf of Mexico, typically from October to December, in the channels and passes leading to the Gulf.
When I want to cover a lot of ground, I’ll cast minnow-shaped plastic lures on a quarter-ounce jighead into likely spots and bounce the rig slowly along the bottom. Berkley Gulps work well.
And don’t forget about gigging during the fall, especially when a gentle north wind calms down the waves on the beach. Grab a good light for spotting the fish and a gig, both of which can be purchased at any one of the bait shops in Orange Beach and Gulf Shores.
Slowly walk the shin-deep water, shining the light to look for any irregularities in the ripples in the sand. If you look closely enough, you’ll spot the outline of the fish. Ease into position and quickly send the gig downward. But aim low. The refraction of light in the water makes it look like the fish is farther away than it actually is.
If you’re lucky, you can bring home a nice stringer of fantastic-eating flounder, but make sure you’re spearing a fish that meets the new regulations. Alabama’s flounder regulations changed to make the minimum size 14 inches total length with a daily bag limit of five fish.
Alabama waters have two species of flounder, the Southern flounder and the Gulf flounder. The Southern flounder is the most common species, but if you’re fishing in Gulf waters, you might hook or gig a Gulf flounder, which has much more distinctive coloring. The regulations are the same for both species.
When the weather starts to cool, head out to enjoy angling for one of the prized fish species Alabama’s inshore waters have to offer.