Topwater bites on the Eastern Bay 06/17/2018

[sprirobass]

I originally planned to go to Severn, but after hearing reports of slow bites I decided to go across to Eastern bay. I launched from Romancoke pier around sunrise. Didn't get any bites on the shallow areas. I started paddling out to deeper water looking for breaking fish. I found them around 30ft of water and all of a sudden I'm surrounded by breaking fish everywhere. The fish finder was lit from top to bottom and I got bites on almost every cast. All short of keeper size but fun nonetheless. Here is the video:

[DanMarino]

That looks like a great time. I've never caught stripers on top water before. Have you ever considered putting those 2 rods behind you when you aren't trolling?

[sprirobass]

That looks like a great time. I've never caught stripers on top water before. Have you ever considered putting those 2 rods behind you when you aren't trolling?

I caught them on the backcast a few times before, when I put them behind me. Almost lost a rod one time. I usually just lay them flat on my legs but the action was hot. I was afraid it would turn off soon. [emoji3]
I was bottom fishing prior to finding these school.

[DanMarino]

Gotcha Spirobass. I normally only bring 2 rods. Since I am right handed, I put the extra rod in the rod holder behind me on the left side so I don't snag it on my back cast.

[J.A. Veil]

I was in Eastern Bay yesterday too fishing from my boat. We covered 30 miles and encountered two small pods of fish that made occasional splashes at the surface. No birds were around. My fishing partner and I stopped and caught a few fish from each pod before moving on in search of larger fish.

We did catch several stripers on topwater plugs over some submerged rocks in 4' water depth and many others in shallow areas on paddletails.

In the absence of large groups of working birds this time of year, it pays to keep looking around for intermittent splashes as you are paddling/pedaling along. A glance in a direction that shows splashing for a few seconds could lead to a bunch of catching.

[sprirobass]

I caught a few in the shallow too later in the day by trolling paddle tail.

[Mark]

Gotcha Spirobass. I normally only bring 2 rods. Since I am right handed, I put the extra rod in the rod holder behind me on the left side so I don't snag it on my back cast.

I do something similar. I can carry up to 5 rods in my Revo with 4 being behind my seat, on my right and left, as I cast the one in my hand. I just make sure I never cast directly over my bow. As long as I cast to the right or left, geometry insures I cannot snag the rods behind my seat, even with a long fly rod and the line extended on the backcast.

The trick is remembering that rule and not excitedly casting to breaking fish directly in front of my bow.

[ronaultmtd]

Same here Mark...my homemade pvc rocket launcher rod rack slides in the two rod holders by my seat on the Outback and the four rod holders are tilted back at about a 15 degree angle so they are not totally vertical...never had a problem casting and they are close enough for me to get a rod quickly and easily...I always have one ready for the top water bite...and this time of year, I carry a rod rigged for white perch.

[Yak Fish]

nice video, thanks for sharing!

[kevinfry]

Seems i'm the only guy that cant catch fish on a chug bug!

[ronaultmtd]

Kevin, when the fish are feeding on top...they hit everything I have in my top water box...I used to think the only popper was a Tsunami popper because I caught so many fish with it, then based on a post from Mark, I bought a Rapala Skitter pop...same story...then a Whopper Plopper...a chug bug...a Rebel Wind Cheater..a Top dog...a Papa dog...guess what? They all work fantastic...one secret to success...get rid of that split ring on the nose and do not use fluorocarbon leaders...use mono leaders...a small loop knot makes all the difference in the world...and don’t be in a hurry to set the hook...guarantee you will catch them on a chug bug if you do...

[Mark]

Kevin,

The reason Ron suggested a mono leader is because mono stretches. Its elasticity helps to hook a topwater fish. A slower action rod also will give you more success on topwater for the same reason.

Both keep the topwater lure in the strike zone a split second longer and counter your natural instinct to strike when you see a splash. The biggest mistake topwater angers do is to pull the lure from the fish before it is securely hooked.

With a mono leader and/or a slower action rod, I bet your Chug Bug hook-ups increase.

[ronaultmtd]

Partially right, Mark....but the main reason is weight and sinking...getting rid of the split ring and fluorocarbon sinking faster than monofilament as well as abrasion resistance and the plus of stretch in mono..if you change the weight distribution off the nose of the plug by removing the split ring, and the added buoyancy of mono...it really makes a difference in the action of the lure...