Bass fishing is a popular and fun way to spend your days. Nothing is more fun than heading out onto the water with friends and family, tossing a line into the water, and showing off how easy it is to catch fish.
But when it comes to selecting the best bait to bring success, there are numerous options to consider. When fluke fishing, you can try using one of these 7 deadly methods to get the attention of a big fish no matter where you toss your line.
7 Effective Ways to Rig a Fluke for Bass Fishing
Weightless Texas Rig
When using a super fluke, the weightless Texas rig is an outstanding choice for the use of the entire fluke. It’s also extremely simple to rig and can get quick results, even if the fish are being shy or holding under cover in deep water.
Simply run your straight or offset hook through the nose of the fluke until the point of your hook is barely emerging on the belly of the fluke. This gives you a secure presentation as well as a rapid hookset guarantee when the bass strikes your line.
The weightless Texas rig can be used with an EWG style offset hook as well as standard worm hooks (see here for more info on types of bass fishing hooks). You can also use straight shank hooks to have your hook point just below the skin of the super fluke or soft plastic worm. If you prefer to use the EWG hook, be sure to run the hook shaft all the way through the Zoom super fluke or other bait and reskin it to make it weedless when fishing in heavy vegetation.
Weightless rigging is perfect when you want to keep your bait near the surface of the water to imitate injured and fleeing prey fish the bass and other target fish may chase. Weightless rigging is a bass magnet when used with a fast-twitch as well as a wide-sweeping cadence, depending on your preference. If you find bass are reluctant to come to the surface, let your rig sink a couple of feet into the water to really get the bass to take notice.
- Can be rigged with various baits
- Easy to fish as seedless
- Can be fished with a wide range of hooks
- May damage some smaller soft plastics
- Weedless rigging may be less effective with a hook set
- Can take some practice to master
Double Fluke Rig
If you’re having great results with a single fluke, two should double your chances of landing a trophy fish! When you find a sizable school of baitfish near your targeted bass, you want your presentation to be the one that stands out. With a double fluke rig, your steady retrieve presentation will be the most noticeable and appealing-looking meal for hungry bass swimming nearby.
When rigging a double fluke, you can use a three-way swivel to attach your two leaders, as well as your mainline, securely. This gives you the freedom to adjust your two leaders to your chosen length or mix them up a bit so the flukes are staggered in the water. The biggest issue, however, is that the tight lines are very prone to twisting, and if two bass strike at once, you may end up losing one, depending on how they decide to fight.
A way to get around this is by shortening your leader length and using two standard swivels. This ensures the bass will not be able to gain leverage to pull off the hook if two fish happen to strike your double fluke rig at once.
- Can make fish take notice instantly
- Great for fishing in high-density schools
- Extremely easy to rig and setup
- More prone to becoming tangled
- May get snagged much easier in rocks
- Takes more concentration when fishing
Scrounger
The scrounger is a very popular way to rig a fluke for anglers that love a middle ground between finesse and power fishing methods. You’ll be able to get the great vibration of a chatterbait while also getting the attention-grabbing movement of a Zoom super fluke when you pair them together.
Rigging and fishing with a scrounger are extremely easy, and it is a great rig for beginners to start with or experiment with. You buy a jig head – known as a scrounger jig head – with a plastic collar around it and put your bait on it, and you are set. You want your Zoom fluke to be set a little off-center to give it a good rolling motion when pulled through the water.
As bass take notice of your rig, you might notice more than one fish trying to nibble or strike. In areas where fish are more accustomed to seeing certain rigs, a scrounger can be a new and enticing presentation fish will react to. This is a great rig to try if fish are being stubborn or are way too suspicious of more common rigs.
- Extremely easy to fish with
- Great for beginners to practice with
- Can get fish to bite in heavily overfished areas
- May take some practice to get a good roll
- Fish might fight over your bait, damaging it
- May need to glue your bait to prevent line slide
Underspin
The underspin rig is similar to the scrounger but has a bit more finesse to it. If you’re fishing in deep open water that is relatively clear, the underspin is a great choice. For shallow and stained water with heavy vegetation, the scrounger is a better option.
The underspin is a very versatile rig that is great for beginners as well as experienced anglers alike. To rig it you use a jig head with a spinner blade attached to the bottom of the jig head, hence the term underspin jig head. Put your bait on this jighead, and you are set.
It presents your bait in a spiral when dropping to the bottom and can give a nearly vertical drop when needed. Fish will quickly react to both the spiral and yo-yo type dropping on the slow retrieve.
The underspin is also versatile enough to use with a wide range of different baits. If flukes aren’t a favorite of yours, don’t be afraid to mix it up with other soft plastic bait options. If you find your soft plastics tearing too easily on an underspin, consider using a bit of super glue to add some extra toughness in certain areas to keep the bait on your hook.
- Extremely versatile and easy to use
- Great for deep open water
- Can be used with a wide variety of baits
- May need super glue to prevent tearing and sliding
- Takes some practice to spiral-drop your bait
- Can be difficult to cast long distances
Neko Rig
While not the most common way to rig a fluke, the Neko rig is a very versatile and effective choice for anglers that love a middle ground between finesse and power fishing. If you’re fishing in areas where a fluke is a new and unusual bait item for fish, the Neko is the way to go.
When rigging a fluke on a Neko technique, consider using a nail weight to add to the nose. This gives your fluke the nose-down position and helps improve the motion and mud disturbance when scooting along the bottom of the lake.
When fishing with this rig, stick with slow and steady lure drags across the bottom. This imitates a baitfish browsing for food or attempting to hide from larger fish. The bass you are targeting will love seeing this, and it will get you bites.
- Great for disturbing mud at the bottom of the lake
- Extremely easy to fish with
- Excellent choice for mimicking injured baitfish
- Not suitable for topwater fishing
- Most effective in stained and deeper water
- Can easily get snagged on underwater debris
As a Trailer for a Jig or Spinnerbait
Normally keeping your fishing presentations as simple as possible is a good choice. The less stuff you have to worry about, the better. But if you’re using a jig or spinnerbait, having a fluke as a trailer can be a very effective way to present and cast your bait.
During the gorging season, when bass are filling their bellies on shad and other small fish, a fluke trailer can be an outstanding addition to your presentation. When rigged to a bladed jig, you won’t see much flopping action from your fluke. Instead, you will notice a smooth glide that perfectly matches the natural movement of nearby prey items.
- Mimics the smooth gliding motion of baitfish
- Great for fishing in busy fisheries
- Perfect option for year-round use
- Works best with bladed jigs
- Can be somewhat difficult to tie
- May take practice to tying properly
Tokyo Rig
If you’re having trouble finding the exact spot where bass are hiding, a Tokyo rig is your answer. This rig is extremely versatile and can be cast quickly and accurately in a wide area to pinpoint the fish without using electronics. Tie a fluke to a Tokyo for an extremely simple and great way for beginners to learn how to use this rig.
The Tokyo rig and fluke presentation are at their best when fished in and around heavy cover. If you’re finding times when other rigs and tied presentations are getting snagged or just not giving you the results you want, give the Tokyo rig a try with your favorite tackle.
- Easy to fish with
- Can be great for heavy cover
- Perfect for flukes or other soft baits
- Not the best option for shallow water
- Definitely not suitable for topwater fishing
- May take some practice to rig properly
Our Five Favorite Swimbaits
The 5-inch length and selection of colors make these flukes an outstanding choice for all types of bass fishing rigs.
This 5-inch fluke offers a rapid and realistic sinking motion that wiggles and jiggles in a realistic way as it falls.
For those that want a larger fluke, this 8 inch monster gives you an excellent movement profile as you move it through the water.
This 5-inch fluke glides through the water in smooth and graceful movements that will get nearby bass to bite quickly.
If you’re searching for a smaller fluke, the 3-inch Baby Z offers an appealing baitfish shape and an assortment of colors to suit your needs.
Final Thoughts on Rigging Flukes
There are a variety of ways to rig a fluke and get bass to take notice. Whether you are searching for a rig that is great for beginners or one that is better used in the hands of a professional, there is a rigging style that will work for you.
