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