Advice on flukes and on bullet weights.

[Sharkicane]

Hello BR, 

 

I want to get a better understanding of flukes and on bullet weights more specifically what size and why. 

 

To start with on the matter of flukes, I am still learning how to fish them so there is a good chance my technique just plain sucks. Also my color selection is pretty limited I have got green pumpkin and some watermelon ones on the way. The place I fish is pretty pressured and clear as I have mentioned in previous posts.

 

I really like using flukes cause I can fish it a bit quicker (although I have yet to get a good bite on one just yet). Right now I just have zoom super salty flukes I texas rig them and fish them weightless(I have some warning shots ordered not sure if those are in "fluke" category or not). What other fluke style baits/colors would you use in clear all the way to stained/muddy water? Do you rig them any differently or is weightless texas rig pretty much the way to go? Do you fish them in thick/dense weeds/grass?

 

Now on to bullet weights, after reading some posts I have come to the conclusion I might be using to much weight when I texas rig with a bullet weight(I use a 1/4). I see a lot of people like 1/16th, 3/16th, and 1/8th how do you decide which one to use? What soft plastics are good with bullet weights and which one are not? 

[keltonz]

Flukes are probably my #1 confidence bait as long as the water isn't absolutely chocolate milk. They do a lot of things well for a soft plastic.

 

My two top colors are Sungill (which I don't think is a regular color for Zoom) and Albino - basically a bluegill color and a shad color. On the Sungill I often dip the tail in chartreuse. I use both in clear to stained water, but don't tend to use them much in muddy water. I occasionally use a weight if I want to fish them in 10'+ deep water, but far more often I fish them weightless in water <10'. They are great in thick vegetation, as long as you keep that hook buried. I actually strongly prefer them in vegetation.

 

Weight really depends on the speed and depth you want to fish. 1/4th, for a fluke, is on the heavy side for me. I want to fish it slow and shallow, so I would go with 1/8th. Since it's imitating a baitfish, I want it throughout the water column. Weights are probably best on stuff you want to imitate on the bottom - crawfish style and worms.

[Catt]

ROF: Rate of Fall

 

With Texas Rigs & Jig-n-Craws ROF is the determining factor in weight selection.

 

The bass may want a slow fall or they may want a fast fall. I've caught em 10' of water throwing a 1 oz jig...the jig never hit bottom. I've caught in 20' of water on a 3/16 oz Texas Rig.

 

[All Day Fishing]

are you using a bullet weight with your fluke? that would be good to get to the bottom as you can even drag the fluke.  I would use a weighted hook if not weightless, works great for me when trying to get a little deeper.  Weighted hooks still allow for great action when jerking the bait.

[Sharkicane]

25 minutes ago, All Day Fishing said:

are you using a bullet weight with your fluke? that would be good to get to the bottom as you can even drag the fluke.  I would use a weighted hook if not weightless, works great for me when trying to get a little deeper.  Weighted hooks still allow for great action when jerking the bait.

So maybe 1/4 is to much? I ordered 1/16-3/16 so maybe those will give me better results. 

[Log Catcher]

I wouldn't go any heavier than 1/8 ounce sinker for Texas rigging. I like smoking shad and white pearl colors.

[N Florida Mike]

Without a doubt, I've caught more fish with zoom super flukes than any other bait in the last 15 years. Great choice for a bait to learn. Good choice on the colors. I use watermelon red or watermelon seed or other specific  watermelon choices. Also have red shad that I use for dusk fishing. Got several others that I don't use near as much. Once caught an 8 pounder on a murky golf course pond using a bubble gum fluke !

I don't fish murky water much either, but root beer ( and bubble gum ) was the best colors I used in the one murky lake I fish.

I use a 3/0 Gamakatsu wide gap hook for them.

I fish them weightless. Most of the places I fish are shallow, and it works better. If I fished more consistently with water over 10 ft I would use a little weight.

I catch 80 % or more of the fish I catch on them just deadsticking. I throw it out and let it sit for 15 seconds on average. Pick up and check if you don't see the line twitch first. They will often be swimming off with it. I also like to throw it up on a bank and gently pull it off into the water. This induces a lot of hits.

I also twitch it twice after deadsticking it, let it sink, wait a few seconds and repeat. They will also nail it pulling it over and through grass.Sometimes they will follow and blow up on it just reeling it in. When you get bit, esp. with deadsticking, reel up and set the hook asap, because if you dont you will often gut hook the fish with flukes.To me, It's one of the most versatile baits there is.

 

As for bullet weights I don't use them much , and when I do it's only when using ribbon tailed worms .

[Sharkicane]

30 minutes ago, N Florida Mike said:

Without a doubt, I've caught more fish with zoom super flukes than any other bait in the last 15 years. Great choice for a bait to learn. Good choice on the colors. I use watermelon red or watermelon seed or other specific  watermelon choices. Also have red shad that I use for dusk fishing. Got several others that I don't use near as much. Once caught an 8 pounder on a murky golf course pond using a bubble gum fluke !

I don't fish murky water much either, but root beer ( and bubble gum ) was the best colors I used in the one murky lake I fish.

I use a 3/0 Gamakatsu wide gap hook for them.

I fish them weightless. Most of the places I fish are shallow, and it works better. If I fished more consistently with water over 10 ft I would use a little weight.

I catch 80 % or more of the fish I catch on them just deadsticking. I throw it out and let it sit for 15 seconds on average. Pick up and check if you don't see the line twitch first. They will often be swimming off with it. I also like to throw it up on a bank and gently pull it off into the water. This induces a lot of hits.

I also twitch it twice after deadsticking it, let it sink, wait a few seconds and repeat. They will also nail it pulling it over and through grass.Sometimes they will follow and blow up on it just reeling it in. When you get bit, esp. with deadsticking, reel up and set the hook asap, because if you dont you will often gut hook the fish with flukes.To me, It's one of the most versatile baits there is.

 

As for bullet weights I don't use them much , and when I do it's only when using ribbon tailed worms .

Do you ever use a swivel with your flukes? I’ve seen some videos about it. I’ve got some ball bearing strong swivels I was thinking about using with them. (Also, could double as insurance cause I don’t necessarily trust my knots just yet lol) 

[N Florida Mike]

I never use swivels. There is no need. I tie directly to the hook. I think a swivel might reduce line twist though, but I feel like it would mess up the natural action . You will get an occasional loop in the line that can turn ugly, but I self engage the bail, which helps, and I'm constantly checking the spool for loops.

I use an improved clinch knot for mono.

Easy to tie and strong.

[JustJames]

If you thread hook in straight and don't just reel and reel for next cast you should have no problem with line twists. When I want to re-cast Fluke I just do quick jerk all the way or reel in super fast to make the lure stay on top of surface.

[NittyGrittyBoy]

5/0 trokar with zoom super salty fluke hands down a real confidence bait 

 

Watermelon red and Arkansas shiner for clear water, junebug for murky

 

Least amount of weight the better, it's either weightless or I don't fish it. Something about the slow fall that triggers a reaction strike. Take your time and learn them and they'll be a confidence bait for you

[bigbassin']

How I fish flukes:

 

1. Giving it soft but quick twitches as soon as it hit hits the water. This will keep it on the top of the water and present a more subtle walk the dog.

2. Allowing it to sink to the desired depth and working it like a jerk bait, just with softer twitches. You can pause as long as you want between twitches, this is probably where most of my strikes occur.

3. Dead sticking the fluke for 10-20 seconds at a time, hop it, then repeat the process.

4. Target casting. Just get the fluke right on top of your desired target and allow it to sink all the way to the bottom. Give it a few twitches then work it back to you.

4. Carolina rigged with long pauses.

5. Dead sticking on a wacky rig.

6. As a chatterbait trailer.

 

Living in Florida I've never done it, but I've read a lot about fishing flukes on underspins for spotted bass in deep, cold water.  I'm not sure if that applies to you either living in Houston, but if so its something to consider.

 

I use a 4/0 EWG rigged weedless for my hook.  I typically go weightless if I'm not Carolina rigging, but a 1/8 ounce weight can be helpful in getting the bait further down in the water column without overpowering the action of the fluke.

 

In freshwater I never fish my flukes with a jighead, but I'm not worried about current or depth typically.  In saltwater jigheads are the norm and they still catch fish, no reason to think that wouldn't apply to bass.

 

If you're stuck on color try watermelon red, watermelon red, or watermelon red.  If that doesn't work try Arkansas shiner or pearl. 

[Catt]

If ya like Watermelon Red then ya need to look at Watermelon Slice!

[MichaelCopeland]

I haven't had any luck with flukes, other than them being a trailer on a chatterbait. However, I haven't tried them much since I've gotten better at line watching. Guess I'm gonna have to start using them more. Color selection I have isn't much. I have them in watermelon red, baitfish and smoking shad. I also have the Yum Break'N Shad in chartreuse clear shad color. As far as bullet weights, I only use them when I want to increase the rate of fall, fishing on the bottom or I'm pitching them into cover and usually don't go heavier than 1/8oz and only use them with worms or creature style baits. ?

[JustJames]

2 hours ago, Catt said:

If ya like Watermelon Red then ya need to look at Watermelon Slice!

If ya like Watermelon Slice then ya need to look at California 420! ?

[ohboyitsrobby]

Have you tried the ole double fluke rig? Works really well during the shad spawn here. As a matter of fact that's one of the things my wife has tied on to start the couple's tournament tomorrow. No wrong way to fish a fluke really. Just depends on what mood the fish are in.

[Fishing_FF]

On 5/17/2018 at 1:05 PM, Sharkicane said:

I really like using flukes cause I can fish it a bit quicker (although I have yet to get a good bite on one just yet). Right now I just have zoom super salty flukes I texas rig them and fish them weightless(I have some warning shots ordered not sure if those are in "fluke" category or not). What other fluke style baits/colors would you use in clear all the way to stained/muddy water? Do you rig them any differently or is weightless texas rig pretty much the way to go? Do you fish them in thick/dense weeds/grass?

 

Now on to bullet weights, after reading some posts I have come to the conclusion I might be using to much weight when I texas rig with a bullet weight(I use a 1/4). I see a lot of people like 1/16th, 3/16th, and 1/8th how do you decide which one to use? What soft plastics are good with bullet weights and which one are not? 

Welcome!

 

If I am fishing flukes, it is generally because the bass are chasing shad. If this is the case, my retrieve is a double twitch of the rod, reel up the slack, and pause. Here is a good video of the technique I use: 

 

 

The fluke I use are either the Yamamoto D-Shad or the Gambler Super Stud. The D-Shad is definitely a heavier fluke that I prefer to fish weightless, but the Super Stud is a 6" fluke that is available in colors like Junebug that the D-Shad isn't. Weightless, they go on a Gammy EWG style hook and on Owner swimbait weighted hooks when they need a little extra oomph. 

 

@ohboyitsrobby mentioned the double fluke rig or donkey rig as some call it. I'll through this during the shad spawn, which is occurring for us now here in Florida. Cast past the shad pod and retrieve straight through them. There is a thread on here if you search double fluke that will pull up Scott Martin's video on how to set up the rig. 

 

As for the swivels, some use them instead of using a splitshot or Mojo rig. The swivel adds a little extra weight like a small split shot without causing potential damage to your line by crimping the split shot to it. I have also seen manufacturer's like Gary Yamamoto recommend a swivel for weightless plastics like a fluke or Senko. I got to speak to one of their reps at a trade show, and ask them why they recommend a swivel. The answer was simpler than I thought it was going to be: Gary Yamamoto recommends the swivel because new angler often don't get the plastic straight on hook, which causes the lure to spin and twist, and the swivel helps prevent line twist. I asked because if you watch videos of Gary fishing, he doesn't use swivels. It wasn't stated but rather implied, once you are proficient at rigging weightless plastics straight on the hook, the swivel can be eliminated. 

 

Good luck!

 

Edited May 20, 2018 by Fishing_FF
Grammar

[NHBull]

Tons of luck with flukes

At this time of the year, I add a very small barrel swivel as the weight will get me to about 5 feet.  In a few weeks it will be weighless or with a heavier hook   I also use only while and a red hook

[NittyGrittyBoy]

Also try a loop knot, it will add a ton more action to it. 

[Yakalong]

For the last time, stop fishing flukes! They just don't work ?

Actually, I don't think there is a wrong way to fish them, they work with or without a weight. Most of the time I will fish them without a weight. But I will use weights if there is a heavier current or really windy, so when I cast it goes where I want it to.