Fluke style bait

[FCPhil]

I have never fished fluke style baits before and I’m thinking about trying them out. I’m looking for the smallest size fluke that can be cast reasonably well on a baitcaster when rigged weightless. 

 

I know a baitcaster is not ideal for weightless plastics but it’s all I got. Suggestions?

 

(I use a Abu Garcia black max reel)

[burrows]

I just got into flukes alot this year I only use the regular size zoom super fluke with a 4/0 weightless.  I usually jerk jerk pause, speed depends on the conditions. I would probably dead stick it this time of year with a jerk jerk after a minute or longer of letting it sit. I also use a bait caster with it.

[flatcreek]

A Zoom Super Fluke jr casts well for a small bait .You'll have to adjust the braking  and tension knob & play with it.Important to insert the hook point dead center and out about 1/4 inch from the head and strait on the hook bend out it's back dead center or they won't run true for you.You want the bait to dart not turn in circles on th retrieve.A barrel swivel with a short leader works well. About 12 in to 18 in leader

[crypt]

I use Bass Assassin 5' Shads on bait casting tackle and use no weight at all. can cast these a mile using 15 lb. big game mono.

[JustJames]

you should have no problem casting any 5" fluke with your black max, the real question is your rod. M power with soft tip would get you a pretty good distance. 5" Fluke should weight close to 3/8, think Senko. I think the heaviest of all Fluke is Yamamoto D-shad, but I would start with Zoom super Fluke in white/pearl since it available everywhere.

[NHBull]

White and pearl  is all you need and they are very cast blend.

When wanting to run it a couple feet down, I add a small swivel 18 inches up the line, it also adds to castability

[Bankbeater]

I use a 6’6” mh/f with a revo to fish flukes weightless. JustJames is right. The fluke casts out like a senko. They’re heavier than they look. 

[Sifuedition]

I have a Black Max myself. I have 15 lb hybrid line on it and I can cast a weightless Zoom Super Fluke a long ways. Dial in the brakes on the reel and it will not have a problem with a typical 5" fluke. I've caught 1 lb dinks on them, so, you likely don't need to go smaller, but, based on how far I can throw a 5", I would think you could go smaller and be ok if you wanted to.

[OkobojiEagle]

On 12/26/2017 at 2:14 PM, FCPhil said:

I have never fished fluke style baits before and I’m thinking about trying them out. I’m looking for the smallest size fluke that can be cast reasonably well on a baitcaster when rigged weightless. 

 

I know a baitcaster is not ideal for weightless plastics but it’s all I got. Suggestions?

 

(I use a Abu Garcia black max reel)

I've fished the 4" Caffeine Shad with a limber casting rod, but the hook sets were not as firm as when using a stiffer spinning rod.  Expanding your tool box to include a spinning combo will benefit your fishing.

 

oe

[fishwizzard]

Zoom Super - .285oz, or around 1/4 to 5/16

 

Yammie D-Shad - .358oz, or around 5/16 to 3/8

 

The SK one who's name I forget - .424oz, or just under 7/16

 

5" Senko - .345oz, or around 5/16 to 3/8

 

 

[N Florida Mike]

I use spinning primarily , but have used flukes with bait casters. Zoom super flukes will cast fine with your gear.

I Texas rig them and use no weight. I use a 3/0 wide angle gamakatsu hook.

I catch most of my fish just throwing it out and letting it sink.Let it sit for 20 seconds or more. If they don't want it that way , after letting it sit , twitch twice and pause and repeat.

I use primarily watermelon colors but have others in my fluke box. 

[moguy1973]

I just started using Big Bite Bait's 5" Jerk Minnow and I really like the action the tail gives it.  The tail is a little different than the Super Flukes and it gives the bait a little shimmy as it sinks when texas rigged weightless.  Got lots of bites on pearl colored ones last time out...

[Dorado]

12 hours ago, N Florida Mike said:

I use spinning primarily , but have used flukes with bait casters. Zoom super flukes will cast fine with your gear.

I Texas rig them and use no weight. I use a 3/0 wide angle gamakatsu hook.

I catch most of my fish just throwing it out and letting it sink.Let it sit for 20 seconds or more. If they don't want it that way , after letting it sit , twitch twice and pause and repeat.

I use primarily watermelon colors but have others in my fluke box. 

Good tips. Do you twitch in an upward stroke or to the side? What’s your favorite time of the year to fish these weightless flukes?

[Catt]

Zoom makes a 3" Tiny Fluke & 3" Swim Fluke. I throw both on bait casters.

 

Watermelon Neon ?

12 hours ago, N Florida Mike said:

I use spinning primarily , but have used flukes with bait casters. Zoom super flukes will cast fine with your gear.

I Texas rig them and use no weight. I use a 3/0 wide angle gamakatsu hook.

I catch most of my fish just throwing it out and letting it sink.Let it sit for 20 seconds or more. If they don't want it that way , after letting it sit , twitch twice and pause and repeat.

I use primarily watermelon colors but have others in my fluke box. 

 

Same here!

[N Florida Mike]

17 minutes ago, Dorado said:

Good tips. Do you twitch in an upward stroke or to the side? What’s your favorite time of the year to fish these weightless flukes?

Usually to the side. It has a tendency to go upward even with a sideways twitch. I also occasionally catch one just reeling it in across vegetation.

I fish them all year but I probably use them more from spring to early fall.

[TOXIC]

I throw a Yamamoto DShad a LOT.  It is one of my go to baits.  I have rigged it many different ways but weightless is the most deadly for me.  Depending on how I want the bait to act, the key is where you insert the hook in the nose for a weightless Texas Rigged bait.  Straight in the center will give you a flat level fall. to the top and the bait will dive when you twitch it, to the bottom and the bait will climb on the twitch.  Likewise left or right of center will move the bait sideways.  There are a lot of minor adjustments inbetween those that I mentioned that will dictate the baits movement.  Although spinning is my preferred gear, you should be able to cast a DShad with a properly set up baitcaster.  

[Primus]

    I use both Zoom Super Fluke and Strike King Caffiene Shad and the both are easy to cast with bait casting reels especially the Caffiene Shad as it's a little heavier. I see no need to use the smaller versions of these baits as the regular size versions of both of these baits catch numbers of fish. 

 

   I tend to fish the Caffiene Shad more in shallow grass very fast with a combination of twitches and even swimming it in a stop and go retrieve or a combination of both. I have braid tied on when I do this .

 

  I usually throw the Super Fluke Jr. on 12 lb Florocarbon and will twitch the bait more and generally pause it longer depending on the activity level of the fish. Sometimes dead sticking it works well.

 

   The Zoom bait seems to glide more than the Strike King , that said the Strike King has that whippy tail and I prefer when I want to fish it faster.