Gulf flounderin North Carolina
Paralichthys albigutta
The rule in North Carolina
North Carolina’s own rule for Gulf flounder in state waters, out to 3 nautical miles.
FF-13-2026 allowed a Gulf-flounder-only hook-and-line window Mar 9-22 in ocean state waters south of Portsmouth Island; the standing 2026 season is FF-27-2026's Sep 1-14 for all flounder.
Counts toward an aggregate limit: Flounder (all species).
Measured as total length (TL): snout to the tip of the tail, with the tail lobes squeezed together.
NC DMF 2026· checked Closed
Mandatory harvest reporting
Every red drum, flounder, speckled trout, striped bass, or weakfish you keep in North Carolina waters must be reported to NC DMF — state law since Dec 1, 2025. Report as soon as the trip is over (the moment the boat reaches shore) in the NC DMF iPhone app or the online form; paper report cards are due by midnight the next day.
How to report · NC DMF · checked 2026-09-04
Often mistaken for, and their North Carolina rules
Keep the wrong fish and the rule that applies is the other one’s.
| Fish | Size | Bag | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gulf flounderThis page. | 15 in TL min | 1/day | Sep 1 - Sep 14, 2026 (plus Gulf-flounder-only ocean window Mar 9 - 22, 2026, now past) |
| Southern flounderNo eye-ringed spots at all.Tell them apart | 15 in TL min | 1/day | Sep 1 - Sep 14, 2026 |
| Summer flounderFive eye-ringed spots in an X.Tell them apart | 15 in TL min | 1/day | Sep 1 - Sep 14, 2026 |
North Carolina state record
7 lb 2 oz, Bogue Sound, 2011. NCDMF State Saltwater Records · checked 2026-08-22
How to tell it
Three ocellated (eye-ringed) spots in a triangle — two above, one below the lateral line — on a sandy left-facing flatfish. More on the Gulf flounder page: every state’s rule, the records, and how anglers catch it.
Gulf flounder in other states
In the app
Point the camera at a Gulf flounder in North Carolina and this rule is on the screen before you take the picture. No signal needed.
Get the appGulf flounder in North Carolina: the questions
What is the size limit for Gulf flounder in North Carolina?
15 in TL min. Measured as total length: snout to the tip of the tail, with the tail lobes squeezed together.
How many Gulf flounder can you keep in North Carolina?
1/day. It counts toward an aggregate: Flounder (all species).
When is Gulf flounder season in North Carolina?
Sep 1 - Sep 14, 2026 (plus Gulf-flounder-only ocean window Mar 9 - 22, 2026, now past). As of Sep 21, 2026 it is closed.
Do I have to report Gulf flounder in North Carolina?
Yes. Every red drum, flounder, speckled trout, striped bass, or weakfish you keep in North Carolina waters must be reported to NC DMF — state law since Dec 1, 2025. Report as soon as the trip is over (the moment the boat reaches shore) in the NC DMF iPhone app or the online form; paper report cards are due by midnight the next day.
What is the North Carolina record Gulf flounder?
7 lb 2 oz, Bogue Sound (2011).
How current is this North Carolina Gulf flounder rule?
Source: NC DMF 2026, last checked Sep 20, 2026. A watchman re-reads the agency's pages nightly. Rules change mid-season by proclamation; the official rulebook is the final word.