What is the best tide to catch gig flounder? Well, there are a few different factors that determine when to go fishing for this delicious sea creature. Here, we’ll discuss the best times to go fishing: high tide, high outgoing tide, Easterly winds, and dark nights. There are other factors, though, such as location and weather. Here, we’ll focus on the high tide, as this is the best time to find the biggest schools of gig flounder.
Incoming tide
The incoming tide is ideal for fishing for gig flounder, but the falling tide is not always as good. If the tide is slow, you can catch flounder in shallower water. This tide is often associated with low visibility, and the fish take time to move in. When the tide is slow, however, you will get better results for gig flounder. Just make sure to bring along your flounder gigging lights.
During the dark phase of the moon, flounder move closer to the shoreline, where they ambush foraging fish. During these hours, you’ll need to have lights on the boat and a poled gig to attract these fish. In the West Bay, the tide and wind speed play a vital role in your success. Here are some links to marine forecast and Texas tides. These sites also give you an idea of wind speed on Galveston Island.
The incoming tide is optimal for gig flounder fishing, as it provides cleaner water than the water closer to the shoreline. If the tide is high, however, it can still be productive. You’ll have to navigate sand flats that are between shell pads, near reefs, and in marshy areas where grassy patches are plentiful. A waterproof Li-Ion headlamp will also provide light where you need it.
During the full moon
Fishing for gig flounder during the full moon is a challenge, but the rewards are great. During the early fall, flounder feed on small, live baitfish. During nocturnal hours, flounder move very shallow, near the water’s edge, and settle on the bottom where they ambush for food. During this time, they’re easily spotted from boats.
During the full moon, tides are high and low. Flounder will move to the bottom of the water, so you’ll want to fish near these tides. During the low tide, most coastal creeks don’t have enough water to float a boat. Leaving yourself stranded for hours in the mud on a full moon is no fun, especially if you’re out of food and supplies.
Fishing for gig flounder at night is an especially good idea because they’re better at hiding than during the day. Once the moon has risen, flounder will move onto shallow areas to ambush small baitfish. If you’re out in shallow water at night, watch for star gazers and electric rays. The metallic pole will provide a small shock to the flounder when it comes in contact with it, but it shouldn’t be painful for the fish.
During the high outgoing tide
During the high outgoing tide, you can focus on areas where there is less current. Flounder are generally not attracted to top-water lures. Because they are bottom-feeders, you should stay in areas where the tide is relatively slow and steady. Even if you don’t catch much, this tide will help you catch plenty of flounder. But, if you’re new to this, here are some things you should know before setting up your gigging boat.
Flounder are often found around dock pilings, and a incoming tide can make this difficult. A good time to look for flounder is during the first two hours of the outgoing tide. During the high outgoing tide, you should check smaller creeks, confluences of creeks, and mouths of creeks to find them. Try flats around sand bars or eddies – these are ideal locations for flounder. They will sometimes come out of the deeper water to chase after bait, so a sand bar is a good place to try your luck.
When it comes to fishing for flounder, a quiet boat with a trolling motor is ideal. You can also use a fish pole for spearing. Many giggers equip their boats with railings and custom holding bins for extra safety. The water is usually shallow enough to accommodate a fish pole that is long enough to reach the flounder. If the water is too shallow, flounder will spook.
