Anyone feel like sharing some tips on top water fishing? I tried for the first time and only managed 1 trout. Is there any particular time before, after high or low tide that produces more often?
Pre dawn or dusk. Look for spots where there is a lot of baitfish or ambush spots. There are good spots at high or low tide. Grass islands are good at high. Shelly areas are good at low. Try different plugs. My favorite is a skitter walk but recently a spook jr has been the ticket. It’s addicting just ask PeaPod he’s been to Betty Ford for it
2000 SeaPro 180CC w/ Yammy 115 2 stroke
1966 13’ Boston Whaler w/ Merc 25 4 stroke “Flatty”
www.ralphphillipsinshore.com | www.summervillesaltwateranglers.com
Unprovoked and hurtful given my history & genetics.
Listen to Opti EJ. He knows stuff
Optiker, thanks for that info,. I’m trying to have a day or two that you seem to consistently have! I can see it being addicting, that trout I caught nailed the redfish colored spook jr I was using! Good stuff…
Super spook jr, immediately remove hooks and discard them. Replace them w Mustad KVD hooks (thanks for the hook suggestion raddaddy). I like the chart/black spook jr. Some people say throw it at dusk and dawn but i throw it and catch fish on it all day! By far the most exciting way to catch reds and trout. The trout will knock the plug completely out of the water sometimes and the reds look like a German u-boat coming after it. It hard but if the fish misses it keep working like nothing happened and lots of times they will hit again. When fishing top water wait until you feel the fish to set the hook. Dont do it when you see/hear the strike. Its hard to do these things, but it will increase your catch percentage.
- I’d rather be a free man in my grave than living as a puppet or a slave.
quote:
Originally posted by jimmyaadamsIt hard but if the fish misses it keep working like nothing happened and lots of times they will hit again. When fishing top water wait until you feel the fish to set the hook. Dont do it when you see/hear the strike. Its hard to do these things, but it will increase your catch percentage.
^^ +1, but I’d say vary the action once you get a hit and miss. Try slight twitches as if wounded, up to ripping it a couple feet then twitching. I often have a fish come back 4 to 6 times in a single retrieve before hooking it
2000 SeaPro 180CC w/ Yammy 115 2 stroke
1966 13’ Boston Whaler w/ Merc 25 4 stroke “Flatty”
www.ralphphillipsinshore.com | www.summervillesaltwateranglers.com
The only thing I can think to add is I keep my rod parallel to the water and 90 degrees to the lure (line and rod form a 90 degree angle) to help not strike until I feel the fish.
This thread is a great example of what an informative website CF.com is. As I have posted before, I have searched both coasts for similar sites in marketing my TroutTricks and cannot find one that comes close.
Bob Sanders
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FishingWithBob
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It also helps to not set the hook too quick when its too dark to see your plug anyway 
Fishing by ear only!
2000 SeaPro 180CC w/ Yammy 115 2 stroke
1966 13’ Boston Whaler w/ Merc 25 4 stroke “Flatty”
www.ralphphillipsinshore.com | www.summervillesaltwateranglers.com
Mister jimmyadams has given a good tip on top water during daylight and even sunny conditions. A spook or a shallow jerk bait will get fish when a paddle tail will not. During daylight, topwater works if you are near feeding fish. Feeding fish are already agitated and a noisy spook worked fast will sometimes tick them off bad. I have had spooks blasted at high noon in full sunlight when nothing else worked. Very good for adrenalin rush.
Thank you to all who have responded! I sure do love this site and am thankful I get to share the waterways around my new city with stand-up Carolina folks like Y’all (Yes, I am from Texas!) I look forward to posting my good days with some photos and EXACT locations I had luck… Now if this rain would pass and “work” would let up I could get back out there!!
welcome.
don’t post your locations. or they won’t be your locations long.
FWIW
quote:truer words have never spoken
Originally posted by PeaPodwelcome.
don’t post your locations. or they won’t be your locations long.
FWIW
All the barbs are bent on my plugs.
Stonoman
I’m up here in New Jersey, this is a buddy of mine, Captain Dan Schafer, Insomniac Guide Service. This takes a lot of discipline to keep a steady retrieve after two missed strikes, the adrenaline rush is amazing…