Walk the dog topwater baits

[indy basser]

I have never really fished a walk the dog style topwater. This technique is one that I have put on my goals for 09. However, every article I read talks about HOW to fish them, not WHEN to fish them. I want to wait and try it when I have the highest % of success so I can gain confidence. My question is if you could describe the most perfect situation WHEN to fish a spook, what would it be? When is it a better choice than a buzzbait or other topwater?

[Simp]

Well there will come a point early this year when you will say to yourself "I wonder if their ready for topwater?'. My first time last year was a resounding YES! So starting out in 09 if your fishing late in the day and the water has had a chance to warm throw a spook or super spook on some coves and then some points. Early in the year try to find out if they are prespawn, spawn, post spawn. I'd also advise if you live in a place with a large bluegill population like most of us in the US that you try to imitate them. Bluegill eat big mama's eggs! Sometimes a Frog walking on top will drive them nuts and if you work it fairy hard by grass they often think it is a bluegill. As ar as confidence goes you don't need any to walk spooks or frogs. Just learn to walk the dog, pause sometimes and you WILL get bit as soon as the water temps are high enough! After your first hit or two your heart will be racing enough that you will have confidence to throw that thing in mid November! ;D ;D

[fishinfiend]

This is a very easy technique to learn that simply requires proper cadence. I have really enjoyed using spooks and sammys this year and am impressed that we have been successful with them even late into winter. In fact , we have caught several nice spots on topwater when the air temperature was around 34* and the water temperature was in the low 50's.   You will be so glad once you learn this method. It is a really exciting way to fish.  I have been most successful within the first hour of sunrise when the wind is 5mph or less.

[J Francho]

My question is if you could describe the most perfect situation WHEN to fish a spook, what would it be? When is it a better choice than a buzzbait or other topwater?

Bass are crepuscular animals.  Twilight is the simple answer for a start.  Conventional wisdom says they work well when its overcast or there is some chop on the water.  Those are good times to try it, for sure, but don't be limited by conventional wisdom.

As far as when its a better choice than other topwaters, let the bass tell you that.  Bass fishing is all about adjustments.  I was fishing a Sammy 115, and was getting lots of dorsal and tail flicks from smallies.  They were very active and aggressive, but not committing.  I switched to alternating between a Spit'n Image and a Sammy 100 (both smaller baits) and was immediately rewarded with several fish.  Adjustment

[skillet]

"crepuscular" I get all warm and tingly when you talk like that ...

skillet

[CWB]

I like to throw them early A.M and towards evening from mid to late spring on. Some days you can catch fish on them all day. Others you can't buy a bite. Experiment and you will develop a sense of when to use them as with everything else. That doesn't mean they'll work but it will give you a start!

[roadwarrior]

The "best time" is generally in low light, especially with a slight breeze.

The Spook is a fine lure, but my favorite is the LC Sammy 128, Aurora

Black, which is blue.

8-)

[J Francho]

Jeez, Kent, SHHHHHHH!  Sammy 128's do not work!  LOL, actually, aurora black is my best color.  It must look "alewifey" to the fish

[J Francho]

"crepuscular" I get all warm and tingly when you talk like that ...

skillet

LOL, perhaps we should talk about rods and cones  .....in their eyes, I mean, and what that means to a fisherman.  8-)

[flatbass]

The absolute best time is in the spring when the shad are spawning. That usually occurs in April here. You can see the shad going up and down the bank early in the morning. If you can't get bit on a topwater then you will never get bit.

[roadwarrior]

Well, it might be April in Texas, but it varies around the rest of the universe.

Everything works in the spring. Low light is the key spring throug fall.

For most of us, winter is the only time topwater is a loser.

8-)

[mattm]

Walk the dog style topwater are the best topwater in most scenarios imo.  They are more sublte than poppers or buzzbaits, and can be worked fairly aggressive when necceary.  They are always the topwater I start off with unless the windspeed dictates something a little noisier.

The best advice I can give you is just skip other simiular baits and buy a Sammy.  Sammy's are much eaier to walk, and will speed up the learning curve.  The 15 dollars can seem a little steep, but remember its a topwater and you almost have to try to lose the thing.  My favorite Sammy i've had for over two years.  Its been the only one I've thrown in that two years so I would gladly drop another 15 bucks for one just like it.

My wife know nothing about fishing, but when she was helping me clean the boat out the other day she saw that Sammy and said "Wow this thing has caught some fish."  It has teeth marks all over it.

[toolpush]

My wife know nothing about fishing, but when she was helping me clean the boat out the other day she saw that Sammy and said "Wow this thing has caught some fish." It has teeth marks all over it.

[bmadd]

A Sammy, Spro Dawg, or Super Spook are all good baits to learn on but after you get that down you need to branch out. A Pop-R in size 65 or 70 with the right lip angle can be murder when walked. Those are my favorite topwaters. Nothing like walking it fast up to a brush pile or grass patch then killing it and just making it spit for a second  

[LAO162]

Last year I learned to  Walk the Dog in about 2 casts with a Rapala Skitterwalk.  Casting from the bank, it was easier with my 6'6' & 6' rods.

Since I think of Topwaters as being ideal at dawn & dusk, they are usually the first thing I throw when I arrive early in the morning.  If bass are in the area and they're not responding to it in the first 10 minutes, I usually move on to something else (or, at least I should )

Cheers

[SimonDM17]

When to fish a spook:

Open water, little weeds or pads.  Dawn or low-light, but light rain also works very well.  You can throw them over points, or near to cover and then walk them away...or anywhere else.  

[ejtaylor822]

I agree with the comment J Francho made - "let the bass tell you".  

Middle of the day couple of summers ago.  Hot, clear and the sun was high in the sky and the fish weren't hitting at all - several hours without a nibble and I was frustrated.

Just for fun I tied on a spook and just started casting because I like "walking the dog" and hadn't fished it in a while - had nothing to lose they weren't biting anyway.  First cast, "walking the dog" and one clobbers the lure. Surprised me but had sense enough to set the hook and get it to shore.  Next hour I caught two more.

All the conditions said the spook was not the lure to throw, but it worked.  Let the fish tell you.

For rods I use a med-hvy 7' with a moderate action - my crank bait rods.  Just seem to get better action out of the lure with the slower action and its easier to keep the fish hooked since I am usually throwing far out so I have farther to "walk".  Throw mostly spooks and Rapala skitter-walks.  This year will be hitting the Rapala sub-walkers too - looking forward to those.

[flatbass]

Well, it might be April in Texas, but it varies around the rest of the universe.

Everything works in the spring. Low light is the key spring throug fall.

For most of us, winter is the only time topwater is a loser.

8-)

Well, the question was "What is the absolute best time?" IMO When the shad are spawning.

[Bassn Blvd]

http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1231118753