UTERFlounder fishing in Mississippi & Alabama Coast
In Mississippi & Alabama Coast, flounder peak May and October–November and are around March–December, spawning in November, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. May: Dauphin Island bridge, the causeway and the jetties.
The fall run at the Dauphin Island bridge, Perdido Pass and Pass Christian — the best flounder month.
Flounder in Mississippi & Alabama Coast, month by month
- JanuaryNot here
- FebruaryNot here
- MarchArriving
- AprilArrivingBack into Mobile Bay and the Sound; drift a bull minnow near the bridges.
- MayPeakDauphin Island bridge, the causeway and the jetties.
- JuneAround
- JulyAround
- AugustAround
- SeptemberArriving
- OctoberPeakThe fall run at the Dauphin Island bridge, Perdido Pass and Pass Christian — the best flounder month.
- NovemberSpawningHeading out through the passes to spawn; Alabama has a fall closure — check ADCNR.
- DecemberLeaving
Where to fish flounder near Bay St. Louis, Gulfport, Biloxi
The Mississippi Sound behind Cat, Ship, Horn and Petit Bois islands, the Biloxi Marsh to the west, Mobile Bay and the Mobile–Tensaw Delta, the Dauphin Island bridge and causeway, Perdido Bay and the Alabama beaches — with the world's biggest artificial-reef zone just offshore of Orange Beach.
Fish Scouter charts 1 dock / pilings, 1 pass / inlet spots in the Mississippi Sound & Mobile Bay map area — the kinds flounder hold on.
What to use for flounder
- Mud minnows (killifish)Lip-hooked on a jig head or a 1/0 hook dragged along the bottom — the flounder bait.
- Finger mulletLip-hooked on a 2/0 to 4/0 circle hook and free-lined, or on a fish-finder rig in the surf. Cut mullet on the bottom for redfish and drum.
- Live shrimpUnder a popping cork or free-lined, hooked under the horn on a #1 to 2/0 circle hook; on a jig head for the bottom. The universal inshore bait.
- PinfishHooked through the back ahead of the dorsal on a 2/0 to 4/0 circle hook; the small ones free-lined, the big ones on a fish-finder rig.
- Leader20–30 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook1/0–2/0
- Jig head1/4–1/2 oz
- Braid10–20 lb
Feeds in 54–82°F water, best at 60–75°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch flounder in Mississippi & Alabama Coast?
Peak season is May and October–November, with fish spawning in November (often a closed or catch-and-release window — check the rule). Flounder are in Mississippi & Alabama Coast March–December. May: Dauphin Island bridge, the causeway and the jetties.
Where do flounder hold in Mississippi & Alabama Coast?
Look on channel edge, pass / inlet, beach / surf — around Bay St. Louis, Gulfport, Biloxi, Ocean Springs, Pascagoula, Dauphin Island.
What is the best bait for flounder in Mississippi & Alabama Coast?
Live bait: mud minnows (killifish), finger mullet, live shrimp, pinfish. Mud minnows (killifish): Lip-hooked on a jig head or a 1/0 hook dragged along the bottom — the flounder bait. Tackle: leader 20–30 lb fluorocarbon, hook 1/0–2/0, jig head 1/4–1/2 oz, braid 10–20 lb.
Fish it with the tide in your pocket
Fish Scouter scores flounder for this hour on this water, draws every reef, wreck and access point near you, and keeps your spots. $9.99 a month, 14 days free.
Start 14 free daysMore
All about flounder · Mississippi Sound & Mobile Bay, the whole year