Winter Flounder
Pseudopleuronectes americanus
Winter flounder is a left-eyed flatfish of cold Atlantic coastal waters, common in bays, estuaries, and nearshore shallows. It spawns in winter and spring, and juveniles often stay in sheltered nursery flats.
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Identification points
- Both eyes are on the left side of the body
- Body is oval and very flat with a small mouth
- Upper side is mottled brown to olive, often with dusky blotches and a pale blind side
Habitat
Soft mud or sand bottoms in estuaries, harbors, tidal creeks, eelgrass edges, and shallow nearshore waters; adults commonly move into deeper offshore areas in summer and return to inshore waters in cooler seasons.
Bait notes
Best baits are sandworms, bloodworms, clam strips, mussels, pieces of shrimp, and small squid strips. Small jigs tipped with bait, bucktails, and tiny soft plastics also work when fish are feeding actively.
Behavior
An ambush-oriented bottom feeder that eats worms, small crustaceans, mollusks, and tiny fish. It often lies buried in sediment with only the eyes exposed and feeds most actively on the bottom, especially in cooler water.
Caution
No major species-specific hazard is typical, but check local regulations and minimum sizes because winter flounder populations are managed in many areas.
Fishing notes
Fish light sinker rigs or hi-lo/flounder rigs close to bottom in 5-40 feet of water, working slowly with small lifts and pauses. Focus on muddy flats, channel edges, and outgoing tide seams; bites are often subtle, so use sensitive tackle.