Live bait trolling, flounder

golfer

Four Pointer
In my opinion, it would depend on the size of your bait. For mud minnows, you will be safer to set the hook immediately. If using larger mullet, menhaden, croaker, etc, you definitely need to give them time. Either trolling or drifting, I free spool when I get a strike on a large bait. Sometimes up to a quarter of the spool if moving fast. Just be sure to be tight when you set the hook. Any bow in line from trolling or current will prevent a good hook set.

Watch some of John Skinner's underwater videos on Youtube of flounder bites. Totally debunks the theory that flounder ambush in a sudden strike. They follow baits for a long time before striking.

Give them time to swallow the hook.....hooks are cheap if you own a boat.

By the way, every answer to this question will probably be different. Go ahead and expect it.
 

Papa_Smurf

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
I've only used size 4 kahle hooks, and mud minnows.

I generally haven't felt the need for a true "hook set"

get a bite, give them about 1 second, and then steadily add tension to the line and reel them in.
 

darenative

Twelve Pointer
I like to give em about 5 or 6 seconds of free spool before i come tight after a hit flounder fishing.
 

oldest school

Old Mossy Horns
This is a fascinating topic for someone like me who seldom flounder fishes. every article ;every guide, every wannabe guide, every flounder fisherman says something different.
I do as the man i am with does. That beats the "I told you to wait/set it quick " BS" if you miss one. LOL.
 

HotSoup

Old Mossy Horns
Larger mullet minnows and getting the "teeth". Will try some free spool and see if I get results. Going to see if we can stab a few tonight.
 

nekkedducker

Ten Pointer
Been watching a guy that fishes the same stretch of water i do a lot, he drifts with the current in a 12 ft jon boat and absolutley wears them out. Runs 4 rods out the back with huge mullet on carolina rigs. Some times he free spools for a few seconds and some times he sets the hook immediately. When i asked him for advice he just said, "you gotta get the feel for it." Apparently if it feels hung on something (line stops) set the hook, if it feels like youre dragging extra weight(line still moving), thats when you give them time to turn the bait in their mouth.
 

oldest school

Old Mossy Horns
Been watching a guy that fishes the same stretch of water i do a lot, he drifts with the current in a 12 ft jon boat and absolutley wears them out. Runs 4 rods out the back with huge mullet on carolina rigs. Some times he free spools for a few seconds and some times he sets the hook immediately. When i asked him for advice he just said, "you gotta get the feel for it." Apparently if it feels hung on something (line stops) set the hook, if it feels like youre dragging extra weight(line still moving), thats when you give them time to turn the bait in their mouth.
that's where it gets confusing to me and please understand i have no clue which is best.
BUT there are videos of flounder eating that do not show any turning of the bait in their mouth.
It's a pretty impressive how they attack.

That being said, it's the same concept with a lot of fishing on setting the hook, when and how hard remains debatable.
and keeps the dialogue interesting. :)
 

Redheadduck

Eight Pointer
I've power drifted for flounder quite a bit in the past before I became obsessed with trout fishing. From my experience, always use mono not braid, and give the fish some slack. Drifting you sometimes feel the bite, and others you just feel hung up. I always kept my rod tip low to the water and immediately freespooled a few feet of line when I felt a bite. Bring the rod tip up on the slack line, if you feel weight or a quiver, set the hook. Hope this helps, I can show and tell better than I can type lol.
 

Justin

Old Mossy Horns
Can I throw a twist in here?

I’ve always fed them so to speak, on bait..... however if I’m fishing a jig for them, 9/10 they hit it like they mean it and I set the hook immediately and rarely miss.

No clue why this is.

This is why I stick to large saltwater goldfish that are so dumb they’ll even eat an 8oz pyramid sinker without a second thought.
 

Nana

Big Ole Nanny
Contributor
Been watching a guy that fishes the same stretch of water i do a lot, he drifts with the current in a 12 ft jon boat and absolutley wears them out. Runs 4 rods out the back with huge mullet on carolina rigs. Some times he free spools for a few seconds and some times he sets the hook immediately. When i asked him for advice he just said, "you gotta get the feel for it." Apparently if it feels hung on something (line stops) set the hook, if it feels like youre dragging extra weight(line still moving), thats when you give them time to turn the bait in their mouth.

Best description I have ever read of how to tell when to set it and when to wait.
 

wolfman

Old Mossy Horns
I don't think so. One time I got so fed up I tied a treble hook to the main hook. About 3" of line. I put the treble hook in the tail of the minnow. Wasn't long before I was reeling in a flounder and all that got him was the treble hook.
 
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