Hey guys, when I fish plastics these days, 90% of the time I am throwing either a Rage Tail Craw or a Senko.  Usually weightless.  Yesterday I found the fish much preferred a Fluke.  Problem is I missed getting the hook set on a much higher percentage of the Fluke hits than on the others.  Really good aggressive takes too.  I obviously think I know how to Texas rig a plastic bait.  I was using an Owner offset worm hook......same as I use with the Rage Tail and Senko.  Any ideas or tips on why I was not getting the hook into so many more fish with the Fluke?

Thanks for any input.

hey Marty how ya been,, havent talked in a while.. i fish a "fluke" style bait a lot of the time and dont have any problems since i went to an Owner Screw Lock Hook and i push the hook on through the plastic then just stick the point of the hook into the top of the fluke.. its called skinning the hook.. but the most important thing is using the Screw Lock Hook & Skinning the point.. wish i could show you a picture.. i still have your phone number, im gonna send you a picture..if you know how to post pictures on here ya might wanna post what im sending you..im gonna try to post picture but im not computer savy

thanks for the message, and the pics.  I do skin the hook point, but have not used the wider bodied hooks in the past.  Will definitely give them a try.  Thanks again.

  HEY i think i did it :)

Your welcome Marty.. good luck

Marty, the weightless fluke is one of my favorite things to throw, and i always have one rigged up in my boat.  There is a lot of plastic on the top of those things, so it's a must you "skin the hook"   I missed a absolute donkey last year, because i didn't do this and learned the hard way.   I failed to skin the hook, when the fish spit it, and i got it back to the boat  the hook was barely poking out of the back of the bait.  I have started throwing the double fluke rig more often.  Go on you tube and you can see how to rig it.  The fish can't resist it.  Good luck

Thanks Danny, I actually did come across the double fluke rig online last night.  I think the EWG hook versus just the offset worm hook I was using is where my issue is.  I appreciate your reply.

The TWIST LOCK is of importance also, along with the wide gap...  once you use a TWIST LOCK (or Screw Lock) you will never go back on your Horny Toads or Fluke type baits.. and Owner is the only maker that has the guide pin down the middle of the screw lock which makes them a step above all others

I was fishing with Danny that day, and after he missed that huge fish, believe me - he was just sitting there in his pond boat, shaking all over. I knew exactly how he felt, too. She was a real pig.

With flukes or sluggos I think you have to let them run with it then set the hook. At least that's what I do.

The key is an EWG hook and skin hooking it.  Use an EWG hook on any soft plastics with a "body" that is thicker than a traditional plastic worm.

i'm personally not a big proponent of the EWG style hook.  it seems to me that the gap between the hook point and the eye of the hook is much larger on an offset round bend hook (plus the hook point kind of opens up) than on an EWG style hook.  right or wrong, i feel that little extra enables more hooksets and less missed fish.  also, i don't let em run with it; stick em as soon as you feel the bite.  the only exception to the last statement is when using a hollow body frog.

just my opinion.....

I only use the offset round bend hook when throwing zoom super flukes and yum Houdini shads.  When I get that tap tap I set the hook. Only  misses I get are when the fluke is pulled down the hook. I blame this on the bass just grabbing the tail instead of inhaling. Sometimes when they have that tail they will hold on until they get  to the boat.  I have a ton of EWG weighted and no weight in my box but don't use them often.  On the ribbits I am now using the double Ribbit hook and have been increasing my hook sets.

I am addicted to fluke fishing and will echo many of the comments on here. I use a EWG hook, and I go large, usually a 5.0. I also throw weightless whenever I can. I like to let the bait "flutter" and suspend as long as possible to keep it in the strike zone. I also hunt down the tiny 1/16 tungstens and have good results pegging them. I also like a small brad size nail as a weight in the front of the bait if I think I can get by with it. I prefer mono when throwing them over floro. I fish it year round

Best O'' luck to you with all of the great posts on the subject!

Originally Posted by Matt Linn

The key is an EWG hook and skin hooking it.  Use an EWG hook on any soft plastics with a "body" that is thicker than a traditional plastic worm.

{Quoted Post} What he said. EWG hook skinned.

What he said AND if ya use the Screw Lock, the bait wont slip down and clog up the hooking area like the problem Robert L mentioned.. AND i TOO SET HOOK as soon as i feel something.. i barely ever  miss a fish with the Screw Lock and instant set method