| Flounder Articles |
John N. Felsher's Flounder Fishing Adventures
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The sportsmen slowly sloshed through shallow, sandy flats -- black
water reached their knees under a moonless night sky. Armed with
barbless spears known as “gigs” and powerful lanterns, they probed for a
fish that can easily disappear into a thin silty veneer.
Just outside the comforting cone of light, something skittered across
the water. At night, creatures roam fearlessly, shielded by darkness. Night
blankets predator and prey in their element, but not the domain of man.
Was it a snake, an alligator, the Lock Ness Monster or something
completely unknown?
When walking along a marshy shoreline on a pitch-black night, nerve
impulses reverberate through the body at maximum sensing mode. One
never knows what he or she might encounter. Every tiny minnow popping
the water just beyond the reassuring light sounds like some horrible
toothed swamp beast.
Ahead, something erupted into a cloud of silt and water at the feet of
the sportsmen. Was it a flounder, a stingray or some other sea creature
feeding in the shallows?
Masters of camouflage, elusive flounders bury themselves in sand or
mud. Their spotted mottled-brown skins blend perfectly with soft goo. Only
their two eyes protruded above the muck, watching and waiting for
something to swim foolishly close. In an instant, they could dart from their
sandy coating and devour baitfish with astonishing speed for such oddly
shaped fish.
From spring through fall, hardy souls penetrate the coastal night to
seek their flattened prey. Although not as popular today as in the days of
100-fish stringers and nonexistent limits, “floundering” still provides more
than enough excitement on calm nights. People can still gig enough of the
main ingredients to make stuffed flounder.
To start gigging, sportsmen only need a pair of boots or old shoes with
non-slip soles, a barbless spear and a powerful light. Common Coleman
gasoline camping lanterns make excellent illumination devices. Some
people shield one side of the lantern with aluminum foil to reflect more light
forward into the water. Carry a stringer, preferably one with a float to keep
bagged flounders off the bottom and away from crabs. A simple headlight
makes a great addition to the equipment list.
Giggers need to think more like hunters than fishermen. They stalk
their prey, stealthily sliding their feet slowly along the bottom instead of
lifting them out of the water. The must get close enough to see, identify
and spear flounders.
On an incoming tide, flounders feed in reedy shallows and sandy flats.
Look for them on calm nights around mouths of cuts, on bayou shelves or
along weedy shorelines. Breeze-driven waves reduce visibility, making
flounder gigging nearly impossible.
Giggers should look for anything out of the ordinary on bottom.
Sometimes, they may see a perfect fish outline, almost like a fossil in the
sand. Sometimes, they can only see two eyes reflecting of the bottom.
Sometimes, they might only see an unusual brown splotch. When in doubt,
spear it – but first make sure it’s not your partner’s brown shoe!
Giggers should never hunt alone. Night brings special challenges.
Stingrays also roam flats, concealing themselves in much the same way as
flounders. If disturbed, they could deliver a nasty blow with their barbed tail
spears. Anything can happen at night. One might step on a broken bottle
or become stuck in mud. Two or more sets of eyes and lights working as a
team make it easier to find flounders. As a bonus, one team member might
carry a net and a sack to scoop crabs.
Long-handled spears enable giggers to nab flounders without
spooking them and avoid stingrays. That dark splotch may erupt as an
enraged stingray flailing its tail at whatever disturbed it.
In areas where soft mud prevents easy walking, giggers might want to
hunt from shallow-draft flat-bottomed boats. Hang a light over the bow with
one person spearing and another polling or paddling slowly from the back.
In deeper water, the bow “harpooner” might want to use archery equipment
instead of a spear.
Where legal, flounder giggers can pursue their quarry in just about any
bay, coastal lake or estuary that holds sizable flounder populations. Look
for them wherever conditions allow clean, shallow water and abundant
baitfish. Sandy islands in such bays, especially those with sandy beaches
or bottoms, attract many of these fish and make great places for night
outings. Try it this season.
water reached their knees under a moonless night sky. Armed with
barbless spears known as “gigs” and powerful lanterns, they probed for a
fish that can easily disappear into a thin silty veneer.
Just outside the comforting cone of light, something skittered across
the water. At night, creatures roam fearlessly, shielded by darkness. Night
blankets predator and prey in their element, but not the domain of man.
Was it a snake, an alligator, the Lock Ness Monster or something
completely unknown?
When walking along a marshy shoreline on a pitch-black night, nerve
impulses reverberate through the body at maximum sensing mode. One
never knows what he or she might encounter. Every tiny minnow popping
the water just beyond the reassuring light sounds like some horrible
toothed swamp beast.
Ahead, something erupted into a cloud of silt and water at the feet of
the sportsmen. Was it a flounder, a stingray or some other sea creature
feeding in the shallows?
Masters of camouflage, elusive flounders bury themselves in sand or
mud. Their spotted mottled-brown skins blend perfectly with soft goo. Only
their two eyes protruded above the muck, watching and waiting for
something to swim foolishly close. In an instant, they could dart from their
sandy coating and devour baitfish with astonishing speed for such oddly
shaped fish.
From spring through fall, hardy souls penetrate the coastal night to
seek their flattened prey. Although not as popular today as in the days of
100-fish stringers and nonexistent limits, “floundering” still provides more
than enough excitement on calm nights. People can still gig enough of the
main ingredients to make stuffed flounder.
To start gigging, sportsmen only need a pair of boots or old shoes with
non-slip soles, a barbless spear and a powerful light. Common Coleman
gasoline camping lanterns make excellent illumination devices. Some
people shield one side of the lantern with aluminum foil to reflect more light
forward into the water. Carry a stringer, preferably one with a float to keep
bagged flounders off the bottom and away from crabs. A simple headlight
makes a great addition to the equipment list.
Giggers need to think more like hunters than fishermen. They stalk
their prey, stealthily sliding their feet slowly along the bottom instead of
lifting them out of the water. The must get close enough to see, identify
and spear flounders.
On an incoming tide, flounders feed in reedy shallows and sandy flats.
Look for them on calm nights around mouths of cuts, on bayou shelves or
along weedy shorelines. Breeze-driven waves reduce visibility, making
flounder gigging nearly impossible.
Giggers should look for anything out of the ordinary on bottom.
Sometimes, they may see a perfect fish outline, almost like a fossil in the
sand. Sometimes, they can only see two eyes reflecting of the bottom.
Sometimes, they might only see an unusual brown splotch. When in doubt,
spear it – but first make sure it’s not your partner’s brown shoe!
Giggers should never hunt alone. Night brings special challenges.
Stingrays also roam flats, concealing themselves in much the same way as
flounders. If disturbed, they could deliver a nasty blow with their barbed tail
spears. Anything can happen at night. One might step on a broken bottle
or become stuck in mud. Two or more sets of eyes and lights working as a
team make it easier to find flounders. As a bonus, one team member might
carry a net and a sack to scoop crabs.
Long-handled spears enable giggers to nab flounders without
spooking them and avoid stingrays. That dark splotch may erupt as an
enraged stingray flailing its tail at whatever disturbed it.
In areas where soft mud prevents easy walking, giggers might want to
hunt from shallow-draft flat-bottomed boats. Hang a light over the bow with
one person spearing and another polling or paddling slowly from the back.
In deeper water, the bow “harpooner” might want to use archery equipment
instead of a spear.
Where legal, flounder giggers can pursue their quarry in just about any
bay, coastal lake or estuary that holds sizable flounder populations. Look
for them wherever conditions allow clean, shallow water and abundant
baitfish. Sandy islands in such bays, especially those with sandy beaches
or bottoms, attract many of these fish and make great places for night
outings. Try it this season.
Walking up camouflaged creatures
at night while armed only with a gig
at night while armed only with a gig
Whether caught on rod and reel tackle or by "gigging" them at night,
flounders make exciting adventures, and tasty too!
flounders make exciting adventures, and tasty too!
John N. Felsher shows off a couple flounders he bagged by Sabine
Lake southwest of Lake Charles, La.
Lake southwest of Lake Charles, La.