The Brackish Water Flat Fish

The freshwater flounder is not actually a flounder at all but belongs to the sole family of fish, commonly misidentified due to its close similarities with flounder fish such as a round, flattened body and eye that migrates to one side so they are both on top. In fact, the actual name of this small sized animal is hogchoker sole, named from the days when coastal fishermen would discard them from their catch onto the beach as they were too bony to eat and would then be eaten by the wild hogs. They are found along the Atlantic coast of North America from the state of Massachusetts to the country of Panama.

Not only is the common name misleading in the fact that it is not a true flounder, it is also not a completely freshwater species either. They start their lives in the ocean where they are born, then swim upstream to live most their lives in fresh or brackish water, finally swimming back out to the ocean as adults to spawn and finish out their lives. Theys seem to prefer brackish water as they are very abundant in estuaries and bays along the eastern shores of the United States. If you want to go diving with hogchokers, click on the map below and find out where you can dive with these animals today.