New Fluke Bucktail Rig

[Skolmann]

Saw on another site a very unique fluke bucktailing rig that I plan on trying out in NJ waters soon. It has supposedly had good success with 'sharpie' flukers fishing in Rhode Island and around Martha's Vineyard/Block Island.

Basically the rig is as follows; Start with a long piece of leader material. At one end use a small surgeons loop knot to attach a hookless silver/chrome ball (some refer to these as fluke bullets). This is your sinker-so use the appropriate size to hold bottom. Above this, tie 2 dropper loops into the leader (making sure the are spaced out). Take a 1 ounce Spro (or other type of bucktail) and using a loop knot attach it to a 14" piece of leader. At the other end of the leader tie a surgeon's loop. Now take the loop at the end of this leader and using a loop to loop connection attach it to the lower dropper loop. Next, using a smaller (1/2 ounce Spro) do the samething and attach it to the upper dropper loop again using a loop to loop connection. Tip both Spros with whatever bait is your favorite and work the rig as you would a regular bucktail.

I'll try to post a picture of the rig later tonight.

[AviD]

Sounds pretty good.  I fish something similar, but find that with the leader lengths going to bucktails (Spros)...they tend to wrap around the main leader and turn into a tangled mess.

Wonder if they are using heavy leader material to keep things a little stiffer.

Almost sounds like a tog rig with a chrome ball and loop to loop connections but with Spros rather than bait and crab

[Luna Sea 5]

 

[Skolmann]

Picture

[Ruger314]

have you seen the sliding chrome ball jig yet?? 10 -12 buck a shot ...

[Reel Time]

 thinking the spros could be replaced with teasers and reduce leaders twisting around the main line?

[Skolmann]

Everything I have read about this rig on the other site sems to indicate that when worked properly there is very little tangeling of the bucktails.

The guys that are fishing then are hard core flukers. Mostly Koreans (not that that matters) and are knwon for putting siginificant catches (both quanity & quality) in their coolers.

The only thing that I might do to modify the above rig is add a short piece of mono to the second eye of the silver ball with a double hook at the end and use either a 4" Fin~S or a long bait strip.

Haven't heard or seen a sliding fluke ball.

[Skolmann]

This is the response I received from the person who made the posting about this rig on the other site to my asking about the rig.

FYI-the person's name is Kilsong who's name some of you might reconzie. He lives in NJ but fishes all over the world searching for trophy fish. He especially loves bucktailing fluke and jigging tuna.

"Hi-lo rigs for fluke is very popular in Virginia and North Carolina. In fact, hi-lo rigs are standard rigs for fluke there.
When I saw the hi-lo rigs for the first time years ago, I was wondering how they worked. When I saw fluke video out of Virginia , fluke literally jump onto the high hook two feet above the sinker aggressively. However at that time I didn't have any idea the hi-lo rigs would become popular in our area. Those rigs are good especially when there are many skate.

The Korean group, I fished beside on the Francis Fleet, go everywhere to catch fluke every week, sometimes a few times a week.
When the majority of the group use hi-lo rigs for fluke, it must be working. But everyday is different and every tide is different. "

[Luna Sea 5]

Picture

how have these produced for you.  Looks good to me.  When you fish them, what hook gets the most action, or does that depend on the bait. 

[Skolmann]

Picture

how have these produced for you.  Looks good to me.  When you fish them, what hook gets the most action, or does that depend on the bait. 

Haven't fished them yet. Plan on doing so next time I'm fishing out in the ocean. Maybe this weekend and definitely for sure on August 3rd when I'm out with Capt Allen on his Reel Class and on August 4th when I'm fishing with Capt. Charlie Martino.

[Luna Sea 5]

they look really good.  i would make mine with only 2 hooks though.  It looks like you have alot of weight on it with the ball jig and the spro's. 

[Luna Sea 5]

I would do it a little different.  from the line, I would use a 3 way swivel and put the ball jig with hook on one side of the swivel with a very short leader.  This will act as my baited weight.  Then from there I would do what you did.  Put a long leader from the other side of the swivel and then put multiple jigs on that line as you have.  If the ball jig is on a shore lead, that will be the first thing to pass the fluke as you troll, the weighted jig will bounce and get the attention of the fluke, or wake them up, then you have the other 2 teasers following it for a strike.  The way you have it is that the teasers will pass the fluke first off the bottom, then the ball jig will follow, by the time the ball jig wakes up the fluke on the bottom, the teasers have already passed him... 

Just thought I would throw in my $.02 and tweak it a bit, but great job

[gottog]

EEEKKKKK!!!!

Please never bring this out on party boats.  That's gonna create a hell of a mess when you net a fish.

One guy used something similar except he had a larger/heavier bucktail as the weight and another lighter one above on a leader and then another leadered hook.  When I worked the deck, it was always a horror show netting his fish...that and he called net for EVERYTHING. LOL

A teaser above the bucktail scores alot at times.  For a few seasons it out produced the bucktail itself.  Last season it seemed to only interest searobins and shorts, so went with just the solo bucktail and had fairly good results for the season.

I've fished with Kilsong.  Great guy and excellent jigger...expected him to try jig'n tog the last time we were out even

I use a variation of his Kil-R-Rig when I can't bucktail.  Basically a fishfinder setup except you use a hookless chrome ball as the sinker and the actual leader of the rig has a dropper in the center onto which a second hook or teaser goes on.  Again, a two hook rig that some mates just LOVE untangling from nets.  The rig seems simple enough, but it's all in the action/bounce   Oh, and I use like 60# stick leaders to make these rigs. 

[Luna Sea 5]

i agree with the thickness of the leader, it will prevent twisting in the water.  Instead of a ball jig, I use a 3 oz spro off the 3-way swivel and a very short lead, like 8", then on the other side of the swivel, I put a 2' lead and a bare gammy hook with a very small floating ball on it.  I bait the spro with a super large spearing, mullet, or any large bait.  This is the first thing that will bounce in front of the fluke.  If he misses that, then he will find the other hook baited with a large strip squid and a gulp bait.  This will increase the odds of hooking up.  The weight, jig, balljig should be first.  The bouncing and jigging action will get the fishes attention.  Then the secondary hook follows.  Same theory as above, but reverse.  How skollman has it in the picture, the teasers will pass the fish first and will not be on the bottom as it is attached to the scope of the line, then the ball jigs comes last.  I wish I can draw it here to give you a better example. 

[Flukedood]

Looks like  hi lo rig with teasers..I have tried something similar with out much success.

[Mate Mike]

I don't understand the purpose of the chrome ball as a weight, they're expensive.  Why not use a plain bank sinker?

[Mate Mike]

Here is the rig I use exclusively for fluke.  I tip the teaser with either a Gulp or 2 to 3 inch strip bait and tip the chrome ball with an 8 to 12 inch strip bait (big bait = big fish).  For strip bait I use dog fish belly, split the ends for flutter, soaked in bunker oil.  I have experimented with lots of different rigs and have found this to be the best producer (for me).

[gottog]

I don't understand the purpose of the chrome ball as a weight, they're expensive.  Why not use a plain bank sinker?

For the flash

Buy in bulk without the hook attached and they can be reasonable.

The action and flash resemble sand eels I've been told.

[Luna Sea 5]

Here is the rig I use exclusively for fluke.  I tip the teaser with either a Gulp or 2 to 3 inch strip bait and tip the chrome ball with an 8 to 12 inch strip bait (big bait = big fish).  For strip bait I use dog fish belly, split the ends for flutter, soaked in bunker oil.  I have experimented with lots of different rigs and have found this to be the best producer (for me).

very nice set up

[fnsmag]

Here is the rig I use exclusively for fluke.  I tip the teaser with either a Gulp or 2 to 3 inch strip bait and tip the chrome ball with an 8 to 12 inch strip bait (big bait = big fish).  For strip bait I use dog fish belly, split the ends for flutter, soaked in bunker oil.  I have experimented with lots of different rigs and have found this to be the best producer (for me).

What size chrome ball do you normally use?  Looks like a 3 ounce in the pic