Northwest Fishing Reports

I picked up a pack of Zoom Flukes and a pack of 3/0 EWG hooks just for giggles. I got on the water in the late afternoon and threw a spinnerbait and a suspending jerkbait for a while. Then, for giggles, I weightless texas rigged a fluke. I twitched it along like I would a jerkbait, giving it some pauses. I had several fish blow up on it close to the surface but never felt a fish or was able to set the hook. I tried going to an X-Rap of the same color and no bites. I threw a few other lures and nothing. But, they seem to be blowing up on the fluke.

I'm thinking...

A: Maybe they weren't bass
B: I think I need to learn how to use this bait
C: I think I'll go to a 5/0 hook next time.

Do any of you guys use the fluke and how do you fish them?

Flukes were really popular before Senkos came out. I use to use them a quite a bit. Sounds likes your using them right, you want to imitate a dieing baitfish. Try either longer pauses or quicker pauses, or lighter twitches. I use to use 3/0 to 5/0 hooks all depending on how fast you want your flukes to sink and if they're really big bass in the area.

Also try getting colors to match what's swimming around.

It's a good bait for the postspawn.

I've drop shotted them a lot for walleye, lakers, and bass. Thread them on to a 3/0 straight worm hook, or nose hook them with a number 1 drop shot hook. Regardless, it allows you to leave the fluke in one spot for a lot longer than other methods

Dan the MAN !!

I just wanted to provide a few improvements that you might want to consider in using the soft plastic jerk baits .

First off all I highly suggest that you consider running braid too a fluoro leader and also using feather weighted hooks and here is why .
first of all is that fact that you will be able to detect many of strikes from bass that you dont always see by using the braid (no stretch) .
The second is in regards to your choice of hook . I perfer using the EWG feather hooks , those hoooks come pre weighted and serve as perfect "balance" for softplastic jerkbaits . Those hooks will keep your bait upright and straight during the entire retrieve which makes a world of differance when big momma is lurking for meal.

In General , I use soft plastic jerkbaits all year long and my experience in the past it seems that post spawn and during the fall is when these baits really shine imho .
Hope this helps a little bit , i just wanted to share a few tips that could be a game changer for ya because these baits are bass catchers for sure

BBD

Thanks a lot guys! I'm always trying to add more baits to my list-o-baits. It seemed like the fish were responding to it, I just wasn't feeling a hit or seeing line movement. I think I will make the switch to braid with one of my rods and see if that helps.

Bigbass Dez wrote:Dan the MAN !!

I just wanted to provide a few improvements that you might want to consider in using the soft plastic jerk baits .

First off all I highly suggest that you consider running braid too a fluoro leader and also using feather weighted hooks and here is why .
first of all is that fact that you will be able to detect many of strikes from bass that you dont always see by using the braid (no stretch) .
The second is in regards to your choice of hook . I perfer using the EWG feather hooks , those hoooks come pre weighted and serve as perfect "balance" for softplastic jerkbaits . Those hooks will keep your bait upright and straight during the entire retrieve which makes a world of differance when big momma is lurking for meal.

In General , I use soft plastic jerkbaits all year long and my experience in the past it seems that post spawn and during the fall is when these baits really shine imho .
Hope this helps a little bit , i just wanted to share a few tips that could be a game changer for ya because these baits are bass catchers for sure

BBD

BBD, What are EWG feather hooks? I assumed it was like a single EWG with feathers on it, but doing a search does not show them. Instead I'm getting results for feather treble hooks.


PS, I've had success using flukes on dropshot and on jigheads. I've tried using bare EWG hooks and weighted EWG hooks, but never got a single bite with them. So I don't have confidence in that combo ATM.

I've never really had a lot of confidence in any soft jerkbait and I'm sure a lot of it is how I'm fishing them. I've used a lot of hard bodied jerkbaits which seem to "fight back" when you tug on them due to the lip. That feedback makes me feel "in touch" with the bait. I've never gotten that feeling with a soft jerkbait.

FishingFool wrote:

Bigbass Dez wrote:Dan the MAN !!

I just wanted to provide a few improvements that you might want to consider in using the soft plastic jerk baits .

First off all I highly suggest that you consider running braid too a fluoro leader and also using feather weighted hooks and here is why .
first of all is that fact that you will be able to detect many of strikes from bass that you dont always see by using the braid (no stretch) .
The second is in regards to your choice of hook . I perfer using the EWG feather hooks , those hoooks come pre weighted and serve as perfect "balance" for softplastic jerkbaits . Those hooks will keep your bait upright and straight during the entire retrieve which makes a world of differance when big momma is lurking for meal.

In General , I use soft plastic jerkbaits all year long and my experience in the past it seems that post spawn and during the fall is when these baits really shine imho .
Hope this helps a little bit , i just wanted to share a few tips that could be a game changer for ya because these baits are bass catchers for sure

BBD

BBD, What are EWG feather hooks? I assumed it was like a single EWG with feathers on it, but doing a search does not show them. Instead I'm getting results for feather treble hooks.


PS, I've had success using flukes on dropshot and on jigheads. I've tried using bare EWG hooks and weighted EWG hooks, but never got a single bite with them. So I don't have confidence in that combo ATM.

OOPS .. Sorry , yea i ment too say EWG WEIGHTED HOOKS !!