How to Rig Live Bait for Flounder

Fishing for flounder can be a relaxing hobby with a delicious bonus. Flounder lie camouflaged on the bottom of the coastal waterways and ambush passing fish. They are generally cautious eaters, which means they may not strike at lures or dead bait. Flounder generally prefer live, fresh bait like minnows, other small bait fish such as mullet and live shrimp. Change out live bait every half hour to keep it fresh and lively.

Step 1

Attach a flounder rig to the end of the line. Many flounder rigs consist of a 1/0 size circle hook connected to a swivel. Flounders are bottom dwellers, so use an appropriately sized egg sinker to keep the bait along the bottom. The sinker should be large enough to keep the bait along the bottom, but not so heavy that it keeps the bait from moving freely on the end of the line.

Step 2

Hook live bait fish either through the nose or through the back behind the dorsal fin. Both methods leave the fish alive and able to move under its own power. When hooking through the back, take care to run the hook under the spine. Breaking the spine will leave the bait motionless.

Step 3

Hook live shrimp by setting the hook through the last joint of the tail. This allows the shrimp a wide range of motion while slightly impairing its ability to escape from predators.