Super Fluke Questions

[ike8120]

1. Bait caster or Spinning

2. Mono,FC,Copolymer or Braid

3. Swivel or No swivel

4. Treble Trailer Hook, size

 

The reason I am asking after reading articles and talking with fishermen. I am now totally confused. 

My setup now is a spinning set up, with coploymer and swivel with a about a 10" leader. No trailer hook. Don't know if this is a correct setup.

[Russ E]

Everyone has their own opinion.

I have fished a super fluke or sluggo for 30 years. Years ago it was my go to bait in tournaments.

99% of the time it is on a 7ft. medium/ fast baitcaster, with 14 pound sunline sniper fluorocarbon.

I don't use swivels or trailer hooks.

One thing that varies is the hook.

If fishing shallow i will use a fine wire 4/0 ewg hook

If I want to go deeper, I will switch over to a 4/0  heavy wire hook.

[DanielG]

You're fine. I began using a baitcaster recently and like it but had always fished with a spinning outfit and mono. It's easy, effective, and actually a very satisfying way to fish. You're good with it.

 

I've never used copolymer line but I hear it's a good line with Mono characteristics. It's practically invisible in water so maybe the leader isn't necessary (?). This would save added frustration with knots and make casting a bit easier. Heck, I use braided now and use a leader only for soft plastics.

 

I don't use swivels much unless I'm fishing something like a spoon or spinner that can raise heck with line twist. I always wonder if the fish notice. Verdict out on that.

 

Trailer hooks... I let the lost fish determine if I need a trailer hook. If I'm using some lure that hangs out a lot and the hook is forward and I seem to get strikes but no hooking, I'll mount a trailer. If I don't need it I don't. 

 

I think you're fine. I was pretty much like your setup for a long time and diverted to other things over time. Sometimes using them, sometimes abandoning them if they weren't for me. Just think of it as expensive, experimenting play.

[MickD]

My experience has been the best when just using the fluke on a 4/0 EWG hook, no swivel, no trailer, and perfectly rigged with the hook right down the center.  It's only effective for me in clear water less than about 7 feet.  But adding anything has seemed to me to screw it up.  Fish hit it often when it's sinking between twitches.  I only use spin with light braid and an FC leader (to enable really long casts which are important in clear shallow water).  

[Russ E]

32 minutes ago, MickD said:

My experience has been the best when just using the fluke on a 4/0 EWG hook, no swivel, no trailer, and perfectly rigged with the hook right down the center.  It's only effective for me in clear water less than about 7 feet.  But adding anything has seemed to me to screw it up.  Fish hit it often when it's sinking between twitches.  I only use spin with light braid and an FC leader (to enable really long casts which are important in clear shallow water).  

I agree that it is usually best in clear water. 

If the fish are not biting it can also save the day in stained to murky water. More so on lakes that are always stained.

My personal best largemouth came from a murky lowland reservoir on a super fluke.

When the water is clear, I use natural colors.

In stained water I use one of two extremes. Either a very light color like chartreuse or pearl. Or a darker color like junebug.

 

[primetime]

Its a good question. There are alot of creative ways to rig a fluke from nose hooking, double rig, etc...

 

I throw the Zoom Flukes often, and I throw them both on spinning and casting gear. I use braid on my spinning rod and if I use a leader, Ill use maybe a 10-17lb leader, or just tie directly to braid in stained water. I often add a swivel when using a leader and leave about 18" as it is just easier for me to tie, I trust the knot from swivel to leader better, and it helps with any line twist and also adds some extra weight to help it sink. I don't find a swivel hurts at all. For casting gear, I will use anything from 12-20lb mono, or straight braid. Sometimes I will use 17lb fluoro for casting, but I prefer Mono and co-Polymers over fluorocarbon for casting, If i use fluoro, most times its for a leader. I am just not a fan of paying the money for fluoro and then having issues with memory etc when a leader saves money and does the same thing imo.....Berkley Trilene seems to work plenty well for me and always has. Same with Stren. I never have issues with Mono. Just my take.

 

I also throw the regular sized fluke on Medium to Medium heavy casting gear and I pretty much rig the fluke with a 4/0 EWG hook texas rigged without weight and skin hooked. Nothing fancy. I use a heavier guage hook on casting gear for more weight, and lighter guage hook on spinning tackle but you can use a standard Gamakatsu hook or even a round bend, whichever you prefer.

 

I throw Sluggo's alot as well, and since they are longer I like a bigger hook in the 5/0-6/0 range, and for the small zoom fluke I will downsize to a 3/0 hook weightless. Its a pretty easy bait to fish. Kind of a walk the dog and pause action, sometimes it is dynamite worked fast on the surface over weeds, or let it sink and sit on bottom for a few seconds. Super versatile bait and will pretty much work all year in any lake. 

 

in open water, alot of guys simply nose hook them for a different action but I have never really done that. If you have open water that may actually be a good set up to try. You can basically fish it like a senko to experiment, and don't be afraid to add a light bullet weight to get it down to the bottom, or a finesse mojo/Carolina rig...The fluke works awesome on c-rigs as you can steadily reel and as the weight moves along, the fluke darts all over the place and is effective. Its also a great bait rigged on a darter head or open swimbait style hook for ripping out of grass or fishing deeper. It's kind of a bait you really can't fish wrong, I am sure you will find different techniques that will work best for you. 

 

Only thing I would add from my experiences is sometimes I do better on the Strike King Caffiene shads as they have a different action and design, but overall you can simply buy 2 bags of zoom flukes and be good to go. One bait fish color, then watermelon red.

[MickD]

29 minutes ago, primetime said:

alot of guys simply nose hook them

Yes, forgot this option.

[deadadrift89]

5 hours ago, ike8120 said:

1. Bait caster or Spinning

2. Mono,FC,Copolymer or Braid

3. Swivel or No swivel

4. Treble Trailer Hook, size

 

The reason I am asking after reading articles and talking with fishermen. I am now totally confused. 

My setup now is a spinning set up, with coploymer and swivel with a about a 10" leader. No trailer hook. Don't know if this is a correct setup.

      Your setup is fine.

 I always countdown to the depth I think fish are and use a Twitch-Twitch-Pause retrieve. Water clarity 3' or better otherwise I use another lure. 

  For me: 

1. Either

2. Prefer FC but mono, copoly ok. No braid for me with flukes.

3. No swivel 

4. No trailer

[Cam R]

For flukes is a weighted EWG better than a normal EWG?

[Fishin' Fool]

You forgot to add this question in there too, one fluke or two? Once you master the single fluke rig read up on the donkey rig.

[NHBull]

7' M/MBR Baitcaster

Braid to FC

Light wire 4/0 EWG 

To drop it lower I add a barrel swivel

If it doesn't  work, I break out a jerk bait

 

[tcbass]

I like to nose-hook them with CPS Twistlock, and a piece or rubber tubing. I lose very few now and only replace when they get chewed up. 

 

I also use a Owner Mosquito hook. 

 

Spinning rod with #20 Power Pro braid in yellow so I can see the line move when they take it. 

 

 

[ike8120]

10 hours ago, tcbass said:

I like to nose-hook them with CPS Twistlock, and a piece or rubber tubing. I lose very few now and only replace when they get chewed up. 

I have the tackle to nose hook, that is another option.

[detroit1]

This year I have tried them fishing wacky rigged and really liked the action and look. I expect next year to use these more than senko type baits wacky rigged. O ring placement and nail wts. can greatly change the action and color selections are great. It looks a lot more natural than a stickbait.

[bowhunter63]

Bait caster medium fast. Flouro line and started nose hooking them this year. Pretty good system but still t rig them weight less. Bait caster just seems to catch up to em quicker and more solid hook sets.

[Black Hawk Basser]

I keep it simple.  3/0 or 4/0 EWG on braid.  If I want a little extra weight, I'll use a 1/32 or 1/16 Water Gremlin Bull Shot right above the line tie.

 

I am almost exclusively spinning unless I'm frogging or jigging.

[FryDog62]

Instead I throw a 5 inch Caffeine Shad, for me it outfished Zoom flukes 2:1.  Rigged on an Owner Twistlock Light, 4/0 3/32 oz hook.  Unbelievable action.  Also skips under docks like it was made to do it.  Or semi-weedless just outside the weedline.  Or, along the bank swimming downstream for smallies.  I throw it on 14 lb Sniper, Daiwa Ehrler model 7-0 MMH baitcaster with Tatula SV.  

[Tizi]

Baitcaster: medium fast 6’10” and 7.x reel.  10 lb sniper or invisx FC.  I like heavy 4/0 EwG hook to get the bait to sink.  No swivels.

 

bluegill flash

[Black Hawk Basser]

17 minutes ago, Tizi said:

bluegill flash

Awesome pattern.  I love this one and smokin shad.  The lemon shad is great for smallmouths and walleyes at my local river.

[primetime]

1 hour ago, FryDog62 said:

Instead I throw a 5 inch Caffeine Shad, for me it outfished Zoom flukes 2:1.  Rigged on an Owner Twistlock Light, 4/0 3/32 oz hook.  Unbelievable action.  Also skips under docks like it was made to do it.  Or semi-weedless just outside the weedline.  Or, along the bank swimming downstream for smallies.  I throw it on 14 lb Sniper, Daiwa Ehrler model 7-0 MMH baitcaster with Tatula SV.  

the caffeine shad is also really good on a shaky head...The tail wagging seems to get bit, and the Caffeine shads are salted and weighted well, so they sink almost like a senko. Bass Assassin has one similar I like that seems to often fish better than the zoom fluke. 

 

I use that same hook for senkos and alot of soft plastics....Its worth the price..

[deadadrift89]

23 hours ago, Cam R said:

For flukes is a weighted EWG better than a normal EWG?

For me it's based on target depth,water temp and fish activity. If I'm fishing less than 3' or water temp below 55* no weight, deeper I'll use weight as needed to get it down in water column where fish are unless its cold and fish are lethargic. 

[tcbass]

3 hours ago, FryDog62 said:

Instead I throw a 5 inch Caffeine Shad, for me it outfished Zoom flukes 2:1.  Rigged on an Owner Twistlock Light, 4/0 3/32 oz hook.  Unbelievable action.  Also skips under docks like it was made to do it.  Or semi-weedless just outside the weedline.  Or, along the bank swimming downstream for smallies.  I throw it on 14 lb Sniper, Daiwa Ehrler model 7-0 MMH baitcaster with Tatula SV.  

 

I have some of these. Will have to try it. 

[Swamp Yankee]

Admittedly, I miss my share of strikes, but my favorite way to fish them is Arkansas Shiner Super Fluke Jrs, Texposed on 1/0 Lunker City Texposer hooks. I fish them on a 5' 3" Loomis Mag light rod spinning rod with an 8# fluorocarbon leader tied (Crazy Alberto knot) to 10# Sufix braid. Lot of smaller bass - up to 3 pounds, say, but they're a BLAST on that light set up and that little "Fairy Wand" Loomis rod shoots them out a country mile with that light braid.

 

The regular Super Flukes I fish a lot less often, but usually weightless, Texposed on 3/0 EWG or Lunker City Texposer hook.

[Hook2Jaw]

Recently started to gain confidence in flukes, stick worms are my normal get bit bait.  I throw mine on a 7'1" MF spinning rod with 12# braid to 12# fluoro, and have hated every instance I've put one on less than a 4/0 heavy wire EWG.

 

If I want to wait to get bit, I'll count down a double twitch a stick.  Flukes are my walking plugs down low.  That heavy hook keeps my fluke dancing from side to side subsurface. 

[Log Catcher]

I have fished Super Flukes on spinning and baitcasting gear. I usually use a baitcaster with 12# floro. I like to ad 1/16 ounce bullet weight to it for better casting distance.