Life Cycle Summer flounder spawn during their offshore migration, from late summer to midwinter. Larval flounder, which have body symmetry and eyes on both sides of their heads, more closely resemble the larvae of other fishes than do adult flounder. Upon reaching the estuaries, larval flounder undergo a metamorphosis to the post-larval stage. Juvenile summer flounder often live among eelgrass beds in the Chesapeake Bay. The Fishery Summer flounder are of major recreational and commercial importance north of Cape Hatteras.
Anglers catch summer flounder from the shore, piers and boats with hook and line.
The recreational catch far exceeds the commercial catch in the Bay and near-shore coastal waters. The lower Bay and seaside inlets produce the bulk of the recreational landings. Between 1979 and 1985, the combined recreational harvest in Maryland and Virginia averaged 5.5 million pounds per year. Ninety percent were taken from Virginia waters. Commercial landings in Virginia have historically been greater than those in Maryland.