Flounder Guide — Grand Isle, LA

You want to hammer flounder around Grand Isle, you're looking at structure and tidal movement. The best bite happens two hours before high tide through two hours after. That's when they're moving off the deeper channels onto the flats hunting baitfish.

Focus on the bayou systems east of Grand Isle, particularly around the spoil banks off Barataria Pass. Those drop-offs are where flounder hold in deeper water, then push shallow on the rising tide. Work 6 to 12 feet of water with a soft plastic paddle tail rigged on 1/4 or 3/8-ounce jig heads depending on current. A Texas rig kit works too if you're hitting grass.

The pilings and structure around the old oil platforms in the back bays hold fish, but you need to time it right. Dead low tide, you're wasting fuel. Come in on the push, and those flounder are feeding hard.

Spring and fall give you the most consistent action, with water temps around 65 to 75 degrees. Summer gets slow midday. Hit it early morning or late afternoon when water temps spike. In the winter, you can catch them, but they're sluggish and concentrated deeper.

Drift the structure rather than anchoring. You'll cover more ground and feel the bottom better. Keep your inshore spinning rod and reel combo tip low and stay sensitive—flounder hit soft. Most bites feel like tapping, not a hard strike.

If you're already making the run to Grand Isle, the redfish fishing follows the same marsh grass edges and tidal structure. Worth working both species on the same trip.

Patience and boat positioning win more fish than gear on these flats.