The smaller inlets that can be fished by anchoring and casting are also good places to target for trolling. If you can pinpoint the action, then set up and cast to the fish. That will often enable you to be more effective.

In addition, the edge lines of creeks and rivers, especially where there are some irregular features along the way, or junctions with creek channels, can produce good trolling action. Trolling is very productive because you can cover a lot of potentially productive water and, of course, you're keeping the bait in motion while you're doing it. Flounder are primarily ambush feeders because they lie on the bottom and feed on bait as it moves past. It's a perfect scenario for flounder catching.

Another very productive flounder fishing spot (and one that is prime for big doormat-sized flounder) is a jetty. Again, jetties are found at the mouths of the larger harbors along the coastline and offer large areas of prime fishing. Both the Georgetown and Charleston areas have excellent flounder fishing along the jetties.

Typically, flounder fishermen will anchor their boats along the jetties, far enough out so they primarily work the areas right at the base of the rocks. This is the prime ambush point flounder seem to prefer. According to Peter Brown, this gives the flounder a specific spot to relate to and one where they can forage on baitfish moving along the bottom of the rocks.

"I work these areas very thoroughly and when I move, I usually move only a small distance and begin casting again," he said.

Both live bait and jigs work well in this situation. Captain Brown notes that using the jighead tipped with a live bait offering produces a lot of bites and provides the attraction of using artificial lures with the effectiveness of live bait, which many anglers prefer.

"Sometimes the jighead and grub are all you need, but sometimes, flounder can be a bit more selective and when they are, you can improve your odds by using some live bait on the back of the jig. Fishing along the jetties is a perfect place for the combination of live and artificial baits," Brown explained.

In addition to big flounder, it's not unusual to catch a variety of species while fishing in this manner, including redfish, trout and sheepshead.

I've also fished with anglers who catch flounder from the shoreline. The key here is to fish from a place where you can reach a channel or a deeper stretch of water. Having a good tidal current is a critical factor in your catch rate. Since your mobility is limited in this kind of fishing, you'll need to cast the rig to the edge line and allow the tide current to pull the bait along. Simply work the rig along the edge, reel it in and repeat the process.

The commercial fishing piers along the coast also produce flounder at this time of the year. If you don't have a boat, this can be a good place to hook into some flounder and other saltwater fish. The pier operators and veteran anglers on the piers are usually very helpful in providing tips on how to specifically rig for flounder. Basically, and not too surprisingly, you'll be fishing a live bait on the bottom.