Flounder Tips and Tactics

Since flounder is one of the best tasting fish out there I decided that this month I would have to share my favorite recipe with everyone. I would say that the best part about it is how flaky and white the meat is along with the simple fact that it is not fishy tasting at all. The first thing that I do differently would be filleting the flounder instead of using the whole fish, either way will work but I suggest the fillets to keep from worrying about getting any bones. Start out with 2 pounds of flounder all cleaned and skinned. Run to your local grocery store and get a few items that you will need. Stuffing mix (cheap kind) regular flavored, canned lump crab meat, butter, lemon and tony chacheres seasoning mix. Just go by the directions on the box and prepare the stuffing the way it calls for before oven preparation and mix in the crab meat in for your last chore. Stir it up real well, then get your fillets and season them before you add the mixture. I personally just use salt and pepper with Tonys seasoning, then some lemon juice. Once you are ready to stuff just take a spoonful of the mixture and place on either end of the fish and roll it toward the other end while keeping the concoction on the inside of the fish. Sometime you will have to put a toothpick through the middle to keep it from coming apart. Set your oven to 325 degrees and leave the flounder in for about 20-25 minutes. One thing i do is put a little piece of butter on the top of each filet and some lemon juice. Put a piece of foil down on your baking sheet before hand and pre-butter the top so nothing sticks. Separate the fish about 3 inches apart just so they do not touch. At about the twenty-minute mark I like to check the fish because over cooked is no good, so just keep an eye on it. I like to also occasionally put a little extra butter over the top to keep moist while it cooks. When done I will usually pair it with some rice and a nice vegetable. Hope you enjoy. As for the flounder and what they are doing I had gotten to go gigging this last week and found quite a few actually but this time they were all in and around oyster beds. I would find at least one fish per every two pockets, it was awesome. The sizes were all around 17-22 inches and had very good weight to them, I was quite surprised. When using my chicken boy lures bubba clucker in red and white I was slamming them one after another. My limit came very quickly. They are for sure getting and staying in those shallower areas so go find you some flounder. I have been seeing them up against the grass lines on the shoreline. Until next time, tight lines and sharp gigs.