Delaware Fish Facts for The Recreational Angler

Four-Spot Flounder have eyes on the left side (yellowtail, witch, and winter flounder have their eyes on the right side).

They may vary in overall color from light brown to dark gray on top with four large and quite conspicuous black "eye-like" spots edged with a much lighter color. The belly is all white.

Illustration by H.L. Todd Illustration, Courtesy University of Washington Libraries

Season	Open Year-Round
Size Limit	No Size Limit
Daily Limit / Person	No Limit
Delaware Range	Atlantic Ocean
Abundance in Delaware Waters	Common
General Habitat and Food Preferences	Four-Spot Flounder are found in deeper water than most flounders, preferring water depths of at least 70 feet. They feed on small fishes and squids.
Did You Know?	Four-Spot Flounder, like most flounder, use camouflage and can change the color and pattern of their dark side to match the surrounding bottom.
Common Lures and Baits	Four-Spot Flounder are almost always caught accidentally by anglers fishing for other species such as black sea bass. Smaller weighted bucktails tipped with squid can be effective though Four-Spot Flounder are most often caught on bottom rigs with squid strips.
Typical Sizes Caught	In general, Four-Spot Flounder are caught by anglers in the range of 8 to 15 inches in length.
Citation Minimum Length and Weight	Live Release Award Adult: 25 inches minimum Youth (age 15 and under): 23 inches minimum Sport Fishing Tournament Award Adult: 7 pounds minimum Youth (age 15 and under): 5 pounds minimum Four-spotted flounder are eligible for the Delaware Sport Fishing Tournament and Live Release "Flounder" awards, but due to their smaller size, catching one large enough to qualify is unlikely. Four-spotted flounder are not currently eligible for an individual species awards.
Delaware State Record	17 pounds 15 ounces William Kendall 1974 Four-spotted flounder are eligible for the general "Flounder" record, but due to their smaller size, catching one large enough to qualify is unlikely. Four-spotted flounder are not currently eligible for an individual Delaware record.

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