I do not have enough boat to go off shore but I must fish. I would like to go out for flounder this weekend. Do you guys think that it is to soon to plan a flounder trip ? Where would you recommend that I fish for flounder this early in the season?
Thanks, GIL

Try the 8 mile marker at the bend just south of the third island. It usually is the best place to start this time of year. Also try the Baltimore channel over the tube at the third and fourth islands.


Good luck, Dave

I agree with that place to fish this time of year. I have also caught several nice ones in the spring in past year's on the ocean side of the 3rd/4th in the Baltimore channel about 2 miles east. Use your depthfinder to find the slope of the channel across the edge --drift the edges of the channel shallow to deep and deep to shallow. Also, fresh flounder belly cut in strips about 8" long is very good.It MUST be on the bottom. I run about a four foot flouro leader off a sinker so it drags that flounder belly along the sand. Use whatever weight it takes to stay in contact with the bottom. If you are not on the bottom you might as well stay home. Probably more info than you wanted but hope it helps.

Agree with Grady wrt being on the bottom. Use whatever weight it takes because if you are not on the bottom, you are wasting your time.

--Brett

I really just made this reply so I could use the beat-a-dead-horse emoticon.

oh that is beating a dead horse. I thought it was a more modern statement like SMACK THAT @ss

In my experience, flounder in the early spring will be in a bit more shallow water than later in the year. I like the small boat channel, the bridge side of the 1st island, the shallow water north of the red bouy on the ocean side of the 2nd island, the edges of the IMG Shoal and the 8MI marker as well.

As far as baits, a strip bait of fresh fish is always best... Flounder belly being tops, but also, croaker, bluefish, spot, and mullet (you can pick up fresh mullet at most any oriental market).

One think I do in the spring is cut shorter strip baits (4-6")... and also "let'em eat" a lot longer. When you feel him bite, go make a sandwich, then come back and set the hook.

The length of the dropper to the sinker (how high the bait rides off the bottom) usually is in direct relation to the water clarity. If the water's clear, I use a longer dropper as it will keep the bait higher, and visible from a greater distance. If the water is murky, a shorter dropper... or even better, move to an area where the water is more clear.

Hope this helps...

What I've found in the spring is that where warmer water from the shallows dumps into deeper, colder water is the spot. A favorite of mine is the channel edge off of the Chamberlin Hotel in Hampton and another is the channel inside the Fisherman's Island bridge. On a falling tide, bounce that strip bait or live spot from the shallows down the slope into the deep water. When I get a bite, I take the reel out of gear and just barely keep the line tight. I use braided line so there is no real hookset, I just raise the rod tip sharply a foot or two as the line comes tight. Any more than that with the no strech line and you'll rip it out of his mouth. Good luck.

All this stuff is good advice.I like fishing the edges shallow wrecks this time of year like the Angelo African.The 4A area seems to hold alot of baitfish but some areas are real grassy.The Ocean side of the 3rd and fourth.My favorite bait is cut Bluefish belly.

sounds like they are already getting into em on the e.s.

Thanks for all of your input. I will let you know how I make out. Definitely going to try these locations and technics.
GIL

Hey Gil just got back from Little Creek marina and I saw 18 flounder caught todayoff of the Delta Dawn. Ole boy said they were caught in shallows off ocean view. Nice fish too! Not too early

[quote=FISHWATER,Mar 30 2006, 04:55 PM][quote=PRO-LINE GIL,Mar 29 2006, 05:01 AM]I do not have enough boat to go off shore but I must fish. I would like to go out for flounder this weekend. Do you guys think that it is to soon to plan a flounder trip ? Where would you recommend that I fish for flounder this early in the season?
                                                              Thanks,  GIL
[/quote]


Hey Gil just got back from Little Creek marina and I saw 18 flounder caught todayoff of the Delta Dawn. Ole boy said they were caught in shallows off ocean view. Nice fish too! Not too early

[/quote]
That is great. I have a 3 hour window to fish tomorrow and coming from Hampton I will not have to go far. I had given up on tomorrow until seeing this. THANKS for the tip FISH.

I hope you get into em. I will be out there as well after seeing that.
Gonna fish noon till 5pm. Give ya holler

Where are the shallows off ocean veiw????

I want to know too.

[quote=Fishin Technician,Mar 30 2006, 08:57 PM][quote=shadow,Mar 30 2006, 10:22 PM]Where are the shallows off ocean veiw????
[/quote]


I want to know too.

[/quote]
I am assuming that it is the area between the newly rebuilt pier and Little Creek Marina. That is were I will be between 1 and 5 Friday. Hey FISHWATER is that the right place? I will try to get with you via radio.
GIL

Thanks Gil!

Thanks again GIL!!! because of you here is Grant's first 20"er.

GREAT FISH GRANT!!!!! I saw you guys out there today. We were in my boss's boat "Hampton Office". I caught one keeper and Dan caught one that we had to give back, but we had a blast. 1st time out for flounder this year. It is a great thing to see the kids catching fish. Grant, thanks for showing us how it is done. A special thanks to FISHWATER for telling me about this spot.
GIL

Way to go Grant...nice catch. Flounder count is Grant=1...Brett=0. Looks like we have another one hooked for life.

--Brett

Another negative report,I'm afraid. Fished after work Friday,getting to the CBBT 1st Island about 5:00 PM,and wirelining the tube.Nadda. Started drifting down current from tube.Nothing. Almost no current .Suspended fish all around (stripers,no doubt). Cast till dark around rocks and under bridge,NADA.Trolled home inside CBBT with a pink Stretch 25 from Ist to Small Boat Ch...Trolled at 5+ knots cause I wanted hits but not to hook up. Got several hits and marked suspended fish (still no current) all the way. Things may really shape up to a great Trophy Striper season,IF the water doesn't warm TOO fast!

Are the hampton flats producing any flounder this time of year?i have always had good luck there, but not this early in the year -Jeff

Jeff, We caught one yesterday at the HRBT. It was not a keeper but we now know that they are there. I have'nt fished the bar yet.

I told my daughter that it was her day. I offerd to take her to the mall for lunch and some shopping. I was pleasantly surprised when she said,"Dad can we go fishing?" An hour later we left Sunset and went to Ocean View. We drifted with just her line while I was preparing the others. Her rod went over and it was on. I grabbed the net and helped her to boat her 1st flounder . 20 minutes later my rod went way over and it was my turn. I got it to the boat and could tell that it was doormat size. I asked Katie(9 yrs. old) to grab the net. As she turned to me she cracked me right in the head with the net . I let the rod tip go down and it was gone. Oh well, stuff happens. I am still 1 proud Daddy.

Gil, glad you back out there again. Hats off to your daughter.
If she's anything like my son she intentionaly hit you with the net just so that she can be the only one to catch a fish any fish...

you've got mail.

Not much happening on middle bay yet. Striper seasen comes in april 15 in Md. If i have any luck ill call. the fish are here, water still a little to cold. Good luck with the flatties.

Fished all along the Hampton bar today including the channel drops as well as the HRBT and the beach off of Ocean View. Not even a bite. Even tried for a few croakers but once again, not a bite. Water temp in front of Hampton Creek got up to 60 degrees. Comming in we saw a school of birds working off the naval base jetty. Pulled up to the end and started catching 20" shad on storms. 1st time catching shad on storms but it was nice to have some pullage. It wasn't long before we were surrounded by naval security and run off, but at least we weren't skunked. Beautiful day on the water anyway.

went out to the ocean view flats today but not even a bite so we decided to go to the third island and as soon as we go there and droped the lines in we got our first flounder, small but our still first 06 flounder. evryone around us was pulling in flounder left and right it was a great day but i wish we got to the 3rd a little bit earlier.

Went out with the kids today and fished Ocean View and the HRBT. Not a bite. The boats that went out of Sunset did very well today. 3 boats came in with thier limit. They were working the CBBT. I guess you had to hit it in the morning today.
GIL

WENT TO THE 3RD TODAY GOT 4 FLOUNDER ALL OVER 21" AND 1 STRIPER THAT WAS 38" TO BAD WE COULDNT KEEP HIM. ANYBODY CATCH ANY TOGS TODAY?

Congrats Grant!!! That's showing your Dad how to do it!!!

Thanks for the reports fellas, sounds like some flatties are showing up.

--Don

Jeff,

Fished the Hampton Bar on Sat. with nothing but snags, crab pots and fish nets. It was the first day of crab season and they went at it with a vengance. Not much area to fish on the bar that isn't covered up with pots or nets.

I drove over to bass pro yesterday and saw all those pots. I am planning on runnign over to the cbbt tomorrow and maybe ov shallows. If they are there i will get em'. I'm also gonna do some toggin. Ant body else planning on going tomorrow?-Jeff

Sunday we caught 3 keepers (one over 21 inch) and several smaller flounder around the 3rd. Also caught 6 small sharks and some skates. Kept us busy between flounder.

6 keeper togs on blue crabs at the 3rd... great day

Fished OV on Sunday with no bites. Water temp was 49.5 degrees.
Ran over to CBBT right before the 3rd island at the bend and landed 2 flonder in about 47 degree water with chartouse flounder rigs with rubber skirts. My bro-in-law caught 2 skate on flounder rigs with a white skirt...

stinkin naval security!

sounds like we should've gone out to the cbbt

Hey yall, FYI
Below is from my weekend updates for past years to give you an idea of the flounder trends . These are the first dates that indicated fish being caught with any kind of regularity for each year. Hope this helps.
Seeya on the bay
Charlie

Weekend Update 4-27-03
I do not have the report but I do have picture of a few fish caught on
4-27-03 ---- and a limit caught on 4-27-03 ?


Weekend Update 4-30-04
Hey Guys,
Went back on the search Friday and ended the day with 4
keepers and caught a few release fish. We ran the milk route from the bridge
to Cape Henry and Fort Monroe with the best success being in the inlet.
Saturday's catch finally broke the 4 fish rut we've been in with 8 nice
keepers and we released twice that many again. Talked to a few people that fished 36A based on the bait house reports and they caught very few fish? Its getting very feast or famen over there. Also saw some nice sea bass (Big Boys) pulled from some of the offshore wrecks. Also while off of Cape Henry we saw at least three subs comming in and a lot of support ships, so I guess we have a battle group returning home. A litle different than in the past, each Sub has it's own fast attack boats as escorts and theyhave big guns as a deterant!! They will come over and visit you if your bow is even remotely pointed thier way so steer very clear of them.
Seeyall on the bay
Charlie on the BrandyWhine



Weekend update 4-22-2005
Okay thats a lie, it was actually wedns. 4-20-05. The big news is the Flounder
Are Here. We stayed pretty close to home and worked the 18 foot
to 25 foot corridor. Started off pretty slow in the morning with the fish
turning on once the sun came out strong. Water temperature was colder than I
had anticipated which made the fish very sluggish. It seemed that they
required light line and bare min. weight to hold bottom. The fish
didn't hit and go they just held on and the only indication was that the line
got heavier. We ended the day with 4 keepers between 16-3/4 inches and 19
inches and a lot of throw backs. Another boat that fished the bridge area only
had a keeper flounder with two throwbacks and another boat had eight taugs.
The fishing is just getting better every week.
Seeya on the Bay
Charlie on the BrandyWhine

Weekend Update 5-14-2005
Hey Guys,Gals
What a weekend, as we continue to break in a new captain we fished Dan's boat
at 36A on Saturday and consistently caught fish. (It's tough being you isn't
it Dan!) We ended the day with 9 keeper fish averaging between 17 and 20
inches. Water temperatures on the Shore side of bay hovered around 57 degrees
and was three to four degrees colder than on our side. With that information
on Sunday we stopped short and fished the warmer waters on our side and
produced much better quaulity fish. Sunday we ended the day early with 7
keepers and a creal of almost twice the weight. One fish came in at 25 inches
(Almost 6lbs) and the rest was knocking at the door in the 20 inch and above
range. Steve just for you, the Dance was the place to be. Looks like the
season is heating up.
Seeyall on the bay
Charlie on the BrandyWhine