Fluke / Soft Jerkbait

Soft Plastic — soft jerkbait

Written by — professional Central Texas bass fishing guide since 2000. 50+ years fishing these waters, 26+ years guiding, thousands of trips across all 16 lakes he personally fishes. More about Bryan →

· · Knowledge base v2026.07

The fluke, or soft jerkbait, is a weightless soft plastic twitched so it darts erratically and glides like a dying shad. It shines for shallow, schooling and spawning bass on Central Texas lakes and is easy and fun to fish.

Why: A darting, dying-shad imitation.
Evidence: Verified knowledge from Bryan Cotter, 26+ years guiding all 16 Central Texas lakes.
Related: Finesse Fishing · Dock Fishing / Skipping · All bass lures

Verified Answered by , Texas Hawgs guide · Updated Jul 12, 2026

89% confidenceSources: Bryan Cotter's first-hand experienceUpdated Jul 12, 2026

Why it works

The erratic, injured-baitfish darting triggers reaction strikes from shad-feeding and shallow fish.

Brands that make this style: Berkley PowerBait MaxScent Jerk Shad sponsor, Zoom Super Fluke

As an Amazon Associate, Texas Hawgs earns from qualifying purchases. Brands marked sponsor are companies Bryan proudly represents — see the sponsors page.

Fluke / Soft Jerkbait at a glance

Family
Soft Plastic
Sizes
4 in, 5 in
Weights
weightless or 1/16 oz
Water temp
55-85°F
Skill level
●●○○○
Bryan's confidence
●●●●○

Catches: Largemouth Bass, Guadalupe Bass, White Bass

When to throw it

Best seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall

Best conditions: Shad Spawn, Calm / Slick Conditions, Cloud Cover

Where to throw it

Depth: 0-6 ft; cover: Open, Grass, Docks; structure: Flats, Points, Spawning Areas, Bait Schools.

How to fish it

Rig it with: Finesse Fishing, Dock Fishing / Skipping.

Retrieve: Twitch-twitch-pause on slack line to make it dart and glide; let it flutter down on the pause.

Color selection

By water clarity — Clear: pearl, white, watermelon · Stained: chartreuse-shad

By forage — Shad: pearl, white

Lakes where it produces

Lake Austin · Lake Buchanan · Lake LBJ · Inks Lake · Stillhouse Hollow · Lake Belton

Common mistakes

  • Fishing it on tight line, killing the dart
  • Too heavy a hook, sinking it too fast
  • Not pausing for the strike

Pro tips

  • An EWG hook keeps it weedless and darting
  • Deadly thrown into schooling fish

Keep exploring

All bass lures · Finesse Fishing · All techniques · Central Texas bass fishing guide

Want to catch 'em on a Fluke / Soft Jerkbait? All tackle is provided on a guided trip. See rates and book or call 512-762-0190.