Flounder Gigging?

[SweetCosmicPope]

Is that a thing here?

When I was a kid growing up in Texas, my gramps and I used to go out to the Bolivar Flats with a kerosene lantern (and later a cool waterproof light he invented), a set of gigs, and a float.  We'd spend a couple of hours walking around gigging flounder and we'd clean house.

I can't find anything about where to go or if anybody even does this here.  Any thoughts?

[NRA4LIFE]

Never heard of it here.  I think they may be in too deep of water.  All of them we've caught have been in 25-75 feet of water.

[CP]

Yep, I did that back in the day in Texas,  Carancahua Bay, Palacious, Indianola, Matagorda, big fun and great eating.

Not legal in this state.  And the flatfish are different species than gulf flounder, not really worth the effort IMHO except for Halibut, and you won't be gigging a Halibut

[WSU]

Sounds awesome though!

[Bullkllr]

Well, I'll just say I've heard from reputed sources that it 'used to be' a thing around here too.

Ask some of the old-timers around Gig Harbor or Nisqually area 

[WAcoueshunter]

Not legal in this state. 

Are you sure?  You can spearfish for them, and shoot them with a bow and arrow.  Wouldn't a gig be similar?

[SweetCosmicPope]

Shame it doesn't appear to be a thing now.  Amazing fun.  I need to do more research on the law.  Maybe I can trailblaze bringing it back. Lol

[JDHasty]

Well, I'll just say I've heard from reputed sources that it 'used to be' a thing around here too.

Ask some of the old-timers around Gig Harbor or Nisqually area 

We used to do it all the time here when I was a kid.  By YMCA Camp Seymore was one place and another was up on Hood canal.  We would also lay in the front of a row boat while another person rowed and used a longer gig.  Not sure if it is still legal. 

[metlhead]

If it is legal, it sounds fun. Nisqually flats is loaded with them, albeit small. Running out from Luhr's beach ramp, you'll see them in about six feet of water

[SweetCosmicPope]

6 feet would be kind of rough unless you modified it to work with a longer gig and a small boat.  The way we did it we walked around in 1 to 3.5 feet of water, looking for the eyes in the sand, then you pin them down and you feed the cord through their mouth and drag them along with you while you continue.  I believe the bag limit was 5 at the time.

[Angry Perch]

We are spending a week in Galveston in June. Flounder gigging sounds like a good what to spend a night. Is that area/ time of year a possibility?

[jackelope]

Well, I'll just say I've heard from reputed sources that it 'used to be' a thing around here too.

Ask some of the old-timers around Gig Harbor or Nisqually area 

That's probably why they named it Gig Harbor.

[Angry Perch]

Learn something new every day!

From Wikipedia

History
During a heavy storm in 1840, Captain Charles Wilkes brought the Captain's gig (small boat) into the harbor for protection. Later, with the publication of Wilkes 1841 map of the Oregon Territory, he named the sheltered bay Gig Harbor.

[jackelope]

Learn something new every day!

From Wikipedia

History
During a heavy storm in 1840, Captain Charles Wilkes brought the Captain's gig (small boat) into the harbor for protection. Later, with the publication of Wilkes 1841 map of the Oregon Territory, he named the sheltered bay Gig Harbor.

Dangit. Just stole my thunder.

[Angry Perch]

Learn something new every day!

From Wikipedia

History
During a heavy storm in 1840, Captain Charles Wilkes brought the Captain's gig (small boat) into the harbor for protection. Later, with the publication of Wilkes 1841 map of the Oregon Territory, he named the sheltered bay Gig Harbor.

Dangit. Just stole my thunder.

In your defense, I found it on the internet, so it's probably not true.

[WAPatriot]

Over 50% of the flounder I catch in the sound have sores or tumors FWIW.

[lokidog]

Over 50% of the flounder I catch in the sound have sores or tumors FWIW.

The two largest I caught in the islands were 16 and 18 inches, warty nasty looking things, but it was only skin deep, they tasted great.

[DOUBLELUNG]

I used to snorkel and gig flounder and other species in 4'-10' of water off Cape Cod.  Used a broom handle 5-tine gig with a wrist lanyard, hold the gig just behind head and lanyard between thumb and index finger with the lanyard hand, and use the other hand on the butt of the gig to propel - the more length of the gig you could get above the water, the harder and faster you could propel it.  I also used a sling spear to snorkel fish in Maui - I think that would be pretty sweet for flounder here too if legal.

[The Gobble-stopper]

NO warty flounders for me yet, but the best bate ever is a small ( 1/2 inch ) piece of sand shark meat. Leave part of the skin on. And you can catch three or four before they rip the bait off. Usually have a fish on within three or four minutes with the shark on the hook.

[lokidog]

I used to snorkel and gig flounder and other species in 4'-10' of water off Cape Cod.  Used a broom handle 5-tine gig with a wrist lanyard, hold the gig just behind head and lanyard between thumb and index finger with the lanyard hand, and use the other hand on the butt of the gig to propel - the more length of the gig you could get above the water, the harder and faster you could propel it.  I also used a sling spear to snorkel fish in Maui - I think that would be pretty sweet for flounder here too if legal.

Snorkling and diving using a speargun or pole spear is legal as far as i know, so walking\wading while doing the same should be as well. Hawaiin slings with the rubber band work well for non-spooky fish.  I had a friend make me one that was about 2 1/2 feet long for poking Scorpionfish while diving for lobster in SO CAL.

[Ghost Hunter]

Just call and ask... Then tell it to the judge.