FLUKE & WORMS

[BAYHAWK]

Took my son out yesterday 8/13/25.. Had livewell with peanuts by 7:30am fished till 1:00 pm. We had 3 keeper fluke 20.5 in - 24 in.,two cocktail blues. Now here is the reason for my report has anyone else discovered WORMS in their fluke fillers? This is a first for me and I've been fishing this area for 65yrs.

 

[Hunter704]

I’ve never seen it in my fluke, but will be checking thanks for the heads up

 

[Chevy1]

No, I’ve never seen themin fluke, just Cod

 

[george]

I have heard of it but never experienced it.

 

[longcast]

I will be checking. Thanks for the reminder of checking all fish when cleaning.

 

[Roccus7]

Crap, you can thank the seal population explosion for that!! I had one in a striped bass I caught on the NH/ME border.

I won't begin to relate how many worms the inshore cod up here can have. Suffice it to say that there have been fish that I start cutting and just feed it to the crabs because of all the worms seen at first look, not worth the effort...

 

[magictoo]

I've found them in sea bass and porgies also

 

[Matts]

I'm curious how you fish the peanuts.
I've never had success with live peanuts. I've tried them on my normal dropper loop rig on a teaser, and on a long leader with a bare single hook, but usually end up cutting them the long way and fishing them like strip bait.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[Snapprhead27]

I'm curious how you fish the peanuts.
I've never had success with live peanuts. I've tried them on my normal dropper loop rig on a teaser, and on a long leader with a bare single hook, but usually end up cutting them the long way and fishing them like strip bait.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.

I've used them on a simple chicken rig

 

[BAYHAWK]

Matt, I fish them on a +- 9’ leader with a snelled owner Mutu light wire circle hook 2/0 or 3/0 dependent on the time of season peanut bunker size, sometimes down to 1/0. I use a sinker slide clip either direct on the bottom or with a 12"’ to 18” length lite mono to raise the peanut off the bottom. Except for hook size this is how I drifted snappers and small kingfish for fluke and weakfish back in the day.

 

[OVERBORED]

9' leader? lol

 

[BAYHAWK]

Yes a 9” leader so I only have to snell a hook instead of a new leader and hook after a blue fish. Allows for more time fishing less time rigging.

 

[OVERBORED]

Ok....it was a typo. You posted 9' instead of 9".......lol

 

[BAYHAWK]

OVERBORED
No actually it is 9 feet the inch symbol was my typing error. Not only does it allow you to retie hooks lost to bluefish but it allows the live bait fish the ability to swim more naturally unimpeded by the sinker. At +- 9 feet using a 7 foot rod a lone angler can lift the fish and net it comfortably. I fish in either a Bay boat or a offshore Center console I wouldn’t recommend a 9 foot leader for someone who is able to fish in a kayak unless they are well adapted in hand lining the leader. I answered a question of how to live line baits for fluke from apparently a relatively new angler. I’ve live lined baits for fluke and weakfish for over 55 years (I also use egg slip sinkers). If you have a better or more modern way you should let Matt know instead of mocking my posts. I thought this website was to help and encourage new anglers. I didn’t want to give you a rebuttal just saying! …..LMAO!

 

[OVERBORED]

Whoa....just asking you to clarify........

 

[longcast]

OVERBORED
No actually it is 9 feet the inch symbol was my typing error. Not only does it allow you to retie hooks lost to bluefish but it allows the live bait fish the ability to swim more naturally unimpeded by the sinker. At +- 9 feet using a 7 foot rod a lone angler can lift the fish and net it comfortably. I fish in either a Bay boat or a offshore Center console I wouldn’t recommend a 9 foot leader for someone who is able to fish in a kayak unless they are well adapted in hand lining the leader. I answered a question of how to live line baits for fluke from apparently a relatively new angler. I’ve live lined baits for fluke and weakfish for over 55 years (I also use egg slip sinkers). If you have a better or more modern way you should let Matt know instead of mocking my posts. I thought this website was to help and encourage new anglers. I didn’t want to give you a rebuttal just saying! …..LMAO!

Interesting as a dear friend I miss greatly who moved on to better fishing grounds always had us dragging live bait in Montauk on 8-9 foot leaders for the same reasons. Usually on sand bottom south of Ditch etc. Caught some beautiful fish on his trips. Sometimes over sticky bottom as the bait swam up a bit although sinkers still hung up at times.

I have also used longer leaders in the back bay with slower currents using killies over the years too. Using #1 or 1/0 super thin wire Kahle hooks. Big time use in the marshes in SC. And they get some good fish back in there. Shallow water, little current, and stained water. You want that mud minnow or mullet swimming freely to cause vibrations as the water is stained most of the times. Longer leaders help.

 

[BAYHAWK]

Yes I’m also a fan of the Kahle hooks for killies. I also used them for strip baits in the 5/0-6/0 size. They have always seemed to offer better flutter and better jaw penetration with less effort.

 

[longcast]

Yes I’m also a fan of the Kahle hooks for killies. I also used them for strip baits in the 5/0-6/0 size. They have always seemed to offer better flutter and better jaw penetration with less effort.

Thin, but strong design. And light, so the live bait can put on a show!!