How to Catch Flounder in North Carolina

How to Catch Flounder in North Carolina is a broad topic, but here in Ocean Isle Beach, I've got it dialed in. As a local charter captain, I’ll share my go-to tips for finding and catching flounder on my inshore fishing charters along the coastal waters of NC. Stick with me, and I'll show you what works right here in my backyard. - Captain Harvey Wall, Salty Dawg Fishing Charters.

2025 Outlook for Flounder Fishing in NC

Flounder fishing in Ocean Isle Beach has been exceptional this year, and I expect it to be even better in 2025. While my opinion may be unpopular with some, I give credit to the NC Division of Marine Fisheries ("NCDMF") for the success we're seeing with the Flounder population. Their decision to establish a closed season for flounder harvesting is working, as my Ocean Isle Beach Fishing Charter customers are catching more - and bigger - flounder than ever, with many over 20 inches. 20+ inch flounder were previously in very short supply in this part of NC.

I'll be honest, I originally hated the decision to close the Flounder season, and I was even outspoken about it at the time, but I have seen the progress we're making. Ask anyone that has fished for Flounder this year on the North Carolina coast and they will tell you stories of awesome numbers and size of the Flounder they caught.

Given the success of the program, I believe that those anglers wanting to keep a few Flounder for dinner will be able to do so in the near future. I do think we'll see different size and creel limits, which I greatly support. Personally, I'd love to see a slot limit, from say 16 to 20 inches, leaving the little guys and the large breeding fish in the water to maintain the population and increase everyone's chances at catching a trophy-sized "doormat" Flounder.

So, with the greater numbers of Flounder we've seen all year, I'm standing by my prediction - 2025 will be a banner year for flounder catches in NC!

Seasonal Patterns and Techniques

Let me break down how I adjust my flounder fishing through the year:

Best Times for Flounder Fishing

While flounder can be caught year-round, the most productive fishing times during peak seasons are:

• Early morning hours (dawn until about around Noon, best before 10 AM)
• Late afternoon into dusk
• Moving tides (either incoming or outgoing)

Let's talk about using the tides to your advantage. I don't worry too much about whether it's incoming or outgoing - I just want current moving through the marsh. This current carries crustaceans, minnows, and other prey right to the flounder. Marine life rides these twice-daily tides in and out of the marsh. Flounder know this and use it to their advantage - and now you can too.

Prime Locations to Target Flounder

As a charter captain based in Ocean Isle Beach NC, I've spent countless days on local waters - the Shallotte River, ICW, Calabash River, Little River, Saucepan Creek, Jinks Creek, Bonaparte Creek, Shallotte Inlet, and more. Let me teach you how to find your own honey holes instead of giving you GPS numbers to my favorite spots. Trust me - knowing why flounder pick certain spots is way more valuable than memorizing locations. Don't get into the habit of fishing the same places, or worse, someone else's places. Fish the conditions and find the flounder.

Creeks that Feed and Drain Marshes

Let me explain what "creek" means in the marsh fishing world. We're not talking about the kind of creeks you might find inland. Here, a creek is any channel that helps water flow in and out of the marsh with the tides. Think of them as marine highways - fish and bait use these paths to move between deeper water and the marsh.

While redfish cruise the marsh flats looking for food, flounder are ambush predators. They camp out at these creek mouths, waiting for the tide to deliver their next meal. Don't ignore the small creeks - even those just a few feet long can be fish magnets. The narrower the channel, the more concentrated the bait becomes. These natural funnels are some of my most productive spots.

When scouting creeks at low tide, note which ones hold water and which drain completely. Both can be productive, but timing is everything. Look for oyster bars or sandy points off the creek mouth corners. Google Earth can help you study the area before hitting the water.

Quick safety note: Take it slow in new areas along the Carolina Coast. Know where you are, watch your depth, and don't get caught high and dry when the tide drops. Trust me on this one! Been there, done that, not recommended, zero stars. :)

Start fishing the mouth before moving into the creek - that's usually where the action is hottest. Keep your distance to avoid spooking fish, and work from close to far, so that you catch the nearest fish first. The idea is to not catch a fish 50 feet away and fight him past a fish 25 feet away that you might otherwise have caught.

Position yourself to work your lure with the current, making it look natural. Start at one edge of the creek mouth, maybe 20 feet towards the outside of the mouth, and work your way across in small increments. Cast right up to the grass line or mud line, covering every inch. And fight the urge to reel in quickly and cast back out once you're halfway back to the boat - some of my biggest flounder have hit right beside the boat.

Structure Fishing: Dock Pilings, Bridge Pilings, and Seawalls

When fishing dock pilings, bridge pilings, or seawalls, work the slack side of the structure. On bright days, target shaded areas - flounder don't like staring into the sun any more than we do. Pay special attention to pilings with deeper holes around them - these spots often hold bigger fish.

Try fishing the docks along the ICW, but know that not all docks hold fish. Go for docks that are by themselves or at the end of a row of docks. Find docks that are near a drop-off. Sometimes you'll find a nice dock that has 3 feet of water on one end and 12+ feet of water on the other end. Fish the outside corner pilings first and then work other pilings, working deeper to shallower.

And don't neglect areas that are hidden in plain sight, like the dock of your Ocean Isle Beach vacation home, the dock at Ferry Landing Park, or the bridge pilings at the Ocean Isle Beach Bridge. Just be prepared for constant boat traffic passing by on the ICW.

Oyster Beds and Shell Bottoms

Here's the deal with oyster beds - they're lure-eating machines, but they're also magnets that attract marine life. Sure, you'll lose some tackle, but that's just part of the game. Would you rather go home with all your lures and no fish, or lose a few jigs and catch a trophy flounder?

Scout these areas at low tide to understand the layout. Note where shells stop and sand begins - these transition zones are gold mines for big flounder.

Shallotte Inlet

Want to talk about prime flounder territory? Look no further than Shallotte Inlet. We discussed creek mouths earlier and inlets are much like a giant creek mouth - a highway between inshore and ocean waters that concentrates fish and bait. Pretty much any flounder that is catchable size has to swim through here, making it a year-round hotspot, especially late Spring through early Winter.

You can fish it two ways. For shore fishing, park at Ocean Isle Beach's east end and walk to the point. I split my surf fishing between live bait and lures. For bait, I use a Carolina rig with a 1 ounce egg sinker, a circle hook, and seasonal live bait. For lures, I throw 2 ounce bucktail jigs with Berkely Gulp Minnow trailers. Sometimes I'll run a double-jig rig, with the heavier one on bottom and another 18 inches up. Cast upcurrent at a 45 degree angler, let it hit bottom, keep tension, and work it just enough to stay in contact with the bottom.

Boat fishing gives you more coverage but comes with a trade-off. Set up along either side (stay clear of the navigation channel - don't be that guy), and fish it like you would from shore. You'll cover more water but you might not work spots as thoroughly. Both methods catch flounder - I enjoy either approach.

Ocean Isle Beach Pier

The Ocean Isle Beach Pier (address: 1 W First St, Ocean Isle Beach NC 28469) is a Summer Flounder hot spot. Rig up with live mud minnows or mullet on a Carolina rig. You can buy live minnows from Sheffields Seafood and Grocery (57 Causeway Drive - just down the street from the OIB Pier), and most area tackle shops keep live minnows, live shrimp, and even live fiddler crabs. Stick with minnows or shrimp for flounder.

For active fishing, I use a 1-ounce egg sinker on a Carolina Rig (circle hook, 18" of leader, swivel, then sinker). It rolls along the bottom, gliding your bait into a flounder's path. But you'll need to hold your rod, keep the slack out of the line, and steer clear of other lines and pilings, as egg sinkers really roll around in the current.

Want to relax? Switch to a pyramid sinker on the same setup as above. Your bait won't move as naturally, but you can prop your rod on the pier railing and worry less about tangling with other anglers on the pier. If your bait is still moving with the current, upgrade the size of your sinker, but start at 1 ounce. You can also buy pyramid sinkers and egg sinkers on the Salty Dawg eBay Store.

Along Drop-Offs and Channel Edges

Take the mouth of Saucepan Creek where it meets the ICW near Shallotte Inlet - that's a prime example of a drop-off. The bottom there drops from 3 feet to 20 feet like falling off a cliff. But here's the thing - you don't need such a dramatic change. Even a 2-foot depth difference can be a flounder magnet, particularly when it's near structure and has current. Look on charts to find drop-offs or scout and pay attention to your chartplotter. You'll find drop-offs that will provide easy access for Flounder to feed in the shallows and the depths without moving far for their next meal.

Speaking of drop-offs, that's where I caught my personal best Flounder in OIB. I was wade-fishing the ICW near Brick Landing and Ferry Park, working a chartreuse bucktail jig with a Gulp swimming minnow.I started close to shore, casting progressively farther out toward the channel. After I worked an area thoroughly, I'd shuffle down the bank about 50-75 feet and repeat the process. On one cast near the channel edge, my jig was bouncing along with the current and THUMP! The kind of bite that makes your heart stop. Then it makes you think you're hung up for a split-second. And then you know you have an awesome fish on and all you can think about it not losing him. That fish tipped the scales at 8 pounds, my biggest inshore flounder in Ocean Isle to date. I took a quick picture before watching him swim away. Now I'm after his big brother - there's a 10-pounder out there with my name on it! But honestly, and this is the absolute truth, I'd much rather see one of my charter customers catch that 10 pounder. I get as much enjoyment, maybe even more, from seeing others on my boat reel in a big fish as I do when I'm the one that caught the fish.

Nearshore Reefs, Wrecks, Structure

While this fishing blog post focuses on inshore fishing for Flounder, here's a bonus tip about winter Flounder fishing that most anglers miss. Sure, everyone knows Flounder head to the ocean when it gets cold. But how many anglers target those fish off the NC Coast in the Winter?

Pick a calm winter day and run through Shallotte Inlet to your favorite nearshore or offshore structure. Tie on a hefty bucktail with a big plastic trailer and try some vertical jigging. You might need to push further offshore to find them, not just at nearshore spots. But here's the real gold: when you find them, mark that spot. Flounder are creatures of habit. I bet you'll find them in that same spot every winter. Check out the NC Reefs Website.

I'll save the full details on Winter Offshore Flounder Fishing for another article, but this Winter pattern is too good not to share.

Understanding Tides and Weather Patterns

I've discussed using the tides in detail above, but to close out that topic, use a tide chart to plan your trip. Local tackle shops have them, Ocean Isle Pier posts the tides, Sheffield's has calendars, and so does Doug's Seafood. You can also download the "Tides" app and look up "Shallotte Inlet", "Bowen Point", or "Tubbs Inlet" for the tide info. Shallotte Inlet is on the east end of Ocean Isle and Tubbs Inlet is on the west end. You can also Google tide times. And remember that the tides are the calmest, or slack, when you're fully at low tide or fully at high tide. The tides are moving the fastest between those two times.

• Wind: Work with the wind, not against it. Fish the windy side of creeks and marshes where bait gets pushed. But if winds top 20 mph, maybe save your fishing for another day. Tip: Download the "Windy" app - it's a game-changer for planning trips with great forecasting for wind speed and direction, as well as wave speed, height, and direction when fishing nearshore or offshore.
• Barometric Pressure: Stable barometric pressure typically will improve fishing. But it's important to understand how approaching front will impact your fishing, too. When a storm is approaching, the barometric pressure will fall, stabilize, and then begin to rise as the storm passes. Your fishing will likely be good all the way until the front begins to pass and the pressure rises. Don't worry about the exact numbers, just understand this concept and it will help you to plan more productive Flounder fishing trips.
• Water Clarity: Clear water isn't always necessary – flounder can feed effectively in slightly murky conditions. However, if the water appears to be heavily stained from storms, flooding, etc... then you may do better on an incoming tide when cleaner ocean water is coming in. If you know the water is likely to be stained, then you should scout around before fishing and see where the water appears cleaner. You can even do this before your trip from the roads and take a look at area waters from bridges. Use Google Earth to find the local roadways that parallel our waterways and offer you the chance to see water clarity before your trip.
• Water Temperature: Flounder prefer water from around 65 to 85 degrees F. However, you can catch them in waters that are much cooler and much warmer. If the water temperature is within that range, then put temps out of your mind and concentrate on other factors. If the temps are above or below that range then find water that is warmer or cooler, even if only by a degree or two. Pair that with the structure, current, and the presence of bait and I think you'll have a couple new fish pics for Instagram!

Essential Gear and Tackle for Flounder Fishing

Let me share what's in my tackle box for Ocean Isle Flounder Fishing. After years of guiding fishing trips, here's the gear I've found works best in our local waters:

ROD

Medium-action 7-foot spinning rod. The Penn Battle 3 rod and reel combo is the rod used on all of my flounder fishing charters in OIB.

• TFO Inshore 7' Medium-Light Fishing Rod
• Penn Battle 3 Inshore Rod / Reel Combo

REEL

2500-3000 size spinning reel

• Penn Battle 3 2500 Spinning Reel
• Penn Battle 3 3000 Spinning Reel

FISHING LINE

For the main line, go with 10-20 lb braid. I run PowerPro, but any quality brand works. If you see the fishing line on the rods on my charter boat, you'll notice that I use high-vis yellow braid. I do that because I have to track multiple lines in the water (sometimes as many as 4 people at once). But for your personal fishing, stick with olive or gray. Though honestly, I don't think line color matters much to the fish - my clients catch plenty on yellow line. But why not use low-vis options if you can?

• PowerPro Spectra Fiber Braided Fishing Line, 20 LB, Yellow
• PowerPro Spectra Fiber Braided Fishing Line, 20 LB, Green

LEADER

I personally use Seaguar Red Label in 10 TO 20 pound test. In super clear water, I'll drop down to 10 pound test. But I always go with fluorocarbon for the abrasion resistance, extra feel you get (as opposed to stretchy mono), and the obvious benefit of near invisibility in the water that fluorocarbon provides. Use whatever knot you want to attach the leader to the main line. You can use an FG Knot if you prefer. In the interest of time on my charters, I tie a quadruple surgeon's knot to attach my leader to my braided main line for inshore fishing. You can YouTube how to tie that knot. It's quick, simple, and you can even tie it in the wind.

• Seaguar Red Label Fluorocarbon Fishing Line, 10 lb
• Seaguar Red Label Fluorocarbon Fishing Line, 15 lb
• Seaguar Red Label Fluorocarbon Fishing Line, 20 lb

Terminal Tackle for Flounder Fishing

Keep your rigging simple - Flounder aren't impressed by flashy hardware. Those double-hook rigs with all the floats, metal, and beads you see in the tackle shops? Leave them on the shelf. The more natural your presentation, the better your chances of fooling a big doormat Flounder. And I do ask that you buy your gear at our local tackle shops, as they need your support as much as I do, and they can provide great info during your visit. Try buying the items I've listed here in this fishing blog post.

Productive Lures for Flounder Fishing

Jig Heads: Selection of jigheads (1/8 oz to 1/4 oz). I make my own, which you can also buy from The Salty Dawg eBay store. I prefer 1/8 oz red jigheads, but I also use orange, chartreuse, white, green, and I even make some fire tiger colored jig heads. If I am fishing larger swimbaits (say 5" or more in length) then I will use Zman jigheads in 1/4 to 3/8 oz.

Soft Plastics: I'm a big fan of Z-man lures. The elaztech material they make their lures from is second to none. It works well, has great action, holds scent well, and I can catch MULTIPLE fish on them before retiring that particular lure. Here are some of my favorite Z-Man Lures for Flounder:

• Z-MAN Goat, 4-1/4 inch, Soft Plastic Grub
• Z-MAN EZ ShrimpZ, 3-1/2 inch, Soft Plastic Shrimp
• Z-MAN Diezel Minnow, 4", Soft Plastic Swimbait

I also like Berkley Gulp soft plastics, particularly when I have kids fishing onboard, but I use them a lot for my own fishing, too. Some of my favorite Berkley Gulp soft plastic lures are:

• Berkley Gulp Minnow, 3 inch, Soft Plastic Minnow
• Berkley Gulp Alive Shrimp, 3 inch, Soft Plastic Shrimp
• Berkley Gulp Paddleshad, 4 inch, Soft Plastic Swimbait

Bait Selection and Rigging for Different Conditions

Jigging Technique for Flounder Fishing

• Here's the number one rule of flounder fishing - if you're not bumping bottom, you're probably not catching fish. Count down your lure until it hits bottom. After a while, you'll know exactly how long to wait based on your jig weight and water depth.
• Hop the lure with subtle movements. Don't sweep your rod tip 4 feet, move it 12-18 inches, or so, and let the jig fall back down.
• Pause between hops to imitate injured baitfish. Sometimes I will work the jig with single pops and sometimes with double pops or even alternating. Find what works for you, and what works on that particular day with the lures you're fishing with.
• Maintain bottom contact throughout the retrieve.
• Work the jig all the way back and don't give up and reel in halfway back to the boat or shore.

Troubleshooting: Still Not Getting Bites?

• Experiment with your jigging technique and retrieve speed.
• Downsize your bait or lure.
• Change lure profiles and color. Although, I'm being very honest that lure color isn't as important as we make it out to be. Lure size, profile, and action are far more important.
• Move. Move often. Try other areas that might work better. Still nothing? Move further, go a mile or two and try it again, as it might be a water temp issue or something that you're overlooking.

Tips for Hooking and Landing Flounder

The answer to "how to hook a flounder" is dependent on whether you're using bait or a lure. If you're using a lure, you can set the hook immediately. If you're using bait, particularly live minnows, then you must wait to set the hook.

When setting the hook while bait-fishing, allow the Flounder to take the bait and give the Flounder as much as 30 seconds before setting the hook.

Once you set the hook and feel the Flounder, keep steady pressure during the fight. Always use a net for any fish of around 15 inches or more. And on larger Flounder it is definitely better for the Flounder if he is not held by the mouth with a boga grip, etc... before being released. This is something I need to do better when I'm taking pictures of my charter clients with Flounder that they have caught. One of my 2025 New Year's resolutions will be to stop handling large fish with a boga grip if the fish is to be released alive.

Fisheries Conservation

Let's talk about keeping our flounder fishing legal and sustainable. Check out the NCDMF Website Size and Creel Limits. The rules change sometimes, so stay up to date.

• Fight the fish quickly, get a photo, and try to limit their time out of the water to no more than 30-60 seconds.
• Use circle hooks when possible to reduce deep hooking
• Use appropriately sized tackle to minimize fight time
• Use a net to land them quickly and safely
• Wet your hands prior to handling
• Never use a towel to handle fish that will be released.
• Avoid holding flounder vertically by their jaw / mouth

Conclusion

Whether you're a local or just visiting Ocean Isle Beach, these tips should help you connect with some flounder. For hands-on guidance and access to proven spots, consider booking a charter with me. You can Book Now or give me a call or text at (910) 250-8459.

Remember, there's no substitute for time on the water. Each trip teaches you something new, whether you limit out or get skunked. Stay observant, keep learning, and most importantly - enjoy your time on the water!

Tight Lines,
Captain Harvey Wall
Salty Dawg Fishing Charters

December 6, 2024

Note: Article includes Amazon Affiliate Links, which the author is compensated for.