Ahh, fluke fishing. Who doesn’t love feeling the vicious headshakes of a keeper summer flounder on the end of their line? The Northeast’s most heralded flatfish is a crowd favorite for many reasons. For one thing, they’re abundant from May to September, and they can be caught in the bays, from the surf, or over ocean reefs and wrecks. And of course, their firm, mild, white fillets are delicious whether breaded and fried and sandwiched between two buns, or tossed into a fresh ceviché. But for the purist anglers who do it all for the sport, fluke are a favorite for their incredibly aggressive nature, and the challenge of keeping the big ones hooked.
Recently, New Jersey angler Joe Sansone—who is also known as Crackhead Fluke on YouTube—shared some of his underwater fluke footage with the OTW Staff. Not only do Joe’s videos provide insight into the behavior of fluke, such as how they react to a jig and teaser, or how long they will follow a well-presented bait; the clips he shares showcase just how aggressive fluke can be towards virtually anything that moves… even if it looks nothing like an appetizing crab or baitfish.
In a video posted to On The Water’s Instagram page (below), we get a closer look into how irritable and flat-out ferocious (pun intended) summer flounder are towards something as small as an underwater camera. Whether they’re that hungry for a meal, or just a little camera shy, these fluke did not appreciate being front and center on the big screen.
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Most bottom fishermen are aware that doormat fluke are capable of inhaling large baits like snapper bluefish, adult blue crabs or even juvenile sea robins. However, few, if any bottom fishermen besides Joe knew fluke were capable of bee-lining off the sea floor just to whack a camera rather than lazily grabbing a stinky Gulp grub inches from its mouth. Looks like Joe may have to start arming his cameras with a swing hook.
The striper season has yet to begin, but some of us are already thinking about squid strips, leaky bags of Berkley Gulp, and keeping a couple feisty summer flounder for the table.
For more underwater fluke footage, follow Joe Sansone @crackheadfluke, check out his YouTube page, or go to crackheadfluke.com.
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Matt Haeffner grew up on Long Island, NY, where he fished on party boats, his kayak, and the South Shore & North Fork beaches for bluefish, striped bass, fluke, and more. With a decade of experience as a kayak instructor, fishing retail specialist, and editor, he is well-versed in the tackle and techniques that apply to the Northeast’s fisheries. For 12 months a year, he enjoys surfcasting, wading, and kayak fishing on Cape Cod, MA, and beyond.