I have some screw lock hooks, I'll have to give this a try. One caveat though Nathan, with a regular offset or offset EWG, you can move the position of how far into the head you want to bury the hook point. Burying it deeper allows the fluke to sink more horizontally and burying it less deep into the head allows the fluke to sink more nose down. You can't control that with the screw lock. Sometimes they want it sinking nose down, other times more horizontally.
Everyone fishes fluke different. A 5.0 screw would be a bit heavy for where a fish largemouth..but I've caught monster calico bass on this setup. My PB was a fluke on a dropshot..
I insert my screwlocks under the nose of the fluke for the reason youre speaking of, it also allows them to stay a bit more upright during the fall since the weight is even lower my way
I've switched to this hook also about 10 years ago. Got tired of losing big fish with a EWG hook! I also fish the weighted version of the Owner screw lock hooks and done well when fish are more bottom oriented.
When they're short striking them or to save flukes, I make them a line through. Get a small straw like the ones' for Capri juice pouches, punch through the nose tip, cut excess straw off, run the line through that tunnel (straw), then use a treble hook. Pin one spike to the fluke. When they eat the bait and fling the bait, it just slides up the straw.
@@sambageian Well, that's not the only reason I use a fluke myself. I use it weightless in cold water, over deep water for a slower fall, on busting fish, and skipping & darting over the surface for reaction bites in the fall. I hike in to fish, so I often carry baits that I can use in many versatile ways. I try to limit my items I carry due to weight.
Just started fishing flukes this year and God but I wish i had been fishing them years ago as they are utterly deadly bass catching lurers in my lakes and I do mean deadly. I also had hook set issues using EWG hooks and just figured par for the course. Then I while researching different ways to fish a weldless flukes about a month ago, came across a article of a guy saying exactly what you are and recommending I try an Owner or Gamakatsu screw lock hook and my successful hook set percentage went from 65-75% to over 95%. What also helped a noticeable amount was going from a 3/0 screw lock hook to a 4/0 screw lock hook.
I have been using flukes for over 28 years, so using a different type of hook may be just a bit more helpful. Something to think about. Great video sir and thanks.
I use screw-locks for all my flukes. Also, I bend/cant the hook points sideways a bit which helps minimize missed hooksets. Do the same for Keitech swimbaits too, for which I use a weighted screwlock EWG.
Thanks Nathan. Fluke fishing is a blast. I'm surprised you didn't go braid to swivel to leader. If you take a black sharpie to about 6' of the yellow braid you can fish clear water with it.
I've got screw lock bullet weights I use for most of the time when fishing with plastics. They work great but haven't been able to find them this year to restock.
With all due respect, I see quite a few anglers miss bites on the fluke simply because they set the hook to quickly ripping the fluke away from the fish and in the process it damages the fluke as well.. Durability wise the issue i see these days is the materials being used is often to hard vs material such as Plastisol which is soft and appealing in a fishes mouth. the harder materials offer realism and detail making the fluke look more like a bait but often many of these lure more anglers than fish. Hard to beat Zoom flukes at $3.00 a bag of 10 during bass pro shops spring sales. Bent packaged zooms can be straightened out by boiling in hot water ,gently stretching, and you can add some salt as well .
Owner Twistlocks are great for flukes and longer paddle tails. Rig em weedless and have no fear of getting hung up on grass, structure or dock piling. And the work!
Add a touch of Crazy Glue to the screw and you'll save baits without having to take time to adjust the fluke on the screw/hook. I wasn't a believer until I set up some flukes/hooks/glue BEFORE getting into the boat. It was time (and money) well spent.
Hey Nathan, Thanks for the great video & tips!! I think that's the first tip I've heard or seen about using a swivel with a fluke and it makes sense. Heck the Flukemaster never mentioned it!!! lol Stay Safe & God Bless!!!
I can honestly say I've never found a problem fishing flukes on an offset roundbend in 4/0, and I've had triple digit fish days on the Columbia with a bag of flukes, a couple hooks and a small bottle of Mendit
Looks like you’re located here in FL. I’m heading out tomorrow on the Harris chain….probably Apopka. If so, it’s great to see someone fishing these same lakes. I’m in the process of trying to figure out these bigger, more well-known fisheries.
@@GoneWithinSeconds Are you in central? I'm in South Orlando. Would be fun to hook up with some local guys that know the area. Fishing down here is very foreign to me, being from Ohio. Although, I did well yesterday on the Conway lakes.
@@GoneWithinSeconds Nice! My parents retired down here in 2000, in a 55+ park (Imperial Terrace), and had their boat on a canal that fed into Eustis, right there in Tavares right directly across the street from that main Harris ramp. I used to take my dad out every now and then. But, given his age, we didn't spend much time bass fishing. When my parents passed the wife and I moved to south Orlando. I've got an older Stratos, w/ a 150 Evinrude, but it's clean and reliable. Given it's your backyard, it'd be my treat if you ever want to head out. I'll buy you lunch at Hideaway there on Harris, for showing me around (I think that's still on Harris, right???) Let me know.....I'm happy to drive up your way. Or, you can come my direction, and we can hit Toho. It's always more fun to go with someone. Email is: jlaird72@gmail.com
ATTENTION: He meant light medium heavy to medium heavy "POWER" not action. He actually never mentioned what the action of the rod was, but for flukes it's gotta be fast or extra fast action. You could also use a medium power fast or extra fast action rod in light cover.
@Frank-eg4mw Not all people know, some noobies might take that at face value and perpetuate the conflation of terms. It's all over youtube and even some pros do it, I'm starting to think it's a conspiracy haha
I switched to the screwlock hooks also.after a couple of fish the head of the bait will tear, l cut the bad part or the head off and use them on a jighead or slipsinker
Hook it opposite and let the hook make a hump in the back with the tip coming out the bottom. This will put a little downward tilt to the tail and that keeps the fluke in water when you twitch it
Hey Nathan, love the screw lock idea. When fishing flukes, the nose often gets weakened from fish or cover and often the bait doesn't run correctly. I will give this a try this spring.
Didn’t know a jerk fluke could run right. I jam em in my pocket, get on the bike and leave em in their for months with 12 other plastics. My grab bag of fun. Still work
Is that a baby bass color on your video intro? My favorite color. Need to try that color. I use a rattle in the front and usually catch river smallmouth in the holes as the bait falls in.
Another way if you're not as worried about it being weedless is to put a hitchhiker in the head of the fluke and nose hook it with a wacky hook. Most of the time they'll eat a fluke head first and your hookup ratio will increase that way.
Young man I'll give you a secret from way back. Flip the bait upside down where the sides of the bait give the point just enough protection but it's exposed.
@Nathan Quince Fishing gives a nice dead fall ( as in Fall season ) dying shad action. I use to use eagle claw Featherlite hooks now use lite wire hooks. Use swivel as you stated.
Ever try the weedles hooks 'TT Lures Chinlockz'? whats your opinion on them vs screw locks. - Ive never tried screw locks and thinking about giving them a go.
@@nathanquincefishing7122 all good 👍 I live in NW Australia and getting into soft plastics, they’re a lot of fun to fish. Btw your vids are awesome mate!
I'm not a big fan of screw locks on swimbaits, flukes, or even shake heads. The screw makes the plastic stiffer between it and the hook point so its harder for the fish to collapse it and hook up
Does this rigging method keep the fluke down in the water column a bit?! My only issue with fishing a zoom fluke with EWG hooks seems to be it stays practically on Topwater the entire time.
i find my hit rates skyrocket when i NOSE hook my flukes with 2, 3, 4 sized smaller hooks .... bass almost always inhale/hit their prey near the head rather than tail first
2 other advantages of a sluggo is that it's easier to weight With a nail type of weight and it also has a concave back so your hook can actually lay on top exposed making it easier To get a hookset and Still be weedless. A 3rd advantage is that it is heavier And can cast further.
Here is a tip, wacky rig your sluggo between the 2 slits on side,cast out past your target and make sure it lands head first ,twitch it steady across top and keep reeling and it will swim at a angle towards target ,when it gets to desired spot stop it and fish it like a wacky worm,works great for overhanging willows if fishing from the shore.
Gamakatsu Offset EWG hooks and nothing else. I fish them weedless contrary to almost every video about how it's the wrong way to rig it. Go watch how the pros do it like Roland Martin and improve your technique.
Hi Nathan Very instructive thank you. I received a notification purporting to be from you about a prize and giving a phone number to ring. It's a con by a third party right?
Nathan, don't have ask this..... but y would u use flro, when it sinks. Mono floats, all I'm gonna say. You tell us all this about rod, reel, tech., then u use wrong line for a fluke??????????? And bass pro sells a plastic fixer for your soft plastics, I bought just for flukes. I can get 3 or 4 fish on 1 fluke. I will find name and put it on here. Stuff works GREAT!! LOVE YOUR VIDS AND CHANNEL, JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND LINE CHOICE.
I think people use too big of hooks on soft plastics. The regular size fluke only needs a 3/0 to 4/0 hook. I like the heavy duty hooks to help with weight.
Have also had luck fishing em slow. Think die, die, dying, uh, u…..uh, uhuh. Chill yourself out. Let it fall. Die it on the bottom. Can get ya some when need a fish. And, many or same at night.
Nate~ do you know a Bill Merriman? He turned me onto your videos about a month ago. I'm really good friends with him and I also fish 6th sense products. If you are ever up in Pittsburgh hit me up and we can set up a day to fish.
I have some screw lock hooks, I'll have to give this a try. One caveat though Nathan, with a regular offset or offset EWG, you can move the position of how far into the head you want to bury the hook point. Burying it deeper allows the fluke to sink more horizontally and burying it less deep into the head allows the fluke to sink more nose down. You can't control that with the screw lock. Sometimes they want it sinking nose down, other times more horizontally.
True!
Everyone fishes fluke different. A 5.0 screw would be a bit heavy for where a fish largemouth..but I've caught monster calico bass on this setup. My PB was a fluke on a dropshot..
I insert my screwlocks under the nose of the fluke for the reason youre speaking of, it also allows them to stay a bit more upright during the fall since the weight is even lower my way
I've switched to this hook also about 10 years ago. Got tired of losing big fish with a EWG hook! I also fish the weighted version of the Owner screw lock hooks and done well when fish are more bottom oriented.
bass fisherman say the dumbest shit...
When they're short striking them or to save flukes, I make them a line through.
Get a small straw like the ones' for Capri juice pouches, punch through the nose tip, cut excess straw off, run the line through that tunnel (straw), then use a treble hook. Pin one spike to the fluke.
When they eat the bait and fling the bait, it just slides up the straw.
That’s a good rig as well!
kinda defeats the purpose of a fluke and the reason its so good, being able to fish it in thick cover
@@sambageian Well, that's not the only reason I use a fluke myself. I use it weightless in cold water, over deep water for a slower fall, on busting fish, and skipping & darting over the surface for reaction bites in the fall.
I hike in to fish, so I often carry baits that I can use in many versatile ways. I try to limit my items I carry due to weight.
Just started fishing flukes this year and God but I wish i had been fishing them years ago as they are utterly deadly bass catching lurers in my lakes and I do mean deadly. I also had hook set issues using EWG hooks and just figured par for the course. Then I while researching different ways to fish a weldless flukes about a month ago, came across a article of a guy saying exactly what you are and recommending I try an Owner or Gamakatsu screw lock hook and my successful hook set percentage went from 65-75% to over 95%. What also helped a noticeable amount was going from a 3/0 screw lock hook to a 4/0 screw lock hook.
I have been using flukes for over 28 years, so using a different type of hook may be just a bit more helpful. Something to think about. Great video sir and thanks.
Thank you!
I use screw-locks for all my flukes. Also, I bend/cant the hook points sideways a bit which helps minimize missed hooksets. Do the same for Keitech swimbaits too, for which I use a weighted screwlock EWG.
Interesting!
Trokar finesse worm hooks are awesome too.
Thanks Nathan. Fluke fishing is a blast. I'm surprised you didn't go braid to swivel to leader. If you take a black sharpie to about 6' of the yellow braid you can fish clear water with it.
I’ve always liked a little stretch for a fluke! And flouro sinks for a weightless bait
I've got screw lock bullet weights I use for most of the time when fishing with plastics. They work great but haven't been able to find them this year to restock.
I’ve never tried them!
My local Bass Pro used to carry them. They are made in Nebraska somewhere.
Those weights are a Florida rig.
Excellent video! The screw lock hook is money! The swivel is key! 🎣
With all due respect, I see quite a few anglers miss bites on the fluke simply because they set the hook to quickly ripping the fluke away from the fish and in the process it damages the fluke as well.. Durability wise the issue i see these days is the materials being used is often to hard vs material such as Plastisol which is soft and appealing in a fishes mouth. the harder materials offer realism and detail making the fluke look more like a bait but often many of these lure more anglers than fish.
Hard to beat Zoom flukes at $3.00 a bag of 10 during bass pro shops spring sales. Bent packaged zooms can be straightened out by boiling in hot water ,gently stretching, and you can add some salt as well .
Have close to same set up. Same hook (works great) I use a 7' rod medium heavy with fast tip, same gear ratio reel and 15 lb. P- Line.
Owner Twistlocks are great for flukes and longer paddle tails. Rig em weedless and have no fear of getting hung up on grass, structure or dock piling. And the work!
Yep!
Always pleased with any pack of Owner hooks I grab.
One thing I'm glad of, I see your sonars screens are full of spots all over them. I thought it was just mine....lol. Great tips!! :)
Add a touch of Crazy Glue to the screw and you'll save baits without having to take time to adjust the fluke on the screw/hook. I wasn't a believer until I set up some flukes/hooks/glue BEFORE getting into the boat. It was time (and money) well spent.
Hey Nathan, Thanks for the great video & tips!! I think that's the first tip I've heard or seen about using a swivel with a fluke and it makes sense. Heck the Flukemaster never mentioned it!!! lol Stay Safe & God Bless!!!
Thanks!
I can honestly say I've never found a problem fishing flukes on an offset roundbend in 4/0, and I've had triple digit fish days on the Columbia with a bag of flukes, a couple hooks and a small bottle of Mendit
Awesome!
Bass fishing hq put out a video a few weeks ago showing a study that determined that the majority of bass do not migrate with seasonal change.
Looks like you’re located here in FL. I’m heading out tomorrow on the Harris chain….probably Apopka. If so, it’s great to see someone fishing these same lakes. I’m in the process of trying to figure out these bigger, more well-known fisheries.
thats where i am
@@GoneWithinSeconds Are you in central? I'm in South Orlando. Would be fun to hook up with some local guys that know the area. Fishing down here is very foreign to me, being from Ohio. Although, I did well yesterday on the Conway lakes.
@@phillamoore157 im in eustis fl in the harris chain bud
@@GoneWithinSeconds Nice! My parents retired down here in 2000, in a 55+ park (Imperial Terrace), and had their boat on a canal that fed into Eustis, right there in Tavares right directly across the street from that main Harris ramp. I used to take my dad out every now and then. But, given his age, we didn't spend much time bass fishing. When my parents passed the wife and I moved to south Orlando. I've got an older Stratos, w/ a 150 Evinrude, but it's clean and reliable. Given it's your backyard, it'd be my treat if you ever want to head out. I'll buy you lunch at Hideaway there on Harris, for showing me around (I think that's still on Harris, right???) Let me know.....I'm happy to drive up your way. Or, you can come my direction, and we can hit Toho. It's always more fun to go with someone. Email is:
jlaird72@gmail.com
@@phillamoore157 wow, so you have befn fishing these parts a pretty long time 😂😂 and i’ll email you my number or something
Believe me, I'm gonna give the screwlock a shot, as I've had bad luck with the offsets and straight shank hooks. Thanks!
Good luck!
I use the same hook on a rubber worm and the Fluke works great. Been using them for years.
Awesome!
Great tip. Thanks
I find the med cps springs rip the nose after awhile...increased to a lg spring...game changer
Like that Kistler. Awesome rods!
ATTENTION: He meant light medium heavy to medium heavy "POWER" not action. He actually never mentioned what the action of the rod was, but for flukes it's gotta be fast or extra fast action. You could also use a medium power fast or extra fast action rod in light cover.
Correct I mixed them up I apologize
We all know what he meant no need to reiterate
@Frank-eg4mw Not all people know, some noobies might take that at face value and perpetuate the conflation of terms. It's all over youtube and even some pros do it, I'm starting to think it's a conspiracy haha
HI Nathan, for people that have trouble with a baitcaster,can you use a spinning reel?
I do ! there is no reel police out on the lake
Your content is top notch I needed to know this trick thanks 👍
Thanks!
I switched to the screwlock hooks also.after a couple of fish the head of the bait will tear, l cut the bad part or the head off and use them on a jighead or slipsinker
Nice!
Thank You for showing how to fish this bait
Thank you!
Hook it opposite and let the hook make a hump in the back with the tip coming out the bottom. This will put a little downward tilt to the tail and that keeps the fluke in water when you twitch it
True
Good tip man, thanks for the video
Thanks!
Hey Nathan, love the screw lock idea. When fishing flukes, the nose often gets weakened from fish or cover and often the bait doesn't run correctly. I will give this a try this spring.
Didn’t know a jerk fluke could run right.
I jam em in my pocket, get on the bike and leave em in their for months with 12 other plastics.
My grab bag of fun. Still work
Good luck!
Is that a baby bass color on your video intro? My favorite color. Need to try that color. I use a rattle in the front and usually catch river smallmouth in the holes as the bait falls in.
I do not remember but I do like that color!
Another way if you're not as worried about it being weedless is to put a hitchhiker in the head of the fluke and nose hook it with a wacky hook. Most of the time they'll eat a fluke head first and your hookup ratio will increase that way.
This is a good rig as well!
The fluke is one of the most awesome lures ever made Works in fresh and saltwater
For sure!
Omg
Works for snook too 👍
Super helpful, thanks!
Thanks!
Young man I'll give you a secret from way back. Flip the bait upside down where the sides of the bait give the point just enough protection but it's exposed.
Interesting!
@Nathan Quince Fishing gives a nice dead fall ( as in Fall season ) dying shad action. I use to use eagle claw Featherlite hooks now use lite wire hooks. Use swivel as you stated.
Thanks for the tip, I would have never thought of that
Ever try the weedles hooks 'TT Lures Chinlockz'? whats your opinion on them vs screw locks. - Ive never tried screw locks and thinking about giving them a go.
I have not tried them!
@@nathanquincefishing7122 all good 👍 I live in NW Australia and getting into soft plastics, they’re a lot of fun to fish. Btw your vids are awesome mate!
Thanks for shareing ..I couldnt figure out why,I kept loosing fish on them..
Owner TwistLOCK are the only hooks I use for flukes, worms and craws!
Same. I never fished them with normal ewg hooks, always the twist locks.
Would like to know how you position the hook point in the midsection
I just lay it flat on the back
I feel like whenever I catch a fish…..it was just a fluke.
What color is that your throwing
Houdini
Hi 👋 Nathan!
Thanks for your valuable information 👍 and God Bless 🙌 Timothy Mason
Thanks!
I'm not a big fan of screw locks on swimbaits, flukes, or even shake heads. The screw makes the plastic stiffer between it and the hook point so its harder for the fish to collapse it and hook up
Does this rigging method keep the fluke down in the water column a bit?! My only issue with fishing a zoom fluke with EWG hooks seems to be it stays practically on Topwater the entire time.
It keeps it down a little better but not perfect!
I fish a lot of flukes thinks for that good tip I will be fishing it like that from now on
Thanks!
Fish on a 6ft rod medium-heavy with 10 lb test with a 4/0
Good thing you have three screens in the bow so you could land that lunker.
i find my hit rates skyrocket when i NOSE hook my flukes with 2, 3, 4 sized smaller hooks .... bass almost always inhale/hit their prey near the head rather than tail first
That’s a good way to rig it!
Great idea! Your link to hook is for a Hyabusa hook not the Owner pack you showed.
I was unable to find the owners on that site but the hayabusa are similar!
You should try using a sluggle. They work so good that we stopped using them. That is other than me and a few others
Sluggo
Is that a fabric softner?
2 other advantages of a sluggo is that it's easier to weight With a nail type of weight and it also has a concave back so your hook can actually lay on top exposed making it easier To get a hookset and Still be weedless. A 3rd advantage is that it is heavier And can cast further.
Here is a tip, wacky rig your sluggo between the 2 slits on side,cast out past your target and make sure it lands head first ,twitch it steady across top and keep reeling and it will swim at a angle towards target ,when it gets to desired spot stop it and fish it like a wacky worm,works great for overhanging willows if fishing from the shore.
sluggo? I used the sluggo, all the time in the early 90s. Caught a bunch of 5 lbers on a sluggo.
Was that still a 5/0 on the 6th sense flush?
Good question? Or on a zoom
Yep! 5 or 6 would be ideal!
Gamakatsu Offset EWG hooks and nothing else. I fish them weedless contrary to almost every video about how it's the wrong way to rig it. Go watch how the pros do it like Roland Martin and improve your technique.
Hi Nathan Very instructive thank you. I received a notification purporting to be from you about a prize and giving a phone number to ring. It's a con by a third party right?
Me too
Yep those are cons.
@@UnspokenWords2010 Thanks Chuck for confirming
Yep that’s not me!
Try the rivet rig!
I’ve done a video on that one too!
I caught 10 last night on one fluke so idk. If u should be the one doing video on fluke fishing 🎣
Nathan, don't have ask this..... but y would u use flro, when it sinks. Mono floats, all I'm gonna say. You tell us all this about rod, reel, tech., then u use wrong line for a fluke??????????? And bass pro sells a plastic fixer for your soft plastics, I bought just for flukes. I can get 3 or 4 fish on 1 fluke. I will find name and put it on here. Stuff works GREAT!! LOVE YOUR VIDS AND CHANNEL, JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND LINE CHOICE.
I prefer the flouro to keep the bait down in the water a little
Thought that was jay cutler
I like to use the weighted screw lock swimbait style on fluke's. Works great.
Nice idea
Looks like a weightless frog hook.
Florida? They eat anything. Even bread there my guy. lol!
I think people use too big of hooks on soft plastics. The regular size fluke only needs a 3/0 to 4/0 hook. I like the heavy duty hooks to help with weight.
Have also had luck fishing em slow.
Think die, die, dying, uh, u…..uh, uhuh.
Chill yourself out. Let it fall. Die it on the bottom.
Can get ya some when need a fish. And, many or same at night.
Nice!
Same. I’ve had a 6lber pick it up off the bottom after not having moved it for a few minutes while caught up in conversation
This is NC
Maybe say this is what works for you 🤔
Never had that problem
🇺🇸👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍🙋♂️🙋♂️🙋♂️🙋♂️
U need to clean your screens
I do!
I hate flukes
This video is a one off fluke
Nate~ do you know a Bill Merriman? He turned me onto your videos about a month ago. I'm really good friends with him and I also fish 6th sense products. If you are ever up in Pittsburgh hit me up and we can set up a day to fish.
I do know him!