How to Fish a Fluke or soft jerkbait

[jenga]

I would like to know how to fish a fluke.  What size do typicaly fish with, what kind of hook and size, line and type of rod and reel.  Any help would be great.

Thanks,

Jenga

[Blade-Runner]

I prefer spinning tackle.

A 6-6.5' medium power, fast action rod w/ a 20-series reel fits the bill. I use exclusively braid for this presentation. 20/6 PP gets the nod here...

I only use 1 brand and color of fluke, 5" Zoom Superfluke in Pearl White. I've wanted to get my hands on the Case Sinkin' Salty Shads but they are a little pricier...

Go with a 4/0 EWG or (what I use) the older "Shaw Grigsby" R-Bend Wide Gap. The key is to rig so that the jerk stays put. You may try supergluing it or using trailer tabs to keep it put. Or just deal w/ readjustment. Some folks will probably also suggest using braid w/ a fluoro leader. The soft jerk really attracts bites, and some are initial attacks...Wait until you feel the weight of the fish before setting the hook. It is also a great sight fishing tool, as you can see your fluke often swimming sideways in the mouth of your quarry.

Absolutely awesome lure, particularly in clear(er) water and shallow(er) water. I fish them on highly-pressured lakes post-spawn and really "mop up" behind guys fishing spinnerbaits and crankbaits.

Many folks prefer baitcasting gear but I like being able to "skip" the lure more effectively, as well as impart erratic actions with spinning. Sky is the limit on imparting action - 'pull-glide-hovers', 'twitchity-twitchers' - it's up to you...It's a great way to figure out the activity level of the fish. You can also split-shot and fish deeper or use one of the new weighted hooks (I do not prefer them as they affect the "shimmy" that I believe is a trigger). Good luck.

[Wild Bill [NY]]

I fish them on two different rods, depending upon how heavy the weeds are.

I have a 6'6" Avid medium spinning rod rigged with either 8 or 10 pound copolymer for more open water situations.

For heavier weedy areas, I have a MH Kistler LTX baitcaster rigged with 12 copolymer.

I rig the Super Flukes one of three ways:

1]. I nose hook the Super Flukes with a #2/0 octopus hook , coming from the bottom through to the top, about a 1/2 inch back from the nose. This way gives the bait the most action, and very erratic darting motion, and provides a EXCELLENT hookup ratio.

2]. I texpose or skin-hook a 4/0 EWG-style of hook, and work it with glides, getting the bait to dart side to side, similar to a 'walk the dog' action. A heavy-wire EW can be substituted instead, so it will work slightly deeper in the water column. Skin-hooking the hook point will give you a weedless bait.

3]. To get it working even deeper in the waters, I will rig it on a belly-weighted EWG hook.

.............

Those are the three most common ways I work them.

Other ways are:

4]. On a Carolina rig, especially after a sudden cold snap, to mimic dying shad on the bottom.

5]. On a double-Super Fluke rig.

This way, you are using two Super Flukes on one line.

Take a barrel swivel, and pass you main line throughone eye, and slide it up the line, then tie a second barrel swivel nto the main line, so that the first one is now sliding on your main line between the tied swivel, and your rod tip.

Tie about a 12-18 inch leader on the sliding swivel, and a tie a 24 -30 inch leader to the fixed swivel. Puta heavy-wire EWG onto the fixed line leader, and a regular wire EWGG hook on the sliding leader, putting Super Flukes then on both.

It is crucial to have to one sliding, because if you hook two fish at the same time, this way they do not break your line if they pull in opposite directions.

The shorter, lighter wire hook will ride higher in the water column that the heavy-wire/longer leader rig will, giving the appearance of two schooling fish.

Sometimes I will rig a smaller Super Fluke in the front, lighter hook, and a full sized on on the longer leader, giving the apearance it is a bigger fish following behind, lower in the water than the smaller one.

Hope this all helps you to put some fish on your line guys.

[Blade-Runner]

And they are good for dropshotting, too.

[mphenry]

6'6" medium baitcast or spinning on 8-10 lb line.  I like the 5 inch size on 4/0 ewg

[NewKidInTown]

And they are good for dropshotting, too.

Oh yeah,,right up there with a Sluggo.

[roadwarrior]

I'm a Slug-Go fan, too, but regardless of the

brand, "flukes" are perhaps the most universal

baits every invented. They imitate a shad, so

use your imagination: Where, when and how

would you fish a live shad?

My most productive presentation is in shallow

water, twitching the bait without trying to move

it forward. I'm trying to imitate feeding baitfish.

8-)

[MALTESE FALCON]

Hey Jack, take notes, and we'll learn together this Spring.

How's your Winter going?

Falcon

[TimJ]

Falcon...gotta love fishing flukes along the shallow weeds along the StClair river. dynamite schools with the current turning and breaking.

TJ

[Crestliner2008]

Thanks Wild Bill! I've never used a double rig like that. I've heard of it, but since you've been successful with it, I'll give her a whirl this season.

[roadwarrior]

Thanks Wild Bill! I've never used a double rig like that. I've heard of it, but since you've been successful with it, I'll give her a whirl this season.

How are you going to land 24 lbs of smallmouth

on 6 lb line?

  ;D ;D ;D ;D

[Wild Bill [NY]]

that double fluke rig is illegal here in minnesota. only one lure or live bait per line.

That's why it is so important to know the laws of wherevere you are fishing.

[Crestliner2008]

Thanks Wild Bill! I've never used a double rig like that. I've heard of it, but since you've been successful with it, I'll give her a whirl this season.

How are you going to land 24 lbs of smallmouth

on 6 lb line?

;D ;D ;D ;D

VERY carefully! 

[A-Rob]

I use Yum Houdini worm, I think it is 5" long.

I throw it on a hook with a hook keeper and a weight on the belly of the hook that keeps the fluke upright.

I twitch it with spinning gear or if in heavy cover (usually when fishing largemouth) i switch to a baitcaster.

I just have 1 rig for my spinning set up. 6'0 medium shimano rod, shimano sahara reel, 15# test braid with a 10# test mono leader.

[Blade-Runner]

I met a guy down in East TN that uses flukes as swim-jig trailers and as a trailer for a Ledgebuster.

Almost every trip I hear about includes a 5 lb. smallmouth...

[roadwarrior]

Well, we catch a lot of 5lb smallies, but not on

every trip!

8-)

[jb7725]

i pretty much only nose hook them and the action is amazing

[jenga]

what are the best colors to buy for Lake Erie or Lake St. Clair.

Thanks

Jenga

[SPAZ]

what are the best colors to buy for Lake Erie or Lake St. Clair.

Thanks

Jenga

You can never go wrong with white anywhere.

[bassnleo]

Don't ever buy or try bubblegum color, it won't catch a fish .

Flukes are a mainstay around here with all the clear water.

My fluke rig consists of a Kistler Helium 7' MH spinning rod, a 20 series reel, and 8 lb Power Pro braid.

I use primarily a 3/0 or 4/0 Gammy superline EWG hook.

I make looooong casts and it never fails, the bait hits the water, I pop it twice and a fish blows up on it. I went to the set-up above for that reason. I can still bury the hook even at the end of a long cast and I've seen no negatives whatsoever, even in clear water.

I've watched fish come from a long distance to eat a fluke, also had them chase the darting bait back to the boat, kill it, and watched them suck it in, only to get their eyes crossed

It's a productive bait, you can't go wrong.

[kms399]

I like it as a topwater bait. I will rig weightless with a 4/0 ewg gammy hook. I keep the rod high and get it almost skipping across the water. it looks just like a shad running from a predator.

[dead eye]

WildBill, The double rig was in a FLW tournament last year by a guy named Mann to win it, thanks for the tip on rigging it. I will be trying it this year, looks really good comming through the water.

[basspro215]

i fish a small man made lake in ny it has lots of lily pads i throu to the bank reel it across the the top of them for picral and if nothing hits i let it drop on the out side edge for bass and they tare it up

[jenga]

Have you ever fished it with florocarbon with a barrel swivel 10 inches in front of the hook.  I saw a video of a guy doing this on LSC and nailing the fish.

Jenga

[Aluma-Bass]

jerk it!