Summer Flounder (Fluke)
Paralichthys dentatus
A flatfish that lies on the bottom, ambushing prey. They are masters of camouflage and a popular food fish.
Taste profile
Delicate, sweet, and flaky white meat. Highly sought after for its culinary qualities.
How to cook it
Fried
A classic preparation for flounder fillets.
Baked/Stuffed
Whole flounder can be stuffed and baked.
Broiled
A simple and healthy way to cook the fillets.
Tips to catch one
- ✔Drift baits like squid, minnows, or killifish along the bottom.
- ✔Use a 'fluke rig' with a bucktail jig or sinker to keep the bait in the strike zone.
- ✔Target sandy or muddy bottoms near drop-offs and channels.
Keep it fresh: bleed, spike & ice
🔪 Spike (Ike Jime)
Insert a spike into the brain cavity just behind and above the eye. The fish will shudder briefly then go still — this signals a clean kill that prevents stress hormones from degrading the flesh.
🩸 Bleed
After spiking, cut one or both gill arches at the gill plate junction. Hold the fish head-down in water for 2–3 minutes. Well-bled fish have whiter, cleaner-tasting fillets with a longer shelf life.
🧊 Ice
Place bled fish in an ice slurry (2 parts ice to 1 part seawater). The slurry cools 5× faster than dry ice alone. Keep the drain plug cracked and aim for core temp below 35 °F within 30 minutes.
Size & bag limits by state
| State | Size limit | Bag limit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | ≥ 19" | 4 per day | — |
| Delaware | ≥ 18.5" | 4 per day | — |
| Maryland | ≥ 18.5" | 4 per day | — |
| Massachusetts | ≥ 18" | 5 per day | — |
| New Jersey | ≥ 18.5" | 3 per day | Check NJ DEP for seasonal updates |
| New York | ≥ 19.5" | 4 per day | — |
| North Carolina | ≥ 19" | 4 per day | — |
| Rhode Island | ≥ 19" | 6 per day | — |
| Virginia | ≥ 19.5" | 4 per day | — |