Captains Tip of the Month

by Captain Ralph Olivett

November forecast for the Palm Coast / Mantanzas inlet area will find flounder knocking at the door… Door Matt that is!

For most local residents, November might instill traditional thoughts of football and stuffed turkey. Too most, but the savvy North East FL anglers who realize… Stuffed turkey also means stuffed founder! That’s right; anglers worth their salt know it’s time to pepper flounder!

I had always been under the impression that door matt’s came to us from the ocean. I rarely, if ever caught one of these prehistoric door matt’s all season long. This mystical fall frenzy has been easily explained in my recent conversations with both DR William Carr and DR Jim Neatherton of (Marineland) Whitney Labs.

I quote: Mature breeder size; southern flounder are normally diversified over millions of skinny backwater estuary flats. During the fall when the water temp drops below the 68 - 70 degree mark, Mother Nature triggers their spawning instinct. This causes a flood of door matt’s to funnel through our inlets to spawning grounds in 40 - 80ft at near shore reefs.

I would like to backup this theory with recorded facts and a few notes from my fishing logs. Fact: The last three times in a row the Flagler County (FCSFC) flounder record has been broken; it was the weekend after Thanksgiving! Reviewing my fishing logs from last season, I had recorded 7 flounder caught over the 6-pound mark. All were caught the week before or after Thanksgiving. Zero the remaining 50 weeks.

Food for thought: In 98 the FCSFC record was 8lb 14oz, and caught on live mullet the Sunday after Thanksgiving. It was broken two days later weighing in at 9lb 14oz and caught on live mullet. The current FCSFC record stands at 10lb 6oz and was caught the Saturday after Thanksgiving on live mullet.

Well… Just when ya think ya got it all figured out this comes along! On October 18 of this year, Captain Bill Schuller reports that he’s weighed in another anglers flounder at 13lb 8oz at the ST Augustine inlet. Then of course there’s the IGFA World Record of 20lb 9 oz which was caught in the Nassau Sound (Jax) on December 23rd 1983.

Oh Well… That’s why they call it fish’n folks & Not Catch’n!

If you’re a parent or mentor you’ll find November to offer an excellent opportunity to take a child fishing. The weather is pleasant and the fishing is predictably rewarding. Particularly for those with short attention spans!

Captain Ralph

386-447-7777
www.palmcoastcharters.com
Last Update: November 4, 2003