Best Knots for Flounder and Fluke Fishing

Flounder (summer flounder / fluke in the Northeast, southern flounder in the Gulf and Southeast) are ambush predators that lie flat on the bottom waiting for bait to pass within striking distance. They are caught from shallow grass flats and creek mouths all the way to 60-foot ocean channels. The key to consistent flounder fishing is keeping your bait just above the bottom, drifting with the current, and using knots and leader that handle the abrasive structure flounder live around.

The Flounder Knot System

Flounder Rigging Options

Rig 1: Bucktail Jig (Most Effective Active Rig)

Drifting a bucktail jig tipped with a soft plastic trailer or strip of fresh squid is the most productive active flounder technique, particularly for summer flounder in the Northeast.

Setup:

• 1/4-3/4oz bucktail jig (white is the universal color)
• Tip with 3-4 inch paddle tail grub, Gulp! Swimming Mullet, or fresh squid strip
• 15-20lb fluorocarbon leader, 3-4 feet
• Palomar Knot direct to jig head eye

Drift: Let the jig bump along the bottom in the current. The drift speed should be slow enough that the jig makes frequent contact with the bottom — if it never touches, you’re moving too fast or need more weight.

Jig weight by depth and current:

Rig 2: Carolina Rig (Best for Drifting Live Bait)

The Carolina rig is the standard bottom rig for live mud minnows, finger mullet, and strip bait.

Setup:

1. Slide a 1/2-1oz egg sinker onto the main braid
2. Tie a barrel swivel using a Palomar Knot
3. Attach 15-18 inches of 15-20lb fluorocarbon leader to the swivel
4. Tie a 2/0-3/0 long-shank or wide-gap hook with a Palomar Knot
5. Hook live bait through the lips or through the back just ahead of the dorsal fin

The sliding egg sinker allows a flounder to pick up the bait and move without immediately feeling the weight — giving it time to fully take the hook before the angler sets.

Rig 3: Flounder Pounder / Tandem Hook Rig

The tandem hook rig is popular for strip bait presentations. A second trailing hook on a 2-inch leader catches flounder that nip the tail of the bait rather than fully engulfing it.

Setup:

1. Tie a 3/0 main hook to the leader using a Palomar Knot
2. Tie 2 inches of 15lb fluoro to the hook bend using an overhand knot or loop
3. Tie a size 1 or 2 trailing hook to the end
4. Thread a squid strip or mullet strip so the front hook is in the nose of the bait and the trailing hook sits in the tail

Rig 4: Drift Rig (Simple Bottom Rig)

For pier, jetty, and boat fishing, a simple sliding sinker rig:

1. Slide a pyramid or egg sinker onto the main line
2. Bead above the knot protects the knot
3. Tie a Palomar Knot to a barrel swivel
4. 12-18 inch fluorocarbon leader to a 2/0-3/0 hook

Flounder Setup by Region

Northeast (Summer Flounder / Fluke) — Drifting

Gulf Coast / Southeast (Southern Flounder) — Inshore

Pier and Surf Flounder

Related Guides

• Best Knots for Saltwater Fishing — the full inshore saltwater knot system
• How to Rig Live Bait — live minnow presentations for flounder
• Best Knots for Redfish Fishing — flounder and redfish share habitat; the same setup works for both