Had the pleasure of fishing Quabbin with new friend Mike (Huskybass on fishing forums) and receiving instruction on working the Zoom Super Fluke Jr., a bait I've had in my box for quite a while but hardly ever used. Mike lip hooks this bait and works it with a snap that, if you've got the right amount of slack in your line, makes it walk the dog (think how you work a Zara Spook, say) and triggers smallies  like nothing I've ever seen before.

 

 

Mike has been fishing Quabbin regularly since '98 and I since '93. We both knew good early season spots and on this one, which showed me both LM & SM on my last trip, Mike produced this fine smallmouth specimen:

 

 

It took me a few hours to get the hang of Mike's long-practiced Fluke technique but once I got the slack and snap right, I started to get bit too. The pic below was taken by a friend of Mike who landed a 7-1 smallmouth somewhere in this big, bountiful New England smallie water last year:

 

 

Mike's fish is a solid 4 lber., mine better than 3lbs..

 

The smallies were thick at our last spot. The breeze was just right, the water temp about 60º and the fish were all over  the Super Fluke Jr., including this bonus 6-14 largemouth:

 

 

What a day! Thank you, Mike!

Nice work gents! Love a nice day out on the Q!

Nice day out!  And you learned a new technique as well!  Congrats!
 

Jeff

I love Super Flukes, glad you got some confidence in them. Nice fish!

Great report. WTG!

What Super Day on the water !

 

Great smallies and a True Trophy Largemouth as well.

 

Congrats to you both.

 

Well Done

 

A-Jay

Wow looked like a great day!   Congrats!  

Way nice catch on one of my favorite baits.WTG.

 

I like the 5" super  fluke with the same basic hook, except I hook them 90 degrees away from your way [3 oclock to 9]

 

Zoom makes  a 7" SF . Never tried them topside. I usually  put that size on a 2 to 3 oz jig for stripers.

 

C22

Will, that is an outstanding day of Bassin' on the Q.

The Largemouth is a tank. Prespawn at it's best.

 

Hookset on 3

Good job with the flukes. You have some nice smallies right there.

Great job!

Interesting rig, was it set up on a drop shot rig, or weighted in any way?

 

Hitting the Quabbin soon with my wife have had good luck there in the past, hopefully can put her on to some smallies and get her hooked! Used to live in Amherst before I sold my boat which was nice, but hopefully we can get there early enough for a rental.

Interesting rig, was it set up on a drop shot rig, or weighted in any way?

 

 

 

We tie the hook directly to the line and fish it unweighted. Mike used a 6 1/2' spinning rod and 6 lb. line. I used a  7' spinning rod and 8 lb. copolymer line. I think the 6 1/2' spinning is preferable but will probably stick to 8 for line.