If you have caught a large musky or big northern pike on a top water lure, you know what I mean about the ultimate thrill. There is nothing like watching the lure (your lure) coming back to the boat and then seeing a wake or swell coming up behind the bait and then experiencing the explosion as the fish literally leaves the water in its attack. Recently, on the chat board, a small chat occurred between Jack Penny and myself. Jack stated that his hair stands on end, he gets chicken skin, and the knees shake when he experiences the scene described above. Please remember that Jack has probably caught more large fish than most people have dreamt about, and I believe he holds nine line class records (correct me if I am wrong Jack). If you are not made of stone, I absolutely guarantee you will experience a similar phenomena.
Hopefully, you can begin to visualize what I have described above, here is a picture that will make that visualization even stronger.
If you are like me, you can visualize dropping a top-water near this island and as it comes past the point, the explosion occurs.
Now that you are interested in the experience, let's discuss when you should use a top water bait. I know some people might disagree with me (submit an article), but a top water bait can be used virtually anytime. While I say that, like with most things, there are better times to use it than other times. I have had my best success with top water in low light conditions (morning, evening and night). It is at these times that the light penetration is reduced and fish move shallower. In addition, summer is traditionally the best time for top-water. Now that I have said that, I am going to do what I absolutely hate about most articles that you read, I am going to say that while what I said is true, it is not absolute. A year or two ago I posted an article on a nice musky I caught on a top water lure, in October, on Lake of the Woods, midday, on a perfectly clear day! Nothing else was working and it just felt right and it worked. Don't limit yourself to what should be the rule, if the rule isn't working.
Most people have the impression that top water lures can only be used when the lake is dead calm, but that is far from the truth. I have fished top water with a good chop on the water with success. Obviously, in heavy wave conditions, a top water wouldn't be my first choice. The point I am trying to make is that dead calm is not a requirement for top water fishing.
Most people fish with a partner and like with any lure type, you need to fish with a lure comparable to what your partner is throwing. Example, if you are attempting to fish a slow moving crawler bait, while your partner is trying to cover water with a fast retrieving spinner bait, you are not fishing as a team. You both need to fish with baits that cover the water basically at the same speed. Yes, you can fish this way but it isn't as efficient as it could be. Top water baits such as a most propeller types, can be fished fast and can be easily fished with the same speed as a person with a spinner bait. I would also suggest not throwing a top water bait in the same area, at the same time, as someone throwing a different lure type. Again, in my opinion, both my partner and I have had more success if we covered the same water at different times. What I mean is that if your partner is throwing a bucktail at a weed clump, don't throw the top water there at the same time. I don't know if the fish gets distracted with two different lure types in the same area at the same time, but our hits have been more prevalent when we spread the casts out.
Retrieving the bait is also another important facet of fishing any lure, and top water is no acception. One school of thought on a top water is that don't begin to retrieve until the rings disappear when the lure hit the water. I personally don't wait that long, but you don't have to retrieve immediately. I also will jerk the lure as I retrieve it and periodically change directions as the bait is coming in with my rod tip. These actions can trigger strikes. One thing that probably has led to more missed fish with regards to retrieving is that people will totally stop the bait if they see a fish following their bait. Trust me, if the fish wants it, you can't reel it fast enough to keep it away from the fish. Think of it this way, if something was following you that could eat you, would you stop? Not exactly, it is unnatural to stop. Typically, I attempt to keep the bait away by speeding the retrieve up. The obvious hope is that the musky will think that the prey is trying to escape, and will provoke the strike.
One common mistake a fisherman makes in top water fishing is setting the hook at the splash. If you set the hook immediately on the explosion, I guarantee you'll miss a majority of the fish. You must wait until you feel the fish on the bait, before you set the hook. That is so easily said, but it is so tough to do when the adrenaline is pumping and you suffering with the chicken skin! I would suggest practicing on more common, smaller fish to get the hang of it. If you miss a small fish, no big deal, but you are learning. You have to be patient enough to actually let the fish take the bait before you set the hook.
The last point I will make is with regards to following fish. You probably have heard about the famous "figure 8" at boat side to get a strike from a following fish. Yes, this works for a lot of lure types, but to a lesser degree on top water baits. I have had one or two fish hit when I drove my top water under water and figure eighted it underwater, but a majority turned off. In my boat, I am typically fishing in the front and my son or wife are fishing on the rear platform, i.e. we are both at the end of the boat. What we have found that has worked well with top water as well as other baits is to do that famous "L" turn with bait and literally take it completely around the end of the boat. This move literally changes the bait direction multiple times and doesn't make the fish do unnatural turns. I have had a fair amount of success doing this rather than the traditional figure 8. I have even reversed the field and have come all the way back around again, and got hit on the second pass.
In summary, for the ultimate thrill, try top water fishing.
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Last updated on ... June 8, 2003