Setup for Zoom Super Fluke?

[TotalNoob]

I started throwing a fluke late last Fall for the first time. I have experience with hard jerkbaits so working the fluke was a pretty short learning curve. Excited about throwing it this year. 

 

My question is, what is a typical setup (line/rod) for the weightless fluke and 4/O hook?

 

I was throwing it on a 6'10" M/F spinning rod. I used spinning because I could actually cast it out there with some distance. Braid main/fluoro leader. Drawback to longer casting distance was getting a hookset with the 4/O hook (especially when struck further out). I missed hooksets on a lot of strikes.

 

I then tried throwing it on a casting 6'9" MH/F Veritas (braid-to-fluoro) but the problem was reverse; I couldn't get any distance on the cast but hooksets were not an issue. I even stuffed a 3/64oz nail the length of the fluke body to add some weight to it. 

 

What gear are you guys throwing weightless flukes on, or, am I possibly doing something incorrect in technique?

[bwjay]

I haven't used soft plastic jerkbaits like the Super Flukes yet, but I am going all in on them this year at the recommendation of a guy who has had stupid success with them in northern MN. Rigging them weedless with an offset shank hook leaves basically no hook exposed which is great, but hard for hook sets in general. His recommendation is to count to 1,1000 before setting the hook. He finds that he misses more bites when he tries to set the hook immediately like you usually do for most baits. All of his friends who started using these baits also had the same issue until they slowed down and waited a full second before setting the hook. You might think you'll miss more bites this way but it gives the bass time to inhale it. Worth a shot for sure I think.

[Jrob78]

I normally use a 7'3" med fast casting rod with 12lb fluoro. 

[A-Jay]

Z provides a really good option here ~ 

I fished this set-up for the first time last season.

Seemed to be very good for the smallies here too.

A-Jay

 

 

 

[jbrew73]

7’2” mh Falcon Cara Mike McClelland casting rod.  Its tip is soft enough for long cast and has enough backbone to set the hook.  

[OnthePotomac]

I fish mine on a 7' Medium Carbonlite spinning rod with BPS XPS 8lb mono.  I put a tiny swivel 24" in front of the bait ( a must to prevent line twist)with 8lb mono from the swivel to the bait and hook the fluke on a 4/0 EWG gammie.  Now I will look at the video and see what Z does.

 

Just checked the video and difference is he is going for smallies and my set up keeps it over the grass beds I fish all summer.  BTW that KVD caffeine shad he is using is one of my favorite fished weightless on a bait caster and the Potomac bass just love the baby bass color.

[matbellon3]

When using flukes I use my Dobyns Fury 733c with 12lb fluorocarbon.

[fishwizzard]

The trick is to find a M or MH rod with a tip soft enough to easily throw and twitch them but with enough backbone to set the hook at the end of a cast and get them out of cover.  The two rods I like the best for them is a Avid 6'2" M/XF casting rod or a Loomis mbr783c MH/F.  The Avid is way better for them in my hands so long as I am not making bomb casts.  

[Russ E]

10 minutes ago, matbellon3 said:

When using flukes I use my Dobyns Fury 733c with 12lb fluorocarbon.

^^^ this. 

Over the years I have tried a lot of rods for the super fluke.

The 733c fits right in the sweet spot. soft tip with plenty of backbone for hooksets.

[Fishin' Fool]

5 hours ago, TotalNoob said:

I started throwing a fluke late last Fall for the first time. I have experience with hard jerkbaits so working the fluke was a pretty short learning curve. Excited about throwing it this year. 

 

My question is, what is a typical setup (line/rod) for the weightless fluke and 4/O hook?

 

I was throwing it on a 6'10" M/F spinning rod. I used spinning because I could actually cast it out there with some distance. Braid main/fluoro leader. Drawback to longer casting distance was getting a hookset with the 4/O hook (especially when struck further out). I missed hooksets on a lot of strikes.

 

I then tried throwing it on a casting 6'9" MH/F Veritas (braid-to-fluoro) but the problem was reverse; I couldn't get any distance on the cast but hooksets were not an issue. I even stuffed a 3/64oz nail the length of the fluke body to add some weight to it. 

 

What gear are you guys throwing weightless flukes on, or, am I possibly doing something incorrect in technique?

 

Just when you figure out how to throw one fluke then you realize you can throw 2 at once. Check out the donkey rig.

[Bankbeater]

I like a mh/f rod. I like to fish flukes in the weeds. The mh/f lets me get the bait and the fish clear of the vegetation. 

[CaptPete]

I use a Kistler H3 Light Medium Heavy, no problems with hooksets, even with up to a 5/0. Casts great. Usually 30lb braid to 8-10lb flouro leader. 

[flyfisher]

6'10" MXF spinning rod with 30lb braid for me tied direct.  The most important thing is sharp hooks and i never use superline hooks either.  A nice sweep hooks and you are good.  

[N Florida Mike]

I use a 6.6 mh rod with 12 pound mono. I gut hook the most fish with flukes. If you wait much to set the hook you will gut hook them. Sweep hook set is best. Use gamakatsu hooks for the sharpness. I use them weightless for the most part. Imo using weight ruins the action of the bait.

[FryDog62]

I throw Caffeine Shads on a 7-1 Daiwa Tat Elite M/MH baitcasting rod.  With 832 braid and an 8 lb fluoro leader.  Instead of Zona’s set up, I throw on an Owner 3/32 Twistlock Light hook.  Casts far with the braid, and can set the hook/manhandle big smallmouth best with a baitcasting set up.  

 

Can burn it and kill it like Zona describes - but on the fall - a Caffeine Shad on that Owner hook is unbelievable and will outfish any fluke I’ve ever thrown.  The bubble tail swims, turns, wiggles its tail and goes in another direction like it’s swimming away all on its own.  Lights out...

[KP Duty]

I throw flukes on a spinning rod like what you were using most of the time. I've drawn many guys who throw  flukes on their casting rod and work it fast covering water, but I generally work mine slower.  

[bowhunter63]

7ft 6 inch Carbon light medium xf spinning rod with a Lews orange crush reel and 10 to 12 pound flouro.

[Chris at Tech]

I throw flukes on 3 powered Dobyns casting rods w/ 12 lb fluoro, but lately I've really preferred my 6'9" M Kistler KLX spinning rod.  Last year that was spooled w/ 15 lb braid but this year I'm going back to 8 lb fluoro.

 

On the baitcaster, I use a 4/0 Gammy but on the spinning rod I use the Owner light twistlock hooks.

 

You hear it quite frequently and it's backed up in my experience that hookset percentages on flukes aren't always great.  This year I'm also gonna try rigging the flukes with a line-through technique to a treble so I hopefully will hook those fish that just swipe at the bait.

[jtharris3]

I throw super flukes on a 7’ Carbonlite 2.0 MXF or MHF depending on the cover. High speed casting reel w/ 12lb. P-Line Flouroclear line.