Q.Inshore Migration Timing
What is the fall flounder run and when does it happen?
A.
The fall flounder run is the migration of summer flounder from inshore bays and sounds out to ocean wintering grounds, typically peaking in October across the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast. Flounder stack heavily at inlet mouths and along channel edges during the migration, creating the year's most concentrated fishing.
Migration timing is temperature-driven — when inland water cools below 65°F, flounder move toward inlets. The run can extend from late September into early November depending on the year's cooling pattern. State migration calendar pages cover specific timing.