Fishing commissions vexing us again on flounder regulations

I noted a few weeks ago that as a Raleigh News & Observer correspondent, I wrote the article “Flounder Regulations Vex Fishermen” on Aug. 14, 2008.

Well, not to be outdone, the Wildlife Resources Commission (WRC), which regulates inland and joint waters, and the Marine Fisheries Commission (MFC), which regulates coastal and joint waters had conspired to vex us again! How? By instituting competing flounder regulations for the albeit brief 2023 season. The WRC has instituted an open season on Sept. 1-14 with a 15-inch length minimum size and a bag limit of four flounder per diem, whereas the MFC has a season on Sept. 15-29 with a 15-inch minimum size limit and one flounder per day creel limit.

If that isn’t irritating enough, what about the so called “joint waters” regulated both by the WRC and the MFC? What happens as you traverse between, or to and from the coastal waters, through joint regulated waters and the inland waters? Even knowing where you are can be challenging. Vexing, isn’t it?

A link to the maps that show the boundaries of coastal, joint and inland waters can be found at https://www.deq.nc.gov/water-quality/coalition-program/maps/coastal-joint-inland/dbcjiw-map-index/download. Check out the Carolina Sportsman article on this conundrum as they call it at: https://www.carolinasportsman.com/fishing/inshore-fishing/flounder/north-carolinas-flounder-conundrum/.

Can someone give me the name of a good lawyer?

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Flounder are one of the most targeted fish here in North Carolina, fun to catch, great to eat, and ocean fishing piers are great places to catch flounders. Here is the how, what, when, where and why of catching pier flounder.

RODS and RIGS: I find for flounder pier fishing in general is best with fishing rods of 6 to 7 feet, spooled with 12- to 15-pound test monofilament line, or even better, your favorite braided line rated at 20- to 30-pound test. Due to the toothiness of the flounder and other even nastier critters and pilings filled with barnacles, I also tie a 30-pound test leader to my line with a surgeon’s knot.

When using bait, I use a small snap-swivel, tied on with a Palomar knot, to attach my bait rigs. What bait rigs, do you ask? I use mainly two types, the Bogus “nothin’ rig” and a flounderin’ Carolina rig. The “nothin’ rig” consists of a ½- to 1-ounce, pear-shaped sinker (the kind with the cute little brass loop) and a hook on a 2-foot length of 30-pound test line, both attached to the snap swivel, and voila, you are now armed and ready to fish. NOTHIN’ could be easier.

For the Carolina Rig, or egg sinker rig, some have the egg sinker unconstrained so that it slips on your fishing line like a fish finder setup, followed by a swivel and a 2-foot leader with a Kahle hook at the end. I prefer a modified detachable Carolina rig that can be snapped on and off without cutting your line.

I start off with a 30-inch length of 30-pound mono line, snell a Kahle hook on one end, tie a figure-eight knot 8-10 inches above the hook, then slip a green or orange bead onto the line above the knot, followed by an egg sinker (1/4 to 1 ounce) and terminated with a swivel for attachment to my main fishing line. For hooks, I usually use a No. 2 to a No. 2/0 wide gap Kahle style. I usually go with the 2/0 gold.

Both rigs can be easily be made up at home or on the pier in the heat of battle. Commercial versions of the Carolina rig are available at your very own tackle shop, especially for those who can be classified as knot challenged. Some like to spice up their flounder rigs with a variety of bobbles, bangles, bright shiny beads and spinners. Personally, I like my food spicy and my rigs plain.

Finally, how about corkin’ it? That is, for live bait or artificials, place a cork up about 5 to 6 feet up on your line cast out and let the wind and/or wave action give the bait a natural presentation. Work the pilings, the suds or lust let the cork drift around willy-nilly. This is also as likely to attract a trout, drum or bluefish as a flounder.

BAIT: I will list bait in order of flounder preference: No. 1 is live minnows or live shrimp, Nos. 2 to 10, is anything else. For live minnows, mud minnows or finger mullet are best. I keep them in a live bait bucket suspended off the pier, preferably in the water below. Some keep buckets on the pier with battery-powered aerators. This works fine as well, and the bait is closer at hand.

The minnows are hooked either through the eyes or lips or other body part of your choice. Hooking through the eyes or lips makes for nice bait presentation, even when retrieved. However, live shrimp are NOT to be hooked through the lips, eyes or anywhere near the head except the horn, that ridge that sticks up. If this approach is taken, the shrimp promptly and spitefully respond by dying, so go for the tail or horn.

After live bait, fresh (never ever having been frozen) bait is best. Minnows, shrimp, filleted minnow strips or fresh fish strips from those pinfish you just caught also work well. Also, “combos” are often winners. Be creative, mix and match, be crazy. Nobody will laugh when you land a doormat flounder.

For those who prefer to not get their hands dirty until they have in fact actually caught a flounder, artificials are also an effective alternative. Bucktails, and grubs can be jigged alone or enhanced with fish or other strip baits. One of my favorite pier, surf or sound artificial baits is a tandem rig, consisting of a 30-inch length of 20-pound test fluorocarbon with a dropper loop about 1/3 the length from one end. On the longer end, I tie a lead-head (1/4 or 3/8 ounce) with a Clouser or other glass minnow fly imitation. I use a favorite soft plastic or Berkley Gulp! bait on the jig-head. These rigs have often out fished even live bait. Flounder love Gulps! and glass minnow flies.

Next week, more techniques, and of course, successfully retrieving your flounder, which may not be as easy as you think.

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So, how’s the fishing?

All piers uniformly deliver disappointing reports during these triple dog days.

Oceanana Pier reports lots of blues, few Spanish, pretty water and trout at night.

Bogue Inlet Pier reports slow fishing all last week, especially while bottom fishing, and the king anglers are hard up for bait. Trout are very scattered, and there are plenty of “practice” flounder on live bait. They lost a king on the pilings Sunday afternoon but landed one over the weekend. They also reported releasing a pretty tarpon, and those fish with the big pectoral wings are not flying fish. How about sea robins?

Seaview Pier reports a king hookup last week, but no one had a gaff. Can you beach a king? They also report a bit of a Spanish resurgence but unfortunately, most are throwbacks. Blues are steady with some spots and mullet at night. There was a 5-pound trout taken from the surf just off the pier.

Surf City Pier reports dog days specials of pins and puffers, and of course, a glut of flounder and catch and release juvenile rat reds.

Jolly Roger Pier reports blues and Spanish early and late, and they also lost a king. Seems to be a theme there!

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The tropics are hot, now up to Franklin, Gert, Harold and Idalia named storms. By the way, Gert (Gertrude) was my mom’s name. We had a strong northeast, mullet blow-like wind on the cold front last Wednesday, dropping the water temps a bit.

Speaking of a mullet blow (MB), the earliest I’ve seen MB No. 1 was Aug. 24, 2004 and the latest on Sept. 6, 2000 and 2003. The average date is Sept. 30 with an average ocean temp of 81 degrees. That’s been since 1999.

In the next week, we will get under 13 hours of daylight. Interestingly, last week we were able to see what I call “scout” mullet in the surf around Bogue Inlet Pier. There were a number of finger mullet and corn cob-sized, striped (jumping) mullet seen by me and some of the pier regulars. Seeing this action, it’s clear the mullets are ready to come out. They just need a trigger to bolt the backwaters for the ocean. Idalia? Maybe!

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Believe it or not, mahi are at AR-330, big kings at AR 315 and good Spanish catches just off the beach.

I heard of some decent catches of trout and reds in the Emerald Isle marshes. Also, there has been some action at The Point in Emerald Isle, including blues and Spanish with some bait in the surf. Grays are still a good target in the turning basin and AR 315. In the Neuse River, old reds are still going strong.

Finally, as Idalia approaches, we are in king tide mode for Aug. 27-31 and continuing into Sept. 1-4, so expect some coastal flooding Thursday and hold onto your innertubes!

BOGUS NOTES

1) Check me out at www.Facebook.com/Dr.Bogus.

2) Log onto my website at www.ncoif.com. It’s now better than ever.

3) I’m located at 118 Conch Ct. in “Sea Dunes,” just off Coast Guard Road., Emerald Isle, NC 28594. Mailing address is P.O. Box 5225, Emerald Isle, NC 28594. Don’t forget a gift certificate for your favorite angler for fishing lessons or my totally Bogus Fishing Report subscription. Please stop by at any time and say “Hi” (252-354-4905).

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