Flounder Questions

I've got a few questions about flounder fishing... We make 1 to 2 trips a year to myrtle beach and the last 3 years I've started targeting flounder... I use a 2500 series shimano reel with 8lb line and a 20lb flouro leader (generally I'm fishing little tidal creeks and swashs). I take good care of my reels but it seems like they don't last more a year or two (wash down after each use I guess they just can't do the saltwater). So my question is what reel would you recommend? I have a 2500 series stradic just not so sure I want to use it even tho it's supposed to be okay to use in saltwater... Any reel suggestions would be great and also any tips or special lures would be great too... I know some of you guys are close to salt so thought you all might know some info... Thanks guys!

Way back when I use to just fish salt water my favorite reel was a Diawa 7000. I never used line less than 20 lbs and usually used 30 lb line. You never know what you will hook up with fishing salt water. Like a 70 lb Black Drum one day. Normally for flounder I used bottom rigs with gudgeons.

I always used and still use an Ambassador 5500c for all my saltwater fishing. Rinse and wd40 and if it was a little stiff I just dunk it in the saltwater and keep right on fishing. I know that sounds bad but my reels last 20 years or more

pat

I'm like Pg, haven't fish salt in a long long time but when I did I would just give them a good spray, then had a bucket fill it with fresh water. Just reel in bucket and let soak for awhile, take it out and rinse, once dried a good dousing of wd40. Got a old red 5000 in the shop that is a 67/68 vintage and still works like new. When I fished flounder I used a catfish type rig with sliding weight about a foot or so above hook. Used cut bait or small mullet I caught with cast net. Have also used a white 2-3 inch pork rind on the hook. Dragging along real slow into the current.

I've heard you lightly spray them , if you use too much pressure it forces the grit inside, hard to beat a Penn, I've got a 440ssg and a 3000 fierce, both are silky smooth. Also have a Abu 5500 and a 6500 which is nice for live baiting because they have a clicker that will alert you when a fish grabs and runs. As far as flounder goes I've never figured them out.... All I know is stay on the bottom..

I was looking at a penn battle $75 on cabelas... I might be spraying my reels to much cause I flat down right soak them... :/ tired of buying $50 reels each year seems like they are so gritty next year... Sort of worried to mess up that stradic so I might pick up that penn? Who knows

Penn has been a salt water icon for as long as I can remember. I don't fish salt water much, but my buddy in Fla does and all his reels are Penns.

I use only basspro cheap reels ($30.00 or less) I always soak the reels in dawn dish detergent rlnse good with clean water let dry and spray with WD40 and put lub on gears. most of my reels are 5 yr. or more old

Shimano gear is great. Light wash and loosen the drag after every trip. Stay away from the full moon. I use a bare hook and catch live bait in my cast net. If the wind is correct with the tide then drift. If not, trolling with longer leaders is a good back up. My last three trips in the bay have been 4 man limits. On a lucky streak. Good luck in Myrtle Beach

I use Shimano Sonora and Sahara 2500 reels with ten lb line. I spray them off with the water hose when done. A couple of my reels are eight or ten years old and have had no problems. Maybe once a year I will do a little more detailed cleaning and lube the reel. As far as rigs I mostly use a carolina rig with 1/2 ounce sinker and 2/0 owner hook with finger mullet or live menhaden for bait. I fish it just like dragging a plastic worm on the bottom. When I use artificials a 2" little fishy jig is hard to beat.

salt plus metal = corrosion, tried it all, they all fail, buy cheap ones for $20 use 2 years maybe 3 and toss, buy a new one. OK so you spend $160 and because you spent so much you spend more time trying to make it work right, after awhile it is not smooth, drag will not work good if you get oil in the system, sand just one grain messes up the whole deal. A new reel works great, when it gets not so good just toss it. I bought 5 reels with poles, mitchels, at Dicks for $10 each, still using one after 2 years, $50 phlulger, (sp) will not spin right, shimano, switch broke will not stop spinning both ways, to me I just wasted my $$. I will say the ambassadors have held up in salt water, but then I do not use them to much.Oh to catch flatties, put the pole down, give em time to swallow the bait, they hook themselves. Go to Rudy inlet and cast and catch about 50 10" flatties to get the hang of it, same deal works with the big ones.

VAcrappieman. Check Your PM!CF

Flounder fishing..how I do love thee ? Flounder fishing for me has changed over the years with the new gulp baits that have arrived on the scene. I have caught my share of flounder fishing live mullet on a Carolina rig but have switched to using gulp shrimp baits 3" version on a 1/4 jig head when fishing back water. My current favorite color is white with chartreuse tail. Flounder do not waste time eating a gulp bait and you can cover more water quickly to locate feeding fish without having to deal with catching bait and a minnow bucket. Trout and red drum love these also. If you are in a lot of current or deep water you may need to increase your jig head size. On reels I have been using the Daiwa Sweepfire 2500 series when fishing the salt. The newer version is a big improvement with an added bearing and for $ 14.00 each you can not go wrong. Give them a fresh water gentle rinse and they will last for years. I enjoy walking the backwater creeks and marshes or hunting flounder from my kayak. Sometimes I will slow troll but most times I cast. These methods have worked for me from Virginia to Florida. FB

Hi, I use penn reels exclusively I use a spinning gear for the surf and a trollmaster when Yak fishing (its best when drift fishing for flounder) . I wash down all my gear after fishing and soak the reels in a water bucket swishing it around a bit. Once a year I strip it down re-grease and oil, I've used the same gear for over 15 years... remember you get what you pay for. Don

Just back from our annual Outer Banks surf fishing trip. Our group had a good time catching flounder. We had 60 plus keepers with 4 over 5 lbs with the largest 6.5lbs. Most were caught on 1/4 ounce jig and gulp baits. Picture is my son with his first citation . Good trip. FB

Nice flattie ! Good job

Very cool... My week at myrtle beach yielded 19 flounder most caught on finger mullet but some on gulp shrimp and swimming mullet... However biggest was only 18 1/2 but got some good eaters... Fun for sure :)

That's great fishing.
we used to flounder fish in the Galveston area and do quite well at it.... Now the regulations have gotten so bad that I don't even bother with it anymore. Offshore the same thing... Sold the big boat and bought land in the country,had a 5ac lake dug and that's my answer to gov. Regulations. But I sure miss the saltwater thing


Pat W

I'm late on the response, but I will second Fishbud's comments. Gulp shrimp or swimming mullet on jighead is almost unbeatable for flounder....second to gigging..lol. This was all I used for flounder in Biloxi, MS. Stay on the trolling motor and cast till you find them, then fill the cooler. And as an example of how deadly Gulp is for flounder....the tried and true method of letting a flounder take the bait....wait, wait, etc......will leave you with a flounder with a gulp in it's belly. They swallow these things right away. I never give them more than a two count before setting the hook with Gulp.