One of the biggest mysteries of the sea (or maybe just to me) is how to tell the difference between winter flounder, summer flounder and fluke. To solve one question, summer flounder and fluke are the same fish. Summer flounder are found in coastal waters from the southern Gulf of Maine to Florida. The Summer flounder, like other species of flatfish have both eyes on one side of its head. Fluke (aka summer flounder) are considered left-handed because both eyes are on the left side of the fish. To clarify, look at the fish as a whole with the dorsal fin ("back-bone"on top. To figure out which side is left or right, imagine the flounder turned on edge like a regular fish with its eyes above the mouth. If the fish has eyes on the left side of the body it is a summer flounder. If the eyes are on the right side, it is a winter flounder.The fish pictured above is a winter flounder we took a picture of at Ft. Wetherill, RI.
