Zara Spook

[GoneFishi'n]

I have some questions about the Zara Spook. I know you are supposed to walk them like a frog, but could I use heavy braid such as 40 pound? Would it wrap around it? What color should I get for fishing shoreline cover, trees, and weeds? Could I fish this in a place with weeds that are submerged? Thank you for any advice. Sorry for all the questions haha.

[MarkH024]

You can walk it with braid, but you have to ease up on your twitches. It takes less effort with braid than if using a mono. That said, it will from time to time get tangled in your front trebles. You could always attach a 1-2 foot mono leader on your braid as well.

Regarding the submerged weeds, as long as the trebles hanging in the water column can clear them you're fine. You get caught up at all, you're unlikely to get it free without killing the action or being able to walk it properly.

Colors.....surface lure, so what matters most is on the underside. White and Black are your general underside colors. You can also get clear, although I don't have a ton of luck with that.

[GoneFishi'n]

_{Thanks for the info. I will probably do the leader as you stated. Would 12pound be alright for the leader? I also would not want to lose one due to poor knot tying for the braid to mono, so what would be the best knot and one that would go through my guides without losing cast distance? Thanks}

[mikey5string]

_{Thanks for the info. I will probably do the leader as you stated. Would 12pound be alright for the leader? I also would not want to lose one due to poor knot tying for the braid to mono, so what would be the best knot and one that would go through my guides without losing cast distance? Thanks}

Look up the Alberto knot.

[Rumslo]

I tend to stay with bone color in water with some riffle and clear on very still water. I would definitely use a leader and would chose line that fits the water you are fishing and the fish you expect to be fighting. 12 to 15# should work OK, I use a 12# on 15 or 20# braid.

[11justin22]

I use black shore minnow for everything except bluebird sky and middle of the day,, then I use glitter minnow or any type of shad color. I killed them this weekend in a tournament on beaver lake on the black minnow, my partner was using a bone color(usually a decent color) and they wouldn't sniff at it.

[GoneFishi'n]

Thanks everyone. I went and got 2 super spook jr's, and got the nickel color and bone. The super spook looked huge so I am going to get those some other time.

[iceintheveins]

I prefer mono for all topwater applications besides frogs.

[thehooligan]

I use 15lb braid, favorite colors are bullfrog, black shore minnow, and glitter minnow.

[BASSHUNTER1961]

I use braid with a 4-5' mono leader. I join the braid and mono using the Alberto knot, Bone is my color of choice.

[hercdoc]

Do a Google search for "Charlie Campbell zara spook." Read some of the articles. He is the Master of the Spook!

[NEjitterbugger]

Caught these guys with a zara super spook jr. in baby bass...

[SirSnookalot]

Untangling braid wrapped around trebles can be a mini nightmare, 40# isn't quite as bad as the 15 or 20# that I use. I have caught over hundred fish over the last month on topwaters alone, I always use a leader, much less time to unravel from a treble and get back to fishing. The alberto knot is one great knot, however I only use it target species that hit a swivel as quick as the lure, like mackerel. I use a short leader about 20-24" attached with a swivel, that short of leader has very little stretch which I prefer.

[craww]

My topwater sammy/spook set up uses 30lb braid w/a leader that starts out around 5'. I prefer 12lb Yozuri hybrid, as its the closest diameter for strength match Ive found. I've spent countless hours walking topwaters and feel that the quick responsiveness of the braid is easier on my wrists. The 8lb diameter also helps with casting and gives me more line capacity should I hook into a striper.

I use leaders to save line. Next year will be either the 3rd or 4th season Ive had the same braid on this reel. The non tangling of the trebles is a huge plus, especially at night.

[Crestliner2008]

Love fishing Spook type lures, especially the Sammy. Learned a long time ago that you cannot tie direct with braid. You're just asking for trouble! Use a 20# MONO leader, about 2' - 3' long, ahead of 30# test PowerPro. Connect using the Alberto knot and you're good to go. Works just fine for froggin' too.

[shimmy]

never missed a fish on my spook using 15 pound mono. OBviously luck is involved, but i guess it does say something. Then again, i am usually not fishing around too heavy of cover.

[jkarol24]

I use 30 lb braid with a 4-5 ft Berkely Big Game mono or P-Line cxx copoly leader. The leader helps "push" the nose of the bait to the side due to its stiffness, making walking the dog easier. As well, it adds some shock absorption, floats, good abrasion resistance, and tangles a lot less. I tie leader to braid via an alberto, and tie the mono to the lure via a loop knot.

[WRB]

I would go with 15# or 20# premium mono (Big Gmae), 1 knot, easier to cast and work the spook. Also go with a Super Spook that has free hanging treble hooks. You can add fly line dressing to about about 18" next to the Sppok, help the float the line and kee it off the water as the lure does it dog walking action.

Color depends on the water clarity and prey type the lake has; darker colors for lower light and clear colors for bright sun light and clearer water.

Tie direct to a Sppok, no clips!

Tom

[11justin22]

I would go with 15# or 20# premium mono (Big Gmae), 1 knot, easier to cast and work the spook. Also go with a Super Spook that has free hanging treble hooks. You can add fly line dressing to about about 18" next to the Sppok, help the float the line and kee it off the water as the lure does it dog walking action.

Color depends on the water clarity and prey type the lake has; darker colors for lower light and clear colors for bright sun light and clearer water.

Tie direct to a Sppok, no clips!

Tom

Haha I ALWAYS use clips, never had a problem.

[WRB]

Rick Tabor, western pro who has won the US Open using a Spook, advocates tying a tight knot directly to the Spook line eye, with the knot high on the eye the Spook has maximum side to side swagger because the nose sits higher, tied to the center the lure forward motion is greater and tied to the near the bottom of the eye the runs with less swagger and glides less. Tying direct lets you have more control how the Spook walks. Rick is also credited for adding split rings to hang the treble hooks, today's Super Spook

Tom

[TNBassin']

I just picked up a nice Heddon 3 pack of topwater lures last night. For $10 I got 2 zara pups and a tiny torpedo. Can't wait to test these out.

[shanksmare]

In fishing there usually aren’t any definitive right ways or wrong ways of doing something. You pretty much have to experiment and find out what works for you under the current conditions.

Such is the case of fishing the Spook. In a recent article, Charlie Campbell, the father of Spook fishing, advocated using a snap or split ring to attach the line to the lure. He in fact said you should always use a split ring or snap attachment to allow the Spook to produce the most/best action.

BUT, I also remember an article he wrote about Spook fishing many … many years ago. At that time he advocated filing a little notch in the bottom of the line tie eye and using a knot tight against the eye. This made the pull angle lower on the Spook which produced more and/or better action from the plug.

I know that the older Spooks had the line tie straight off the front of the plug, while the more recent additions have it slightly below the centerline of the plug. But even in the more recent article he was pictured using the older version.

So I guess, for Charlie, fishing a Spook has been a process which has evolved over the years. It is amazing how many times you think you have something about fishing figured out only to later discover that you caught fish in spite of your technique/theory not because of it.

I use Spooks a lot for Snook fishing. I use spinning tackle for most of my saltwater fishing. I use a 7’ MH rod, 20# braid and a leader consisting of a 2’ to 3’ section of 20# mono attached to the braid with an Albright Knot and a 12” 40# mono bite tippet attached to the 20# mono with a double Uni knot or a double Surgeons knot. I attach the Spook to the bite tippet with an Improved Homer Rhode Loop Knot.

When I lived up North (in MA) I had a lot of success with Spooks for larger bass. Since I moved to FL I have not enjoyed as much success with Spooks. Maybe it’s just a confidence thing!