Flukes

[Trickerie]

First, I want to say I've been having amazing luck with flukes in the last 2 weeks. Not only am I catching fish regularly, but they are of nice size as well!

I've been using zoom super flukes, and of course, am pretty happy with them. I was wondering, though, does it get any better? Are there any other flukes out there with even a little better action? For example, i recently read an article about the caffeine shad by strike king. I'm just looking for input, because my next bait order will include some new flukes for sure!

Finally, is there a way to rig the fluke so it doesn't tear so easily? I'm using a 4/0 on the super fluke, and after every hook set, the nose of the fluke tears right in half because of the hook shank pulling through it. Any advice? Only thing I can think of is trying screw locks.

[BASSclary]

The bait might be too stretched in between the bend of the hook and where it penetrates that plastic if that makes sense. I dont want it tight, nor squished on the hook. Just more like the hook being there.

And the Caffeine shad is a good option when I want more of a senko type approach with a fluke, but the ole Super Fluke is still tried and true, and what I go for most of the time.

[slonezp]

I'm a fan of Yum Houdini Shad

[Trickerie]

 

On 4/8/2012 at 7:38 PM, BASSclary said:

The bait might be too stretched in between the bend of the hook and where it penetrates that plastic if that makes sense. I dont want it tight, nor squished on the hook. Just more like the hook being there.

The way I hook it is so that its texposed, but with no limp or pulling. What happens, is on hook set the offset bend of the shank tears through the plastic on the nose of the fluke, and the bait goes up the line. Am I doing something wrong?

[mr.mallard]

i agree with bass clary. I am a fluke lover, especially in the spring around wood and grass. tried the caffine shad and was indifferent. defiantely not a fluke like bait, to me it should be fished more like a senko type worm. doesnt glide through grass or the water as well.. stay with the zoom super flukes. ive tried others. but keep coming back, for a reason

[HookSetDon]

do you just fish it like a jerkbait? ive never picked up a fluke before

[BASSclary]

Haha, sweet! I always watch your videos. Looking forward to this one.

The way I hook it is so that its texposed, but with no limp or pulling. What happens, is on hook set the offset bend of the shank tears through the plastic on the nose of the fluke, and the bait goes up the line. Am I doing something wrong?

Is the fluke just simply sliding up the line? Or is it ripping off completely and flying somewhere. If it's just sliding up the line that's normal and perfectly fine. If you want to keep it down there I'd suggest picking up a hook with a bait keeper on it, like the Mustad KVD Grip Pin Soft Plastic hooks.

do you just fish it like a jerkbait? ive never picked up a fluke before

Yep, its a soft plastic jerkbait so you fish it almost very similar to a regular jerkbait. I usually start with rythmic twitches and then adjust to find out what they're keying in on

[Trickerie]

Is the fluke just simply sliding up the line? Or is it ripping off completely and flying somewhere. If it's just sliding up the line that's normal and perfectly fine. If you want to keep it down there I'd suggest picking up a hook with a bait keeper on it, like the Mustad KVD Grip Pin Soft Plastic hooks.

Yep, its a soft plastic jerkbait so you fish it almost very similar to a regular jerkbait. I usually start with rythmic twitches and then adjust to find out what they're keying in on

Its sliding up the line, but in the process, the offset bend is splitting the nose :/

[dumfish]

Try the skip gap hook, works great for me. I also like the houdini shad by Yum, it has more action.

[hatrix]

Screw lock hooks and Mend It work wonder for making plastics last longer. The only time I dont use a screw look any more is when im trying to fish it top water. Then I switch to a plain thin wire hook.

[bama_bassin]

I like to stick with zoom super flukes. Tried others like some on here and keep coming back to these. As far as the hook tearing up the bait, try rigging it up a little higher on your line. I usually push mine a little ways past the line tie. I can usually get 5-7 fish per fluke. Sometimes more.

However, with braid it seems i tear them up a little quicker than with mono.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

Try just nose-hooking them

[Raul]

I prefer BassAssassin´s Shad Assassin over Zoom Flukes, I feel they have better action.

[nubasser]

Try the GAMBLER FLAP'N Shad, action is great on them.

[hookset on 3]

Try these screw on soft plastic head cases by Paycheck Baits. I've been using them for years and haven't had any problems.

I like them for weightless flukes, swim senkos etc.

[.Paxamus.]

Ok here is my little secret to keeping plastics on the hook

Parasite Worm Clips, you can find them at http://www.basspro.com/Parasite-Worm-Weight-Clips/product/93400/40187

I use these on worms, flukes, lizards, everything except straight shank flipping hooks. I never use a fluke without them. You will also notice the hook up ratio improve because the large plastic of a fluke cannot slide down into the gap.

They are cheap and use the medium or large size for the fluke! Good luck.

[Trickerie]

Picked up some caffeine shads in KVD magic today, as well as some g-lock and skip gap hooks. So far so good. Caught a dink on the shad and the g-lock tends to hold the bait better from what I've seen so far.

[gr8outdoorz]

I use caffeine shads and Yamamoto D-Shads for staying down in the water column and sluggo's and flukes on top. I have found Ultra Lock hooks geat me a couple more fish per bait on average than offset ones.

[iceintheveins]

Flukes are tried and true and just flat out work. I also like Sluggos and Bass Assassins as well. If you are having troubles with the bait sliding down the hook, pick up some parasite clips from parasiteweights.com. They are just flat out great products. Mend it is an awesome thing to have too.

Sluggos don't cast as well or sink as well as the fluke, but they have a good wiggle and are great when a shallower presentation is needed.

[Bankbeater]

Last year was the first year that I really fished a fluke on a regular basis. I used them in, and around, grass and weeds and had very good results. I also discovered that turtles would hit them and bite the bait in half.

[AvidAngler]

ive definitely also had mad luck with flukes lately. i used to write them off because all the rage was always about worms, but i have no idea why people don't fish flukes more often. i always twitch it and just let it die basically like 2-3 times then if i don't get a hit i pick it up and throw in a new area. works wonders and i always get a hit within the first or second twitch. it makes me want to try money minnows and more things like that though, ive had the least amount of luck with hardbaits most of all.

[Greed]

IceintheVeins beat me too it. Grab some parasite clips for your weightless plastics.

[clayton86]

I use the skip gap hooks for 99% of my plastics. Do like DVT said just nose hook it I started this this past season and all I can say is OMG! action is incredible and I was seriously turning days where I was gonna get skunked to almost every cast a fish. I use the Jackall iShad jig heads for it I used there iShad soft "fluke" like bait had really good results till I ran out then i switched to the mini or baby super flukes i dont remember the exact name but the little ones nose hooked it and had even better results. id either twitch and reel with pauses or times id just pitch it into a hole and let it sink count to 10 and reel in the fish I can honestly say it worked 100% the time it was my go to last year. Then I saw bassresources double fluke video and all hell broke loose lol. Also try rigging it tex posed weightless on 12-16" leader/trailer tied to a swim jig or any jig for that mater.

[200racing]

superglue. rig you bait up up like you want. then slide the nose down add a few drops and put it back.

[BobP]

I've not seen any that worked better than Zoom's. I use a 3/0 EWG Gamakatsu hook, no weight. An oil based attractant (I like Kickin' Bass) will stop most of the tear-ups - the fluke will usually just slip right up onto the line without damage. As far as how to fish it, I catch more largemouth by dead sticking than any other retrieve.