Saltwater Species Guide

Summer Flounder

Paralichthys dentatus

An ambush flatfish called fluke from the Mid-Atlantic through New England.

Also Known As:Fluke

Summer flounder identification illustration — NOAA Fisheries / Jack Hornady · U.S. government educational illustration · Image Source

Species Quick Facts

Common Angling Water

62–75°F

Approximate productive range, not a biological limit.

Typical Catch

Most retained fish weigh a few pounds; larger fish exceed 10 pounds

Maximum Reported Size

About 3 feet and more than 20 pounds

Best Baits & Lures

Best Baits

Squid strip
Minnow
Spearing
Mackerel strip

Best Lures

Bucktails
Gulp-style plastics
Fluke rigs

Habitat

Sand and mud near channels, inlets, shoals, wrecks, and bay-to-ocean migration routes.

How To Catch Summer Flounder

Drift a bucktail or bait close to bottom and adjust weight to maintain contact without dragging. Focus on channel edges and small changes in depth.

Technique Is Not A Regulation

Confirm the open season, area, harvest status, size and possession limits, required gear, permits, reporting rules, and emergency closures for the exact jurisdiction and trip date. Some listed baits or methods may be restricted locally.

TideAhead Destinations

Harbor Guides For Summer Flounder

Norfolk, Hampton Roads & Virginia Beach

The lower Chesapeake meets the Atlantic around bridge structure, shoals, beaches, and offshore wrecks.

Open Harbor Guide NY

New York Harbor

A major urban harbor on the migration path of striped bass, bluefish, fluke, and sea bass.

Open Harbor Guide MD

Ocean City & Maryland Coast

Bay, inlet, surf, wreck, and offshore-canyon fishing on Maryland's Atlantic coast.

Open Harbor Guide NJ

Atlantic City & Absecon Inlet

A New Jersey hub for back-bay, inlet, surf, wreck, and seasonal migratory fishing.

Open Harbor Guide CT

New Haven Harbor

Urban Long Island Sound access for striped bass, bluefish, fluke, and sea bass.

Open Harbor Guide CT

New London & Fishers Island Sound

A current-rich eastern Sound fishery around rivers, islands, reefs, and rips.

Open Harbor Guide RI

Newport & Narragansett Bay

A historic harbor beside productive bay currents, rocky reefs, and open Atlantic water.

Open Harbor Guide

Species Sources

TideAhead summarizes stable identification, biology, habitat, and angling concepts. Use the primary sources below for deeper species context and live management information.

NOAA Fisheries species profile