[Tracker99]

Being a new fisherman (1 month now), I've been reading and asking questions just about everywhere on fluke fishing, and fishing in general. But I have a few questions about fluke fishing from a pier.

1-Just about everyone recommends using a two hook setup: a teaser and a bucktail. This seems to work great trolling from a boat, but every setup I've tried casting from a pier causes tangled lines and poor results. Am I better off using a bucktail, lure, or just a fluke hook? I've been using bait on the bucktails and lures as well.
Bait has been strips of squid or live
shinners.

2- I've been using a Shimano Spinning reel (my only reel) with 14 lb test on a 8 foot rod, but after talking to several locals it seems that it's overkill, and I should be using my 6'6" rod for better feel and 10 lb test line. I see their point, but when I've gotten a bunch of seaweed on my line, the 8 footer really bends and I'm affraid of breaking the 6 footer.

3-Best time of day/night to fish for fluke in the summer time. We've had poor results at Captree from 7am till 4pm, with hardly any bites and just a few black sea bass. We're going to try today from 4pm till 9 or 10pm.
From what I saw most of the other fisherman were having the same poor results, with just an occasional fluke every once in a while.

 

[621109]

1) Use a simple fluke rig. 3 way swivel w/sinker pin brings results for my pier fishing. I tie the swivel directly to the running line. I put a 2-4 ounce sinker on the clip. only one hook is needed. Tie a 36" fluke hook to the swivel. On the hook is a squid strip with a split tail. Works great. keep it simple

2)i use a 7' rod for my fluke fishing. It easily handles alot of seaweed. IF you can, use a lighter sinker and keep the rod tip up while fishing. This will prevent the sinker from dragging through the weeds. Instead it will bounce off the bottom. go with the 6'6" rod and less lead.


3) Time doesnt matter but tide does. Get out their when the tide is turning. This is whenr the fish are hungry. also, when the tide turns you get a nice drift. Use enough lead to hold bottom but you dont want it to be anchored.

Try squid for bait. cut it into strips. At the end of the strip split the pointed end. This will make the bait swim instead of spin. Good luck and let me know when you get your first 5 pound fluke off the pier on this setup. lol.

 

[616787]

This is something I used to do on a daily basis, until other things in life became more important,lol.

I built a special rod just for this purpose. It was a 7 foot fenwick, fast action with ceramic guides. The fast action was necessary for controlling the cast and not ripping the bait off during it. At the time, I used FRESH spearing, and squid strips.

I used a Penn 710 reel with it, 12 Lb test ande line. A fishfinder rig, meaning I would run the line thru the eye of a bank sinker and tie it onto a barrel swivel. Then, a 3 foot leader and a 4/0 sproat hook.

If the tide was coming left-to-right, I would cast left at an angle, and let the tide roll the rig across the bottom, and keep the line tight,without bringing it in. If it stopped rolling, whether or not I got a nibble - you never knew with a big fluke - I would let it sit slack 5 seconds, then tighten the line and lift. If I got a pullback, I set the hook and brought him in!

Used to work great on the "sanitation pier" in Canarsie before they busted the site manager for all that toxic waste.

 

[gottog]

I fish a local pier near me in NJ all the time for fluke. My setup right now is a Lamiglass 7' med action rod rated around 3/8oz for lures and a Tica Camry 3500. I'm using Power Pro braided line with a mono leader(fluorocarbon) but in the past have used 8-12lb mono. My favorite "rig" to use is just a 3/8oz leadhead and either place a spearing or a artificial tail(Fin-S, BassAssassin, Trout Killer) on it. When using a spearing I'll hook em through the eyes then place the hook through the belly with the point just coming out of the back right behind the head. All I do is cast out and bounce it slowly back while reeling in the slack. Lots of fun this way and also hook into weaks, blues, and the occassional striper depending on which "tail" you opt to use.

 

[616787]

Where there is not a strong tidal flow, cast and bouncing retrieve is the way to go. I use this method on the boat too, when the drift goes dead. I believe this is where the FAST ACTION rod distinguishes itself. The tip is sensitive and flexible, and the first 3/4 of the rod is very stiff. It allows you to see a light tap, and feel it better too. It also allows you to set the hook more firmly with alot of line out.