Yo-Zuri Wack-O
Chrome (sort of) Super Spook jr.
Yo-Zuri Banana boat
Big ol Seatrout that sucked the Spook
I have a thing for chucking topwater plugs. It is an active way to fish, constantly manipulating the lure in an effort to elicit a strike. I can cover alot of water in search of areas that are holding fish. The surface strikes are always a visual treat and make for exciting fishing. If I was relegated to only one method of fishing I would choose topwaters over bait, jigs, spoons, or flies. The magic of getting the topwater into the strike zone, the technique of making the lure dance, and the reward of a vicious surface strike all come together to culminate in the highest form of inshore light tackle angling. Here are some of my practices that work for me.
First off... whatever topwater plug you choose to fish with... change out the hooks. Every plug on the market comes with hooks that are too weak, gap too small, point and barbs too big, and some plugs even have terrible split rings. SPRO makes awesome split rings, they are beefy and have a good finish that stands up to corrosion. As for hooks I use Eagle Claw Lazer Sharp 3x trebles. Size #2 (L934BTP3-2). These hooks have a wide gap, sticky sharp points, a low profile barb, and the finish is fairly resistant to corrosion. I have found that these hooks are slightly heavier than most standard topwater plug hooks. This adds a little more weight to the plug and causes it to float lower in the water. I believe this does two things. One is the plug will 'burp' or 'gurgle' more. The second thing is the plug is more likely to be slurped under the surface during the strike, as opposed to being blasted airborne by the rushing head wake created by the gamefish as it charges. This really comes into play when targeting Redfish with topwater plugs.
Each of the plugs I like essentially works the same way. The standard retrieve is what every one calls "walk the dog". It is a retrieve that is easy to master and can be done at a fast pace or much slower. A slight twitch of the rod-tip will cause the plug to dart off to one direction. The slack is reeled in, and the rodtip is twitched again, which will cause the plug to dart the opposite direction. When done correctly the plug will travel in an elongated Z pattern. Quick, short, twitches will result in a small z. Stronger twitches will cause the plug to travel more and make a much larger Z. I like to work the plug with a steady metronome like cadence. If a fish rushes the lure, making a boil, even smacks it and misses, I will speed it up and change the rhythym. A few quick snaps of the rodtip, a slight pause as if the lure needed a rest, and more twitches causing the lure to skip away. This makes the lure appear as a wounded minnow that is using all its energy to escape the predator. The gamefish will react by charging the plug and attempting to devour it.
Now comes the really hard part! DO NOT SET THE HOOK! Rearing back to strike home the steel will 9 times out of 10 cause the plug to come ripping out of the water and fly straight at you with the velocity of a speeding bullet. Remember the hooks I suggested? They will hook you real quick like if the plug comes flying straight at your face. Instead, allow the fish to strike the lure and get his lips around the plug. The velocity of the strike will give sufficient pressure to make the points of those sticky sharp Eagle Claws stick in his jaw. Once you feel the weight of the fish on the line, a sharp tug will get the business done. In actuality all that needs to be done is a few quick revolutions of the reel's crank to get the slack out of the line and come tight to the fish. The hooks and the fish do the work of setting the hook for you. Many anglers do not use topwater plugs because of the frustration from missing fish due to over zealous hooksets. Just let the fish do it for you!
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