- Best water temperature
- 66°F19°C
- Active range
- 55 to 77°F13 to 25°C
- Feeds most
- Daytime
- Typical size
- 18 in45 cm
- Big ones reach
- 37 in26 lb
- Water
- SaltwaterSand ambusher
Summer flounder feed hardest in water around 66°F (19°C) and stay active from about 55 to 77°F. They are daytime feeders: activity builds through the morning and holds through the brighter hours. Start with a medium minnow (3 to 4 in), a hair jig in pure white, a soft jerk shad in pearl white.
The summer flounder, called fluke from New England to Virginia, is a flatfish of the Atlantic coast that lies buried in sand and ambushes baitfish swimming overhead. It is one of the most popular summer targets from the Carolinas to Massachusetts.
Summer flounder water temperature
Summer flounder feed best at 66°F (19°C), active from about 55 to 77°F (13 to 25°C). That band comes from the same species model BiteCast scores with, and it is why the Fish Score for summer flounder rises and falls with the water rather than the air.
Fluke move inshore into bays and inlets as the water warms in spring and head back offshore in fall.
For a side-by-side view of every species, see the full water temperature table or the guide to reading water temperature.
When summer flounder bite
Summer flounder feed by sight through the day. Moving water is key: drift fishing works best when wind and tide move the boat along at a steady pace.
Where to find summer flounder
Sandy bottoms of US Atlantic bays, inlets and nearshore.
Sandy or shell bottom next to structure: channel edges, drop-offs, inlets, the ends of jetties, and nearshore wrecks and reefs for the biggest fish.
Best baits and lures for summer flounder
Ranked from BiteCast's bait data, with the colors to throw as the water gets dirtier. Natural baits show how to rig them instead of a color.
| # | Bait | Clear water | Stained | Muddy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Live MinnowNatural bait | Rig: Medium minnow (3 to 4 in) | ||
| 2 | Hair JigMetal and blades | Pure White, White/Silver, Brown/White | White/Red Head, Yellow/Chartreuse, Pink/White | Solid Black, Dark Purple, High-Vis Chartreuse |
| 3 | Soft Jerk ShadSoft plastic | Pearl White, Arkansas Shad, Smelt | Pink/Silver, Houdini, Baby Bass | Chartreuse, White/Red Head, Solid Black |
| 4 | Curly-Tail GrubSoft plastic | Smoke Pepper, Pearl White, Clear Silver Flake | Chartreuse, Yellow, Electric Blue | High-Vis Chartreuse, Solid White, Solid Black |
| 5 | Cut SquidNatural bait | Rig: Squid strip | ||
A bucktail jig tipped with a strip of squid or a soft plastic, bounced along the bottom on a drift, is the standard. Live minnows and killifish work in bays. Give a fluke a moment to turn the bait before you set the hook.
What summer flounder eat
In the wild summer flounder eat juvenile baitfish, bay anchovies, Atlantic silversides, sand eels, mummichogs, shrimp. Matching the size and color of that forage is the single most reliable way to pick a bait.
About the summer flounder
A left-eyed flatfish with both eyes on the upper side, a large toothy mouth, and the ability to change colour to match the bottom.
It ranges along the US Atlantic coast from Nova Scotia to Florida, favouring sandy or muddy bottoms in bays, estuaries, and the continental shelf.
An ambush predator that lies buried in sediment and lunges to seize passing fish and invertebrates, moving inshore in summer and offshore in winter.
Commonly caught at 2 to 5 pounds, with the larger fish known as doormats; drift fishing with bait and jigs over structure is the standard technique.
Found in: United States, Canada.
Common questions
What water temperature do summer flounder bite best in?
Summer flounder feed hardest around 66°F (19°C) and stay active from about 55 to 77°F (13 to 25°C). Below the band they slow down and feed less often; above it, warm water holds less oxygen and they go deeper or feed at night.
What time of day do summer flounder bite?
Summer flounder are daytime feeders: activity builds through the morning and holds through the brighter hours. Cloud cover, stained water and wind chop stretch the low-light window through more of the day.
What is the best bait for summer flounder?
In BiteCast's bait rankings the top picks for summer flounder are live minnow, hair jig, soft jerk shad.
