More Eastern Shore Topwater

[RavensDfense]

The topwater striper bite continues to be decent in the Tangier Sound. Went out Sunday morning and had a few decent fish with one 21" incher in a few hours. Even found an elusive speck trolling through grass beds in about 4 FOW.

Here is a short video of a topwater blowup (and miss ) from a nice striper. Topwater misses sting twice as bad because you can see it all happen.

[jhoss]

Nice! My favorite way to fish. Nothing like having a fish blow up on your lure like that. Timing the hookset just right is what makes it an art. Thanks for the post

[Mark]

Very nice.

Can't wait to find some of that activity this year myself.

I find that stripers often hit a surface lure or fly then come back to it a second later in a more serious mood leading to a hook up.

LM and SM bass usually get stuck on one strike only.

[Goody]

Nice! I tried some topwater lure over the weekend. It was a change of pace, had a few hits on it but couldn't set the hook (changed out the trebles for inline). I guess I need to get some practice.

[Hemingway]

That was a nice day on the water, I am starting to enjoy topwater after watching you and Brian busting 'em up. I was never a big topwater fan, because of the high percentage of low hookups I was having. But, I am coming around (just bought two more lures), and of course one was a spook. Just an 'ol "PapaDog" learning new tricks lol

[Mark]

Nice! I tried some topwater lure over the weekend. It was a change of pace, had a few hits on it but couldn't set the hook (changed out the trebles for inline). I guess I need to get some practice.

Just keep your rod tip low, your line tight and lift your rod tip slightly when you see the strike. A slower (more flexible) rod tip is better than a fast one. The fish generally hook themselves. I doubt your in-line hooks had anything to do with missing fish. I've caught many on top with single hook fly rod poppers.

The key is finding them in areas conducive to top water fishing. You've already done that. Your hookups will come soon.

Good luck.

[RavensDfense]

I find that stripers often hit a surface lure or fly then come back to it a second later in a more serious mood leading to a hook up.

I totally agree. Missing it the first time seems to agitate stripers and they come back most of the time. I threw a few more casts to this particular guy, but I got a piece of him on the initial strike, so I think he was done with that bait after the strike.

It was a change of pace, had a few hits on it but couldn't set the hook (changed out the trebles for inline).

I try (key word being try) to not "set" the hook. The fish will usually hook themselves because they swim downward with a mouth full of hook after the strike. Setting the hook often pulls it out. This is what I instintively did in the video and I pulled the hook.

[RavensDfense]

A slower (more flexible) rod tip is better than a fast one.

I struggle with this sometimes. I like a medium action rod for the hook up portion of topwater and the fight itself, but the flexibility in the rod doesn't lend itself well to properly working the walk-the-dog type bait like the one I used in the video. If only I could have a MH, XF rod when working the lure that would switch to a Medium power, Fast Action rod when the fish strikes. Maybe at iCast this year

[YakCapn]

I don't think they are 'missing' it the first time, I believe they are tail slapping the lure and trying to stun the prey and then they come back to swallow it.

[moc]

Nice video. I am not too good at catching stripers on top water. I am in the same boat as Goody. I will need more practice if I can only get out more often in productive waters.

[RavensDfense]

I don't think they are 'missing' it the first time, I believe they are tail slapping the lure and trying to stun the prey and then they come back to swallow it.

Never thought of that, but it makes sense.

[Mark]

I struggle with this sometimes. I like a medium action rod for the hook up portion of topwater and the fight itself, but the flexibility in the rod doesn't lend itself well to properly working the walk-the-dog type bait like the one I used in the video. If only I could have a MH, XF rod when working the lure that would switch to a Medium power, Fast Action rod when the fish strikes. Maybe at iCast this year

In fly fishing it's best to work the lure with your retrieve hand, not your rod tip. With conventional tackle you can use your rod tip somewhat to "walk the dog" but you also need to simultaneously reel in line to remove slack created by the movement of the rod tip. In both forms it helps to keep the rod tip low and raise it when you see the strike. With no slack in the line, the flexibility in the tip will provide just enough "give" to allow the fish depart with the lure.

[Slobber Bob]

I've heard the tail slap thing before but I don't know that I've ever seen a striper hit a topwater where I could say it was a tail slap. How would you tell the difference between a fish tail slapping the plug and it trying to eat the plug and just plain missing or not getting stuck?

I know the day I was out the other week and got several keepers on topwater I had some misses as well. A few hit the plug 3 - 5 times on a single retrieve and weren't sticking. One did toss the plug out of the water a few feet - tail slap? When I got home I inspected the plug. I hadn't changed the hooks on it in at least 2 years and it's seen a fair share of fish try to eat it. All the points on both trebles were rather dull and worn. The barbs were non-existent on it anymore. I figure that was why I wasn't hooking them. Changed hooks and next time out I got all the fish that hit it.

[Salty Dog]

I have always been hexed with the Curt Gowdy approach of setting the hook. Big hook sets are cool, but missed hookups are not. I have learned from Surf Fishing, let the fish set its own hook and keep the line taught.

[YakCapn]

I've heard the tail slap thing before but I don't know that I've ever seen a striper hit a topwater where I could say it was a tail slap. How would you tell the difference between a fish tail slapping the plug and it trying to eat the plug and just plain missing or not getting stuck?

I know the day I was out the other week and got several keepers on topwater I had some misses as well. A few hit the plug 3 - 5 times on a single retrieve and weren't sticking. One did toss the plug out of the water a few feet - tail slap? When I got home I inspected the plug. I hadn't changed the hooks on it in at least 2 years and it's seen a fair share of fish try to eat it. All the points on both trebles were rather dull and worn. The barbs were non-existent on it anymore. I figure that was why I wasn't hooking them. Changed hooks and next time out I got all the fish that hit it.

Yeah, I don't know for sure on top water. I haven't seen it first hand. I do know when trolling there is very often a bump on the rod where the tail swat occurs and then the hookup a couple of seconds later. The gopro video catches it real well, but I can't say I have seen it on top water.