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
Island Beach State Park
Barnegat Lighthouse State Park
Brigantine
Padre Island National Seashore
Boca Chica Beach
Point Pleasant Beach
Robert Moses State Park
Fire Island National Seashore — Watch Hill
Race Point Beach
Scarborough State Beach
Narragansett Bay (Newport)
Block Island
Sandy Hook (Gateway NRA)
Belmar
Manasquan
Playland Beach
Smith Point County Park
Ponquogue Beach
Ditch Plains Beach
Orient Beach State Park
Nauset Beach
Sandy Neck Beach Park
Bay St. Louis Beach
Montauk Point
Cape May
North Hampton State Beach
Salisbury Beach State Reservation
Sherwood Island State Park
Rocky Neck State Park
Ventnor City
Sanibel Island Beach
Fort Myers Beach (Lynn Hall Memorial Park)
Kent Narrows — Public Fishing Pier
St. Pete Beach
South Padre Island Beach
Public Landing Beach
Jones Beach State Park
Calf Pasture Beach
Naples Beach
Marco Island Beach
Mustang Island State Park
Matagorda Beach
Biloxi Beach
Gulfport Beach
Pass Christian Beach
Haulover Beach Park
Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park
Clearwater Beach
Ocean City Inlet — North Jetty
Indian River Inlet
Fenwick Island — Surf Fishing
Delaware Seashore State Park
Assateague State Park
Assawoman State Wildlife Area
Deal Island Wildlife Management Area
Fenwick Island State Park
Kitts Hummock Beach
Fortescue
St. Simons Island Beach
Assateague Island — MD Surf
Assateague Island National Seashore
Mexico Beach
Roaring Point Waterfront Park
Tyaskin Wharf
Cove Road Beach
Wrightsville Beach
Carolina Beach
Kure Beach
Surf City Beach
Holden Beach
Oak Island Beach
Pawleys Island
Lake Worth Beach
Deerfield Beach
Pompano Beach
Chesapeake Beach — Rod N' Reel Pier
Myrtle Beach
North Myrtle Beach
Garden City Beach
Surfside Beach (SC)
Pensacola Beach
Navarre Beach
Panama City Beach
East Beach (Galveston)
Galveston Seawall
Crystal Beach (Bolivar Peninsula)
Surfside Beach (TX)
Port Aransas Beach
Pirates Beach
Sea Rim State Park
Gulf Shores Public Beach
Orange Beach
Dauphin Island Public Beach
Calcasieu Lake (Big Lake)
Galveston Bay
Cape Henlopen State Park
Slaughter Beach
Broadkill Beach
Bowers Beach
South Bowers Beach
Woodland Beach Wildlife Area
Port Mahon
Augustine Beach
Chincoteague NWR — Fishing Access
St. George Island
Grand Isle State Park
Solomons Island Fishing Pier
Elms Beach Park
North Topsail Beach
Atlantic Beach (NC)
Emerald Isle Beach
Indian Beach
St. Augustine Beach
New Smyrna Beach
Nags Head Beach
Cape Hatteras National Seashore
Ocracoke Beach
Cape Lookout National Seashore
Sebastian Inlet State Park
Lewes Canal
Daytona Beach
Destin Beach
Point Lookout State Park
Rudee Inlet — Virginia Beach
Belle Isle State Park
Smith Point Beach
Sandbridge Beach
False Cape State Park
Jacksonville Beach
Cocoa Beach
Cape Canaveral Beach
Folly Beach
Hilton Head Island
Tybee Island Beach
Ocean View Beach
Hilton Pier Park
Anderson Park
Kiptopeke State Park
Cape Charles Town Pier
First Landing State Park
Buckroe Beach
No locations match that filter.
Regulations by jurisdiction
Maryland (tidal)
Stale: last verified 81 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 81 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 81 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 81 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 81 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 81 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 44 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 44 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 44 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 44 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 44 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 44 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 44 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 44 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 44 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 44 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 44 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 44 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 44 days ago.
gulf
- Min size
- 12"
- Creel
- 10
Southern flounder: 12" minimum, 10/person/day.
Source · verified 2026-05-29
LA
Stale: last verified 44 days ago.
gulf
- Min size
- 12"
- Creel
- 10
Southern flounder: 12" minimum, 10/person/day.
Source · verified 2026-05-29
GA
Stale: last verified 44 days ago.
atlantic
- Min size
- 12"
- Creel
- 15
Flounder: 12" minimum, 15/person/day.
Source · verified 2026-05-29