UTERWinter flounder fishing in Gulf of Maine fishing
In Gulf of Maine fishing, winter flounder peak May–August and are around April–September, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. June: Blackbacks in Boston Harbor and the New Hampshire harbors on clam worms.
Not in Gulf of Maine fishing this month.
Winter flounder in Gulf of Maine fishing, month by month
- JanuaryNot here
- FebruaryNot here
- MarchNot here
- AprilArrivingHaddock reopen; cod spawn in Ipswich Bay. Haddock on the ledges again; Ipswich Bay's spawning cod are protected by a closure — check NOAA; first flounder in the harbors.
- MayPeakFirst stripers into the rivers; mackerel arrive. Schoolies into Boston Harbor, the Merrimack and the Piscataqua late in the month; mackerel off the docks for bait; haddock and pollock on Jeffreys.
- JunePeakBlackbacks in Boston Harbor and the New Hampshire harbors on clam worms.
- JulyPeak
- AugustPeak
- SeptemberAround
- OctoberNot here
- NovemberNot here
- DecemberNot here
Where to fish winter flounder near Boston, Gloucester, Newburyport
Cold, deep, rocky water: Massachusetts Bay and Stellwagen Bank, the North Shore beaches and Plum Island, the Merrimack and Piscataqua rivers, the Isles of Shoals and Jeffreys Ledge, and the long ragged Maine coast of rocky points, islands and tidal rivers (Saco, Kennebec, Penobscot) out to Platts Bank and Tillies.
What to use for winter flounder
- BloodwormsA piece threaded on a #2 to 2/0 hook on a hi-lo or fish-finder rig — the striper, spot, croaker and white perch bait of the Chesapeake and the surf.
- Leader20–40 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook#1–4/0
- Jig head1/8–1/2 oz
- Braid10–30 lb
Feeds in 38–64°F water, best at 44–58°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch winter flounder in Gulf of Maine fishing?
Peak season is May–August. Winter flounder are in Gulf of Maine fishing April–September. June: Blackbacks in Boston Harbor and the New Hampshire harbors on clam worms.
Where do winter flounder hold in Gulf of Maine fishing?
Look on channel edge, dock / pilings, fishing pier — around Boston, Gloucester, Newburyport, Portsmouth, Portland, Boothbay.
What is the best bait for winter flounder in Gulf of Maine fishing?
Live bait: bloodworms. Bloodworms: A piece threaded on a #2 to 2/0 hook on a hi-lo or fish-finder rig — the striper, spot, croaker and white perch bait of the Chesapeake and the surf. Tackle: leader 20–40 lb fluorocarbon, hook #1–4/0, jig head 1/8–1/2 oz, braid 10–30 lb.
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