Flounder
Flat, speckled and superbly camouflaged, the flounder lies half-buried on the estuary bottom where few anglers ever notice it. Caught on the drift around Sydney's estuaries all year, it is an under-rated little fish with a sweet, mild feed to reward those who target it.
About the flounder
Flounder are a small flatfish that lie flat on the sand and mud of the estuaries, both eyes on the upper side and their mottled colour blending perfectly into the bottom. They wait, motionless and near-invisible, for a prawn or small baitfish to pass, then flare up to grab it. That camouflage is exactly why so many anglers walk right past them.
They are found in NSW estuaries throughout the year and are usually a welcome bonus when drifting for flathead over the same ground. They are not big and they do not pull hard, but their soft, mild, sweet flesh is a genuine treat, and a few flounder in the mix always makes for a better feed.
Flounder at a glance
| Name | Flounder |
|---|---|
| Scientific name | Bothidae spp. |
| Best season in NSW | Year-round |
| Habitat | Estuaries |
| Where found in NSW | NSW estuaries |
| Size and bag limits | No min, bag 20 |
| Average size | 20–40cm |
| Max size | 50cm |
| Fishing method | Drift fishing |
| Best bait / lure | Bait |
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Eating quality | Good |
| Taste | Mild |
| Recipe ideas | Pan fry |
Bait on the drift over the sand
Flounder are an easy, low-key target, usually caught working a bait slowly across the estuary bottom.
The proven methods
Because flounder lie flat on the bottom, the trick is to keep a bait right down on the sand and move it slowly. Drift the flats and channel edges with a lightly weighted strip bait, prawn or small fish, and let it drag and pause along the bottom so a buried flounder can grab it. The bite is often subtle, a soft weight rather than a thump, so stay in touch and set the hook gently. They frequently turn up while you are drifting for flathead. All the gear is on board and ready to go.
How Wahoo puts you on them
Flounder come from the same sandy estuary country as the flathead, so it is all about setting a good drift over the productive bottom. George Aslanian has spent more than 30 years fishing Sydney Harbour and its estuaries and knows the flats where the flatfish sit. On a relaxed light-tackle harbour session we set you drifting baits across the sand, and often you will pick up flounder alongside a feed of flathead. Keen to get among them? Ask us about a Sydney sport fishing charter.
Other Estuary fish
Australian Bass
Australian Bass (Macquaria novemaculeata): an iconic native NSW sportfish. Season, size, methods and eating quality, plus where to find them in NSW rivers and estuaries.
Bluespotted Flathead
Bluespotted Flathead (Platycephalus caeruleopunctatus): a common Sydney harbour and estuary flathead. Season, size, bag limits, methods and eating quality off Sydney.
Dusky Flathead
Dusky Flathead (Platycephalus fuscus): the Sydney estuary staple. Season, size, bag limits, methods and eating quality, plus how to catch them around Sydney Harbour.
Yellowfin Bream
Yellowfin Bream (Acanthopagrus australis): a cagey Sydney harbour and estuary favourite. Season, size, bag limits, methods and eating quality off Sydney.
Fancy a relaxed day on the estuary?
Tell us your dates and crew and we will get you drifting Sydney's estuary sand for flounder and flathead, all gear supplied, every level welcome. Browse the full species guide, or get among them on our sport and reef charters.