A soft plastic jerkbait can catch fish all year but I personally find myself using them a little more in the second half of summer when it’s really hot outside. In my experience the fish don’t seem to slow down as much right now as they do in the coldest part of winter, but they are definitely still lethargic at times and something about a soft plastic jerkbait just seems to work when other lures fall short. Having said that I don’t limit myself to one brand when it comes to jerkbaits and I like to use different ones based on where I’m at and what the bass are chasing. Here’s the four flukes I’ve got in my rotation right now.
Zoom Super Fluke
The first fluke I’m using is the Zoom Super Fluke. It’s where the name comes from and these days I like to use the 5″ version and the 6″ version. In fact I’m actually using the 6″ version more than the 5″ version since it has a little bit more drawing power and has been doing well for me lately. I like this one when the bass are chasing shad which means I’m usually throwing it from my kayak in larger bodies of water. They’ve got several different colors available but my personal favorites are albino or white pearl, and here’s what the 6″ version in albino looks like:
I typically like to use a 3/16oz 5/0 Gamakatsu Weighted Superline Spring Lock Hook with this lure, and this setup works well in larger bodies of water. You can even swap over to a Reaction Innovations Skinny Dipper if you want to cover water a little faster.
Strike King Caffeine Shad
The next fluke I’ve got in my lineup right now is the 5″ Caffeine Shad from Strike King. I like this one when I’m around docks, and the main reason is because it comes in a color called ghost shad and it turns out I’m picky when it comes to my fluke colors. They also make a color called pearl which works well if the water is dirty, but in my case I’m typically throwing one of these in ghost shad and when I do I’m throwing it on an unweighted 4/0 Gamakatsu Superline Spring Lock Hook. Aside from docks I also like this lure when I’m targeting shallow areas in larger bodies of water.
Yamamoto D Shad
The third fluke I’ve got in my lineup right now is the D Shad from Yamamoto. It’s very similar to the Caffeine Shad but comes in a color called sexy shad and that also happens to be one of my favorite fluke colors and so that’s why this one is on the list. Aside from that they’ve also got a color called pearl white and I don’t really have a preference between that or the pearl color from Strike King since both of them are solid choices and will catch fish. I basically use this in the same spots where I use the Caffeine Shad and ultimately the visibility determines the color I’m using which ends up determining which fluke I’m going with. I also use the same hook with this lure.
OSP DoLive Stick
The last fluke I’ve got in my arsenal is a JDM bait called the DoLive Stick from OSP. Since they’re made in Japan they are a bit more expensive, but these things work great for me so I don’t have a problem paying a little more for them. They can also be a little difficult to find at times, but they’re usually a little more readily available than some other JDM brands like the DEPS Sakamata Shad. I personally love these when I’m targeting bluegill in ponds and two of my favorite colors are gorismo black and dark cinnamon blue. They also come in several different shapes and sizes, but my personal favorites right now are the 4.5″ fat model (which is a little thicker than the standard version) and the standard 3.5″ version. In terms of hooks I use the same 4/0 hook that I use for the D Shad and Caffeine Shad, and for the smaller one my favorite hook is the 1/8oz 3/0 Owner Weighted Twistlock CPS. There’s also a couple of other lures that I like to use on that same hook, and if you’re interested you can learn more about those in the article I wrote about it here.
That about covers the flukes I’m currently throwing as well as where I use them and why. It’s still hot where I’m at and the fishing is still a little slow as a result, but even when the conditions aren’t ideal you can always pick up a soft plastic jerkbait and give yourself a decent chance at catching a bass.
