Flounder Revolution!
The future of flounder fishing begins here...
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Bio Link
Flounder Revolution is the concept and original project of award-winning outdoor writer, photographer and broadcaster Chester Moore. The goal is to fundamentally change the way flounder are viewed to ensure their conservation for future generations.
Flounder Revolution
F.L.E.X. Flounder?
Greetings fellow flounder fanatics!
Response to my first blog about Flatfish University (TM) has been tremendous. Lots of people have expressed interest in the FREE event which takes place Sat. Oct. 9 at Fishing Tackle Unlimited in Houston.
The event will take place from 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. and will feature seminars done in a unique format as well as never before used methods of learning about flounder and how you can catch more and bigger fish. This is NOT just a seminar, but an educational event that is different than anything you have done before. It is years in the making and although I will reveal a few more details soon it is something you have to experience to understand.
One thing I have been getting questions about is what will I be specifically speaking on?
One of my roles at the event is showing you my F.L.E.X. Fishing (TM) system, a systematic approach I have developed for catching BIG fish of any species. At the Oct. 9 event I will be doing a specific F.L.E.X. focus on flounder and walk you step by step on how to catch the biggest flounder of your life and how to catch those elusive big flounder consistently.
I have never talked about this angle of flounder fishing and this will be the only F.L.E.X.-based flounder talk for 2010. If you want more information on F.L.E.X. Fishing, click here to see the new site. I am super excited about this system and talking with you about it at Flatfish University. Folks if there is anything I will say about myself its that I practice what I preach and I have been using F.L.E.X. this year and caught more flounder and more big flounder than I have in the last five.
Check this one out from back in June caught testing the system...
If you want to attend the event please email me at cmoore@fishgame.com. The event is open to the public but I would like to get an idea of how many of you fellow Flounder Revolutionaries plan to attend. This will change your entire approach to flounder fishing. Be among the first to see what Flatfish University (TM) is all about.
Tech Tip
Always check your line after catching a flounder. In case you haven't noticed, they have very sharp teeth and can nick a line real quick like. Lots of anglers end up missing big fish because of not paying attention to what kind of damage flounder are doing to their line. Retie as often as necessary so you do not have to lose your shot at catching the fish of a lifetime.
Monday Flounder Update: Jumping Flatfish!
Greetings fellow flounder fanatics!
Over the summer I have ran into a scenario that can be both jaw-dropping and highly frustration: flounder feeding frenzies.
On two occasions this summer I have seen huge incoming tides get flounder feeding in a literal frenzy jumping from the water and striking all over the surface. It is something I have seen a number of times in the past and while it is amazing to watch it can drive a person crazy. At times they will hit anything you throw at them and other times they simply want one particular kind of bait.
My father, Chester Moore, Sr., and I found this out one day in July as we caught a few fish in the course of an hour in an area they were jumping out of the water every few seconds and popping the surface all over the place. Finally I broke down and threw the cast net and caught a few shad. Dad put one on a bare jig head and they ate it up. Every cast equaled a strike and before we left we caught 21 fish, mainly under-sized but still we had a blast.
I will talk more about feeding frenzy flounder at Flatfish University (TM) Oct. 9 at Fishing Tackle Unlimited in Houston. It is a small part of what will be a completely new flounder seminar hosted by yours truly and part of a type of event never done for flounder. Make sure and mark your calendars for this historic event and be there. It is absolutely free but I would like to have an idea on who plants to attend so email me at cmoore@fishgame.com if you want to come out and really learn about flounder.
Flatfish University is where the future of flounder comes to life.
Help Us Recognize Sea Center Texas Staff
The staff at Sea Center Texas have been recognized for their efforts in working on the flounder stocking program. These men and women go way beyond the call of duty to make this flounder program a success. So for David Abrego, Shane Bonnot, Jennifer Bixby, Courtney Moore and everyone else there who work so hard on these fish, here is a big thank you from Flounder Revolution.
Post your comments on this thread and I will forward them to the Sea Center staff. They deserve it and then some.
Courtney Moore of Sea Center Texas with a beaker full of baby flounder at Sabine Lake.
Announcing Flatfish University
Greetings fellow flounder fanatics!
I am happy and truly excited to announce to you the next phase of the Flounder Revolution, a project I have visualized for years and will finally see its beginning: Flatfish University (TM).
On Sat. Oct. 9, I will host the very first edition of what will be a truly unique and what I hope to be ground-breaking flounder event series. It's not just a seminar, it's not just a clinic. It is an educational process to help anglers take their flounder fishing to the next level and to learn more about flounder in a super fun, informative format. You will not find this level of information on flounder fishing anywhere else on the Gulf Coast.
I will reveal full details of the event soon but wanted to get the word out to those who are regulars here at flounderrevolution.com. While there is no attendance limit, the conference room at FTU is not exactly huge and I owe it all of you to give you the first announcement so you can make plans to be there and be there early.
I will be debuting a new system for targeting trophy flounder at the event and it will be the only place you will see me talk about this as it pertains to flounder this year. Period.
In fact, next year I will be greatly cutting back on my speaking schedule and focusing on the Flatfish University (TM) platform for getting out flounder fishing information. Beginning at the end of 2010 my flounder appearances will be solely through this new venture of my company Moore Outdoors which is the force behind Flounder Revolution.
I love doing appearances and meeting everyone but I do not like spending time away from my family and most engagements require a full day to be gone or travel on a weekend. If I am going to make that sacrifice to be away from my wife and daughter from now on it will be truly for something special. Not that I do not put my heart and soul in all of my speaking engagements but this is more, much more and I think those of you who plan to attend will agree. There will be far fewer appearances outside of what I do for Texas Fish & Game but they will all be unique.
I have some ideas that have me more excited than I have been in years. Creativity is a beautiful thing and thank the good Lord for it and the excitement it brings.
Keep checking back for more information on the event and of course the most comprehensive flounder information to be found anywhere.
Thank you all for your support and making Flounder Revolution grow on a weekly basis.
Viva La Revolution!
Chester Moore
PS: Revolution supporter Darren Gardner shared this pic of his customized version of our new sticker. I think I might just get some made like this one without the white background. In fact I know I will.
GIANT Flounder Revolution Update!!!
Greetings fellow flounder fanatics!
It has only been two weeks since I updated but it feels like a year. I spent last week at the ICAST show in Vegas last week, this week wrapping up a huge new project, starting another and taking care of lots of Texas Fish & Game business. It has been beyond intense, crazy even but all positive.
TWO June replica winners
In June we had two fish entered into the replica program and we had a first: two fish so close in size by photograph it was nearly impossible to tell which was biggest without actually examining the fish and measuring myself. So, due to the fact we had a few extra bucks in the replica funding thanks to CCA and Project: Zoo Quest's generosity, both anglers are getting replica of their June catch. Jantzen Miller and Justin Hawkins who have both turned in big fish in the past caught and released flounder just over 20 inches last month. Hopefully we will not have fish so close very often but I thought both anglers deserved a replica and to be highlighted. Congratulations to both anglers.
Concern Over Flounder Poaching
In the Sabine Lake area and also in the Galveston region there have been lots of reports of anglers poaching flounder particularly around saltwater barrier type structures where they can be easily gigged, netted (yes there have been reports of netting) and caught in large numbers. If you catch someone in the act of this call your local game warden immediately. I tried calling Operation Game Thief to give reliable second-hand reports last year but they would not even take the call because I did not have a name or license plate number of the alleged poacher. I thought that was ridiculous but that is for another blog at another time. Call your local warden and make sure flounder poachers are turned in. There has always been a big black market in flounder and now as the revolution grows it is time for those of us concerned about the resource to make a stand.
ICAST Flounder Gear Report
This is the only place you will see ICAST from a flounder angler's perspective. I was blessed to go cover the event for Texas Fish & Game magazine who have been a huge source of support here at Flounder Revolution, so when it comes time to renew your subscription or think of getting one remember their support of flounder. It has been huge. I found some very interesting gear there that while not designed for flounder specifically should work great.
Ardent F700 Denny Brauer Flip-N-Pitch: Ardent has teamed up with the world's top flip-n-pitch angler to design the F700 Denny Brauer Signature Flip-N-Pitch Reel. The narrow spool and large ceramic line eye reduce friction to allow for smooth effortless casts. The stainless steel handle and 22-pound Perma-Lock Drag System provide for strong hooksets and retrieves. I interviewed Brauer who fishes this rod with heavy braid and he said it is killer for putting a super strong hookset on a fish. For anglers who like to fish casting gear for flounder, this is something they might want to consider. For flipping and pitching to docks and other structure it should be killer.
Sebile Soft Weight System: Sebile continues to impress and this year they won "Best Terminal Tackle" at ICAST with their soft weight systems. These easy to install weights can slide up and down a hook to help anglers sink their plastics in many different fashions. For flounder I can think of several applications that this hook can help. I have used it already since ICAST at a pond I do a lot of testing in and found it very effective at getting lures to fall in different fashions.
Power Pro Vermillion Red: Power Pro has a new line of braid called "Vermillion Red" that gives it low-vis properties after about 10 feet of depth. Red is the first color to "disappear" or in this case turn a a dull gray which has big advantages in clear water in particular. It features an innovative manufacturing process known as Enhanced Body Technology that permeates this braided Spectra line with a protective layer that will not peel off.
Gulp! Alive Mud Minnow/Croaker: Gulp! has come a long way when it comes to the flexibility and colors on the lures and this year they debuted the Ripple Mullet and a fine looking mud minnow imitation. This should be a natural for catching flounder as their curltail and shrimp have already proven worthy. Looking forward to testing this in the field.
Ego S2 Slider: Ego Nets took the best accessory category at ICAST with their EGO S2 Slider. It features an extendable handle that allows the angler to increase net length by double by simply pushing a button and pulling the handle. Very convenient for stowing away in a boat or kayak. The best part is it is an entire system that features interchangeable parts that can turn a net into a gaff and vice versa. Not that you will need a gaff for flounder but if you are like me, flounder are not the only thing you pursue, although they are the coolest.
Tech Tip
Small spinnerbaits like Beetle Spins can catch lots of flounder in the hands of a skilled angler. Back in the late 1990s Mister Twister made a special flounder fishing jig that featured a small tear-drop style spinner. It worked great but did not sell well at the time so they abandoned it. If you want to try something different especially when the fish seem to not want what you usually offer them, give 'em a spin.
New Project Announcement Coming Monday...(here's a teaser)
Always dream BIG!
Chester Moore
*Flounder Revolution (R) is a registered trademark of Chester Moore.
Monday Flounder Update:
Just a few quick notes to kick off the week...
Sea Center Wednesday
I have received the honor of being asked to do some interviews for a Texas Parks & Wildlife Department video segment about the flounders stocking program. This requires driving over to Sea Center Wednesday evening to do these. I will shoot some photos and get an update on the Sabine and Galveston broodstock and post later in the week.
No Oil at Lake Calcasieu
The rumor mill has cranked up again saying that oil has hit one of the Gulf Coast's top flounder (and specks and red) hotspots Lake Calcasieu (Big Lake) near Lake Charles, La. I was there last week and can this is totally untrue. Zero oil. The spill damage remains nearly 100 miles away at this point.
Tech Tip
I have been doing some flounder fishing using popping corks this year because one of my spots has a lot of shell and some Hurricane Ike debris on the bottom. It has been pretty effective but it has reminded me how tough it is to tell if a flounder is hooked and when to set the hook. I have been using live mullet (for the first time in years) rigged on a wide-gapped hook. I have noticed the big ones will grab it, pop it up and down a few times and then start swimming off at a pretty good pace. This is a good time to set the hook. If the cork suddenly starts jumping up and down in rapid fashion it is probably a small flounder and I have been waiting up to 30 seconds to set the hook because it seems with the mullet floating they have a harder time getting it in their mouths.
What is your experience using floats? Any tips you can share?
Always dream BIG!
Chester Moore
Flounder Revolution
What is your experience using floats? Any tips you can share?
Monday Flounder Update: Clinic Wrap-up and Heat
Greetings fellow flounder fanatics!
Just recovering from putting on the Family Fishing Clinic at Fishing Tackle Unlimited in Houston for Texas Fish & Game magazine. The event was a huge success with hundreds of people showing up to learn more about access, technique and of course southern flounder.
Flounder Revolution had a big display with four huge flounder replicas, including two anglers earned from participating in our program, one of my personal mounts and a replica of the world record fish. It was great visiting with anglers, talking flounder and helping families connect with fishing opportunity.
It was great hearing David Abrego of Sea Center Texas talk about the flounder stocking program and how they have a goal of producing 10 fold of what they released this year. He and his team are absolutely amazing.
It was also inspiring to hear Bryan Treadway give out so many good bank fishing access points and walk the aisles of the store pointing out good gear for the anglers attending his clinic. Cool stuff.
Special thanks to everyone who came up and said "Viva La Revolution". I gave out nearly all 50 stickers.
Kids got a real kick out of seeing the monster flounder replica at the Flounder Revolution booth.
It was hard to miss Jantzen Miller's monster replica provided by The Fish Mount Store which wowed anglers throughout the day.
Flounder Revolution is now represented by Chuck Bell who sports our logo on his awesome camo-wrapped Texas Fish & Game-sponsored race car.
It's Hot!
In case you have not noticed it is severely hot out there. If you plan fishing trips, get out there early and return early. If you plan to fish around the tides and decide to fish in the heat of the day, wear light clothes, preferably a long sleeve breathable type outfit in white or some other light color, wear sunscreen and drink plenty of water. Heat stroke is super dangerous and right now you are super likely to have one if you are not careful.
Tech Tip
I get lots of questions about using Gulp! for flounder, probably more than any other particular lure. I have caught flounder on several kinds of Gulp! but there are two that stand out. The Gulp! 3-inch shrimp in new penny or glow has worked good. Rigged on a 1/4-ounce jighead it has produced a number of flounder for me. I have found the best however is the Gulp! 4-inch Swimming Mullet in smoke color. My good friend Capt. Phillip Samuels uses this one almost exclusively and when we fish together, I tend to invade his Gulp! stash and tie one on. I caught a super fat, wide flounder just shy of replica program size last week using one of these. I typically use regular soft plastic jigs tipped with shrimp but cannot deny how well these work.
Flounder Revolution at Fishing Tackle Unlimited Saturday! (FREE STUFF)
Saturday (June 26) is the big Texas Fish & Game Family Fishing Clinic at Fishing Tackle Unlimited 12800 Gulf Freeway in Houston. I'll be on hand all day with a Flounder Revolution booth and conducting a seminar.
Here's a couple of last minute updates.
The first 100 kids to participate in the kids casting clinic will get a free rod and reel combo. You can't beat that folks so bring your kids by.
If you bring a printout of this blog or come up to me and say VIVA LA REVOLUTION you will get two free Flounder Revolution stickers with the cool logo you see at the bottom of this blog. I only have 50 to give out so find me quickly.
This is the sticker that will be given away. You know you want one!
Seminar Schedule
Bryan Treadway (Bank Fishing Opportunities in the Galveston area): 10:30 a.m.
David Abrego (Sea Center Texas Director on the coastal hatchery program): 11:30 a.m.
Chester Moore (Gear for Landbound Anglers) 1 p.m.
Capt. Mike Holmes (Trolling Tactics for Pelagics) 2 p.m.
Kayak Demo: 3 p.m.
The seminars are just part of the event as there will be booths, displays and clinics all day long ranging from kids casting to surf fishing and probably of most interest to readers of this blog the debut of my traveling Flounder Revolution booth. Several of the clinics are geared toward scouting merit badges so if your kid needs fishing related credit bring them out.
If you fish for flounder and I know you do or you wouldn't be reading this blog you have to see the Flounder Revolution booth complete with real flounder skulls, replicas of some of our top catches and all kinds of other cool stuff.
This is a family friendly event so feel free to bring kids of all ages. There will be something for everybody so drop by for awhile or stay all day.
Always dream BIG!
Chester Moore
Founder
Flounder Revolution
Flounder Info Galore!
Greetings fellow flounder fanatics!
As promised, I have the seminar schedule for the Texas Fish & Game Family Fishing Clinic to be held at Fishing Tackle Unlimited this Saturday (June 26) from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Bryan Treadway (Bank Fishing Opportunities in the Galveston area): 10:30 a.m.
David Abrego (Sea Center Texas Director on the coastal hatchery program): 11:30 a.m.
Chester Moore (Gear for Landbound Anglers) 1 p.m.
Capt. Mike Holmes (Trolling Tactics for Pelagics) 2 p.m.
Kayak Demo: 3 p.m.
The seminars are just part of the event as there will be booths, displays and clinics all day long ranging from kids casting to surf fishing and probably of most interest to readers of this blog the debut of my traveling Flounder Revolution booth. Several of the clinics are geared toward scouting merit badges so if your kid needs fishing related credit bring them out. I am going to have all kinds of interesting tidbits, displays and information regarding southern flounder fishing and conservation for you to see and touch. I will be on hand throughout the day to talk fishing.
If you bring a printout of this blog or come up to me and say VIVA LA REVOLUTION you will get two free Flounder Revolution stickers with the cool logo you see at the bottom of this blog. I only have 50 to give out so find me quickly.
This is a family friendly event so feel free to bring kids of all ages. There will be something for everybody so drop by for awhile or stay all day.
Another June Entry
Justin Hawkins who won a replica for his big Sabine Roundup catch last fall and turned in a fish in April made another replica program entry. His fish, just over 20 inches was a whopping 10-inches wide. Congrats to Justin for his competitive spirit for continually working to catch fish to turn back. All of you competing are helping to change flounder history.
Justin Hawkins releasing his 20 plus inch fish.
Flounder are like largemouth bass in regards to diversity in body shape, size and color. This one is a whopping 10 inches across!
Deep marsh flounder
I wrote last week about the big numbers of flounder that have moved into the deep cuts in the interior of marshes. I found some this weekend and they were concentrated in large numbers on the edge of flats in the backwaters of marshes right on the edge of drop-offs to five and six feet of water on the high tides and then dropped off into the main channels as the tide fell. If you ever wonder why large numbers of flounder die after storm surges it is because they typically come in late summer/early fall before flounder start moving back into the mouths of cuts to stage for migration. They get trapped as the water/oxygen level plummets and die off.
The author with one of the flounder he caught Saturday.
I hope to see everyone at the Family Fishing Clinic Saturday. Looking forward to talking flatfish!
Always dream BIG!
Chester Moore
Founder
Flounder Revolution!
Revolution at Fishing Tackle Unlimited June 26
Greetings fellow flounder fanatics!
Got to spend a little time on the water today and caught a few flounder but all under-sized. Boat is on the mend so I was sticking to a bank hot spot I have and had no problem catching the little ones on a hot pink Bomber Saltwater Grade Mud Minnow tipped with shrimp. Going out with a friend in his boat Saturday and plan to catch some big ones. In fact we're targeting some replica-sized fish we know usually lurk in this one particular area in the summer. Should be fun.
Revolution at FTU June 26
Flounder Revolution will on hand all day at the Texas Fish & Game Family Fishing Clinic to be held 10 a.m.-6 p.m. June 26 at Fishing Tackle Unlimited 12800 Gulf Freeway in Houston. I will have some very interesting flounder artifacts on hand and will be glad to visit with anglers and answer any questions. The Flounder Revolution display is almost complete and it is something any flounder angler would want to see.
See a flounder skeletal structure and learn why hookset can be so hard, check out the original "pool cue" rod and see the progression of flounder conservation in Texas.
I will be hosting a seminar as well Bryan Treadway, Capt. Mike Holmes and David Abrego from Sea Center Texas. We're going to have numerous events for youth and family and would appreciate help. For more information call Fishing Tackle Unlimited at 281-481-6838. The seminar schedule is complete and I will post it Monday so check back.
Miller strikes again
Jantzen Miller, who in April turned in the largest fish ever entered in the Flounder Revolution project, just turned in another quality fish. At 20.125 inches it give us our only fish so far this month. To date in 2010 we've given out two replica (April and May) and will be giving one out this month either to Miller or someone who turns in a larger fish.
Jantzen Miller with his dark brown saddle blanket.
The beautiful fish released back to produce more of its kind.
Concern over Sabine project
There has been some concern over a wetlands enhancement project in Bridge City just north of Sabine Lake. This area is popular with flounder fishermen and some have expressed they work the work being done will kill off flounder. And while there could be a short-term, small-scale fish kill in the area, the long-term benefits are solid. This is from Jerry Mambretti Sabine Lake’s Ecosystem manager for the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department and here is what he had to say about the impact of those projects.
“The placement of these materials in the marsh areas of the Old River Unit of the Lower Neches WMA and the Salt Bayou Unit of JD Murphree WMA will enhance submerged soil elevations. Once the slurry settles and consolidates, it will improve current open marsh water areas by creating vast areas of marsh edge consisting of shoals and drainages where submerged and emergent vegetation will flourish.”
“This marsh edge will serve as essential environments, providing food and refuge, for estuarine organisms, both resident species and seasonal transient fauna. The inorganic silt material will cover organic soils, which will help stabilize the marshes for the long term and improve the structure of ecosystems’ habitat and ecology of the fish and invertebrate communities. In the end, these projects will result in more abundance and diversity of estuarine organisms in these areas for the long term.”
(NOTE: The monster flounder that got me excited about flounder to begin with was hooked, fought and lost just a few hundred yards from this project.)
Tech Tip
I often say "tides" are everything with flounder fishing but I may need to change that to "water movement is everything". I fish a spot that is dead when the tide goes slack. I mean D-E-A-D. However when a ship comes by and pulls water, the flounder bite picks up a few minutes. It is almost as if the water movement pushes some mysterious bite button on them. Think about areas near ship channels, especially canals, barge slips and other areas that flounder like to hang around. If you're out fishing and the tide is slack motor up to some of these spots when you see a big ship coming. Be careful of course it will hold enough water to keep you afloat. You might just be surprised how many flounder you can catch this way.
Always dream BIG!
Chester Moore
Monday Flounder Update: Angler gets replica of 10-pounder
Greetings fellow flounder fanatics!
It is going to be a busy summer for Flounder Revolution with lots of projects going on and plenty of positive things happening on behalf of our favorite sport fish.
Kudos to The Fish Mount Store
I got this email from Jantzen Miller who caught our April replica fish.
"Attached is a picture of me with the flounder replica. First off, I would like to give a special thanks to Ken Laudadio from the Fish Mount Store for making a truly superb replica of my personal best flounder. I already have a few skin mounts and to be completely honest, this replica blows them all away. I will definitely be recommending my friends to the Fish Mount Store."
Family Fishing Clinic June 26
Flounder Revolution will on hand all day at the Texas Fish & Game Family Fishing Clinic to be held 10 a.m.-6 p.m. June 26 at Fishing Tackle Unlimited in Houston. I will have some very interesting flounder artifacts on hand and will be glad to visit with anglers and answer any questions. I will also be hosting a seminar as well Bryan Treadway, Capt. Mike Holmes and David Abrego from Sea Center Texas. We're going to have numerous events for youth and family and would appreciate help. Anyone who would like to volunteer, e-mail me at cmoore@fishgame.com. We'll have full details on the event next week.
Tech Tip of the Week
I went out seeking flounder yesterday with my friend Patrick Washington and we caught a dozen fish, a couple were nice ones (although shy of the 20-inch replica level...dangit!).
This week's tech tip involves the fact these fish are starting to bunch up in the deepest cuts in the back of the marshes. A lot of anglers think flounder stop biting in the summer but the fact is the ones that are in the marsh areas move farther back. This is a reason why tropical storms that hit in earlySeptember tend to kill so many flounder as first came to my attention duringFrances back in 1998. The flounder get trapped in these backwater sort of areas and as theoxygen levels quickly deplete due to saltwater inundation and vegetation dyingthey do get to the main bay as quickly as reds and specks do.
We caught all of our fish yesterday far off the bay (in this case Sabine) and in the backwaters of the Louisiana marsh. If you are like me and you crave catching flounder in these areas, spend little time in the mouths of cuts and move back into the interior. Look for the very deepest cuts and for strong moving tides to produce the most action.
Always dream BIG!
Chester Moore
