The Best Lure Colors for Fluke Fishing

My constitution of 4 had been hammering fluke of all sizes at a man-made reef throughout an August afternoon in 2016. White Marathon Growling Bucktails with glow Berkley Gulp have been working for everybody onboard. Then, out of nowhere, the chunk stopped. Had we caught all of the fish in that stretch? No likelihood. Had the drift, present or tide modified, shutting down the chunk? The GPS and human instruments of commentary didn’t point out so. Did the fluke swim elsewhere on the reef? Maybe. Did the fish merely get full? Possibly. On the lookout for solutions, we modified from white bucktails to chartreuse jigs with chartreuse Gulp. Immediately, the fishing kicked again into excessive gear and the crew stuffed its restrict of solid-sized fluke. Our outcomes begged the query: what are the most effective lure colours for fluke fishing?

Les Newhall used a pink shine Gulp on a jighead to idiot this 9-pound flounder.

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On that outing, deductive reasoning factors to the fluke responding to the change of colour in our presentation. The motion instantly returned when solely the colour was altered, thus illustrating {that a} summer season flounder’s colour choice can change whereas feeding. We continued to make use of bucktails of the identical dimension and weight; subsequently, that a part of the equation remained fixed.

fluke white and pink jig — When squid are current, white and pink are prime producers.

Dialogue relating to fluke fishing and the colour of the rigs, jigs, bucktails, and bait has been happening for many years. Every angler has his personal perception as to what colour works finest when. Hypotheses and theories make selecting which hue to ship to the sand enjoyable and difficult on the similar time.

Half a century has passed by since easy red-and-white bucktails have been the first choice at each sort out store. Corporations like Berkley and SPRO rode a wave of momentum within the Nineties into the 2000s with their “jazzed-up” colours with equally fascinating names. Berkley Gulp’s “nuclear rooster” and “new penny” colours have been in excessive demand once they first hit the fluke scene within the Northeast. SPRO’s Prime bucktail within the “Magic Bus” colour was one other hot-ticket merchandise, together with their brightly coloured paint and hair patterns.

Captain Jeff Viamari runs Unhealthy Affect Charters based mostly in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, and devotes lots of his summer season journeys to fishing shifty ocean sands such because the Nantucket Shoals. “I wouldn’t depart the dock with out pink, white, or chartreuse bucktails,” Captain Jeff professed. “I’m a agency believer in these colours, and I all the time like so as to add a Berkley Gulp grub with the identical colour sample so as to add to the effectiveness.” These colours most likely rank within the higher echelon for a lot of fluke anglers up and down the Japanese Seaboard as a result of their sustained success in drawing bites. Maybe they’re the “most secure” colours to ship to the underside.

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Capt. Jeff continued, “I prefer to match my colours to the baitfish which are within the space in the course of the summer season. Now we have squid, sand eels, and small scup, so we use we use pink, white, glow, and blue to match these prevalent baitfish.”

The right colors for fluke — CHOOSING THE RIGHT COLORSNot all bait colours are equal with regards to focusing on fluke. Sure colours produce higher leads to sure condititions.

Matching the Forage

Mike Sisto runs Jersey Key Charters out of the Atlantic Highlands and focuses his fluke fishing in Raritan Bay and on offshore ocean construction. “If I had to decide on three bucktail colours, they’d positively be white/glow, chartreuse, and orange. The orange just isn’t a standard colour, and I’d by no means considered utilizing it till a shopper of mine wound up outproducing everybody on a visit, catching his restrict, together with a fish topping seven kilos.”

Choose a color based on the conditions, baitfish, and location — Select a colour based mostly on the circumstances, baitfish, and site, however be prepared to change if the chunk shuts off.

As for matching the hatch, Captain Mike’s shoppers have success with quite a lot of colours, however he typically finds himself utilizing white. “I’m an enormous fan of white! I exploit an entire squid on a white bucktail once we fish Ambrose Channel and the squid are current. The most important fluke of the day comes from this setup very often.” When Captain Mike is hammering the Shrewsbury Rocks, he sticks with white or glow bucktails paired with a contrasting pink Gulp. “We’ve had pink Gulp Squids out on the Rocks, and the colour mixture actually labored nicely on the fluke,” he stated.

Tides and Water Readability

Captain Mike commented, “Many instances within the spring we’re fishing the outgoing tide, and the water readability just isn’t the most effective. Beneath these circumstances, the productive lure is a chartreuse bucktail topped with a four-inch swimming mullet in glow or chartreuse,” he continued. “On cloudy-water days within the ocean, I’ll fish chartreuse six-inch grubs. On these days, we can even prime off the bucktail with an entire squid or giant strip bait.” A bit contact of pure colour all the time helps.

lure colors for fluke — Beneath most circumstances and in most places, chartreuse or white is an efficient place to begin when dropping for fluke.

Captain Jeff had related ideas of colours for soiled water. “If the water is off-colored from a storm, I discover that vibrant inexperienced, orange, and even glow can put extra fish within the field. These colours are boosted by a further soft-plastic bait, rubber squid, or perhaps a mixture of beads. The brighter the higher!”

“I’m a agency believer in trial and error with regards to colours,” Jeff stated. “Don’t get within the behavior of utilizing the identical colours each day out, even when they’re confirmed! Take note of the opposite colours persons are utilizing and see how profitable they’re. Or, ask your native lure maker to create a brand new mixture or, for instance, add one thing like a purple streak within the bucktail.”

partly digested sea robins — Massive fluke love sea robins—evidenced by this partially digested specimen regurgitated within the writer’s cooler—making brown and orange a productive colour mixture.

Habitat and Backside Composition

Captain Jeff got here full circle when speaking about selecting colours based mostly on the atmosphere and habitat being fished. “In terms of colours round construction, match your colours to the kind of prey prevalent within the space. For instance, when fishing round mussel or clam beds, strive a crab-colored teaser; if you’re fishing sandy backside, attempt to get a colour sample that finest matches a sea robin or small fluke.”

I can personally attest to fluke often feeding on sea robins as much as as much as eight inches, since I’ve steadily discovered them regurgitated by a few of the largest fluke I’ve ever caught. Moreover, I’ve cleaned fluke with bellies filled with wreck-dwellers like child tog, bergall and sea bass so utilizing colours displayed by these species is logical.

The previous proprietor of S & S Bucktails (now OG Jigs), Stan Gola, identified the identical factor about sea robin patterns in a completely completely different dialog. “Our sea robin bucktails have been, by far, the best-producing bucktail for anglers final 12 months. The suggestions was excellent.”

Stan talks to everybody from skilled guides to sort out store homeowners who weigh within the huge ones every day. This intel retains his finger on the heart beat of the fluke world and makes him an authority on what’s engaged on the water. Stan said, “Most guys within the early season are fishing the backwaters. I discover the most well-liked and efficient colours are customary white, chartreuse/white, and pink/white. However when the water is basically clear, some guys just like the spearing sample loads.” Mixing different-colored hair inside the similar bucktail isn’t new within the business, however lure corporations like OG Jigs are taking it to a different stage. “On or close to a full moon and because the water warms, a crab or shrimp sample, together with the ocean robin, appears to supply higher than others.

S and S sea-robin jig — Coloration patterns that mimic sea robins may be very efficient in sandy areas.

“I discover that in deeper water, anglers desire glow bucktails,” Stan stated. “Final 12 months, our pink shine glow was the most well liked colour, however the 12 months earlier than it was our glowing sea robin.”

“As for soiled water, the extra seen the higher. Something with glow will work, however bear in mind this: colours change because the water will get deeper,” Stan stated. “As an example, after forty toes down, chartreuse turns yellow and pink turns to orange on the similar depth. Evidently, typically it’s all about altering issues up till you discover the new colour.”

fluke jig with flash — Within the shallow and typically stained backwaters, rigs and jigs with flash get a fluke’s consideration.

“Flash” or tinsel added to bucktails offers a wrinkle within the fluke sport. “I discover that utilizing silver may be good when there are loads of sand eels round,” Captain Viamari stated. “Nonetheless, I exploit silver solely on a bucktail or a slide. I attempt to keep away from ‘jewellery’ akin to spinners as a result of they have an inclination to draw dogfish.”

Captain Mike concurred that a few of his shoppers have completed nicely when utilizing bucktails with flash. “I’ve seen the tinsel work nicely. I bear in mind just a few instances when a daily shopper used it and caught extra keepers than the remainder of the constitution.”

I additionally maintain some silver glitz in my arsenal. Actually, I all the time have a Tsunami glass minnow prepared to make use of in shallow water within the again bays, or I tie on a teaser and lace it with a small Gulp when fishing deep – it has silver flash constructed into the hair. Jigs with a holographic end can even give anglers that edge in sure situations.