Post your 2019-2025 Fluke Pix & Trip Reports Here!

[Leprechaun]

In case anyone wants to give the drop-shot technique on our fluke - here's a nice "starter kit" from Berkley. If it were I, I'd schmear some sort of "smelly jelly" fish attractant on them, but then that's just me.

 

[BoatGuy]

"smelly jelly" fish attractant on them

I learn something new all the time. What the heck is Smelly Jelly. I did a google and there are many "flavors". Which one to try?

 

[Leprechaun]

Hi BG - when I mentioned "Smelly Jelly," that was a very old product from the '90's (I think) and I was really referring to a type of product, rather than a specific one.

This is what I would use if I were to really get into this type of fishing:

Scents

Scents

www.pro-cure.com

I'd go with one of the SW-friendly versions. I see many of the YT posters seem to prefer this brand, the guys I watch include Dan/Fishing Accomplished, Pete Ranieri and of course EliasVFishing - who has his own line of very successful rubber/plastic lures - his "MiniMac" baits seem particularly effective on bay fluke, from what I've seen on-line.

 

[Leprechaun]

And speaking of Pete Ranieri's YT channel, here's his latest video, shot in my own boating backyard.

 

[CaptXXX]

Another valiant effort on a really nice day for the ocean.
BTW, did Stephen's "secret lure" look something like this? If so, I know where you can still buy a few!

View attachment 117990

“No”… says Stephen’s Dad

 

[george]

Keep drilling it out. Gotta be a DD coming soon!

I've been saying that all my life.

 

[Leprechaun]

Only one for me in my entire life. 11.2lbs in 2006 - hit a tandem-rigged squid over one of my old-time open bottom drops. What a beauty she was too . . .

Jeez, I look 20 years younger.

Oh wait . . .

 

[OVERBORED]

Who's the young guy you let hold the fish! Lol

 

[Leprechaun]

Had George and Capt. Mike aboard for an offshore trip yesterday. A fairly significant 3'-4' roll with a light East breeze made figuring out my drift lines a bit tough at first. Anyway, we caught plenty of shorts, including a pair of 18.5" on the last drift, but only found a single fish for the box. It got so tough that I switched my rig over to seabass & ling and fished the final few hours that way. So we ended the day with a half dozen nice-sized keeper biscuits and a small batch of ling. I don't know what is going on this season, but if I had to rate the past three fluke seasons, I'd give 2024 a "7", 2025 a 5" and this season a "1", no lie.

Had a 250lb+ hammerhead come right to the boat (a first for me!), trying to steal a ling, and saw one other big fishie come up as well, but I don't think it was a shark, had the wrong profile and fin set - I dunno, maybe a really big cobia? I've never seen one free-swimming, so I can't say for sure.

Here's a few pics, including a real nice one I boxed.

 

[Snapprhead27]

Had George and Capt. Mike aboard for an offshore trip yesterday. A fairly significant 3'-4' roll with a light East breeze made figuring out my drift lines a bit tough at first. Anyway, we caught plenty of shorts, including a pair of 18.5" on the last drift, but only found a single fish for the box. It got so tough that I switched my rig over to seabass & ling and fished the final few hours that way. So we ended the day with a half dozen nice-sized keeper biscuits and a small batch of ling. I don't know what is going on this season, but if I had to rate the past three fluke seasons, I'd give 2024 a "7", 2025 a 5" and this season a "1", no lie.

Had a 250lb+ hammerhead come right to the boat (a first for me!), trying to steal a ling, and saw one other big fishie come up as well, but I don't think it was a shark, had the wrong profile and fin set - I dunno, maybe a really big cobia? I've never seen one swimming, so I can't say for sure.

Here's a few pics, including a real nice one I caught.

View attachment 118178

View attachment 118179

Tough for sure! I was at the AB reef on Friday all day and it was nothing but shorts. Even saw a Captree boat working McCallister (sp?) and popped over to AB real quick.

 

[Chinacat]

Had George and Capt. Mike aboard for an offshore trip yesterday. A fairly significant 3'-4' roll with a light East breeze made figuring out my drift lines a bit tough at first. Anyway, we caught plenty of shorts, including a pair of 18.5" on the last drift, but only found a single fish for the box. It got so tough that I switched my rig over to seabass & ling and fished the final few hours that way. So we ended the day with a half dozen nice-sized keeper biscuits and a small batch of ling. I don't know what is going on this season, but if I had to rate the past three fluke seasons, I'd give 2024 a "7", 2025 a 5" and this season a "1", no lie.

Had a 250lb+ hammerhead come right to the boat (a first for me!), trying to steal a ling, and saw one other big fishie come up as well, but I don't think it was a shark, had the wrong profile and fin set - I dunno, maybe a really big cobia? I've never seen one free-swimming, so I can't say for sure.

Here's a few pics, including a real nice one I boxed.

View attachment 118178

View attachment 118179

Damn
If thats the results for the “A Team”, the rest of us dont stand a chance with the flatties

At least you came home with some nice biscuits