Walking the Dog Upwards Instead of Downwards?

[gotarheelz14]

I just bought my first Zara Spook. My tacklebox is really small and I kept hearing about how good these baits are for topwater bass.

I usually get a pretty good walking action when I flick the rod tip downwards on a little slack line, but I get, in my opinion WAYYY better results when I flick the rod tip upwards.

Not only can I get the doggie to walk faster (if I want it to) and more consistently, but because of the high rod-tip placement, I am not as prone to set the hook too early as it often happens to me with top waters, and that extra added second allows me to improve in actual hook ups.

This rod tip technique also works pretty well for me with poppers.

Would this be ok though or do you guys forsee any problems with doing it this way?  The only problem I can foresee is that I might be lifting the lure a little too much out of the water but this does not appear to be the case. Let me know what you think!

Thanks,

Carlos

[Big Tom]

If it works for you then there aren't any other real issues I can think of.  There are a lot of people that work baits this way.

[J Francho]

Walking the dog "upwards" is a key technique for kayak fishing that I teach in my class.  It makes no difference how you make it walk, just that it walks.  Just be sure the fish has the bait before sweep setting.

[BassThumb]

Walking the dog with an upward rod tip will make if skitter more, with more spray.  Walking with the rod tip down will make it chug more, with more of a "bloop."  This goes for frogs, too.

[cart7t]

Walking the dog "upwards" is a key technique for kayak fishing that I teach in my class. It makes no difference how you make it walk, just that it walks. Just be sure the fish has the bait before sweep setting.

Very true.  Both methods work.  The real key in dog walking is the cadence coupled with keeping the correct amount of slack in the line.  The rod twitching along with reel handle turning and how much you turn it (which results in the amount of slack in the line you've got at the start of the next twitch) is more critical than whether the rod is high or low.

[gotarheelz14]

Once again, thanks for the advice fellas. I think I might have to wake up really early one morning and dedicate a solid 2hrs to an early topwater bite just fishing the spook. Repeat that a couple times until I feel confident in using the technique.

Carlos

[Big Bait Fishing]

Once again, thanks for the advice fellas. I think I might have to wake up really early one morning and dedicate a solid 2hrs to an early topwater bite just fishing the spook. Repeat that a couple times until I feel confident in using the technique.

Carlos

that's how you master a technique !!! keep at it till you get it down