June is finally upon us and the migratory fish of Long Island Sound are starting to make their way back into our area to spend the summer and fall seasons. Among these are my favorite spring saltwater game fish, the summer founder. Fluke will generally be found in places which offer them the ability to camouflage themselves and the ability to easily ambush prey. Any location which allows the fluke to accomplish both of these is perfect. In this article I will discuss the types of seafloor that offer these features to fluke. The sound is a big place and offers many types of seafloor features. Thus, it is critical to narrow down the places you fish in order to increase your odds of finding and catching fluke. Take some time to find these areas, fish them, and your fluke catch is sure to improve.
Sandy bottoms
The three predominant types of bottom composition that exist in the Long Island Sound are mud, sand and rock. By looking at a chart of the area you intend to fish, you can identify which seafloor is present in any particular area. Sandy bottoms are notated with the symbol “S” or “h S” for hard sand. Mud bottoms are indicated by the symbol “M” and rocks are notated with “rky”. In general, fluke prefer to dwell on sandy bottoms as opposed to mud. Sandy bottoms are easier for fluke to camouflage themselves into and easier for them to partially bury themselves into while waiting to ambush their prey. While fluke can certainly be found over mud bottoms, the sand offers a much better habitat and they will be fond there in much higher num- bers. Spend your time on the water targeting these sandy areas. Look for isolated ar- eas of sandy bottom of surrounded by vast areas of mud. Fluke will have a tendency to congregate there. While the chart will point you in the general area where sand bottom is located, once you are on the water, use your sonar to confirm the bottom composition. Most units give different color readings for differing types of bottom. You can also determine the type of bottom by dropping down a sinker on the end of your line and feeling the bottom out. If you feel your sinker hesitating or feeling like its getting stuck, you are likely in the mud. A hard, solid feel of your sinker hitting bottom likely means a harder, sandier bottom.
Fluke will generally be found in places which offer them the ability to camouflage themselves and the ability to easily ambush prey.
adjacent to reefs
Another area which tends to hold a higher concentration of fluke are the flat, sandy bottoms just adjacent and down current of rocks or reefs. Fluke prefer these areas for a few reasons. First, the areas around reefs are usually hard sand and as discussed previously, this is the bottom composition which they prefer. Second, reefs hold many types of smaller fish and crustaceans which can get caught up in the currents and sent off the reef to waiting down current fluke. When setting up a drift off of a reef, start just on the edge of the reef where the rocks start to disappear on your sonar unit. As soon as the bottom appears to flatten out and you are out of the rocks, drop down your lure. Many times, the fluke hold extremely tight to the rocks, so be sure to get your lure down as soon as you feel you can without snagging up on rock. In general, I will continue drifting away from the reef for up to a half mile if the bottom looks favorable before returning to the edge of the reef to make a second drift.
In and around lobster gear
A third type of area I like to drift through when fishing for fluke are areas which are laden with lobster gear. These areas can be difficult to fish; if you snag a pot or rope, you can be pretty certain to lose your rig. Done carefully, you can successfully fish around the lobster gear and these areas can hold a significant number of fluke. The bait held in the pots and other types of forage fish which the gear attracts also tend to attract the attention of fluke. Look for inshore areas in which lobster pot buoys are present on the surface. It is best to stay well away and down current of the buoys as you will be less likely to hang up and more likely to find fish.
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