Summer Flounder
Summer flounder — called fluke by most anglers from New England northward — reach the northern edge of their range along Nova Scotia and the Bay of Fundy.
They're a bottom-dwelling flatfish that moves inshore through summer, drawing anglers who want a genuine table fish. In Atlantic Canada they're a secondary target compared to the U. S.
coast, but the fish are there, and locals in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia do catch them.
Scientific Name: Paralichthys dentatus
Also known as Fluke, Common flounder, Long-toothed flounder
- Flat, oval body with both eyes on the left (top) side — the right side is white and faces down. Ten to fourteen large, eye-like spots scattered across the dark upper surface distinguish summer flounder from other local flatfish.
- Upper side ranges from olive-brown to grey, shifting to match the bottom — a camouflage ability that makes them easy to overlook on sandy or silty substrate.
- Typical fish run 38–50 cm (15–20 in) and 0.5–1.5 kg; larger females can exceed 5 kg, though fish that size are uncommon at the northern end of the range.
- Noticeably large mouth with prominent teeth — more so than winter flounder, which shares the same waters and has a small, nearly toothless mouth.
What to know
Habitat Distribution
- Native to the western Atlantic; Nova Scotia marks the northern limit of the range. The Bay of Fundy and Atlantic-facing coasts of Nova Scotia and southern New Brunswick are where Canadian anglers are most likely to encounter them.
- In warmer months they move into shallow inshore waters — bays, estuaries, inlets, and sandy nearshore flats — at depths generally under 30 m.
- As water cools in fall, fish push back offshore into deeper continental shelf water, where they overwinter and spawn.
- Most common on sandy or sand-to-silt transition bottoms; also found over muddy substrate near marsh edges and estuarine channels.
Key Locations
- Bay of Fundy (New Brunswick) — anglers around Saint John, St. George, Beaver Harbour, and Blacks Harbour report flounder through mid-summer into fall over shallow tidal flats.
- Nova Scotia's Atlantic coast — flounder are present in bays and harbours around Halifax and along the Eastern Shore, though they are less consistently targeted than in New Brunswick.
Specific Spots
- Sandy channel edges and tidal flats in bays and harbours — flounder hold where current delivers baitfish and crustaceans to them without requiring much movement.
- Depth transitions around 3–5 m (10 ft) are productive; fish track the tide to stay near that depth as water rises and falls over shallow flats.
- Mouths of tidal creeks and estuaries where baitfish funnel on the outgoing tide concentrate feeding fish.
- Structure edges — dock pilings, rocky points dropping to sand, and weed-to-sand transitions — give flounder a defined ambush line to work along.
Summer Flounder FAQ
Answers from onWater's species guide.
What are the best lures and bait for Summer Flounder?
Bucktail jigs (1/4–1 oz depending on current) tipped with a soft-plastic grub or strip of squid are the most versatile flounder lure, bounce them slowly along the bottom with short hops, keeping contact with the substrate.
When is the best time to fish for Summer Flounder?
Mid-summer through early fall is the primary window in Atlantic Canada, fish move inshore as water warms and are most accessible from roughly July through September. Fishing tapers off as water cools in October and fish begin their offshore migration; by late fall they are largely gone from inshore areas.
How do you catch Summer Flounder?
Most Canadian anglers fish summer flounder from shore, wharves, or small boats over shallow tidal flats and channel edges in the Bay of Fundy. Bottom rigs with natural bait (squid, sea worms) are the most common approach; jig-and-soft-plastic combos worked slowly along the bottom are gaining ground among boat anglers.
What do Summer Flounder eat?
Small baitfish, sand lance, silversides, young herring, and juvenile groundfish, make up a large part of the diet. Bucktail jigs and soft-plastic paddle-tail swimbaits dragged slowly along the bottom imitate these well.
Where do Summer Flounder live?
Native to the western Atlantic; Nova Scotia marks the northern limit of the range. The Bay of Fundy and Atlantic-facing coasts of Nova Scotia and southern New Brunswick are where Canadian anglers are most likely to encounter them.
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