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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

North Hampton State Beach

Rockingham Co., NH
93/100

Calf Pasture Beach

Fairfield Co., CT
84/100

Rocky Neck State Park

New London Co., CT
76/100

Nags Head Beach

Dare Co., NC · harvest closed
70/100

Block Island

Washington Co., RI
65/100

Orient Beach State Park

Suffolk Co., NY
61/100

Nauset Beach

Barnstable Co., MA
61/100

Playland Beach

Westchester Co., NY
59/100

Sherwood Island State Park

Fairfield Co., CT
59/100

Ocean View Beach

Norfolk Co., VA
52/100

Wrightsville Beach

New Hanover Co., NC · harvest closed
52/100

Carolina Beach

New Hanover Co., NC · harvest closed
52/100

Kure Beach

New Hanover Co., NC · harvest closed
52/100

Surf City Beach

Pender Co., NC · harvest closed
52/100

North Topsail Beach

Onslow Co., NC · harvest closed
52/100

Holden Beach

Brunswick Co., NC · harvest closed
52/100

Oak Island Beach

Brunswick Co., NC · harvest closed
52/100

Emerald Isle Beach

Carteret Co., NC · harvest closed
52/100

Cape Henlopen State Park

Sussex Co., DE
48/100

Fenwick Island — Surf Fishing

Sussex Co., DE
48/100

Slaughter Beach

Sussex Co., DE
48/100

Fenwick Island State Park

Sussex Co., DE
48/100

Broadkill Beach

Sussex Co., DE
48/100

Bowers Beach

Kent Co., DE
48/100

South Bowers Beach

Kent Co., DE
48/100

Port Mahon

Kent Co., DE
48/100

Atlantic Beach (NC)

Carteret Co., NC · harvest closed
48/100

Indian Beach

Carteret Co., NC · harvest closed
48/100

Cape Lookout National Seashore

Carteret Co., NC · harvest closed
48/100

Belmar

Monmouth Co., NJ
48/100

Manasquan

Monmouth Co., NJ
48/100

Myrtle Beach

Horry Co., SC
48/100

North Myrtle Beach

Horry Co., SC
48/100

Pawleys Island

Georgetown Co., SC
48/100

Surfside Beach (SC)

Horry Co., SC
48/100

Salisbury Beach State Reservation

Essex Co., MA
45/100

First Landing State Park

Virginia Beach Co., VA
44/100

Ocean City Inlet — North Jetty

Worcester Co., MD
40/100

Chincoteague NWR — Fishing Access

Accomack Co., VA
40/100

Sandbridge Beach

Virginia Beach Co., VA
40/100

False Cape State Park

Virginia Beach Co., VA
40/100

Ocracoke Beach

Hyde Co., NC · harvest closed
40/100

Point Pleasant Beach

Ocean Co., NJ
40/100

Scarborough State Beach

Washington Co., RI
40/100

Narragansett Bay (Newport)

Newport Co., RI
40/100

Elms Beach Park

St. Mary's Co., MD
36/100

Tyaskin Wharf

Wicomico Co., MD
36/100

Belle Isle State Park

Lancaster Co., VA
36/100

Smith Point Beach

Northumberland Co., VA
36/100

Ponquogue Beach

Suffolk Co., NY
36/100

Ditch Plains Beach

Suffolk Co., NY
36/100

Sandy Neck Beach Park

Barnstable Co., MA
36/100

Montauk Point

Suffolk Co., NY
36/100

Augustine Beach

New Castle Co., DE

Public Landing Beach

Worcester Co., MD

South Padre Island Beach

Cameron Co., TX

Padre Island National Seashore

Kleberg Co., TX

Boca Chica Beach

Cameron Co., TX

St. Simons Island Beach

Glynn Co., GA

Ventnor City

Atlantic Co., NJ

Cape Charles Town Pier

Northampton Co., VA

Buckroe Beach

Hampton Co., VA

Hilton Pier Park

Newport News Co., VA

Cove Road Beach

Wicomico Co., MD

Race Point Beach

Barnstable Co., MA

Assateague Island — MD Surf

Worcester Co., MD

Cape Hatteras National Seashore

Dare Co., NC · harvest closed

Sandy Hook (Gateway NRA)

Monmouth Co., NJ

Indian River Inlet

Sussex Co., DE

Lewes Canal

Sussex Co., DE

Delaware Seashore State Park

Sussex Co., DE

Kitts Hummock Beach

Kent Co., DE

Fortescue

Cumberland Co., NJ

Garden City Beach

Horry Co., SC

Cape May

Cape May Co., NJ

Bay St. Louis Beach

Hancock Co., MS

Anderson Park

Newport News Co., VA

Naples Beach

Collier Co., FL

Marco Island Beach

Collier Co., FL

Calcasieu Lake (Big Lake)

Cameron Co., LA

Assateague State Park

Worcester Co., MD

Assawoman State Wildlife Area

Worcester Co., MD

Brigantine

Atlantic Co., NJ

Deal Island Wildlife Management Area

Somerset Co., MD

Roaring Point Waterfront Park

Wicomico Co., MD

Solomons Island Fishing Pier

Calvert Co., MD

New Smyrna Beach

Volusia Co., FL

Cocoa Beach

Brevard Co., FL

Kiptopeke State Park

Northampton Co., VA

Woodland Beach Wildlife Area

Kent Co., DE

Folly Beach

Charleston Co., SC

Lake Worth Beach

Palm Beach Co., FL

Deerfield Beach

Broward Co., FL

Pompano Beach

Broward Co., FL

Haulover Beach Park

Miami-Dade Co., FL

Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park

Miami-Dade Co., FL

East Beach (Galveston)

Galveston Co., TX

Galveston Seawall

Galveston Co., TX

Crystal Beach (Bolivar Peninsula)

Galveston Co., TX

Surfside Beach (TX)

Brazoria Co., TX

Pirates Beach

Galveston Co., TX

Sea Rim State Park

Jefferson Co., TX

Galveston Bay

Galveston Co., TX

Assateague Island National Seashore

Worcester Co., MD

Jones Beach State Park

Nassau Co., NY

Smith Point County Park

Suffolk Co., NY

St. Augustine Beach

St. Johns Co., FL

Rudee Inlet — Virginia Beach

Virginia Beach Co., VA

Island Beach State Park

Ocean Co., NJ

Barnegat Lighthouse State Park

Ocean Co., NJ

Robert Moses State Park

Suffolk Co., NY

Chesapeake Beach — Rod N' Reel Pier

Calvert Co., MD

Point Lookout State Park

St. Mary's Co., MD

Pensacola Beach

Escambia Co., FL

Navarre Beach

Santa Rosa Co., FL

Destin Beach

Okaloosa Co., FL

Panama City Beach

Bay Co., FL

Mexico Beach

Bay Co., FL

St. George Island

Franklin Co., FL

Clearwater Beach

Pinellas Co., FL

St. Pete Beach

Pinellas Co., FL

Sanibel Island Beach

Lee Co., FL

Fort Myers Beach (Lynn Hall Memorial Park)

Lee Co., FL

Mustang Island State Park

Nueces Co., TX

Port Aransas Beach

Nueces Co., TX

Matagorda Beach

Matagorda Co., TX

Gulf Shores Public Beach

Baldwin Co., AL

Orange Beach

Baldwin Co., AL

Dauphin Island Public Beach

Mobile Co., AL

Biloxi Beach

Harrison Co., MS

Gulfport Beach

Harrison Co., MS

Pass Christian Beach

Harrison Co., MS

Grand Isle State Park

Jefferson Co., LA

Cape Canaveral Beach

Brevard Co., FL

Hilton Head Island

Beaufort Co., SC

Sebastian Inlet State Park

Brevard Co., FL

Fire Island National Seashore — Watch Hill

Suffolk Co., NY

Jacksonville Beach

Duval Co., FL

Daytona Beach

Volusia Co., FL

Kent Narrows — Public Fishing Pier

Queen Anne's Co., MD

Tybee Island Beach

Chatham Co., GA

Regulations by jurisdiction

Maryland (tidal)

Stale: last verified 140 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 140 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 140 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 140 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 140 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 140 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 103 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 103 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 103 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 103 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 103 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 103 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 103 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 103 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 103 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 103 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 103 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 103 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 103 days ago.

gulf

Min size
12"
Creel
10

Southern flounder: 12" minimum, 10/person/day.

Source · verified 2026-05-29

LA

Stale: last verified 103 days ago.

gulf

Min size
12"
Creel
10

Southern flounder: 12" minimum, 10/person/day.

Source · verified 2026-05-29

GA

Stale: last verified 103 days ago.

atlantic

Min size
12"
Creel
15

Flounder: 12" minimum, 15/person/day.

Source · verified 2026-05-29

NH

Stale: last verified 12 days ago.

atlantic

Min size
15"
Creel
no daily limit

New Hampshire marine: 15" minimum, no daily bag limit, no closed season. Sale prohibited.

Source · verified 2026-08-28

Data from NOAA, NWS, MD DNR, DE DNREC, VA DWR/VMRC

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