Flounder is one of the tastiest fish in the ocean. The flesh is white and flaky, and it has a mild taste. It's also low in fat and high in protein. You can buy the fish at the market, but why not catch your own? It's fun, and with a little practice, it's easy, too!

Flounder, also called "fluke," is a flat fish with both eyes on one side of its head. They begin life as normal fish, but then one eye gradually migrates to the other side. They're definitely not the most attractive fish in the sea - until you fillet them and serve them for a meal!

To catch fluke or flounder, you'll need a medium-action rod and a reel loaded with 15-20 pound test line. Many anglers will tell you to use lighter tackle, but after I lost a few big doormat flounder, I go prepared now. Some of these flatfish have a knack for wrapping your line around a pier piling. Attach a two-foot length of wire leader to keep the fish's sharp teeth from biting through the line. You'll also need a sliding egg sinker. The weight of the sinker depends on how strong the current is where you'll be fishing. You want to be able to keep the bait on or near the bottom. Tip the leader with a round flounder hook. These circle hooks hook the fish in the jaw and help avoid losing fish. Also, they generally keep the fish from swallowing the hook, so if you catch a flounder that's too small to keep, you can release it unharmed.

For bait, use live shrimp, live mud minnows, finger mullet, or just about any small live fish. Keep live bait fresh and lively by using an insulated bait bucket with an aerator. Use a small aquarium net to retrieve a shrimp or minnow from the bucket. Hook shrimp through the horn. Minnows should be hooked through the lips.

Artificial baits are often good choices, too. One of the best is a leadhead jig. Try a red head with a white grub body. If you don't get any strikes, try a different color grub.

For proper technique, you need to understand how a flounder eats. They don't actively pursue bait like some predators. Instead, they lie on the bottom and cover themselves with sand in order to camouflage themselves. Then they wait to ambush any passing prey. Once they catch it, they might hold it in their mouths and swim to another location to dine.

Flounder like structure. Toss your bait around pier pilings, jetties, bridge supports, or rocks. Retrieve your bait slowly, dragging it along the bottom. When you feel a strike, don't try to set the hook immediately. Wait to be sure the fish has the bait. The circle hook usually sets itself. Allow the flounder to remain under water until you can net it so that it won't panic and put up a frenzied fight to escape.

Or...there's the easy way - the lazy man's (or woman's) way. It's my preferred method, actually. Just place a live shrimp or live minnow on your hook and cast it under the pier. Reel in any slack in your line, and place your rod in a rod holder. If the pier rail doesn't have a rod holder, tie your rod to the pier with some stout cord. Now comes the important part: Sit down and get comfortable. Have a nice cold drink. Chat with a pal or make a new friend. Every once in a while, lightly test your line with a finger without disturbing your rod.

Many times, you'll feel a flounder on the other end of your line. Reel itin slowly and lift the flatfish from the water with a drop net. Clean it, batter it, and fry it. Or if you prefer, blacken it, broil it, or stuff it with crabmeat and bake it. It's almost impossible to mess up the wonderful taste.

I've caught more flounder using the lazy method than by any other means...of course, I've spent a lot more time using that particular strategy. Hmmm...could be the reason.