How to Catch Summer Flounder Near Inlets
- By: Pat Ogletree
- on

In the summer, bigger flounder often hold in and near inlets. In this video, I’m going to show how to catch these summer flounder, including areas to look for, structure to target, and lures to use.
Have any questions? Drop those in the comments below and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can!
We’ve got some very cool underwater footage courtesy of John Skinner. Be sure to subscribe to his channel on YouTube by clicking here!
Tight line and enjoy!
How to Catch Summer Flounder Near Inlets
Essential Gear
- Lure 1: Mulligan Paddletail
- Lure 2: Prawn USA Shrimp Lure
- Lure 3: Tweaker Twitch Lure
- Shallow Water Rigging: Hoss Helix Weighted Hooks
- Medium to Deep Water Rigging: Hoss Weedless Football Jigheads
- Scent: Dr. Juice Inshore Slam Formula
Recommended Setup
- Reel: 2500 Series Spinning Reel
- Rod: 7’6″ Medium Action Spinning Rod
- Mainline: 10-lb Braid
- Leader: 20-lb Mono
These two combos are perfect for flounder fishing:
Most Popular Combo: TFO Pro/Daiwa Fuego LT 2500D-XH
Premium Combo: Slot Machine Custom/Daiwa BG MQ 2500
Key Takeaways
- Around inlets, flounder can be found near deeper drop offs. The steeper the drop, the better.
- Rock jetties and docks near inlets offer current breaks that disrupt the water flow and make it easier for flounder to ambush prey.
- Around flats, flounder will push up on the flat to feed at high tide. As the tide starts to fall, they move out to the edges where it drops into deeper water.
- Flounder are community fish, so where you catch one, there are likely more.
- Some of my top lures include 4″ and 5″ paddletails. Make sure you use enough weight to keep your lure on the bottom.
- When there’s a lot of current, pinch the tail off your paddletail or use a straight body lure such as a Tweaker or Prawn to help get to the bottom quicker and stay close to your target structure.
Related categories:

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STOP WASTING TIME ON THE WATER!
Do what the “SMART ANGLERS” are doing and join the Insider Club.
Here’s what you’ll receive today when you join:
- Weekly fishing reports and TRENDS revealing exactly where you should fish every trip
- Weekly “spot dissection” videos that walk you through all the best spots in your area
- Exclusive fishing tips from the PROS you can’t find anywhere else
- Everything you need to start catching fish more consistently (regardless if you fish out of a boat, kayak, or land).
I’m not sure if it’s you guys that sell a 3” blue claw crab lure or not! Please let me know. I am looking for an imitation crab lure.
We do not have them anymore but savage gear is the company that makes them.
Great video info
Thanks Armando!
Excellent report Pat
Thanks Dave!
Awesome. I need to try this soon.
Thanks for watching Michael!
Great information Pat! Thanks!
Thank you Loyed!
Thanks for the tips. Really presented well!
Thank you so much!
Pat, great tips! Thanks a lot!!
Thanks Frank!
Great tips Pat! I’ve gotten away from the old school shad style jig heads for the very reasons you mentioned!
Those are great if you’re swimming a paddle tail through the water but for bottom bouncing around structure they do get hung up a lot.
Appreciate you watching!
Great video & great info for a beginner like me.
Appreciate it Matt!