Topwater classic

[Rhino]

Sunday brought a few firsts: First 28" striper on topwater; first flounder on a spinnerbait; and first rockfish on a classic old lure from my first years of fishing as a kid. The 28" was caught on a large spook; she hit about 7 times in 10 seconds before I hooked her. That reminded me that with topwater for stripers, always be ready for that follow up hit because more often than not it's coming. I was surprised when I caught a flounder casting a spinnerbait in the shallows (sorry for the upside down pic). Anyone else had such luck? Finally, on a whim I threw this old Cotton Cordell Crazy Shad into some breaking peanut bunker, knowing it would make similar surface noise and splashes. I hooked a 23" rock on the first cast. Even more fun, I was using an ultra light rod/reel. I haven't used that lure in about 40 years. Anyone else got a Crazy Shad in their box? I caught several dozen other rockfish, but all ranging from dink to large dink, consistently on an Alabama rig (with just one hook on the trailer).
topwater fall striper.jpgCrazy Shad.jpgfall flounder.jpg

[scott taylor]

Rhino,

That is a very encouraging early October report. Was the 28 caught on the troll or casting/retrieve? It's amazing and great fun....how many times they sometimes repeatedly hit a plug hard before sticking.

Here's hoping you find many more!
ST

[ronaultmtd]

Never saw a trolled top water bait...guess it is possible- 99% of all top water action is cast and jerk, jerk, jerk...pause, jerk, jerk, jerk, pause

[Mark]

Michael,

I've never caught a flounder on a spinner bait but I caught one on a floating Rat-L-Trap near the shoreline of Poplar Island. That was a surprise.

Good job on your catches.

Ron,

Sometimes I drag my fly line behind my kayak when moving from spot to spot, especially if I have a popper on the end of it because I know it can't get hung up on anything subsurface. Leaving the line out allows me to quickly begin casting when I've reached my new spot. I've had lots of accidental catches that way over the years.

[Rhino]

Scott - On the cast/retrieve up against banks.

[Elsea]

On a whim I trolled a White Heddon Spook Jr. I held the rod and gave it an occasional twitch and much to my surprise I caught quite a few Stripers. No keepers but the just unders seemed to really like it. You never know until you try.