by: Hunter G Reagan
Today, there are virtually thousands of baits and lures on the market and they are all designed to catch fish in different circumstances and conditions. That means that many will work only in specific types of circumstances and a few a very versatile. So before you spend a boatload of money to buy a bag full of bait, let me tell you about a bait that I have found to work well in the weed infested lakes and swamps of Georgia, Florida, Alabama, and other areas with similar cover.
Most people go about finding the right lure is through experience, trial and error, and talking with older, wiser fishermen. I am no different. After much trial and error, an experienced pro introduced me to the Zoom Fluke. I found this to be the most versatile and most successful lure that I have used and there is no question that it is one of my favorites.
Living in the southern most part of South Georgia, there are many opportunities to bass fish. There are hundreds of small lakes and ponds pretty much anywhere that you look. The toughest thing about these small lakes and ponds is that there is not very much open water. There are cypress trees, alligator mounds, lily pads, and every other type of weed imaginable. The bass usually hang out underneath this cover and use it as an ambushing point. The key is to not only get the bait down to the bass, but to give them something that they cannot refuse.
1). The first technique that I use is the slow approach. Throw up right up against the weed line. If you hit the weeds, it is even better because it will less disruption to the water. Pull the fluke right off the edge of the grass or pads extremely slowly and carefully until it is in open water. What I mean by open water is that the bait can see the bottom; this can often be no more than a pocket the size of a basketball. As soon as the bait is in open water, just stop, and let it sink to the bottom. When the fluke sinks to the bottom it will sink very slowly while rocking back and forth imitating a shiner that has just been stunned. The best thing in this situation is patience. Let the fluke sit there for a full minute. After that minute, twitch it once to bring it back to life and let it sink again. Many times, the bites are subtle. The key to identifying bites is to pay close attention to where you threw the bait. So when you start to retrieve it and the line has moved you know that there is a fish on. Keep using this slow retrieve until there is no more cover between you and the fluke.
2). The other method that I use is the aggressive approach. While it is still fairly slow; it is much faster than the first. This method works well for aggressive bass, such as schooling bass. The technique is much like that of jerk bait. I usually combine the two by making my initial cast to the weed line and let it sink to the bottom. Pop it once, and then let it sink one more time. Then I will slowly reel in the slack, and twitch, reel in the slack and twitch, keeping the bait constantly darting back and forth slowly to entice a bite. This can be described as a jerk- jerk- pause method of retrieve. Using this method, the bites are very intense and they try to jerk to rod right out of your hands. Give a good strong hook set and hang on.
There is one other way that I have caught bass using a fluke, but I don’t think that there is a technique to it. The most recent time was a couple of months ago on a small lake covered in lily pads, weeds, and floating islands, heaven for big bass. We pulled up beside on island with a little pocket in the side of it with a couple of lily pads. So I threw up in the pocket, and the instant my fluke should have hit the water, there was a huge splash, I figured that I had just spooked something. So I was going to let it sink to the bottom hoping that whatever it was would come back to pick it up. My partner was convinced that a bass had swallowed my bait before it even hit the water. So I carefully reeled in some of the slack to see that my line was swimming off under the floating island. I set the hook into something with some heft to it. After a good fight, I pulled out a beautiful Eleven Pound Florida Black Bass that had swallowed my bait before it even hit the water.
I hope that this information was helpful. Good luck on the water.
To watch some of my friends putting the Zoom Super Salty Fluke to work, or to watch other great hunting, fishing, and all outdoor activities, log on to http://www.myOutdoors.tv.