Hungry Fluke

[Billfish715]

Originally Posted by frugalfisherman

Fluke don't eat Gulp they hit it. Sometimes they get hooked before they can spit it out. Belly, squid and spearing get eaten when they take it.

I use both Gulp mullets and grubs. I have had many occasions when I thought I had a solid hookset, my rod was bent, the fish was throbbing, and halfway up, the line went limp and the fish was gone. It wasn't until I had several fish up to almost the surface and within net range that I realized what was happening. The fish was holding onto the the Gulp and was never hooked. Two things had to happen. One, the Gulp was tough enough to stay intact and not be cut in half by the fish's teeth. The second was that the hook was never turned at the proper angle to penetrate the fluke's jaw.

I don't think any of the Gulp tails were ever bitten off by fluke. Most of the tails are bitten off by seabass. If you want to go through a bunch of Gulp quickly, just drop it down when the small seabass are around.

Here is a picture of why many solid hooksets are not set at all. Just look at the size and angles of their mouths and why it's likely they can just spit out a hook.

[Gerry Zagorski]

Originally Posted by tjd24

A year or so ago, I found 2 whole mantis shrimp in the gut of a 3-4lb fluke. I iced them down, wrapped them carefully and put them in my freezer. Next trip down near the 1SR can at the Rocks, I dropped one down. It wasn't down for more than 30 seconds and an 8.8lb fluke nailed it.
I'll save every one I see.

Yep a favorite of the Fluke for sure..

[Irish Jigger]

Loads of shrimp, crabs and peanut bunker or small mullet.

[Jerseydix]

All i've been seeing is baby blueclaws, and lots of them.

[atcojg]

The ones I have caught in the surf this year have been loaded with sand fleas. Didn't even know they ate them.