“Don’t be afraid to move away from the big parking lot of boats,” he advised. “There are miles and miles of steep channel edges in the area that hold big flounder. The water depth on the flat area varies from 35 to 45 feet, and the channel around it drops off to around 70 feet. I catch most of my flounder on the flat area within a few yards of the channel edge.”

Narron also fishes an area about two miles south of the Cell near buoy 40 that locals call “the Hump.” This is an area about one-half mile wide and three miles long, where the water depth is 10 to 15 feet shallower than the surrounding water.

“A lot of monster flounder come from there every year,” Narron said. “It is usually not as crowded because it is a little harder to find until you get it marked on your GPS.”

Narron also has some tips for anglers with small boats who would prefer a more laid-back day of fishing.

“Plenty of keeper-sized flounder can be found right in the Rappahannock River,” he said. “Some of my favorite areas are Butler’s Hole at Windmill Point, Mosquito Point, the Pickle Factory near the Whitestone Bridge, and buoy 8 across the river from Urbanna.”

Narron uses 5- to 6-inch spot when fishing for doormats around the Cell, but in the river, he relies on an assortment of standard flounder rigs in various colors, having found that flounder tend to have different favorites on any given day.

“I’ve had my best luck with a bucktail skirt topped by a spinner blade,” Narron said. “Add some live or cut bait, and drift with the tide or wind over your targeted area. The bait needs to be just barely touching the bottom, so you’ll need to try several different sinker weights to get it just right. When you can’t get a good natural drift, you can change to very slow trolling with the same rigs.”

FOR YOUR INFORMATION
Tackle shops in the area you intend to fish are the best source of information on the latest fishing conditions and best baits, rigs and methods for catching flounder. They also carry maps and charts to help you locate the deep-water structure that holds the largest trophies.

More restrictive flounder regulations this year will likely include a higher minimum size and a lower creel limit. For current regulations, details of the Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament, boat ramp locations and weekly fishing reports, visit the Virginia Marine Resources Commission’s Web site at www.mrc.state.va.us.

For fishing information or charters out of the Virginia Beach area, contact Captain Steve Wray at (757) 481-7517 or www.vbsf.net/captainsteve.

For fishing information or charters out of the Deltaville area, call Captain Tom Narron at (804) 370-7394 or at www.missellacharters.com.