I drove to Rollover Pass Wednesday when I got out of school. I only have 2 classes a day and am out at 10:15. I have been reading the forum every day and I wanted to catch some Flounder.
I copied as close as I could a double jig rig like Mr Jean Scurtu posted on this site. I had never used plastics before. I took an Okuma 8'6" rod with a Diawa Procaster Magforce baitcasting reel. On my fifth cast I caught my first Flounder.
I did everything that I could do and could not get it to measure more than 14.75" and as bad as I hated to, I threw it back. About 30-40 casts later, I got my second hit. Just as I got it out of the water it came loose. It would have been a keeper. I then realised that what I had thought were the jigs snagging, were actually hits.
Within the next 70-80 casts I caught 4 more Flounder (2 would have been keepers) and again lost them as I got them out of the water. My question is, is it hard to get Flounder out of the water without loosing them, or did I just have an unlucky day with them?
I spent from about 12:20 until 5:30 and never caught anything else all day. I had a second line out also I tried shrimp and finger mullets from Miss Nancy's bait camp and also tried some small live finger croakers that 2 men gave me when they left. They did not catch anything in about 1 1/2 hours.
I enjoyed my day but hope next time to bring home something. I really enjoy just sitting and watching and listening to the other people.

Flounder can make you nuts, but when you understand what they are doing, it'll help your bite to catch ratio.

They will clamp down on a jig so hard, when you try to set the hook, the hook doesn't move in their mouth, so the hook won't penetrate and that's why when you get them close, they open their mouth and out comes the jig.

Use a super sharp hook, like a gamakatsu.
Use a stiffer rod to drive the hook home.
Put an aggressive hook set on them, watch a bass fisherman set the hook with a plastic worm, thats what you want to do.
Switch to braid instead of mono, no stretch means more hook ups.

Use a long, hard sweeping motion when setting the hook, almost like swinging a bat backwards, just make sure your drag will release before your line breaks.

When using light rods and mono line, there is a lot of stretch there before the hook will move.

Sounds like you are doing the right thing!Get a net.Dont lift flounder out of water unless in net.Rollover is its own special place and do not be afraid to talk to the locals as they usually are more than willing to offer tips and advice.
Learn how to read the tides and by all means listen to Mr. Jean!!

Thanks all. The net, dang I had a net with me that I bought last Saturday. A lot of good it did me sitting in the back of the truck. I was really excited making my first trip to Rollover by myself. I was using a 8'6" medium action rod. I also have 2 Shakespeare Ugly rods, 1 medium and 1 medium heavy. Which would be a better choice?

Thanks everyone, Jason

flounder are legal at 14

I did not have the Outdoor Annual with me but the man fishing next to me told it needed to be 15". I just checked the book and you are 100% correct. I threw back my first Flounder and did not need to.

I use bass tackle....and a carolina rig with a circle hook and 3/8 ounce egg sinker...But then again, I usually use live shrimp

In addition to above...braided line (sufgix original or Fins Windtamer) helps a ton on those hooksets...same goes for using really sharp hooks. Good luck...you should be proud tho...not a bad first outing with lures for flatties...season hasnt even really started either.

Jason,

Congrats and i am happy because my rig work in your hand.
The rod is not so important to catch flounder .Most important is to use very sharp jigs,like GAMAKATSU and to fish with braid +fluorocarbon leader.For flounder i use FIRELINE ORIGINAL SMOKE 4LB.+8-14LB.FLUOROCARBON LEADER.
You need to use landing net for keeper and keep all the time presure on the fish,because sometimes the fish is not hook ,but if you keep presure on fish and use the landing net the fish can't spilt the jig(just sometimes).

It really is similar to bass fishing with plastics, give the fish some time to really engulf the bait, then you wanna whack it hard so the hook to penetrates...get a rod with a decent back-bone and go braid/flouro as suggested so there's less stretch.

The hook won't penetrate and that's why when you get them close, they open their mouth and out comes the jig...







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Reel your 'bait' s l o w l y! I usually pull my rod sideways from 12 o'clock to 4 o'clock then wind line in back to 12 o'clock watching my rodtip carefully. When I see my rodtip snag or bend more than usual, I wait....watch the tip and if it is a flounder, it will bounce the tip of your rod sometimes ever so slightly. WAIT...when the tip really starts to pull, then jerk!
Sometimes, you actually have to run that jig right over sleeping flounder and wake 'em up. Let 'em get that bait into their mouths. Good luck!

If i am fishing for flounder(i am fishing just with artificias) i cast and when the jig touch the bottom i twitch (with the tip of the rod at 10 a clock) 2 times and reel slow until , twitch again and slow reel until the rig is close with the bank.
IF I FEEL THE BITE I STRIKE .Never wait 10-30 second just strike when i feel the bite.
So i was catching many flounder at ROLLOVER PASS.

All you need is a 4''gulp shrimp better take two packs and pletty of jig heads