Fluke Set-Up

[Msl819]

If you were building a dream fluke rig, what would it be and why?

[Mike L]

I use a casting setup for everything which puts me squarely in the minority on here. Anyway, whenever I think about using one which is rare, I use a Loomis 843C with 12# Sniper. 
 

 

Mike

[Msl819]

8 minutes ago, Mike L said:

I use a casting setup for everything which puts me squarely in the minority on here. Anyway, whenever I think about using one which is rare, I use a Loomis 843C with 12# Sniper. 
 

 

Mike

I go back and forth between casting and spinning. And between a M and MH. Curious what the folks here use. 

[ironbjorn]

I don't have a dream setup for such a simple rig that can be fished on darn near anything, but I find a 3 power Dobyns with 10lb line on a casting reel to be great.

[Msl819]

1 minute ago, ironbjorn said:

I don't have a dream setup for such a simple rig that can be fished on darn near anything, but I find a 3 power Dobyns with 10lb line on a casting reel to be great.

Yeah… that’s fair. It isn’t exactly a combo specific rig. Maybe ideal set up is better than dream set up.

[MN Fisher]

Weightless fluke -

This past year - President XT-30 on a Fury 703SF

Next year - replace the Pres XT with a Miravel 2500

[jbrew73]

7’ or 7’2” MH Casting Rod
12lb sniper 

6:1-7:1 reel

3/0 round bend hook

 

 a medium rod might cast a little better  but i like the hook setting power of a medium heavy.   

[FryDog62]

I've had several "fluke" set ups over the years, but believe I have my best yet.  I use for flukes and also Caffeine Shads, always on my deck and #1 fish catcher for me the past 5 years:

 

• Daiwa Tatula Elite Ehrler 7'0" Medium-MH with extra fast tip. 
• Taula SV TW.  The SV spool because its such a good presentation to skip under docks
• 12 lb Sniper

[Bankbeater]

I like a 6'6" med heavy / fast casting rod.  I like the shorter rod for working the bait.  I use to use a m/f spinning rod, but in thick cover that did not give me enough muscle to get the fish out.

[FrnkNsteen]

I think mine is currently on a Dobyns Fury 733c with a Curado 71 8spd and 12lb big game.

[GreenPig]

The two I fish Soft JBs and see no need to change.

- Curado 70XG MGL 12 lb Red Label FC on a Zodias 7' MH Fast for 5" and larger.

- Aldebaran MGL 50HG 10lb braid to 8 & 10lb  FC leader on a Major Craft Nanoace 6'9" Med Fast for 4" Flukes & Jerkshadz, 3" Bass Assassin Shads

[Jrob78]

I have several rods I fish flukes with, lately it's been a 7'3" MH Poison Adrena with a Zillion HD and 12 lb fluoro. Really though most MH casting rods will work great with flukes. 

[T-Billy]

7 hours ago, FryDog62 said:

Taula SV TW.  The SV spool because its such a good presentation to skip under docks

Flukes are a great bait for skipping.  I throw 'em on an ARK Invoker 7' MH XF, Daiwa Fuego with a shallow braid spool, and 20# 832.

[Columbia Craw]

Xtreme 703C 

Daiwa Steez 

12 Invizex

[ChrisD46]

13 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

Weightless fluke -

This past year - President XT-30 on a Fury 703SF

Next year - replace the Pres XT with a Miravel 2500

*The above President XT30 on a Fury 703SF is great ! Load the reel with Power Pro #10 lb. to #15 lb. braid to a FC or Co-Poly leader of #8 lb. to #10 lb. , Zoom Super Fluke (Pearl , White Ice) , Gamakasu EWG 3/0 or 4/0 hooks in RED color if you can find it and you are all set !

[Choporoz]

I use a 7'1" MF baitcast with 12# fluoro.   However, I have tried a variety of rods.  Getting the perfect setup didn't make near as much difference as switching to Yamamoto D-shad.  Casting, action, hookup ratio, all improved over super fluke....for me.

[fishwizzard]

I fish flukes fast and close to cover, so I want something with a soft tip that immediately stiffens up. I also fish a lot in foot in really overgrown marshes, so I accuracy and easy of working are huge foe me.
 

 So far a SC Avid 6’2” M/XF has been the best I have found, the tip is nice and soft but recovers quickly so I can twitch it fast.  The mid/butt are quite powerful so I get good hooksets and can keep a bass from running back into the cover I lured him out of.  

 

The reel was harder to settle on, due to how and where I fish flukes, I end up with a ton of slack on my spool, which made straight fluorocarbons too frustrating to use and even braid was annoying.  What I have settled on is using a finesse casting reel with a shallow spool loaded with about 50y of 30lb braid.  The short mainline eliminates the dig-in from the loose line almost completely.  I add a short, 3-4’, leader of stiff 16lb fluoro leader.  This gives me some abrasion resistance and I feel like the stiff, heavy leader lets the fluke stop more quickly post-twitch, so I can fish slow more quickly in terms of allowing the fluke to fall on slack like after every twitch. 

[waymont]

Loomis IMX-Pro 852 JWR, Shimano Metanium 7 speed, 20lb braid to 12lb FC leader.

Reasons:

Casting distance

Light weight

perfect taper for working the fluke

really fun to fish with

Comfort

[Drew03cmc]

I guess I'm in the minority in that I loathe casting tackle for flukes. I've used them and caught fish, but I prefer a 7' Ark Tharp Meterman with a Pflueger President XT 30 and yellow 15# Yozuri braid to a 12# T7 leader. Mine get rigged on a Gamakatsu Superline 4/0 spring lock hook. 

[GetFishorDieTryin]

11 hours ago, T-Billy said:

Flukes are a great bait for skipping.  I throw 'em on an ARK Invoker 7' MH XF, Daiwa Fuego with a shallow braid spool, and 20# 832.

How much stiffer are the MH XF compared to the MH F?

[Big Hands]

The Fluke is such a versatile bait and there are several ways to fish with a fluke, and many different rigs that can be used. 

• M/F or ML/F spinning rod for weightless jerkbait, and use three different sizes (Super Fluke, Super Fluke Jr. and Tiny Fluke) of the fluke and for lightweight bubble and feather (fluke) technique for throwing at boils
• MH/F casting rod for Carolina rig and bubble and feather (fluke)
• Moderate action casting rod for swimbait or weighted hook
• I will use the two smallest sizes for dropshot baits (Super Fluke Jr. and Tiny Fluke)
• I also use them for spinnerbait trailers

[roadwarrior]

For me it's a double fluke on MF spinning tackle spooled with #6 Tatsu.

[flyfisher]

MXF shimano curado 6'10" spinning rod paired with a stradic Ci4+ with 20lb braid tied direct.  This has been my set up for a pretty long time and I see no reason to change it now.  

[T-Billy]

3 hours ago, GetFishorDieTryin said:

How much stiffer are the MH XF compared to the MH F?

XF has a softer tip that transitions into the backbone faster. My favorite rod for weightless plastics, light T rigs, and 3/8 and under jigs. Works great for skipping too, that's the original reason I bought it. I really liked it and quickly added a second to the lineup.

[new2BC4bass]

I have a couple bags of flukes, but it is a lure I almost never use.  Why?  Because I have a hard time threading the hook good enough to avoid line twist because the lure isn't running like it should.  It did cast well on a 6'9" MF Daiwa V.I.P. Smallmouth with a Black Max 1600C.

 

T-Billy, I have 2 MH-EF rods.  An older Powell Endurance 7'2" rated 1/4-3/4 oz. and a Helium 3 7'1" rated 1/4 -1 oz.  Don't think I've had the Helium out yet.  I like the Powell.  Would you consider one to be better than the other for flukes?

 

Or maybe give my old 6'6" M-XF Zillion a try?  Or my Smallmouth 6'9" M-XF?