Summer Flounder

Season in Rhode Island

OTW June 2026: strong in the eastern part of the state, many shorts. OTW Aug 2026: continued improvement, fish of 6 to 8 lb from Point Judith boats, decent fish in the bay shallows and around Block Island. OTW Sept 2025: Block Island fluke grow to trophy size. MA DMF: offshore in fall. (Our inference)

Season by region

Where to find them

Bay shallows, the eastern part of the state, Point Judith grounds and Block Island (OTW 2026).

On the bottom along jetty walls, inlet edges and trough edges.

What to look for

Five large eyespots on the back half of the body tell it from southern flounder (no distinct spots) and Gulf flounder (three spots).

What to throw

Bucktail or jighead with a 4 to 5 in paddle tail1/2 to 1 oz, 4 to 5 in tail. Slow hops along the bottom: lift, drop, let it touch, repeat.

Jighead with a scented soft-plastic shrimp or mullet (Gulp style)1/4 to 1/2 oz, 3 to 4 in. Slow drag and hop on the bottom with pauses; scent does the work.

Sand eel teaser (dropper ahead of a plug)Weightless; the plug behind it gives casting weight oz, Small sand eel or spearing imitation: fly, Red Gill or soft plastic. Fished with the plug; slow.

Bait

Live mud minnows (spring), Live finger mullet (as water warms). Carolina rig: 3/4 to 1 1/2 oz egg sinker, about 12 in leader, No. 2 to 1/0 hook; let the current move it.

Leader

About 12 in of leader on a Carolina rig.

Common mistakes

• Setting the hook too fast on live bait
• Reeling the bait along instead of letting the current move it

Landing

Net it; do not lift a flounder by the line.

Handling

• Sharp teeth

Use pliers to unhook.

Keep or release

Expect to pick through many shorts for keepers.

Recipes for summer flounder

Typical: unknown. Large: 6 to 8 lb fish from Point Judith boats (Aug 2026).

Limits

FishOS has not checked the RI limits yet. Check the size, bag and season rules with the Rhode Island DEM Division of Marine Fisheries before you keep a fish.

Sources

• On The Water: Rhode Island Fishing Report, June 25 2026 (Ocean State Tackle, The Saltwater Edge) (Angler knowledge)
• On The Water: Rhode Island Fishing Report, Aug 13 2026 (Ocean State Tackle, The Saltwater Edge) (Angler knowledge)
• On The Water: What's Biting in September in Rhode Island? (Devin Donahue, 2025) (Angler knowledge)
• MA DMF: Learn about fluke (Official source)
• NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-NE-151: summer flounder essential fish habitat (Official source)
• SCDNR species profile: summer flounder (Official source)

All the fish of Rhode Island