"Bare Rig" fluke

[dacrawdaddy]

I have posted this on several forums and wanted to share it with OGF members as well. This is a rigging option for fishing a fluke that I've had alot of success with this past year. You will need a hollow plastic lollipop stick cut into 1/2" segments, a long shank hook cut before the bend to form a needle, and a size 6 or 4 treble hook. First, slide a segment of the stick up your line. Next run your line through the eye of the needle and insert the needle in the head of the fluke and exit at the beginning of the hook slot.Pull your line through the head and remove the needle.Next tie on your treble hook and insert one prong of the treble into the fluke where the base of the tail meets the belly of the fluke. Lastly, slide the stick segment down your line and insert it into the head of the fluke.
This rig helps eliminate short strikes on the fluke and the hollow tube in the head prevents the line from cutting and tearing the soft plastic which saves you money. Anybody that fishes a fluke knows that short strikes and torn up flukes will drive you crazy when rigged Texas style, this rig eliminates these problems.
The photo shows the set-up and the completed rig.

[Lewzer]

Very interesting. Thanks. I like the part where the hollow tube prevents the tip from being shredded. I going to have to try it. I never used a treble hook with a super fluke.

I rig mine with the hook upside down so the shaft is on the bottom and I slide the hook point into the top of the fluke. This makes it very weedless and the weight of the hook shaft keeps them right side up.
I use a 2/0 or 3/0 offset worm hook with the round bend. The round bend allows for much higher hookups than typical offset worm hooks.

[dacrawdaddy]

I do alot of smallmouth fishing and it would drive me nuts to have a bass blast a fluke and not hook it. I wish I had thought of this rig sooner. I tried several other rigs before coming up with this one and it works great. Another advantage is that sometimes the hollow tube allows the fluke to slide up your line after hooking up which decreases the bass' ability to throw the bait. I have caught as many as 20 bass on a single fluke with this rig. You can also use a red or nickle treble to add flash if you'd like. For a faster sink rate you can crimp a split shot ahead of the treble and hide it in the belly slot.

[Fish G3]

Wow thanks...I'll definitely have to try it. I don't understand how I can't come up with these things lol! Thanks a lot for posting.

[fish on!]

Slick setup, I'm going to give it a try.

[topwater]

brilliant, can't wait to try it. I hear ya about river smallies slapping at flukes.

[isaiashortie]

great info do you think this would be good for wading???

[dacrawdaddy]

It is a very good rig for wading.The only situations I would not reccomend this rig would be around weedbeds or when the water's surface is covered with leaves because the exposed hooks would constantly be fouled.

[myersbuck]

nice thanks