Fluke catching strategies!

[Detour66]

So far this season I have noticed that depending on where you are fishing different baits and rigs have better success catching fish than others. Not one rig or method works best all the time. Some spots want a basic 3 way rig with bait others bucktails or jigs with gulp or gulp tipped with bait or even just bait. So it's good to mix it up until you find the combo they are looking for. Most of the time on my boat one of us will be using a bait/gulp and another jigging. A lot also depends on the conditions. Depth of water current etc. If anyone would like to add to this please do. Knowledge is power! Tight lines!

[AndrewT]

Originally Posted by Detour66

So far this season I have noticed that depending on where you are fishing different baits and rigs have better success catching fish than others. Not one rig or method works best all the time. Some spots want a basic 3 way rig with bait others bucktails or jigs with gulp or gulp tipped with bait or even just bait. So it's good to mix it up until you find the combo they are looking for. Most of the time on my boat one of us will be using a bait/gulp and another jigging. A lot also depends on the conditions. Depth of water current etc. If anyone would like to add to this please do. Knowledge is power! Tight lines!

Trying to figure it all out is the actual addiction. Reeling in the fish is just a fun bonus

[Papasown]

On my boat, I encourage each person to try a different combo of rigs, baits, gulp until someone connects. Then I try the same, and if successful we all use that method. But it is true that on different days, and in different places the combination of " baits " can be different.

Always my favs are #1, live bait, #2. dead fresh bait w/ gulp on teaser, #3 Frozen bait, or just gulp, trying different colors ( green, white, pink )

If I am fortunate enough to have a live snapper blue, that beauty goes on a dead stick in a rod holder fished farther out.

Catch 'em up.......Papa

[hammer4reel]

Confidence in your choice makes it work better .

Bucktails and gulp will outfish most other methods 95% of the time .

It creates impulse strikes on fish even when they aren’t feeding .

.

[dales529]

Originally Posted by hammer4reel

Confidence in your choice makes it work better .

Bucktails and gulp will outfish most other methods 95% of the time .

It creates impulse strikes on fish even when they aren’t feeding .

.

While different strategies work on different days for many reasons I agree with Capt Dan on this. Bucktails /or Ball jigs with gulp are the way to go. Also large hooks on both the Jigs and the teaser with gulp on both! Working them hard is paramount for getting those "impulse" strikes and not getting snagged all day. Some adhere to the smallest weight conditions will allow and casting up current which works but nothing wrong with fishing heavier straight up and down as well. Also agree with "confidence" in your rig as you fish harder and better when you know you have the right presentation.

Not saying we dont use Robin, mack , bluefish or squid strips at times but always come home happy! So as Dan said a confident plan and then mix it up if required.

Also have learned it matters on every stop is everyone is ready at the rail and drops at the same time! Makes a frenzy at the bottom that they cant resist even if its a light crowd on the boat.

Been a good year so far lets hope it stays for another month! Tight lines

[hammer4reel]

Originally Posted by dales529

While different strategies work on different days for many reasons I agree with Capt Dan on this. Bucktails /or Ball jigs with gulp are the way to go. Also large hooks on both the Jigs and the teaser with gulp on both! Working them hard is paramount for getting those "impulse" strikes and not getting snagged all day. Some adhere to the smallest weight conditions will allow and casting up current which works but nothing wrong with fishing heavier straight up and down as well. Also agree with "confidence" in your rig as you fish harder and better when you know you have the right presentation.

Not saying we dont use Robin, mack , bluefish or squid strips at times but always come home happy! So as Dan said a confident plan and then mix it up if required.

Also have learned it matters on every stop is everyone is ready at the rail and drops at the same time! Makes a frenzy at the bottom that they cant resist even if its a light crowd on the boat.

Been a good year so far lets hope it stays for another month! Tight lines

That frenzy is actually how fluke normally feed .
There are many fish together . When a school of baitfish etc come past they all feed
Scuba divers I know witness it all the time
Very few fish chewing until they all go on the chew because an abundance of food is there

[Gerry Zagorski]

Great post and lots of great information above! Here's my take...

In the ocean around the sticky stuff its bucktails with a teaser 12 inches up with gulp on both. No bait since it seems to attract more undesirables like skates and doggies.

In the bay the same set up but I tip the gulp teaser with spearing since I get more fish with the spearing then without.. You get a hit but it didn't connect so you leave it out there hoping to get a follow but nothing. You reel it up, you still have your gulp but the spearing is gone, you put another spearing on and BANG! you start getting hit again.

I did get my personal best on a live snapper but for some reason I've never done well with live or dead Peanut Bunker but some do.

I'll also add if you have no drift, casting out and jigging back gulp/bucktails works since you really can't do that effectively with bait and sinker rig. I also think you are more attentive when bucktailing since you're always working the rod jigging and you feel the bites...

Having said all this, the most important part of Fluking is not what bait your using, it's conditions!! If I'm fishing in an area with good drift conditions and you're not and we're both using the same bait, I'll out fish you all day long. The Fluke lay on the bottom pointed into the current and expect to your bait moving in the same direction as the current. If it's not, because the wind is pushing your boat the opposite of the current, you have wind against current/tide and you might as well be sitting at home on the couch. You can read more about the subject in this thread https://www.njfishing.com/forums/sho...ects+wind+tide

Finally, I'd bet my last dollar that most of the Fluke tournaments are won with Bucktails, either with Gulp or Strip baits that Dales mentioned above.

[frugalfisherman]

Jigging with just gulp is too much work.

[MattMal88]

It is interesting how they really are picky with baits. In my experience, for whatever reason, when I fish an inlet, like squan and shark river, Ive always done well with a simple single hook fluke rig, no beads, spinners, or skirts. Baited with a frozen spearing. Cast up current, let the tide do the drifting for you and slow retrieve. Ive had many occasions with guys fishing 50 feet away using bucktails and gulp getting little to no action and im slaying them. Never had it go the other way, where bucktails or gulp did better. However, on a boat, bucktails with gulp kill it while the bait guys do squat. It has to be bait dependent, where more spearing and minnows are in the bays and inlet and out in the deep must be more a shrimp, small crab, sand eel bite where the gulps match the hatch better. All good info on here as always.

[Gerry Zagorski]

Originally Posted by MattMal88

It is interesting how they really are picky with baits. In my experience, for whatever reason, when I fish an inlet, like squan and shark river, Ive always done well with a simple single hook fluke rig, no beads, spinners, or skirts. Baited with a frozen spearing. Cast up current, let the tide do the drifting for you and slow retrieve. Ive had many occasions with guys fishing 50 feet away using bucktails and gulp getting little to no action and im slaying them. Never had it go the other way, where bucktails or gulp did better. However, on a boat, bucktails with gulp kill it while the bait guys do squat. It has to be bait dependent, where more spearing and minnows are in the bays and inlet and out in the deep must be more a shrimp, small crab, sand eel bite where the gulps match the hatch better. All good info on here as always.

You got that right Matt... The bays, rivers and inlets are where the spearing are so when in France, you do like the French and match the hatch!

I know Jakes Dad, Hartattack and Dales on here do a lot of successful river and inlet fishing so I hope they can comment on our spearing theory.