Fish guide
Winter Flounder
Pseudopleuronectes americanus. Also called Flounder, Blackback, Snowshoe.
Showing the fish for Cape Cod and the Islands, MA.
Season in Cape Cod
Peak months: May.
OTW May 2025: winter flounder fishing in Cape Cod Bay tends to peak from mid to late May; flounder limits on Cape Cod Bay charters (OTW May 2026). NOAA: adults move to inshore bays to spawn in winter and spring. (Our inference)
Season by region
| Long Island | JFMAMJJASOND |
|---|---|
| Maine | JFMAMJJASOND |
| New Hampshire | JFMAMJJASOND |
| North Shore MA | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Cape Cod | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Rhode Island | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Connecticut | JFMAMJJASOND |
| North Jersey | JFMAMJJASOND |
| South Jersey | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Delmarva | JFMAMJJASOND |
Where to find them
Spring in the South Shore and North Shore bays, harbors and creek mouths where the tide moves; party boats out of the bays in April.
On soft bottom in bays and harbors, often buried.
What to look for
Soft bottom in bays and harbors with moving water near channels.
Bait
Blue mussels (early season), Bloodworms, Sandworms. Small-hook bottom rig with a sinker to hold the bait on the bottom..
Leader
NY Sea Grant: 10 to 15 lb mono on a medium spinning rod; heavier where current is strong.
Common mistakes
- Fishing slack water away from the current
- Hooks too large for the small mouth
Landing
Lift it in with a steady pull or a small net.
Handling
Unhook gently; return short fish quickly.
Keep or release
Good eating, but the Southern New England and Mid-Atlantic stock has record-low spawning biomass and is in poor condition (ASMFC), and New York allows only a short spring season. Check the New York rules; releasing fish helps.
Typical: unknown. Large: Sea flounder or snowshoes about 5 lb. NY record 7.22 lb (1997).
Limits
FishOS has not checked the MA limits yet. Check the size, bag and season rules with the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries before you keep a fish.
Sources
- On The Water: What's Biting in May on Cape Cod? (Peros, Fee, 2025) (Angler knowledge)
- On The Water: Massachusetts Fishing Report, May 7 2026 (Angler knowledge)
- NOAA Fisheries: Winter Flounder (Official source)
- NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS-NE-138: EFH source document, winter flounder (1999) (Official source)
- New York Sea Grant fish profile: Winter Flounder (Cornell, 2001) (Official source)
- NYSDEC Marine Recreational Angler Records Program (Official source)
Is winter flounder worth it today?
The planner rates it for your exact time with the live tide, weather and water temperature.
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