Do you know your flounder?

Two species of flounder are regularly caught in North Carolina waters, and a third is caught on occasion.

The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries recognizes southern flounder (paralichthys lethostigma)and Gulf flounder, (paralichthys albigutta) on its Web site, and most biologists believe that summer flounder (paralichthys dentatus)represent a notable portion of North Carolina’s flounder catch, especially from New River northward.

All three species of flounder found in North Carolina waters are left-eyed — their eyes are on the left side of their bodies.

All North Carolina flounder have a flat, rounded body that can vary from almost black to very mottled on top, depending on the composition of the bottom where they are found; their bottom side is white.

Gulf flounder have three ocellated spots and summer flounder have five on their dark side; southern flounder do not.

Flounder are found in the nearshore ocean on rocky bottoms and artificial reefs and inshore ranging into tidal creeks, on sandy or muddy bottoms, oyster rocks, jetties and estuarine reefs.

Flounder feed on small fish, shrimp and crabs.

Gulf flounder are common up to about 2 pounds. Most southern flounder catches range from 15 to 18 inches, or a pound to 2, but some individuals have been documented as large as 33 inches.

Summer flounder may grow as large as 35 to 40 inches. The state-record flounder weighed 20 1/2 pounds and was caught in 1980 by Harold Auten at Carolina Beach.

The NCDMF citation program recognizes flounder weighing five pounds or more.

Flounder reach sexual maturity around age 2 and spawn offshore during the fall and winter. Post larval and juvenile fish move back into estuarine areas to find food and grow to spawning age.

Biologists have found that flounder tolerate captivity well, and there is ongoing research with flounder hatcheries, stocking flounder in estuaries and raising flounder in aquaculture projects for market.