# "Bare Rig" fluke



## dacrawdaddy (Aug 31, 2008)

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.


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## Lewzer (Apr 5, 2004)

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.


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## dacrawdaddy (Aug 31, 2008)

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.


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## Fish G3 (Jul 16, 2008)

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.


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## fish on! (Oct 15, 2009)

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


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## topwater (Dec 22, 2004)

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


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## isaiashortie (Oct 24, 2009)

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


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## dacrawdaddy (Aug 31, 2008)

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.


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## myersbuck (Nov 5, 2009)

nice thanks


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## dacrawdaddy (Aug 31, 2008)

I thought I would give this a bump since it has been several years but it still works great. Everybody that I have shown this to has had great success with it.


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

It's the same rigging as a line through swim bait. Never heard of it used on a fluke though.


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## Cat Mangler (Mar 25, 2012)

dacrawdaddy said:


> I thought I would give this a bump since it has been several years but it still works great. Everybody that I have shown this to has had great success with it.


don't know if this was your idea originally but, if so, pure genius! Never caught a single fish on em myself. Always used Texas rig and lost tons of what i thought were bad hooksets. Always attributed it to small fish or what I thought were bad hook sets from what to me seemed like an awfully awkward lure for ewg hooks. This setup makes a lot of sense to me.

So much so that I am literally about to set a rig up for tomorrows outting. Just so happens I've got a brand new box of extra trebles I happened to come across when cleaning up a pile of empty tackle packages some "ignorANUS" left behind. Perhaps karma may repay with a new weapon in the arsenal thanks to you.

One question though. In your opinion, what's the best way to present flukes since I really haven't done more than try to finesse them weed less and only in lakes and want to try it wading a river hole? (somewhat new to river fishing) 

Thanks a ton once again.



Sent from my V8000_USA_Cricket using Ohub Campfire mobile app


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## dacrawdaddy (Aug 31, 2008)

It was an original idea for me. Someone may have done it before but I had not seen it. You can see I posted this almost 4 years ago and I used it a while before sharing it with other anglers. I am constantly tinkering with baits and this is one of my best rigs ever.
My presentation is more of a series of slow 4"-6" pulls than sharp jerks. I will work it quickly across the top if I see bass chasing bait. Always keep a watchful eye for bass following the fluke, if you see one, speed up the fluke and they will bust it most of the time. This rig is a KILLER for stream smallmouth.


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## Cat Mangler (Mar 25, 2012)

dacrawdaddy said:


> It was an original idea for me. Someone may have done it before but I had not seen it. You can see I posted this almost 4 years ago and I used it a while before sharing it with other anglers. I am constantly tinkering with baits and this is one of my best rigs ever.
> My presentation is more of a series of slow 4"-6" pulls than sharp jerks. I will work it quickly across the top if I see bass chasing bait. Always keep a watchful eye for bass following the fluke, if you see one, speed up the fluke and they will bust it most of the time. This rig is a KILLER for stream smallmouth.


Props to you like I said pure genius. Didn't get to try em out today but rivers will be down soon for sure. Thanks for the tips always willing to learn something new.

Sent from my V8000_USA_Cricket using Ohub Campfire mobile app


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## whjr15 (Jun 16, 2005)

Awesome idea! How does it affect the walk-the-dog motion? I know those things can be finicky sometimes.

99.9% of the time I'm using a fluke, it's because I'm fishing heavy cover, so this method wouldn't work for me... But I'll definitely keep it in mind for the .1%!!


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## dacrawdaddy (Aug 31, 2008)

It walks well but since it is lighter than a Texas rigged bait you will have to work it slower. You can also adjust the weight by using different sizes of treble hooks.


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## bassin101 (May 16, 2005)

dacrawdaddy,
Instead of doin all that work with the needle and plastic stick why don't you just rig the fluke like you normally would (Texas Rig) and put the treble hook (#4 or #6) on like you would a trailer hook on a spinnerbait. I've been doin this for the last several years and increased my hookups greatly.


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## Big Joshy (Apr 26, 2004)

This is a great concept. Have you glued the tube into place? that would increase your durability even more I bet. You could even weight the rig with some lead tape wrapped around the plastic tube before you insert it. Just a few ideas. Thanks for sharing


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## bassin101 (May 16, 2005)

After all that, you might have time to fish.


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

The whole idea of a line through design isn't really so you can use a treble hook (well it may be for some) but it's really so the weight of the bait being used can slide up the line, and away from the hook. The less weight there is near the hook, the less likely it is that the hook will be thrown. Reason being ...... the weight can make the hook go to positions that it wouldn't if there were no weight near it. I've used a stringer harness for larger swim baits that allows me to put a treble hook in the back of the bait and closer to the tail. I tie my own, but I got the idea from something that Owner already markets. I don't see why something similar couldn't be used for a fluke.


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## whjr15 (Jun 16, 2005)

Bassbme said:


> The whole idea of a line through design isn't really so you can use a treble hook (well it may be for some)


Actually, in this case, I think that's the only reason! It gives you two exposed hooks, where you would normally be Texas rigged into the body. It would give you a great advantage on hooking a fish at the end of your cast, while using mono, or for light-biters. No need to "Bill Dance" hookset to penetrate the lure, and then, hopefully, the fish.


As far as the "weight" goes... Does anyone actually use a weight with a fluke?! Kinda defeats the whole purpose, no?


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

whjr15 said:


> Actually, in this case, I think that's the only reason! It gives you two exposed hooks, where you would normally be Texas rigged into the body. It would give you a great advantage on hooking a fish at the end of your cast, while using mono, or for light-biters. No need to "Bill Dance" hookset to penetrate the lure, and then, hopefully, the fish.
> 
> 
> As far as the "weight" goes... Does anyone actually use a weight with a fluke?! Kinda defeats the whole purpose, no?


I suppose it could be to have an open hook, I'll change my stance on that and say that it's not something I would do. Personally I wouldn't want a down facing open hook pretty much on any bait I'd throw. Not saying its a bad idea.... it's just not something I would do. 

A far as the weight issue. I was speaking of the weight of the bait itself. Not an actual weight. And if you haven't used a weighted hook to fish a fluke, I think you're missing out on something. A fluke isn't just a shallow water bait.


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## whjr15 (Jun 16, 2005)

Bassbme said:


> I suppose it could be to have an open hook, I'll change my stance on that and say that it's not something I would do. Personally I wouldn't want a down facing open hook pretty much on any bait I'd throw. Not saying its a bad idea.... it's just not something I would do.
> 
> A far as the weight issue. I was speaking of the weight of the bait itself. Not an actual weight. And if you haven't used a weighted hook to fish a fluke, I think you're missing out on something. A fluke isn't just a shallow water bait.




Ok I gotcha, I was thinking along the lines of a bullet weight!


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## dacrawdaddy (Aug 31, 2008)

The inspiration for this rig was simply to increase hook up ratio. Smallmouth especially are notorious for hitting the tail of a soft jerkbait and I got very tired of missing strikes. The tube in the nose came about because I would tear the plastic nose after just a couple hook-ups. The tube serves 2 purposes, increased durability and fewer thrown baits. You can put a small treble behind your Texas rigged main hook but I like this much much better because the fluke glides along. I have tried weighting the nose with a small 1/32 oz. lure body from a Do-It mold but I didn't like it. I have not glued the tube into the nose but I think it is a good idea. One of the best things about sharing an idea is all the other great ideas that come along.


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