Species
Summer Flounder
Paralichthys dentatus · family Paralichthyidae
Live · updated
Locally called "fluke." Flatfish that ambushes bait off sandy and mixed bottom. Drifting bucktails tipped with Gulp! or live minnows through Ocean City and Chincoteague inlets is the classic method.
Preferred conditions
- Water temp
- 58–75°F (ideal 65°F)
- Tide
- outgoing
- Moon
- either
- Depth
- 10–100 ft
- Active months
- May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep
Best summer flounder conditions today
Sandy Neck Beach Park
Kiptopeke State Park
Cape Charles Town Pier
Fenwick Island — Surf Fishing
Fenwick Island State Park
Ponquogue Beach
Race Point Beach
Montauk Point
North Hampton State Beach
Salisbury Beach State Reservation
Assateague Island — MD Surf
Assateague State Park
Assateague Island National Seashore
Nauset Beach
False Cape State Park
Delaware Seashore State Park
Ditch Plains Beach
Orient Beach State Park
Cape May
Matagorda Beach
Biloxi Beach
Gulfport Beach
Pass Christian Beach
Grand Isle State Park
Scarborough State Beach
Narragansett Bay (Newport)
Rocky Neck State Park
Rudee Inlet — Virginia Beach
Anderson Park
Chincoteague NWR — Fishing Access
Roaring Point Waterfront Park
Haulover Beach Park
Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park
Bay St. Louis Beach
Tybee Island Beach
Sandbridge Beach
Nags Head Beach
Playland Beach
Ventnor City
Sherwood Island State Park
St. Simons Island Beach
Carolina Beach
Holden Beach
Oak Island Beach
St. Augustine Beach
Ocean City Inlet — North Jetty
Assawoman State Wildlife Area
Block Island
Public Landing Beach
Deal Island Wildlife Management Area
North Myrtle Beach
Garden City Beach
Pensacola Beach
Navarre Beach
Destin Beach
Panama City Beach
Mexico Beach
St. George Island
East Beach (Galveston)
Sea Rim State Park
Gulf Shores Public Beach
Orange Beach
Dauphin Island Public Beach
Calcasieu Lake (Big Lake)
First Landing State Park
Buckroe Beach
Ocean View Beach
Hilton Pier Park
Augustine Beach
Kure Beach
Elms Beach Park
Myrtle Beach
Folly Beach
South Padre Island Beach
Cape Henlopen State Park
Indian River Inlet
Lewes Canal
Slaughter Beach
Broadkill Beach
Kitts Hummock Beach
Bowers Beach
South Bowers Beach
Woodland Beach Wildlife Area
Port Mahon
Fortescue
Robert Moses State Park
Fire Island National Seashore — Watch Hill
Wrightsville Beach
Surf City Beach
Emerald Isle Beach
Indian Beach
Calf Pasture Beach
Jacksonville Beach
New Smyrna Beach
Naples Beach
Marco Island Beach
Cape Lookout National Seashore
Solomons Island Fishing Pier
Point Lookout State Park
Tyaskin Wharf
Cove Road Beach
Hilton Head Island
Deerfield Beach
Pompano Beach
Clearwater Beach
Galveston Seawall
Crystal Beach (Bolivar Peninsula)
Surfside Beach (TX)
Pirates Beach
Galveston Bay
Cape Hatteras National Seashore
Ocracoke Beach
Port Aransas Beach
Padre Island National Seashore
Atlantic Beach (NC)
Island Beach State Park
Barnegat Lighthouse State Park
Brigantine
Sandy Hook (Gateway NRA)
Belmar
Manasquan
Jones Beach State Park
Smith Point County Park
Boca Chica Beach
Daytona Beach
Cocoa Beach
Cape Canaveral Beach
Sanibel Island Beach
Fort Myers Beach (Lynn Hall Memorial Park)
Point Pleasant Beach
Mustang Island State Park
North Topsail Beach
Pawleys Island
Sebastian Inlet State Park
Lake Worth Beach
St. Pete Beach
Belle Isle State Park
Smith Point Beach
Kent Narrows — Public Fishing Pier
Chesapeake Beach — Rod N' Reel Pier
No locations match that filter.
Regulations by jurisdiction
Maryland (tidal)
Stale: last verified 51 days ago.
tidal bay
- Min size
- 16"
- Creel
- 4
Chesapeake Bay: size minimum steps up from 16 in (Jan 1–May 31) to 17.5 in (Jun 1–Dec 31). Creel is 4/day year-round. Flounder quotas are re-negotiated annually through ASMFC/MAFMC — re-verify before each season.
Source · verified 2026-04-22
Stale: last verified 51 days ago.
atlantic
- Min size
- 16"
- Creel
- 4
Atlantic coast and coastal bays: 16 in (Jan 1–May 31) / 17.5 in (Jun 1–Dec 31), 4 per day. Summer flounder regulations are ASMFC-managed and typically re-set annually; verify before the season.
Source · verified 2026-04-22
Delaware (tidal)
Stale: last verified 51 days ago.
tidal delaware
- Min size
- 16"
- Creel
- 4
Delaware Bay and tidal tributaries: size minimum steps up from 16 in (Jan 1–May 31) to 17.5 in (Jun 1–Dec 31). Creel is 4/day year-round. ASMFC/MAFMC-managed — re-verify annually. Matches the MD minimum exactly.
Source · verified 2026-04-22
Stale: last verified 51 days ago.
atlantic
- Min size
- 16"
- Creel
- 4
Delaware Atlantic Ocean and Inland Bays (Rehoboth, Indian River, Little Assawoman): 16 in (Jan 1–May 31) / 17.5 in (Jun 1–Dec 31), 4 per day. ASMFC-managed.
Source · verified 2026-04-22
Virginia (tidal — VMRC)
Stale: last verified 51 days ago.
tidal bay
- Min size
- 16"
- Creel
- 4
Virginia tidal waters (lower Chesapeake Bay): 16 in (Jan 1–May 31) / 17.5 in (Jun 1–Dec 31), 4 per day. 4VAC20-620. Matches MD and DE coastwide ASMFC allocation, which is re-negotiated annually.
Source · verified 2026-04-22
Stale: last verified 51 days ago.
atlantic
- Min size
- 16"
- Creel
- 4
Virginia Atlantic coast: 16 in (Jan 1–May 31) / 17.5 in (Jun 1–Dec 31), 4 per day. ASMFC-managed; same season step-up as the rest of the mid-Atlantic. Classic VA fluke fisheries: CBBT tunnel islands, Rudee Inlet, Lynnhaven.
Source · verified 2026-04-22
NC
Stale: last verified 14 days ago.
atlantic
- Min size
- 15"
- Creel
- 1
The recreational flounder season is set each year by DMF proclamation and is currently closed. When open, a 15" minimum and 1 fish/day apply.
Source · verified 2026-05-29
NJ
Stale: last verified 14 days ago.
atlantic
- Min size
- 18"
- Creel
- 3
18" minimum, 3 fish/day. Exact season dates are set annually by NJ DEP; the typical spring–early-fall window is shown.
Source · verified 2026-05-29
Stale: last verified 14 days ago.
tidal delaware
- Min size
- 18"
- Creel
- 3
18" minimum, 3 fish/day. Exact season dates are set annually by NJ DEP; the typical spring–early-fall window is shown.
Source · verified 2026-05-29
SC
Stale: last verified 14 days ago.
atlantic
- Min size
- 16"
- Creel
- 5
Southern flounder: 16" minimum, 5/person/day (max 10 per boat).
Source · verified 2026-05-29
NY
Stale: last verified 14 days ago.
atlantic
- Min size
- 19"
- Creel
- 6
19" minimum, 6 fish/day, Apr 1–Dec 31.
Source · verified 2026-05-29
MA
Stale: last verified 14 days ago.
atlantic
- Min size
- 16.5"
- Creel
- 5
16.5" from shore / 17.5" from a boat, 5 fish/day, late May–late Sep.
Source · verified 2026-05-29
RI
Stale: last verified 14 days ago.
atlantic
- Min size
- 19"
- Creel
- 6
19" minimum, 6 fish/day, May 1–Dec 31.
Source · verified 2026-05-29
CT
Stale: last verified 14 days ago.
atlantic
- Min size
- 19"
- Creel
- 3
19–19.5" minimum (17" at enhanced shore sites), 3 fish/day, early May–mid Oct.
Source · verified 2026-05-29
FL
Stale: last verified 14 days ago.
atlantic
- Min size
- 14"
- Creel
- 5
Florida flounder: 14" minimum, 5/person/day. Closed Oct 15–Nov 30.
Source · verified 2026-05-29
Stale: last verified 14 days ago.
gulf
- Min size
- 14"
- Creel
- 5
Florida flounder: 14" minimum, 5/person/day. Closed Oct 15–Nov 30.
Source · verified 2026-05-29
TX
Stale: last verified 14 days ago.
gulf
- Min size
- 15"
- Creel
- 5
Southern flounder: 15" minimum, 5/person/day; bag drops to 2 fish Nov 1–Dec 14 during the fall run.
Source · verified 2026-05-29
AL
Stale: last verified 14 days ago.
gulf
- Min size
- 14"
- Creel
- 5
Southern flounder: 14" minimum, 5/person/day. Closed Nov 1–30.
Source · verified 2026-05-29
MS
Stale: last verified 14 days ago.
gulf
- Min size
- 12"
- Creel
- 10
Southern flounder: 12" minimum, 10/person/day.
Source · verified 2026-05-29
LA
Stale: last verified 14 days ago.
gulf
- Min size
- 12"
- Creel
- 10
Southern flounder: 12" minimum, 10/person/day.
Source · verified 2026-05-29
GA
Stale: last verified 14 days ago.
atlantic
- Min size
- 12"
- Creel
- 15
Flounder: 12" minimum, 15/person/day.
Source · verified 2026-05-29