flounder spearing
Printed From: The Fishing Website
Category: Saltwater Fishing
Forum Name: The Briny Bar
Forum Description: The place for general chat on saltwater fishing!
URL: https://www.fishing.net.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=59057
Printed Date: 15 Jun 2026 at 10:17pm
Topic: flounder spearing
Posted By: geoff_fishie
Subject: flounder spearing
Date Posted: 29 Oct 2010 at 2:50am
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hi there, ive been flounder spearing or 'gigging' in the pauatahanui inlet by the mana bridge a couple of times now and always get there about an hour and a half before high tide. theres no shortage of flounder where i look, its just the size thats the problem! (all of the fish i see would be 1-10cm) i was just wondering if there are nursery areas as such to avoid in inlets, and in which case what are they? i hear that flounder spawn during the winter, was also thinking that this place may be a nursery area where the eggs have been laid or something and the little ones are getting bigger there and then moving elsewhere? i remember doing this with my dad before he passed in harbours up north and it was waaay better floundering with most fish being legal to large in size and plenty of them. a big thanks to anyone that can shed any light on this topic its much appreciated regards Geoff |
Replies:
Posted By: Wanda_Ra
Date Posted: 29 Oct 2010 at 10:00am
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, flounder spawnat sea but the spawn travel back to shallow "nurseries" and while still 8-10mm in size are swimming like normal fish,then one eye travels right around their head to join the other eye and they then start to swim like a flounder.
if theres little ones there will be bigger ones as well.Most ahrbours or estuarys will hold them.Always large numbers at the mouths of rivers as well.
Try from 1-2 hours after low tide as they start coming in then to actively feed in the shallows.they will even be gobbling down the little flounder as well. ------------- If you think you are too small to make a difference,try sleeping with a mosquito in your tent. |
Posted By: bazza
Date Posted: 29 Oct 2010 at 10:13am
Not doubting what you are saying GH but do the juveniles swim like normal fish
ie vertical ) all the time?
Just that have never noticed one doing so but have seen umpteen from maybe 6 to 10 cms
lying flat on the bottom.
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GoingHard wrote:Posted By: geoff_fishie
Date Posted: 29 Oct 2010 at 4:21pm
yeah my ones were very small and still swum like flatfish, some perhaps only 3 or 4 cm. no big ones though!!! there must be some kind of hidden art to finding decent sized flounder 
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Posted By: pure--lure
Date Posted: 29 Oct 2010 at 4:44pm
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Goinghard is right the do swim upright at the start ------------- http://www.facebook.com/groups/hibiscus.coast.fishing/ |
Posted By: Wanda_Ra
Date Posted: 29 Oct 2010 at 5:06pm
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They only swim upright like normal fish until 8-10 mm ie LESS than a cm long.Thats a hell of a small flounder to notice as they are also slightly transparent at this time and making their way from the open ocean to a shallow nursery. http://njscuba.net/zzz_biology/flounder_development.gif - http://njscuba.net/zzz_biology/flounder_development.gif
the presence of small flounder means there is also larger ones in the same waters.just have to search further afield. (But those little Flounder up to 15cm long dont half make choice snapper baits...so i hear...) ------------- If you think you are too small to make a difference,try sleeping with a mosquito in your tent. |
Posted By: Catchelot
Date Posted: 29 Oct 2010 at 5:15pm
The smaller ones make the best gurnard bait...so I hear too  ------------- "The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever." - Jacques Cousteau |
Posted By: geoff_fishie
Date Posted: 10 Nov 2010 at 8:57pm
| so i went out again last night, a couple of hours before high tide. same story, flounder for africa, but nothing over 10cm! there must be something im doing wrong haha. anyone? |
Posted By: JordanM
Date Posted: 10 Nov 2010 at 9:32pm
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could be something to do with overfishing in that area, the bigger ones have all been plucked off, or that the bigger ones are more reluctant to come out. a number of things could be at play... ------------- "size doesnt matter" tell that to the fisheries! |
Posted By: Wanda_Ra
Date Posted: 10 Nov 2010 at 10:50pm
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might be someone around netting all the bigger sized ones..never seen just the juvies without any adults ones myself.
Try broadening your search area,that might help.. ------------- If you think you are too small to make a difference,try sleeping with a mosquito in your tent. |
Posted By: pure--lure
Date Posted: 11 Nov 2010 at 8:25am
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theres a good chance your fishing a nursery try another spot
------------- http://www.facebook.com/groups/hibiscus.coast.fishing/ |
Posted By: bazza
Date Posted: 11 Nov 2010 at 8:52am
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Is it possible that the available food supply in that locality suits
juveniles rather than adults ie kinda like a piscine baby food ?
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Posted By: JOLLY
Date Posted: 16 Nov 2010 at 10:44pm
| Iv'e always gone just after low, never persevered longer than a couple of hours of incoming. I haven't done a lot of it but haven't had a problem with size. Never really kicked ass either. Find myself going home after saying 'sweat as - breakfast!!' |
Posted By: geoff_fishie
Date Posted: 01 Dec 2010 at 2:02pm
| hmmmm curiously whenever i went down there i could see boot and drag marks in the sand. theres no problem with the food supply theres heaps of crabs etc everywhere i think someones probably netting in there on the lower part of the incoming just before i get in there. will have to try earlier. |
Posted By: Catchelot
Date Posted: 01 Dec 2010 at 6:17pm
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Get outta bed earlier bro
Maybe someone is beating you to it so have a crack early morning or at night with a decent light an hour before high tide can produce the goods. ------------- "The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever." - Jacques Cousteau |
Posted By: Whizz
Date Posted: 01 Dec 2010 at 7:06pm
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Have seen plenty of babies like this in the Mangawahi habour - right by the boat ramp.... Truck loads of them ony 3-4 cm in length.
Have seen the odd big one too though.
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Posted By: Catchelot
Date Posted: 01 Dec 2010 at 7:07pm
Gurnard candy at that size ------------- "The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever." - Jacques Cousteau |