Winter Flounder

Season in Long Island

Peak months: Mar, Apr.

NY Sea Grant: a spring run (usually the better one) from February through May, and fish active again in late September with good catches October to December. NOAA NEFSC: adults move inshore in fall and early winter, spawn late winter and early spring, and typically leave inshore water when it passes 15 C (59 F); Montauk passes 59 F in June. (Our inference)

Season by region

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.

Recipes for winter flounder

Typical: unknown. Large: Sea flounder or snowshoes about 5 lb. NY record 7.22 lb (1997).

New York (marine waters) limits

• Minimum: 12 in TL
• Maximum: none
• Bag: 2 per angler
• Season: April 1 to May 30

Last checked 2026-10-17. A summary, not legal advice; the official rules win. New York State DEC fishing regulations.

Sources

• New York Sea Grant fish profile: Winter Flounder (Cornell, 2001) (Official source)
• NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS-NE-138: EFH source document, winter flounder (1999) (Official source)
• NOAA NCEI Coastal Water Temperature Guide, all stations table (Montauk 8510560; Bridgeport CT 8467150 as the closest listed Sound station) (Official source)
• NYSDEC Marine Recreational Angler Records Program (Official source)
• NYSDEC Recreational Saltwater Fishing Regulations: size, possession limits and seasons (fish table last changed May 12, 2026; shark table last changed Aug 27, 2025) (Official source)

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