[PorgyMan]

Crazy -

I have noticed over the last couple of years that a lot of people have been using spinning gear for fluke. I assume this is because of the increasing use of braided line. What's your preference? Is a spinning outfit with braided line more sensitive to the bite than a conventional setup with braided line? I fish the western sound in areas loaded with structure and uneven bottom.

MC

 

[Crazy-Al]

Porgyman,
That is a good question! Yes, I also noticed that more and more fishers are using spinning with braid line for fluke.
Whenever I fish water columns under 30 ft. or so, during the last of each tide, I will use a spinning outfit. It gives me better sensitivity when using light jigs!

Anything deeper, I would switch to conventional outfits (with braid) since it would require a heavier payload.

Just wondering, how many people out there does the same?

"Crazy" Alberto
[email protected]

 

[614347]

I use a light outfit for shallow water bucktailing, and switch to a heavier outfir when drifting. But I usually use spinning gear when targetting Fluke, unless I'm in the mood to use a Baitcaster, in which case I guess I'm using "Conventional" in shallow water. I haven't been in areas with heavy current that might require more weight (a.k.a. Conventional).

Flounder

 

[Gamakatsu]

CA,

I basically use the same approach. I try to stay with a spinning reel as much as possible when in shallow water and if the current permits, I don't go to a conventional at all. When I fish deeper water, where there is a lot of current, I go conventional. After all, how practical is a spinning reel fishing the North Rip off Montauk?

I have not used braid for fluke on my spinning rod yet, but it looks like I am going to give it a go this year.

Gamakatsu

 

[Capt Neil]

Hi.

Many people use spin reels for fluke and every other kind of fish.

These fisherman PREFER spining gear. Thats fine.

I prefer conventional reels for fluke. Why???? I am a thumb fisherman. While drifting for fluke I leave my reel in free spool and apply tension to the spool using my thumb. If I feel a fish working on the bait I can let out alittle line until he has the hook in his mouth. If the fish hits hard I just thumb the spool hard, turn the handle which engages the spool.

If I miss the hook up, I am in free spool so I just lift the tip of the rod or hand strip line, this strips line from the reel, the hook stays in the feeding zone of the fish usually producing another hookup.

A side story. A blackfish charter consisted of most anglers arriving with spining rods and reels.

Many fish and rigs were lost around the boat. The mates were kept very busy replacing rigs and freeing the anglers from the bottom. The anglers were complaining about the lack of fish coming over the rail.

I stood in the bow and looked down both sides of the boat. I saw many tips bending due to bites. As soon as they lifted their tips to set the hook the blacks were back in the wreck. Why??? The spin rods had NO BACKBONE to set the hook.I also believe a conventional reel is much better suited for the task.

When offered boat rods to a person they declined.

However, on the starboard stern corner was a fisherman using a sturdy fiberglass stick with a side winder reel. Guess who caught most of the fish???? Your right.

Moral of the story---- use the proper tackle matched to the fish you are trying to catch.

Capt Neil

Custom Fishing Rods by Captain Neil
(631)567-8049

 

[spygull]

I don't use spinning tackle for any of my bottom fishing anymore the reason is better control of the line on the drop. My favorite rig for fluke is a penn 955 on a med. wt. 6.5 ft. rod loaded with 15 lb. fireline. I gives me the ability to feel every tap, instant hook sets, and I can hold bottom when useing bait with 1 or 2 oz of lead. the rig has enough backbone to land the occasional bass or doormat that may come along.

 

[Crazy-Al]

I agree, there are just a few things in life that I believe in?

Oil and water never mix -and - wreck fishermen should never use spinning outfits.

"Crazy" Alberto
[email protected]

 

[614782]

Why is it that the guides on a spinning rod when fished the conventional way (reel on the bottom, how some guys fish with the reel on top confuses the **** out of me). And on a conventional the guides are on the top. I don't think the reel makes the hook set I think it is the rod. I also think alot of people use spinners because they don't get the backlash if they are not careful with the conventional. Lou

fishon

 

[Billy40]

Why is it people feel a spinning rod is more sensitive than a conventional? With light jigs, why not use a lighter conventional outfit with braid?

I had a long post, didn't bother the first time, but.... Don't get me wrong, a spinning rod has its place (and I prefer using the spinner), but for bottom fishing Fluke it is much easier to use conventional. See Neil's post above about dropping back. Impossible to do with a spinner unless you fish with the anti-reverse switch off, and are a greater man then I am cause I tried and couldn't do it.

 

[Gamakatsu]

For the most part when I use a spinning reel for fluke, it is with a jig. If I am bait fishing, I usually use a conventional. I find that a spinning rod allows better wrist action to bounce a jig than does a conventional. Regarding what Capt. Neil said, I don't use a bail on any of my spinning reels, so dropping back to a fish requires nothing more than lifting my index finger. In essence, taking the bail off keeps you in free spool also.

I don't think a spinning reel is suited for most bottom fishing either, but I have a side story also.

About 15 - 20 years ago, I was on a Coxes Ledge trip on the Viking and there was some guy on there with a noodle surf rod and a Garcia Mitchell. On the way out there you could see people laughing to themselves and rolling their eyes, myself included. Fishing was decent that day and I ended up with about 20 cod. The guy with the spinning rod outfished everybody on the boat and had one fish that went over 30 pounds and almost won the pool. Conservatively, he caught 40 fish. Even the guy next to me with his sidewinder reel and custom rod was getting frustrated watching him...Go figure.

Gamakatsu

 

[Billy40]

G - OK - you've solved teh dropping back issue by using a manual bail - you are in teh 1% of the guys fishing for FLuke with a spiinning rod who does this. You are also a better man than I - LOL.

About getting better action when jigging - I am 50-50 on that. I agree using a spinner is easy to bounce a jig with. But I also eel teh same about a convetional with a trigger and a small reel which lets you palm it. I use a Morrum SX 1601 with 10 pound Powere Pro with 3/4oz jigs (CA hasn't invited me to skinny water Fluke so I needed "heaver 3/4ox jigs)
The one problem I find with most conventionals and bouncing jigs, is wrist fatigue. Rather than bore you with my "theory", I'll just say with a spiral wrapped rod there is less fatigue than when you use a spinner.

 

[Gamakatsu]

Billy, I am sure that you are right about the spiral wrapped rod, but when I think about looking at that all day, I get nauseous. Take me out in 15 foot seas, but don't make me fish with a spiral wrapped rod. I think that whoever the rod builder was that came up with idea of putting the tip on upside down was smelling too much rod epoxy...LOL (some people love them, but they're not for me)

I guess it really comes down to personal preference and what you are most comfortable with.

Gamakatsu

 

[Capt Neil]

Hi Gamakatsu.

We will put a mermaid in front of the reel seat on the spiral wrapped rod for you. How's that????

Capt Neil

Custom Fishing Rods by Captain Neil
(631)567-8049

 

[Gamakatsu]

Now yer talkin' Capt. Neil, just make sure that she's removable. My wife already wonders how come I like fishing so much.

Gamakatsu

 

[Crazy-Al]

LOLOLOL....
You guys are too much!

Now carry on!

"Crazy" Alberto
[email protected]

 

[PorgyMan]

Thanks for the info and opinions. If anyone is interested, there will be a show on ESPN2 in January on Western Sound fluking with Rich from R&G Tackle as the guest pro. I'm sure they will be fishing with spinning gear and braided line since that's all Rich uses these days when he's fluking. Here's a link to the show's website:

http://www.georgepoveromo.com/showcalendar.htm

Al - I you know you've fished with Rich in that area. How do you like the Western Sound?

MC

 

[Crazy-Al]

Porgyman wrote:
Al - I you know you've fished with Rich in that area. How do you like the Western Sound?
_______________________________________________

Hello MC,

OK... Yes, I did fish with Rich and we fluked with spinning outfits. Rich's favorite fluke method (for Western end) is spinning/braid and it's an absolute deadly combination! We did great and caught plenty big fish!

Also, so you know, this coming ESPN show with George Poveromo will be with spinning tackle - but not braid. Without giving out too much, let's just say they were experimenting with a new line and the end results was great.

Now, how do I like the Western Sound? I think it's incredible when the season is on! There are plenty of chopper blues, impressive bass, great togging spots and unbelievable doormats!

Don't be too surprised to see me there more often.

Tight Lines,

"Crazy" Alberto
[email protected]

 

[ArtieFluke429]

spinning outfit

i have a skiff and i bucktail alot of water from 4-10 ft for fluke.. i like using 15 pd power pro.. and my 4300 or .. which rod would you reccommend to go with it?? what lentgh brand and action would you rec. for the rod.. and any tips on tipping the bucktails and rigging them on this light of an outfit would help alot.. thanks

 

[622712]

hey pogyman, you can try with a baitrunner 4500 on a 10 ft rod that isnt too beefiest and load it with any braid line. you can use this for chunking, eel slinging, plugging, and light jigging (1 oz jigs). i havent used my baitrunner 4500 for fluke. i am going to give it a try. this is for surf fluking. if you are fishing around spot that isnt big and open, some guys opt for 6 ft freshwater rod and a spinning reel or a conventional reel for fluking. you can go for 7-9 foot light/med rod and a spinning or covnentional reel.

i purchased a abu 7000CL w/ levelwind and put it on my 10 foot convench sealine-X for my canal fluking.
any suggestion for the rod to go with my reel? i want to be able to cast far to reach a fluke.

 

[floatstone]

Al et al:

I agree that the western sound offers great spots with the added advantage of little travel time. Regarding fluke, 8-12 pound fluke are caught regularly if you know where to fish, and knowing the tide is 1/2 the batle. This year was slow however.

My comment on this subject is: what ever gets the bait down to the bottom with the least amount of weight is the key. Braid or mono, I have caught 8 pound fluke in 60-80 feet of water with light mono 12-15 lbs with 1-3 ounce weight on both spinning and conventional gear regradless of the tide. I have used both braid and mono with the same results.

Call me a poor/lousy fisherman but I use outriggers to deadstick my rods. I usually fish three dead and one in my hand. believe it or not but the dead sticks in the outriggers catch more than 2/3 of the fish.

Also use one hook versus a tandem hook and you will catch more fluke and less sea robins

just my opinion

float