Baits That Walk The Dog Subsurface...

[Master Bait'r]

...  Are awesome producers.  I've really come to appreciate the way that you can work them very slowly through a perceived strike zone, and that light action they impart with the slightest change in motion.  Whether you're nose-hooking a fluke or minnow, or t-rigging a Slug-Go SS/other whippy worm, it's quickly taking over my finesse plastic game, ESPECIALLY through the dog days.  There just seems to be something about that floppy, whippy walk-the-dog action that gets noticed and draws strikes when others can't seem to get the job done.  Everybody knows how much fun it is to walk a frog or a sammy, but I really want to pass it along that you don't have to just keep that mentality on the surface- walking 'em below works just as good and maybe even better.  

 

 

My favorite baits for the subsurface walk are probably thus- 

 

Lunker City Slug-Go SS (absolute favorite for this)

Lunk3rhunt Bento Baits minnows (make sure you get the big ones)

Zoom Flukes

 

 

I use extra fast rods and superfine braid for it as well, and that seems to be key in really dialing in that whippy walk bounce of the rod tip.  I'm sure it's possible with clear stretchy lines but I don't prefer it.    

 

 

You can even walk tubes but I'm still working on perfecting that, personally.  So are you walking the dog subsurface?  If so, what are your favorite approaches and baits and how do you employ it specifically?  I think this approach is under appreciated and not talked about anywhere near enough, as most people are already doing something very close, but not going all the way.  

[annexation]

It was always easy for me to work a fat ika that way, but I never had much luck enticing a bite in that fashion.

 

The ol' rapala F7, though, gets inhaled when worked like a spook subsurface.  It doesn't get as much love from me these days because I hate trebles and it's a little too light for long casts, but man did I get fish in the boat that way, especially when there was a decent chop up top.

[jdw174]

Never did much with the Slug-Go SS.  The original Slug-Go however was a different story.

[Master Bait'r]

It was always easy for me to work a fat ika that way, but I never had much luck enticing a bite in that fashion.

 

The ol' rapala F7, though, gets inhaled when worked like a spook subsurface.  It doesn't get as much love from me these days because I hate trebles and it's a little too light for long casts, but man did I get fish in the boat that way, especially when there was a decent chop up top.

 

 

Yeah I don't do much by way of treble baits for this, but everybody loves a sammy-type pencil bait.  

[MarkH024]

SK Caffeine shad is awesome for this. They came out with the magnum size at 7" now which should be pretty dynamite.  It's my favorite soft jerkbait as it's a bit heavier than a fluke and easier to get a big zig zag retrieve. 

[A-Jay]

In the hard bait category ~ Several of the quality jerk / slash baits can be worked in this fashion.

 

And a Real Sleeper is the Rapala X-Rap Sub-Walk.  

 

This bait has accounted for many a quality bass for me over the years.

 

A-Jay

 

 

 

[bigbill]

Picture perfect award winning presentation is the key.

I do a twitch, 1 twitch, 2 twitch, 3 twitch then pause. It works with topwater, propbaits, poppers, spooks etc. Each twitch is the same distance.

The bass look for flaws in our presentation. Go slow.

[Senko lover]

A member on here gave me some of his homeade Grandebass Rattlesnake knock-offs in a bigger 6-inch size. They are KILLER with a walk-the-dog weightless presentation. I've caught tons of fish on them. The ribs give it so much action. 

[Jar11591]

Rebel Jumpin' Minnows are very good at walking the dog, on top and sub-surface.

[Racerx]

In the hard bait category ~ Several of the quality jerk / slash baits can be worked in this fashion.

 

And a Real Sleeper is the Rapala X-Rap Sub-Walk.  

 

This bait has accounted for many a quality bass for me over the years.

 

A-Jay

 

Raplal Sub Walk.jpg

Amen to that!  Loved my Subwalk 7, and lost it to a snag.  Locally found the Subwalk 9 back in February.  Took it out to the bank of the local river on first weather break, just to get out of the house and do SOMETHING fishing-related.  On the fourth cast, about 8 feet out in front of me, this 24 inch Brown Trout sweeps from the left and devours my lure! Really feisty thing.  Took all i could to land her in my net, since she was poking out of both ends, and get some pics and vid.

[poisonokie]

if you use a fluoro leader you can do it with a pop-max

[robster80]

ive got a daiwa td pencil that sub walks. or at least i couldnt get it to walk on top

[hatrix]

It's actually a spook type bait that floats but the Sebile Bongo Minow. It kinda of walks right under the surface or even with it. It's actually one of my favorite spook type baits.

[bigbill]

Subsurface.

Using a spook if you hold the rod tip close to the ground and reel fast enough the spook will run just under the surface in a erratic motion. The spook does a tail wag side to side.

I've had strikes in this situation.

I know your talking plastics.

[hatrix]

Subsurface.

Using a spook if you hold the rod tip close to the ground and reel fast enough the spook will run just under the surface in a erratic motion. The spook does a tail wag side to side.

I've had strikes in this situation.

I know your talking plastics.

I don't realy understand what your saying. You are saying you just reel in the spook really fast? That's what it sounds like

[Scott F]

The main reason I almost never fish a Senko wacky style is because you lose the jerbait/walk the dog action the unweighted, T-rigged, Senko is so good at. The fact that it sinks, makes it more appealing to me than a Slug-go or a fluke.

[hatrix]

The main reason I almost never fish a Senko wacky style is because you lose the jerbait/walk the dog action the unweighted, T-rigged, Senko is so good at. The fact that it sinks, makes it more appealing to me than a Slug-go or a fluke.

I agree with the jerkbait type action you can get from them. They will act very similar to a fluke of you twitch the rod.