Help! Flounder Advice for my Thesis

[Pomatomus]

Hey, I'm new to saltwater fishing forums and I was wondering if I could get some advice on finding gulf flounder (Paralichthys albigutta) in the Sarasota/Bradenton area. I need about 20 specimens 6"-12" for my undergraduate thesis at the New College of Florida. I have a lot of fishing experience and can fly-fish as well, so I can understand details. I have a FMSEA collector's permit which lets me use cast nets and seine nets too (if those are of any use). Thanks for the help!

[Pomatomus]

Bump

[Feeding Frenzy]

For flounder that small, I would start in Sarasota Bay. Try looking around the artificial reefs and the numerous grass flats. The GPS coordinates for sarasota's Reef Program is online. You can use the nets, or simply use small pieces of shrimp on very light line, with small hooks. You may even be able to dive on these reefs and capture them with a net like the ones used for lobstering. I would start searching the sandy areas away from the actual reef, then work your way in.
In the Fall, Oct/Nov, the Flounder will move out into the Gulf and be fairly plentiful on the Mid-Range reefs and grassy areas.

Hope this helps

[Pomatomus]

Thanks. The way it's been going I will take any size I can get. I'm going to try around Lido beach again since it's nice and sandy and the inlet has grass flats. If you could be specific about locations it would be much appreciated. For now I am going to try plan B which is to convince a local educational trawler boat to let me tag along and collect specimens.

[Jack Hexter]

Find a bait shrimper and ask to go for the ride some night. They catch a lot of smaller flounder as by-catch Probably not as many or as much by-catch as a commercial food shrimper, but they catch their share.