Gigging Flounder

[B1LLF1SHR]

Me and some buddies have gotten into gigging flounder at night. We do it from my buddies house in Jensen Beach at night....still looking for any tips that might put us in the right direction. Anyone have any decent spots so we can get our gigs wet?

Thanks

[Tuna Devil]

We gigged Eels and Fluke when I was younger. It was awesome. Are you guys in a boat or trying to wade? We used a boat and mounted spotlights on a 2 by 4. We would go an hour into the incoming and drift wth the tide across the flats. When you saw one we would let them have it. We used a spear with Barbs, kind of looked like a triton.

If we knew where we were going that night We would chum the area during the day to try and pull them into the area.

Also like I said if you are in a boat be real quiet and make drifts. When you finish one drift drive around your spot and set up again.

I never did it down South but it should be similar. If I think of anything else I will let you know.

Catch em up, or should I say Gig Em.

[B1LLF1SHR]

We are poling in his 19' hewes redfisher... real sweet boat...i have been doing a lot of reading up on it and it seems like daytona/amelia island is thick with them, but i know guys catch them near and in jensen area. i will definitely have to try the chumming idea, sounds like it would bring things in at least...any methods on how to do it?

[Tuna Devil]

We would use flounder chum pots (winter Flounder). They are metal with steel mesh. We would put squid and sand eels in it and hold it in place with a steak and fishing line. put the pot in the middle of your drifts so if you want to fish differant tides, so you can get them on both sides. Also while you are drifting put a rod out the back with a squid strip.

[Relentless33]

Can you get minows down here ?

sorry, I'm Jr.

We did it in jersey with a gold hook and a strip of squid or flounder belly with a live minnow on the end trying to swim around.

[JohnC]

I used to do a lot of gigging in Daytona/New Smyrna area.
I don't know what the water clarity is like where you are but murky water makes for a long night. If you can time your trips with incoming tide it helps with the clarity.
Most people who are not very productive just haven’t learned how to spot them. It just takes a little practice.
Your light setup has a lot to do with spotting them. Usually you spot the edge of a buried fish that is covered by sand. If you want to keep the light thing simple, buy one of the Starfire halogen underwater lights (a spare is a good idea too). They are cheap and bright. Underwater lights shine across the fish and the shadows cast by the fish's body often help you to see them. Rig it to go just under the surface with a shroud over it so it won't blind you. I made one out of a piece of PVC with the light stuck into one end and the other end mounted to the bow loosely so it could be raised and lowered. I used the top of a milk jug painted black and cut into a shroud placed on the PVC directly over the light. Keep the shroud small; just big enough to keep the light out of your eyes. Make sure the light is completely submerged before turning it on. They get pretty hot and will "pop" if they hit the water while hot (that usually why you need the spare).
Also turn off all light sources inside the boat so your night vision is at its best.
The light set-up can get pretty elaborate with combinations of multiple lights above and below the surface. I usually like to keep it simple.

Get a stout gig too.

Good luck.

[Tuna Devil]

So how did it go?

We went this weekend, (rod an reel) had a handful of fish the two biggest were 8 1/2 and 6lbs. Those would be nice gigging targets.

[Relentless33]

You have some monsters up north. I was up last year and crushed them for a few days and came home. hb

Good eats there !!!!!!!!!

[B1LLF1SHR]

We have been going out every saturday night pretty much, but we havent gigged any flounder yet, but some other species have fallen victim..haha this weekend we are going to target closer to the St. Lucie inlet and the sandbars down there...we got a report from a guy at the Snook Nook in Jensen Beach that the St. Lucie Inlet area is a good place to go, but me and my gigging buddy know that winter is the best time to do this, so we are really trying to work all the kinks out with our light setup and areas....thanks for all the tips!