Shore Fluke - Proven Method

[buddha162]

3/16 - 1/4oz ball jig head + 6" Gulp Jerk Shad (not 5", not mullets, not grubs), no teaser - Kreh loop knot to 12lb floro leader, alberto knot to 8lb braid - 2500/3000 Shimano/Daiwa reel, 7' - 7'6 M to ML FRESHWATER rod.

 

Our setups weigh less than 10oz. Spend money on the rod over the reel, you need to feel that light jig in the surf. My cousin uses an Olympic Vigore 74M (good luck sourcing that one now), I use the freshwater "unicorn" Daiwa Steez AGS 76MML. Daiwa makes that 7'6 rod in 4 different lines from $150ish to $550. The new Steez AGS Compile X 76MML is about as perfect a shore fluking rod as they come, but the $150 Tatula 76MML will work great as well.  

 

Cast out let the jig hit bottom, 2-3 pops off slack line at the end of which your rod tip will be pointing up at the sky - hold the tip high letting the jig pendulum/glide back towards you to the bottom and repeat. They will always bite on the pendulum swing back down. Once bit reel down to the fish until your rod tip is slightly loaded then hammer home the hookset. Do not "let them eat it," just reel down to remove the slack and set the hook. Anything you don't hook are shorts. Once your jig gets to the wash let the water flush it around, many bites come right at your feet (though are they ambushing there or did they follow your jig in...who knows). 

 

There seems to be a myriad of shore fluking approaches - ours yield on average 4+ keepers per trip, with many doubles and a few triple limits, and several 6lb+ fish in the past 2 seasons.

 

From shore, teasers = shorts. Small gulp = shorts. Shorts = wasted time not catching keepers.

 

*

 

 

Edited July 17, 2021 by TimS
Love ya, but please don't refer people to other sites when they ask a question here - thanks.

[55555s]

Nice.  I really do enjoy going light for fluke.  My favorite fluke setup is a 7' ML avid, with a 7' ML Mojo inshore 2nd.  My 1 son fav is a  (or 6'?) medium daiwa harrier ( a GREAT rod for this), the other loves my avid but uses his 7' triumph medium.   Typically 6lb or 8lb fireline and a variety of 2500 sized reels.   14 or 17 lb fluro leader usually, tied direct.  Its rare, if ever, that someone else surf fishing for fluke has a lighter setup than us.   Our "heavy" shore fluke gear is the excellent 7'6" stellar surf.   

 

I think you are also largely accurate in that big bait big fish theory.   My biggest shore fluke was caught on metal with a tire innertube strip trailer, 1/2" x about 12", to simulate an eel.     

 

I dont have an aversion to short fluke  though.   On light gear its fun, and thats why I fish.  

 

Thanks for posting. 

[justtrynafish]

Aha! Found you on this forum. But yeah guys, you should really listen to/watch this guy’s videos on fluking. I just started employing (as well as targeting) this method for shore fluking this year, and man am I getting results. Albeit I’m usually doing this from a pier, but same things apply really. Literally every trip I make, there’s 40-50 people ALL soaking bait and on a really good day, someone might actually pull up a fish. There’s also the rapid jiggers (seizure jigging i like to call it); still haven’t seen one pull up a fluke. 

 

 

Hone in on this technique, its absolutely deadly for bigger fluke. Side note, it would be awesome if you & your cousin continue the podcast- all my keeper fluke this season are a result of listening to yall. 

[fishfinder]

3 hours ago, buddha162 said:

3/16 - 1/4oz ball jig head + 6" Gulp Jerk Shad (not 5", not mullets, not grubs), no teaser - Kreh loop knot to 12lb floro leader, alberto knot to 8lb braid - 2500/3000 Shimano/Daiwa reel, 7' - 7'6 M to ML FRESHWATER rod.

 

Our setups weigh less than 10oz. Spend money on the rod over the reel, you need to feel that light jig in the surf. My cousin uses an Olympic Vigore 74M (good luck sourcing that one now), I use the freshwater "unicorn" Daiwa Steez AGS 76MML. Daiwa makes that 7'6 rod in 4 different lines from $150ish to $550. The new Steez AGS Compile X 76MML is about as perfect a shore fluking rod as they come, but the $150 Tatula 76MML will work great as well.  

 

Cast out let the jig hit bottom, 2-3 pops off slack line at the end of which your rod tip will be pointing up at the sky - hold the tip high letting the jig pendulum/glide back towards you to the bottom and repeat. They will always bite on the pendulum swing back down. Once bit reel down to the fish until your rod tip is slightly loaded then hammer home the hookset. Do not "let them eat it," just reel down to remove the slack and set the hook. Anything you don't hook are shorts. Once your jig gets to the wash let the water flush it around, many bites come right at your feet (though are they ambushing there or did they follow your jig in...who knows). 

 

There seems to be a myriad of shore fluking approaches - ours yield on average 4+ keepers per trip, with many doubles and a few triple limits, and several 6lb+ fish in the past 2 seasons.

 

From shore, teasers = shorts. Small gulp = shorts. Shorts = wasted time not catching keepers.

 

I won't post our videos here but search "cooking and fishing" on YT for hours of shore fluking videos - every one features limit+ trips, and we've only uploaded half of our footage. 

 

 

Great vids and techniques.Curious to see how it would work in my area. Fluking was horrible by me this season.Ss li take a drive report how it went would make good content.Wish you posted sooner and came out sooner though things should hopefully start heating up around here with all the late summer bait starting.

[CTFishingMan]

55 mins ago, fishfinder said:

Great vids and techniques.Curious to see how it would work in my area. Fluking was horrible by me this season.Ss li take a drive report how it went would make good content.Wish you posted sooner and came out sooner though things should hopefully start heating up around here with all the late summer bait starting.

 

I live in CT, and tried this technique this season. My friend stumbled upon it in YouTube. It slayed. I mean, absolutely slayed. Like 20 fluke in a single hour. The jerk shads hold up to a ton of abuse, too.

 

We used 3/8 jig heads. I caught typically one or two keepers a night, and the biggest has been 25" and several 22-23" too.

[fishfinder]

33 mins ago, CTFishingMan said:

 

I live in CT, and tried this technique this season. My friend stumbled upon it in YouTube. It slayed. I mean, absolutely slayed. Like 20 fluke in a single hour. The jerk shads hold up to a ton of abuse, too.

 

We used 3/8 jig heads. I caught typically one or two keepers a night, and the biggest has been 25" and several 22-23" too.

I don't doubtt it .Good stuff on gettin some fatty flatties.

Edited July 17, 2021 by fishfinder

[buddha162]

12 hours ago, justtrynafish said:

There’s also the rapid jiggers (seizure jigging i like to call it); still haven’t seen one pull up a fluke. 

 

Lol the "jigglers." 

 

I was a bit optimistic labeling that podcast 001 - 002 will be dropping sometime in 2021 haha...

[buddha162]

10 hours ago, CTFishingMan said:

 

I live in CT, and tried this technique this season. My friend stumbled upon it in YouTube. It slayed. I mean, absolutely slayed. Like 20 fluke in a single hour. The jerk shads hold up to a ton of abuse, too.

 

We used 3/8 jig heads. I caught typically one or two keepers a night, and the biggest has been 25" and several 22-23" too.

 

Excellent! 

 

And yes the jerk shad holds up better than any of the curly-tailed gulp, in addition to it having the most erratic action (as long as you're fishing it correctly) and triggering the most strikes from reluctant fish. It's a good bait in the early season/cold water too. 

[buddha162]

14 hours ago, 55555s said:

I dont have an aversion to short fluke  though.   On light gear its fun, and thats why I fish.  

 

The 6" jerk shad isn't that big a bait - you'll catch plenty of shorts. It's big enough to get the big bites though. 

 

I enjoy catching shorts from boat/kayak a lot more than from shore, mainly bc sandy beaches are tough environments to always ensure a clean release, esp when the surf is up or if they swallow the jig deep. They don't come with convenient handles like bass  

[aquaholic23]

Your videos have made this one of the best fluke seasons I've had. First season in a kayak and I can't even drift anymore because I don't catch enough compared to the pendulum method. I set up stationary casting from shallow-->deep w/ water flowing same direction and the bites keep coming. 
 

Ive found it effective with small spro jigs as well as bare jig heads. ~light as possible~ Even the shorts being caught are bigger. In my little experience so far white jerk shad has been the only ticket for consistent bites, 5 or 6in. I do tend to lose the jerk shads more than a grub/mullet to a fish eating/thrashing. 
 

Love the videos with very good details descriptions. Dug way back and found the video of you explaining why you like a small loop knot from leader to the jig rather a bigger loop....only helped stay in contact with the jig better. 
 

Information on rods would be greatly appreciated as I can't find a good backbone with light enough tip for small jigs. Gonna look into the ones you mentioned.
 

You are your cousin are fluke gods in my eyes lol

[justtrynafish]

43 mins ago, aquaholic23 said:

Your videos have made this one of the best fluke seasons I've had. First season in a kayak and I can't even drift anymore because I don't catch enough compared to the pendulum method. I set up stationary casting from shallow-->deep w/ water flowing same direction and the bites keep coming. 
 

Ive found it effective with small spro jigs as well as bare jig heads. ~light as possible~ Even the shorts being caught are bigger. In my little experience so far white jerk shad has been the only ticket for consistent bites, 5 or 6in. I do tend to lose the jerk shads more than a grub/mullet to a fish eating/thrashing. 
 

Love the videos with very good details descriptions. Dug way back and found the video of you explaining why you like a small loop knot from leader to the jig rather a bigger loop....only helped stay in contact with the jig better. 
 

Information on rods would be greatly appreciated as I can't find a good backbone with light enough tip for small jigs. Gonna look into the ones you mentioned.
 

You are your cousin are fluke gods in my eyes lol

The daiwa rebellion has been amazing for me this season, check it out. Shimano zodias is another popular choice.

[Mr. Bigdeal]

Their vids. are very informative, their equipment is top shelf.......they fish the technique and it works, I know, I fish it too............Diawa Tatula / Certate.

Edited July 17, 2021 by Mr. Bigdeal

[Lurp66]

13 hours ago, CTFishingMan said:

 

I live in CT, and tried this technique this season. My friend stumbled upon it in YouTube. It slayed. I mean, absolutely slayed. Like 20 fluke in a single hour. The jerk shads hold up to a ton of abuse, too.

 

We used 3/8 jig heads. I caught typically one or two keepers a night, and the biggest has been 25" and several 22-23" too.

Are you fishing for and catching fluke at night? I only fish at night for stripers. I have never considered fishing for fluke at night.

[CTFishingMan]

3 hours ago, Lurp66 said:

Are you fishing for and catching fluke at night? I only fish at night for stripers. I have never considered fishing for fluke at night.

So I would start fishing around 5:00 for fluke, while I waited for the dusk into night bite started for striper. Then would fish for striper well into the night. So no, not into the darkness. 

[Lurp66]

Ok. Thanks for the clarification. On the Jersey shore where I fish fluke is a daytime game and I only fish at night from the shore for stripers. Thanks again.