Species profile
Summer Flounder
Paralichthys dentatus
Identify Summer Flounder (Paralichthys dentatus) from a photo — free, unlimited, no sign-up — with the CatchRules iPhone app. Plus current fishing rules across 18 jurisdictions.
At a glance
Summer Flounder (Paralichthys dentatus) is an IUCN Least Concern bony-fish species regulated in 20 of 66 jurisdictions tracked by CatchRules across the U.S. and Canada.
The strictest bag limit is 2 (New Jersey); the most generous is 25 (Oregon).
Across 14 jurisdictions with stated minimum sizes, the average minimum is 16.2 in (≈ 1 ft 4 in).
Confirmed by 1,271 research-grade iNaturalist observations, with New Jersey, New York, and Maryland the top jurisdictions by observation count.
Notable details
- Summer flounder, called fluke by many anglers, actively chase prey rather than waiting in ambush.
- They can rapidly shift skin color and pattern to match nearly any sandy or muddy substrate.
- Large individuals can exceed 20 pounds, though most caught by anglers weigh under 5 pounds.
- Their broad, tooth-lined mouths allow them to engulf surprisingly large prey fish.
- Each winter, summer flounder migrate offshore into deeper, warmer Atlantic waters.
Where Summer Flounder are seen
Jurisdictions with rules for Summer Flounder
Background
The summer flounder (Paralichthys dentatus) is a marine flatfish that is found in the Atlantic Ocean off the East coast of the United States and Canada. It is especially abundant in waters from North Carolina to Massachusetts.
Background excerpt adapted from Wikipedia's Summer Flounder article (CC BY-SA). Visit Wikipedia for the full entry.
Other bony fish on CatchRules
Frequently asked questions
What is Summer Flounder?
Summer Flounder (Paralichthys dentatus) is an IUCN Least Concern bony-fish species regulated in 20 of 66 jurisdictions tracked by CatchRules across the U.S. and Canada.
What is the scientific name for Summer Flounder?
Summer Flounder is Paralichthys dentatus.
Is Summer Flounder regulated for fishing?
Yes — Summer Flounder has fishing regulations in 18 U.S. states and/or Canadian provinces tracked by CatchRules. See the "Jurisdictions with rules" section above for the binding-source links.
How can I identify Summer Flounder?
Take a photo with the free CatchRules iPhone app — on-device identification recognizes Summer Flounder along with ~1,500 other species. No sign-up, unlimited use.
Photo credit: iNaturalist / Wikipedia. Identification reference only — verify regulations with the issuing wildlife agency before retaining a catch.