First post - Question about flukes (rigging and retrieving)

[scriptsr4kids]

Howdy!  This is my first post to the AllatoonaBass forums.  First of all, I'd like to thank everyone for participating on this site - I have already learned a bunch of things just by reading through older posts.


I grew up freshwater fishing in FL & AL, but haven't fished regularly for a number of years.  Over the last month, I have been bank fishing Allatoona with my 13 year old son regularly.  We are in Acworth near Hwy 92 and 41 (Cobb Parkway) and have fished dozens of different spots in/around our area -- with (obviously) mixed results.  We look for spots that are accessible, but not obviously over-fished -- which has been a tough task so far.  We have landed about 20-25 bass in the last couple/few weeks with the biggest ones at about 3 pounds.  We have tried lots of different baits/lures and have been most successful using watermelon senko worms and watermelon flukes.  Although we've had decent results with these two "go-to" baits -- I feel like I'm not using them correctly.

Here is a picture to show you how we've been rigging our flukes:  (We also rig our senko worms the same way)



(I have no clue if this is right or wrong.)  I am using a wide gap hook (usually 1/0 or 2/0 in size) and going down through the head/top of the fluke and then out as soon as I reach the curve in the hook.  Then I twist the fluke around and push the head/top of it up the hook over the eye of the hook.  Then I run the hook through the body and out the other side -- then push the tip of the hook just a bit back into the body.  My intention is to create a (mostly) weedless type of setup -- but also not make it impossible to set the hook when I get a bite.  This seems to work fine, but I have read a few articles about using a flouro leader with a barrel swivel -- and I'm not sure what that is supposed to look like.  I'm also not sure of what the advantage is -- why use a leader & barrel swivel instead of just tying the hook/bait directly to the line?  Also, am I setting these up remotely close to how it is supposed to be done -- or am I way off?  My last question is about weight.  We have tried to put weights on the top -- just to make them sink quicker, but have had zero luck with that.  We end up caught in rocks/rip-rap and can't tell if we are getting a bite or just getting hung up.  On the other hand, we have had success with not adding weight -- but it takes forever for them to sink so we can start workin' em.  We have been letting them sink and working them off of the bottom -- pulling up on the rod slowly for 2 to 4 feet or so -- and then reeling in a bit of the slack in order to watch our line for bites.  Wait about 5 to 10 seconds and then do it again.  I haven't tried jerking or popping the worm/fluke during retrieval because they sink so slowly without any weight added.

...so I gotta post a pic of the one I caught yesterday using the setup I mentioned above.  :-)



I know my post is lengthy, but I wanted to describe what I'm doing in detail so I have a better chance of getting real feedback -- whether it be good or bad.
I appreciate any suggestions and would like to see a picture and/or description of your setup and any tips on how to best retrieve the bait for better results.

Also, I know that I can do much better in a boat than on the bank.  We just bought a fixer upper jon boat and trolling motor, but will probably be 2-3 weeks before I can get it in the water.

My son and I are also looking for fishing buddies in our area, so give me a shout if you're close by and want to get together and catch some fish and trade fishin' stories.  :-)

Thanks and good luck.

- scriptsr4kids

[leapnlineman]

First off let me welcome you to the forum. Sorry I don't have a lot of time right now so I will have to be brief. I'm sure there are many ways to rig a fluke but here is mine. I use a 4/0 wide gap hook and rig it pretty much the way you did on the green fluke you pictured, where you tex-posed the bard in the flat back of the fluke after coming up through its belly. I tie directly to the line, weightless or at most a 1/16th or 1/8th oz slider style hook. I make long cast and work it back like a top water jerk bait with varying cadences of twitches until I find what the fish want. Hope this helps or maybe gives you another trick for your arsenal.

[wcbassfisher]

I rig my fluke with a 4/0 or 5/0 wide gap super line hook with O ring on it tex posed. The super line hook and o ring gives little extra weight that helps in casting and action. I just experiment on retrieve until find one seems work the best. Good luck !

[andybassmaster]

I actually like using the swimming flukes weightless on a 3/0 mustad hook. I am using Nanofil,which is made for spinning reels, to get a nice long cast and work it back.

[Bob Smith (Porko)]

LOL! the choices are endless, I generally fish mine on 20 lb Power Pro Braid with a 3/0 Gamakatzu round-bend offset hook rigged with the hook coming up through the belly slot and Tex-posed on the flat side (like Leapinglineman). I then insert 1/2 of a Lunker lure nail weight between the offset and the hook point. I vary the retrieve fast twitch or slow switch with a lot of erratic pauses. The nail weight causes the super fluke to glide in a nice spiral and makes for easier casting. The Power Pro is small enough that visibility is not a real factor (caught 6 yesterday evening in some really clean water).

[swin]

I will be out of service due to surgery on hand an elbow but p. m me your name an phone number and we will get together one day .

[Bob Smith (Porko)]

May 8, 2014 0:45:24 GMT -1 swin said:

I will be out of service due to surgery on hand an elbow but p. m me your name an phone number and we will get together one day .

Dang it all, Wayne! When is that supposed to happen? I hope you heal quickly, bubba!

[occasionalfisher]

I have mixed results with a fluke, but the last times I caught fish on one I was using a 5/0 Skip Gap hook tied to a 12 pound floro leader then to 20 pound power pro on a spinning rod. The leader was only about 3 feet long. I have tried having a shorter leader with a swivel, and they do not hit it as well that way. That day I was letting the fluke fall slowly with no weight other than the hook it will sink slowly. Throw it in a good spot, then just let it fall, throw in a couple of short pops, let it sink again, Work it out abotu 20 feet from yoru target, then I was reeling it in quickly for another cast. I have never had any luck working the fluke really fast.

[J-Woody]

As already stated, I also use a 4/0 Wide Gap Trokar hook and fish them weightless, let them sink until you lose sight then twitch it back up then repeat. That's just been the way I've always done it.
But I would like to ask this question just to see if anyone has tried this... I just thought about this yesterday when I was out fishing (I fish from the bank also) I was standing there twitching the fluke and making it dance and I got to thinking... I wonder if inserting a glass rattle would make a difference? It would add some weight and some noise. Just a thought and I am going to experiment with it but just wondering if anyone has tried this before?

[leapnlineman]

Never tried putting a rattle in one, but sounds like a excellent idea. Let us know how it works for you.