Help with Winter Flounder

[tommy.meek]

I have the basic idea of how to fish for these winter fishes. I have the rigs the chum etc, but i need hot spots for them, Ive never found a good place to fish for them. Now I'm looking for somewhere from Pt Pleasant and north. If you know of good southern locations i will take them as well, but i mainly fish north of them.
Thanks

[BCinerie]

Around Mantoloking bridge is always good place to start.

[bassnblues]

Shark river Belmar.

[Papasown]

Those were 2 great places. Also northern Barnegat Bay, and at Oceanic Bridge. And all those are from the shore. By boat, there are tons of spots. Best place I can think of is the 4 listed here, on a sunny afternoon, with outgoing tide. Catch 'em up.........................

[captmark]

Hey Tommy a few good spots in the Point area, if you have a fishfinder go to the south side of the Mantoloking bridge look for the 1st fixed marker and their is deep hole work either side depending on the tide, or go up by the channel leading to Beaver Dam look for the locals, one last stop is their is a hole by Dales point.

[Arbutis]

It was nice out last Wednesday so I gave flounder fishing 'the old college try' over by the Oceanic Bridge in the Navesink and again in the Shrewsbury by Rumson. Poked around in a couple of deeper holes (in the 10 ft range). Dug up a bunch of steamer clams and mashed them up in a killie trap for chum pot. Double anchor. 3 rods out. Nada. Nothing. Not a bite, tap or take.
Makes me wonder if these fish still exist??? Haven't read a solid report in a LONG time. Seems like most people just don't have enough interest and with stripers right around the corner the interest wains even more.
Oh well - that's my take. I may have just been in a bad spot. Who the heck really knows where to anchor up once you're out there. Seems like such a crap shot.

[bassnblues]

Honestly, I think sometimes flounder fishing in the past is looked at through rose colored glasses. I remember a lot of days as a kid freezing my azz off and not catching anything.

[EddieG]

Hotspots for flounder is a thing of the past but where I catch them with some regularity is off the tennis courts in shark river...

[NoWorries]

The spots above will get you in the game .The best advice I can give to guys looking for winter flounder in the early spring season. Only fish the outgoing tide and focus on the bottom of the tide. I fish from shore and use both sands and bloods for bait.I never chum but I will bounce my sinker or move the bait. Clams will work too. Monitor the water temp and fish when water temps are rising . I use a pool thermometer to check . Fish sunny days when possible. AS waters warm up to 50 and above both tides may produce. Catching has been slow for me but I've caught some. There are some flounder to be caught however. Lots of guys complain about catch limits but until other fish like tog and stripers are more available especially from shore I'll be soaking a worm

[bulletbob]

Living where you do, I would stay closer to home, and in a few weeks try raritan bay, The flats from Keyport to Keansburg will produce flounder, and on a good day some short stripers as well.

However, RB turns on later than the rivers do.. In late april into mid may after a few warm sunny days they turn on and become real agrressive.. also RB flounder are BIG compared to the ones in the river.. At least thats the way it used to be.. You must remember, flounder populations are only a fraction of what they used to be, so I am not even sure if the word "hotspot" even carries meaning these days... However, me personally, if I wanted flounder, I would wait a few weeks, and fish the bay off of Union Beach/Keyport... bob