# Flounder gigging



## nancy237 (May 29, 2008)

I have always wanted to learn and my 18 year old son wants to also.
We tried last year at Morehead, NC and were comical trying to learn the 
channel markers, tide , sandbars.. The flounders have never been so safe ,But you have to start somewhere..right!!

We want to go soon to the Taylors creek boat ramp and try around carrot island. (Beaufort,NC)

I am learning as much as I can about the tides/limits/moon/ect.

We have a gig from last year, but I am trying to figure out a good light
& cheap.. I want to try a light weight multiple LED light and encase it somehow in a waterproof casing. (maybe casing off hubby's old dive light.)
Then I want to float in in something that will allow it to surmerse and keep it upright. (think- fat baby sitting in a swimming tube)

I hope to push the light ahead with a short pole and have it attached by rope to my waist. Then I will have both hands free to 
handle all those huge flounder we are going to find.


I just ordered a $15 15 led flashlight that was 1/2 price on overstock.
I hope it will be bright and I can figure a way to waterproof it and float it.

I would love feedback about these ideas.. I am tough so feel free to tell me 
" crazy women..that thing ain't never going to work"


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## Ray (Dec 5, 2002)

I have gigged for fish for years, in the rivers around, but never flounder gigging.

However I've seen several TV specials on it and it sure looks like alot of fun. If you go to youtube and do a search on flounder gigging there are tons of videos that show how and could be of tremendous insight to you. Good luck, wish I could go with you guys, P.S.underwater lights are illegal in many states, check the codes first. best wishes, ray


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

This looks interesting:

http://www.squidfish.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=2088&pid=19365&st=0&#entry19365

http://www.blueoceantackle.com/squid_lights.htm


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## Pops2 (Jan 27, 2003)

when you get the light disassemble it and check for rubber O rings that will create a watertight seal when put back together tightly.

what do a walrus & a plumber have in common?

they both like a nice tight seal


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## big rockpile (Feb 24, 2003)

We fix up Lights on the front of our Boats and Gig for Suckers in the Winter time.

big rockpile


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## tyusclan (Jan 1, 2005)

We used to gig them in the river. We'd either have a spotlight on the front of the boat and ease along the edge of the bank until we spotted one, or we'd take a coleman lantern with aluminum foil on the back side to keep from blinding us and walk along the bank.

When you push the gig through, push it hard and hang on. They fight and fight hard, but it's a ton of fun.


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## nancy237 (May 29, 2008)

Thanks everybody.
We have a skiff we use at the lake but we don't know much about coastal
areas. There is a lot to learn.
I am excited . The lights are the thing that 
I have to figure out next. Hubby woke up briefly at 3 am last night and I had 2-3 questions ready for him . All he has heard for the past week is what I am learning about it.

I knew I could count on my homesteading today friends to know something about gigging. If you ask that question on the city forum they call PETA...


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## EDDIE BUCK (Jul 17, 2005)

Check out this page.The lights and gigs on the right are sold at sportshops and stores along the coast.I used to flounder around Beaufort and North River and Harkers Island.
http://www.ncwaterman.com/howto.asp Seeing that flounder in the sand makes me want to go again.


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## WstTxLady (Mar 14, 2009)

My dad used to do it on the Texas coast but they have outlawed it now I believe. I never got the chance to. Think he still has all the stuff too, gigs, big foam block for a batter float, the submersible light.


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## nancy237 (May 29, 2008)

EDDIE BUCK said:


> Check out this page.The lights and gigs on the right are sold at sportshops and stores along the coast.I used to flounder around Beaufort and North River and Harkers Island.
> http://www.ncwaterman.com/howto.asp Seeing that flounder in the sand makes me want to go again.


Those lights seem much more reasonable than the $200 ones I saw.
I think I will get one so we can get started . We have a 12 volt 
lawn tractor battery that I think will work. Then I can take my time trying to work on my LED light.

Enjoyed the video..


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## EDDIE BUCK (Jul 17, 2005)

nancy237 said:


> Those lights seem much more reasonable than the $200 ones I saw.
> I think I will get one so we can get started . We have a 12 volt
> lawn tractor battery that I think will work. Then I can take my time trying to work on my LED light.
> 
> Enjoyed the video..


 Back before I used a boat,we would walk and have a car battery in a tub or we would fasten a 1x1 x 2foot long piece of wood,on each side close to the top of the battery.

Then set the battery in side a tire intertube.And just pull the intertube or tub with battery inside.Also I don't think a lawn tractor battery would last past an hour,even if that long.I would at least get a large car battery or a large deep cycle battery.

The deep cycle battery can stand a lot of battery drain and charges, where as a regular pickup truck battery can't handle a lot of battery drain before it starts getting weaker and weaker till it won't take a charge.I have used a regular car battery and when it started getting weak,just go put it in the truck and take the truck battery and use it.

Then by the time you weaken that battery,the trucks battery will be revived enough to start the truck and take you and ALL those flounders, back home,where you can sleep most of the day,get up clean and cook them fish.:cowboy: If you have any more questions just PM me,and I'll tell you what I know, which ain't much.


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## blufford (Nov 23, 2004)

EDDIE BUCK said:


> Back before I used a boat,we would walk and have a car battery in a tub or we would fasten a 1x1 x 2foot long piece of wood,on each side close to the top of the battery.
> 
> Then set the battery in side a tire intertube.And just pull the intertube or tub with battery inside.Also I don't think a lawn tractor battery would last past an hour,even if that long.I would at least get a large car battery or a large deep cycle battery.
> 
> ...


And if the truck didn't start then technically you would still be floundering in the parking lot. :gaptooth:


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## blufford (Nov 23, 2004)

But if it did start but ran a little rough then you may need a tuna up.:sob:


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## tamsam (May 12, 2006)

In Fla they mostly use a flat bottom boat to get in the shallow water. The neatest set up was a car head light on a piece of foam board. Cut it out and put the bulb in from the bottom and fasten with wire making a X across the bulb to hold it in. The take a can of Great Stuff and really fasten it in by using the great stuff as a glue. You use a car or boat battery and you can wire it to burn on low or high beam. This will make all the light you will need. Good luck. Sam


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## nancy237 (May 29, 2008)

tamsam said:


> In Fla they mostly use a flat bottom boat to get in the shallow water. The neatest set up was a car head light on a piece of foam board. Cut it out and put the bulb in from the bottom and fasten with wire making a X across the bulb to hold it in. The take a can of Great Stuff and really fasten it in by using the great stuff as a glue. You use a car or boat battery and you can wire it to burn on low or high beam. This will make all the light you will need. Good luck. Sam


neat idea.. I am trying to visualize the wire making an X...and holding it in.


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## tamsam (May 12, 2006)

The wire is mostly to hold it till you get the great stuff on. Any way you want to put the wires is fine. Sam


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## GBov (May 4, 2008)

That sounds like such good fun!

Must look into that for next year, after the kids learn to swim.


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## Yldrosie (Jan 28, 2006)

This brings back memories! In the '60's, I married a man from Harkers Island. He was a charter boat Captain, and in the winter we would do commercial fishing, king mackeral, and black bass. He taught me how to gig for flounder too. In an old rowboat, holding a light off the bow. LOL what fun, and so long ago. There were probably a lot more fish then too.


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## ninny (Dec 12, 2005)

An alternative to the electric lights is get a coleman lantern, the type that uses fuel, either buy or make a reflector to put on backside of the globe so the light doesn't shine in your eyes, use a piece of cord to tie the handle where it angles the lanter at a downward angle of about 45 degrees. I've floundered many a time with a setup just like this. Get a lantern that has double mantles if you can find one and be sure to carry a few spares as the mantles are very brittle when they burn. 
As for spotting the flounder, if you find one that's laying on top of the sand you'll be lucky. Mostly they're buried in the sand. In that case you'll have to look really close for an oval outline and maybe their eyes. When you get good at spotting them you can gig them in the head just about every time and you won't waste any meat. You really need someone that has been before to show you what to look for. The first few times I went I couldn't see diddly squat until someone finally showed me what to look for. Just be careful though, stingray like to bury up in the sand too and if you step on one of those you'll definitely feel it.
Have fun. Flounder, in my opinion, are the the best eating fish around especially when baked and stuffed with crab meat.

.


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