Fluke Insights - amazing underwater video

[Arbutis]

Fluke Fishing Video Link (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2o9rZHHn32g)

This was a lot of fun! I put together some fluke fishing video clips shot with a Water Wolf underwater video camera. My intention is to show some of the benefits of using the Wonder Rig for fluke - particularly in the bays and rivers. I hope you like it and hope you learn some stuff like I did while observing these fish in their natural habitat - it's pretty incredible stuff.

[slammer]

Cool video.I'm going to use the wonder rig next season.

[makosnax]

If you trim the hair on that jig it won't interfere the action of the gulp and you will see you see a lot more hits on it.

[Gerry Zagorski]

Another great job with the video Doug. Thanks for sharing it here.

[Arbutis]

If you trim the hair on that jig it won't interfere the action of the gulp and you will see you see a lot more hits on it.

I've use hairless bucktails with gulp, gulpless bucktails with hair, bucktails with haircuts, jigs without hooks (to reduce seaweed accumulation), cannonballs, straight bank sinkers and everything in between. The killie ALWAYS wins - as long as it's not unnaturally weighed down by a heavy hook or heavy leader.

[wrktoomuch]

Very cool Doug.

[RussH]

I wonder, the videos I've watched you always seem to be in the shallows. Does the killie still out fish the bucktail on 30 or 60 or more feet of water. Before the Bucktail craze I used to fluke fish with live killies exclusively. Bucktails and gulp seems to work better and I tried your rig last year with little luck, but it was much deeper water and I'd have trouble arguing your success based on these videos. I was also using a much larger 2/0 hook. A size 4 while clearly working seems too small for Fluke with their huge mouths.

[rumster]

I wonder, the videos I've watched you always seem to be in the shallows. Does the killie still out fish the bucktail on 30 or 60 or more feet of water. Before the Bucktail craze I used to fluke fish with live killies exclusively. Bucktails and gulp seems to work better and I tried your rig last year with little luck, but it was much deeper water and I'd have trouble arguing your success based on these videos. I was also using a much larger 2/0 hook. A size 4 while clearly working seems too small for Fluke with their huge mouths.

Good point! The killie is not a natural prey item in the ocean. It is a prey item in shallow backwater areas, which is where both juvenile fluke and killies reside. Use a killie in the deep and more often than not you will catch small fish or sea robins. Great video though and thank you for sharing.

[Detour66]

The bucktail seems rather large for 12 ft of water. Also he is just dragging the bucktail and not working it. I think this would make a difference in your results. I am not saying "The Wonder Rig" is not a good setup. Just pointing out what I am seeing. Cool video though!

[Arbutis]

Thanks for the comments. I always like to address some of the questions.
Yes. The back bays are the prime locations for using this rig due to the abundance of killies as natural prey. Perhaps peanut bunker or snappers would do well in the ocean but it is difficult to keep them as lively as a killie. Even with a good live well. I think that a strip bait may work well in the deeper water rigged the same way.

The video does show mostly dragging or dead sticking because you have to remember that there's a sizeable video camera being pulled along in front of the rig. However, in the same water i use rods that i constantly work and jig and get the same results. 95%of the hits are on the killie. The bucktails are not unusually large - 1oz. This may be a camera distortion.

Regarding the hook, I get the most flack about this subject. What size hook do they catch 500lb bluefin tuna with? Relatively speaking it's a tiny hook compared to the size of the animal. I have another video coming soon that shows how great this hook is for fluke of all sizes. You will see it soon and make up your own mind. But, until you actually try it for yourself you will never believe me so I'm not going to bother defending this perfect little hook any longer.

Thanks again for watching. By having these discussions we are continually examining and learning how to improve our fishing practices.

[Blackfish Bobby]

Thanks again for a great video. I use the rig in the river and Raritan Bay. IT WORKS..... I have nay sayers who have fished with me and witnessed the success..... but then again they don't listen when I give
some blackfishing advice but what do I know. I have used the Wonder Rig with live peanut bunker and snappers with very good results in the bay. I am never without a wonder rig deadsticked while light tackle jigging. Great stuff the video does not lie. My biggest so far on the rig is 7 pounds.

[Arbutis]

When using peanut bunker or snappers, what size hook and leader do you use and what pound test line?

[Dupes]

Thanks again for a great video. I use the rig in the river and Raritan Bay. IT WORKS..... I have nay sayers who have fished with me and witnessed the success..... but then again they don't listen when I give
some blackfishing advice but what do I know. I have used the Wonder Rig with live peanut bunker and snappers with very good results in the bay. I am never without a wonder rig deadsticked while light tackle jigging. Great stuff the video does not lie. My biggest so far on the rig is 7 pounds.

The only nay saying is regarding cutting the hook off the jig. If there is no hook on the jig it can't catch a fish. If you're going to drag the jig it might as well have a hook on it. Every time I hear "I just missed a big fish" I have two thoughts: 1. If there was a hook on the jig you wouldn't have missed it. And 2. How come every fish you miss is a big one?

[two guys rod]

Cool video!