Flatfish are a common catch in both the US and the UK.

Pretty much all our favorite Flatfish are technically Flounder, but most of them go by another name.

Do you catch any of them regularly? This brings us on to a very important point: Just because a fish is flat, that doesn’t automatically make it a Flatfish. It also has a pronounced ‘hump’ or ‘bulge’ in its lateral line above the pectoral fin…, The eyes of a dab are larger in proportion to its head compared to its flatfish cousins…, The underside is almost all opaque with a more solid white patch where its intestinal cavity is….

© 2019 FishingBooker.com. Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License; A European species of flatfish having dull brown colouring with reddish-brown blotches; fluke, European flounder, . The easiest characteristic to tell a dab from its cousins is its rough skin when rubbed from its tail to head, when rubbed from its head to tail it feels smooth like other flatfish….

Sole are easy to recognize, thanks to their long body and small head. California Flounder is often called “Halibut” because it’s a similar shape. Plaice can be identified by their conspicuous vivid orange or red spots. Though the majority of fish are easy to recognize, fish from two distantly related flounder families may cause confusion. Three of the commonest flatfish found in UK waters are the Plaice, the Flounder and the Dab.

Chips shops and fishmongers around the country are full of different Flatfish.

The fish have a sweet, soft texture that is uncommonly moist and mild. Pingback: Middle Docks - Page 2 - North East Sea Angling : NESA : Sea Fishing Forums, Pingback: Blyth Pier 3/12 - North East Sea Angling : NESA : Sea Fishing Forums, Pingback: hampton live - Page 2- World Sea Fishing Forums | Sea Angling and Sea Fishing Online | Fishing Reports, Pingback: Nice morning at hebburn - North East Sea Angling : NESA : Sea Fishing Forums, Pingback: Brighton Marina East Arm - 07/04/2013- World Sea Fishing Forums | Sea Angling and Sea Fishing Online | Fishing Reports, Pingback: Debated whether to bother or not.... - Page 2- World Sea Fishing Forums | Sea Angling and Sea Fishing Online | Fishing Reports, We have some exciting news from Gerrys of Morecambe as we are proud to welcome Read more →, It’s been a while since we have posted a blog as we have had lots Read more →. Occasionally anglers get the identification of these closely related species confused with one another.

Simple so far? Sole and flounder are effective substitutes for turbot, brill, dab and plaice. The group doesn’t include Rays, Skates, Monkfish, or other squashed-looking species. The most popular ones are Summer Flounder (Fluke), Winter Flounder (American Lemon Sole), and Southern Flounder. “Flatfish” is a catch-all name for more than 700 different species of fish. Because of this, they’re perfectly designed for a life on the bottom.

Plaice have a bony ridge on their heads, Flounder don’t. This fish lives on both sides of the Atlantic, and goes by the name “Rough Dab” in Europe.

They are also more closely related to the dab than the Dover sole. Neither of them are the same as their American counterparts, and some British anglers even see American Soles as fakes of their favorite foods. Flounder: All You Need to Know, Albacore vs. Yellowfin Tuna: An Easy Guide. Sand dab—even the name sounds cute. One eye “migrates” across their head and their mouth twists to the side. Despite this, Flounder often gets mixed up with European Plaice.

Oh, and if you’re not sure what you’ve caught, chances are it’s technically a Flounder. Reading both parts will give you the clearest picture of how the family fits together, though. Either way, it’s not pretty. Three of the commonest flatfish found in UK waters are the Plaice, the Flounder and the Dab.

Keep reading. Dover Sole gets its name from the southern port town of Dover, and it’s most common in the South of England, but both these fish show up all around Britain. Newborn flounder have eyes on both sides, but within days, the left eye migrates to the right side. There are also a couple of fish on the East Coast that people call “Sole,” namely Winter Flounder (“Lemon Sole,” but a different species to European Lemon Sole), and Witch Flounder (which sometimes goes by “Grey Sole”). If there’s one thing you can take away from all this, it’s that the names of Flatfish often have very little to do with the species themselves. It has a large broad flat edged tail and the underside is solid white in appearance. You can recognize Flounder by their long body and wide dorsal fins which give them a diamond shape when they’re extended but fold flat against their sides. On the Pacific Coast, they include English, Petrale, Curlfin, and Pacific Dover Sole (not the same as European Dover Sole). More on that below.

Occasionally anglers get the identification of these closely related species confused with one another. It’s important to note that half the time these names don’t follow any kind of scientific classification.

The Flounder is smooth all over, apart from when its lateral line is rubbed from tail to head which will feel rough. However, there are distinguishing characteristics which when added to the anglers knowledge base, and with a bit of practice, can make identification that bit easier. All of these are Flounders. Turbot numbers are decreasing and the species as a whole is vulnerable to extinction, according to the IUNC. With that in mind, we’re diving into the muddy waters of these piscine pancakes to cut through the jargon and explain what’s what. © 2020 Angling Addicts – Sea Fishing Forum - Sea Fishing Reports. It lives in much shallower water, so it’s easier to get to. There’s also the fact that they weren’t named at random by European settlers based on what they vaguely looked like.

Flatfish start out round, but as they grow, their body starts to flatten out. It’s body shape is also longer and more elongated in comparison to the Plaice and Dab….. Its head lacks the conspicuous bony ridge behind the eye of the Plaice. It also means that you sometimes find other fish sold as Turbot in less reputable restaurants. Alaska Plaice aren’t a huge target commercially and you won’t normally find them for sale unless you live on the North Pacific coast. If you’re buying Sole in a shop or a fish market, it’s most likely Pacific Dover Sole or American Lemon Sole, depending on where you live. Speaking of Plaice, these are one of the most popular Flatfish to eat in the UK. Some, like Dab, have become common on British menus since more prestigious fish grew scarce. It only refers to the wide family of fish with two eyes on one side of their face.

The bony ridge behind the eyes, seen here clearly in this photo, is another characteristic for Plaice…. It’s important to note that half the time these names don’t follow any kind of scientific classification. Here are the most common species. The Plaice is smooth all over no matter which way you rub it, it has a bony ridge on its head behind the eyes which follow the line of its lateral line, it has vivid orange spots and the herringbone pattern on its underside. There’s also a species in the Pacific called Alaska Plaice.

On the West Coast, you also have Starry Flounder and California Flounder. Halibut and Flounder: a Slice of Fishy Perfection. Most species of flounder and sole have both eyes on their right side. As well as the commercial harvest, they’re a favorite among British sea anglers. Their dabbled skin changes color to match their surroundings and their white underside makes them invisible from below if they ever leave their muddy home.

Dover Sole is a much more important fish, both commercially and recreationally. Most North American Flounders live along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts. Lemon sole have very small mouths and are rarely caught on hook and line.

The easiest way to identify Plaice is by their signature orange spots. It is dull in colour and the occasional spots will be a dull red. A fish of the order Pleuronectiformes, the adults of which have both eyes on one side and usually swim with the other side down, such as a flounder, a halibut, or a sole. This article will give you a basic rundown of the most popular Flatfish in North America and in Britain. These fish feature prominently in French cuisine, and Scandinavians frequently smoke and dry them.

Now that you know the basics, it’s time to tackle the specific species you can find in North America.

We’ve covered these three in more detail here. The group includes Flounder, Halibut, Sole, Plaice, Dab, Turbot, and more. If you want our advice, stick to other Flatfish species that cost half as much and aren’t nearly as overfished. There’s only one fish in the UK called Flounder – European Flounder. To top it all off, their whole head is twisted sideways.

Halibut and Flounder are two of the country’s favorite fish. They live on the bottom, their faces are the stuff of nightmares, and they taste absolutely delicious.

How to clean and service your Abu 6500 reel, Winter Fishing – Cod season Tactics and Advice, Drop Rig – Make your own Pulley Drop bolt rigs, Making your own Sea Fishing Rigs – Pulley Rig, Middle Docks - Page 2 - North East Sea Angling : NESA : Sea Fishing Forums, Blyth Pier 3/12 - North East Sea Angling : NESA : Sea Fishing Forums, hampton live - Page 2- World Sea Fishing Forums | Sea Angling and Sea Fishing Online | Fishing Reports, Nice morning at hebburn - North East Sea Angling : NESA : Sea Fishing Forums, Brighton Marina East Arm - 07/04/2013- World Sea Fishing Forums | Sea Angling and Sea Fishing Online | Fishing Reports, Debated whether to bother or not.... - Page 2- World Sea Fishing Forums | Sea Angling and Sea Fishing Online | Fishing Reports, FLY TYING – The Damsel Fly Nymph | TAFishing, Insane!! There are a couple of other small members of … Pike Fishing with Lures ft. Kanalgratis.se | TAFishing, Dropshotting – How to make your own dropshot weight – TAFishing. You can also learn a little about how the family fits together – what makes a “flat fish” a Flatfish, so to speak. If you’re on the East Coast, Flounder is often a better choice just because it doesn’t have to come all the way from Alaska. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License; additional terms may apply. What’s more, one man’s Sole is another man’s Flounder, and the names of Flatfish are often different in the ocean and on your plate. What are your favorite types of Flatfish? This article was posted by the Angling Addicts Admin on behalf of the original author. And of course, there are some species, like Atlantic Halibut, which you can still buy but which are tragically endangered in the wild. There are a dozen more Flatfish names in North America. Flatfish spend their lives lying on the seafloor waiting for a meal to swim their way. Two of them live in North America, the most common of which is American Plaice.

So much so, that they have earned the nickname “King of Fish.” This makes Turbot a favorite for both commercial and recreational fishers. The fact that it’s not a Turbot either didn’t seem to matter.

See Wiktionary Terms of Use for details. Some are the same in both countries, but many of them aren’t. They’re a different family to European Soles, although the most popular ones are named after species in Britain. If you want specifics on the difference between Halibut and Flounder, we’ve gone into more detail here.

It’s easy to get confused by the different types of Flatfish. With a vast variety of fish in the oceans, it is always a curiosity among fishermen regarding what they will catch next. It has a pronounced bulge in its lateral line and has large eyes in proportion to its head. All rights reserved. Its colour ranges from dull brown to almost dull mottled green with occasionally muted red spots apparent. If it has to be Halibut, make sure it’s Alaskan Halibut, as these guys are much more sustainably managed. They also have rounded dorsal fins, and have a clearly defined head like Flounder. Whatever you call them, all Flatfish have a few things in common.