big flounder

[Andy Connor 2]

hi guys its not really just about big flounder but about rag when fishing for flounder, i've been fishing for flounder a few times now but with no success. the problem is crabs are nicking the bait too quickly. i'm fishing with about 3 rags on a hook with half the body on and half off should i be loading the hooks? cheers andy

 

[michael rouse]

You can get some terminal tackle which you thread on your line next to the bait that apparently scare crabs.

 

[jason fisher]

if your having crab problems there's only really 2 things you can do.
put loads of bait on the hook, any that's not threaded onto the line will disappear almost instantly so it either has to be on the shank or the snood.
you're probably better off using snood clips, you can un clip em and use a needle to thread the bait onto the snood then, plus you can use 2 snoods per clip.
while one is out in the water you thread the next one.
when you wind in unclip the old, clip on the new, cast out and then start threading the one you've just removed.
the other option is to give up and go home.

 

[jason fisher]

mad thought time.
never tried it but it might just work, once you've threaded the worms on wrap em in some old tights material and secure with elastic if you make sure the hooks sticking through the tights it might just stay there long enough to catch some thing.
the crabs will still shred it but it should take longer.

 

[alan]

how about using a flounder spoon?
the way i caught one(my first) because the idiot i was with dropped the bait over the edge of the Pier, was to cast out wait 2/3min reel in and cast to a different area, the crabs didn't get a chance, and i still caught.
the other one i was told but wasn't sure about was to use crab, cause crabs aren't that keen on crab meat.

when I'm fishing and the crabs get to bad i use floating beads on the hook length, the glow in the dark ones are deadly for whiting and pout, and i also caught bass, pollock, rockling and wrasse using them.

 

[Andy Connor 2]

cheers guys i'll give it a go i've been a fair few times and got to that hair pulling stage i just couldn't see how it was possible for a flounder to ever get the bait before the crabs got it felt like jumping in and giving the crabs what for. but i guess if the crabs are ripping the rag to bits if i keep casting to the same place then a scent trail will start and maybe pull the flounder in. maybe?

 

[alan]

i think flounder mainly hunt by sight and are attracted to movement

 

[Kieran Hanrahan 2]

Aboslutely true alan, but scent never hurts either.

Andy, try a few floating beads to the hook, just above it, and give it plenty of bait. Add some squid to it or try mackerel strip, both of which are stronger baits and can be whipped on with bait elastic to provide added crab busting ability. Try using a three hook flatter rig and extend the topmost and middle snood beyond your normal distance, say to 12 inches long, especially on an ebbing tide, less so a flooding tide.

The beads let the bait bob around in the current and cause the crabs more problems but a flatfish will happily swim up to take a decent bait. Flounder can be very finicky feeders but around this time of year the pickings are very slim and with a decent bout of hunger, they get less selective and will happily tuck into anything edible including chicken fillet!

FWIW...