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  #1  
Old 08-13-2019, 11:10 AM
Billfish715 Billfish715 is offline
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Default Big Bait/Big Fluke

Take a look at the mouth on this 6# fluke. What can we learn from looking at the business end of this eating machine? Think about the size of the hooks and baits you are currently using. A mouth like this one can fit an average-sized fist in it, so it can easily eat an adult bunker with no problem. The adage about big baits and big fish seems to make sense.

I've caught 14" fluke while fishing with 8" snappers so I know how voracious a fluke can be. Bigger hooks might not be a bad idea. Once a fluke has taken a bait, it simply has to open its mouth wide and the hook and bait will just slip right out. Lately, we have been dropping "mystery" fish on their way up after what seemed like a good hook set. The fish would come about half way up and then the line would go slack despite a tight line and bent rod. Seldom was the bait (mostly Gulp or Sea Robin strips} ever damaged. Could the "mystery" fish be a fluke that just held on to the bait with a closed mouth? Or could they be sea robins that have no teeth and would never damage the bait?

After seeing the maw on this particular fluke, I'm beginning to reconsider my choice of baits and hooks. With mouths like that, it would be very easy for a fish to never be hooked solidly especially if the hook never turned while it was in the fish's mouth. They can simply open their mouths and the bait and hook will just pop right out.

So, imagine how big the mouth is of a 10# fluke! A lot has to go right in order to hook and land one of the big girls.
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  #2  
Old 08-13-2019, 11:39 AM
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Fortunate Son Fortunate Son is offline
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Default Re: Big Bait/Big Fluke

Makes sense. I lost quite a few on Sunday that felt pretty good, and was using a puny #4 hook on the wonder rig.
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  #3  
Old 08-13-2019, 01:33 PM
tjd24 tjd24 is offline
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Default Re: Big Bait/Big Fluke

We used 2/0-4/0 "J" hooks in the past for fluke. I cut off a lot of hooks so I didn't kill the fish. Now when using 6" Gulp with a Bucktail jig & Gulp, we seldom use a hook smaller than 6/0. Lately, in the deep channels, I've gone up to as large as 8/0 baitholder. I like the bend of the hook exposed when using that large Gulp.

A 12" weakfish took a 6/0 baitholder/Gulp this past weekend. The large hook allowed me to easily release the fish, but the whole 6" Gulp was in his mouth.
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Old 08-13-2019, 04:32 PM
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Gerry Zagorski Gerry Zagorski is offline
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Default Re: Big Bait/Big Fluke

A lot of guys using 9/0 hooks and as Shrimpman Steve always says " if you think that's too big, your wrong"

I think it actually increases your odds of catching fish since the hook is longer and it won't miss as many short strikes when using longer strip baits like fluke and Sea Bass ribbons and gulp.
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Old 08-13-2019, 04:50 PM
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Detour66 Detour66 is offline
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Cool Re: Big Bait/Big Fluke

What's also important on catching big fluke besides hook size is how sharp and strong the hook is. The bigger fluke mouths are mostly cartilage which is basically bone and very hard to penetrate! Strong hook set is important also. Tight Lines.
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Old 08-13-2019, 05:15 PM
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Default Re: Big Bait/Big Fluke

Fellas please, as our fearless leader mentioned, 9/0 hooks with barbs on the shank.

If you think that’s to big, your wrong
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Old 08-13-2019, 07:09 PM
porgylber porgylber is offline
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Default Re: Big Bait/Big Fluke

This all makes sense. Last Saturday, I had a beautiful fish on my line. I had a strong hook set, (or so I thought) and was cranking him up. About 5 or 6 seconds later, he just disappeared. I felt his head bob initially, kept a tight line, then he was gone. The bait looked pristine.

And yes, fluke are ambush feeders. 2 weeks ago, I’m fishing in about 45 feet of water. The captain blows the horn, I begin to reel up. Roughly 3/4’s of the way up, bam...a fluke strikes. After a short battle, a fine 21 inch specimen was landed. I’ve never had one travel that far to strike before.
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Old 08-13-2019, 11:34 PM
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barbarian barbarian is offline
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Default Re: Big Bait/Big Fluke

Definitely no less than 9/0 on the teaser because if they miss the bait you have a second chance by gaffing them especially if using sharp Gami hooks. I can't tell how many big fish I stuck that way. Good luck boys and girls! Have fun with!
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  #9  
Old 08-14-2019, 12:04 AM
Billfish715 Billfish715 is offline
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Unhappy Re: Big Bait/Big Fluke

There are a few things to consider when using larger hooks. The hook size should match the bait being used in order to have enough barb and hook bend showing. A hook that is too small will not penetrate the bait and fish's jaw when you set the hook. A hook that is too big for a small bait will also be a handicap. The bait will not swim as efficiently and the amount of hook that is exposed might cause a fish to shy away.

A rig like the wonder rig uses a small hook so the killie can swim naturally. A larger hook might not work as well since it might kill the bait or cause it to spin or drag unnaturally. That small hook might be able to stick a bigger fluke, but more likely, the killie will be swallowed along with the hook. The lighter leader used with the small hook will be compromised if the bait is swallowed. The big fluke do have big teeth. Check the picture.

Because fluke swim with their eyes facing upward, their jaws are parallel to the bottom making it difficult to set a small hook in the boney area behind their teeth. There is a lot of soft tissue that a hook may pull right through and never stick especially if the hook does not turn in the fluke's mouth. If the fluke just opens it mouth wide, the hook and bait will just pop right out. A larger hook has more chance to grab and hold. Unless the hook turns and lays flat in the fluke's mouth, the sideways angle of the fluke's mouth offers little area for the hook to do its job.

Look at the size of the hooks on the bucktails to get an idea about what size bait hook you can use. Tsunami is making a fluke teaser ( glass minnow with silocone skirts) with a long shank hook with a wide gap to accommodate the 5 and 6 inch grubs that are so popular. The barb and bend are exposed enough and the longer shank allows the grub to swim naturally. For those of you who use strips of fish for bait, you will definitely need a larger hook for the reasons we already discussed.

If you are content to fish for and catch smaller fluke, the smaller sizes will do just fine. If you are tournament fishing or targeting large fluke, the idea of big baits and big hooks is a necessity. A big fluke will sometimes be caught by someone using a squid and killie combo on a small hook, but the chances of not hooking that big girl is more likely. So, just how big is big? That is up to you and the bait you are using. Just remember, fewer large hooks are swallowed when bait fishing which means fewer small fluke are killed when the hooks are removed.

As for the fluke that just don't get hooked but seem to hang on for awhile, a fluke can grab and hold a 6" grub or a piece of fish strip while you are reeling it in without the fish actually being hooked. In fact, the fluke has the bait in its mouth, but the hook is laying on its side and without penetrating the skin.At just the right time, the fluke opens its mouth and the hook comes right out. I've seen them do it right at the boat. We've all had occasions when we felt that good head shake and tight line and figured that this was the big one only to have the line go slack. I understand more now, especially after looking at the picture of the fluke's mouth.
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  #10  
Old 08-14-2019, 10:18 AM
frugalfisherman frugalfisherman is offline
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Default Re: Big Bait/Big Fluke

The biggest fluke I ever caught was 10lb 7 oz (free fishing for a year). It was on a 3/4 oz teaser jig with a 2/0 hook.
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