Stop Making This Big Topwater Mistake (And Catch More Fish)
- By: Tony Acevedo
- on
Have you caught fish right at the edge of your kayak or boat?
That’s because predator fish like to stalk your lure until the moment is right to strike.
So in this video, you’ll learn (and see) why it’s so important to retrieve your topwater lure the entire way back to you!
Check it out!
Big Topwater Mistake [VIDEO]
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Here’s my set-up in the video:
- Rod: 7’6 Century Weapon Jr.
- Reel: Daiwa Procyon AL2500D-XH
- Line: 10# Power Pro
- Leader: 20# Berkley Vanish
- Lure: Moonwalker
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This is a simple trick and also big mistake anglers make when retrieving topwater lures.
You can make a nice long cast with a topwater.
But don’t get impatient and reel it in fast after it gets halfway back to you!
If you’re doing this then you are missing out on a lot of fish.
Make sure you do a complete retrieve the entire way back to you.
Predator fish will stalk a topwater until just the right moment.
As you are retrieving, your lure (the baitfish) looks like it’s running to hide towards you.
And that ideal strike may be as it gets closer to your boat or kayak.
Sometimes predator fish will attack a lure as soon as it hits the water but more often than not, they are going to follow it and then commit to the strike.
Conclusion
You can cast topwater lures pretty far but don’t get impatient with the retrieve.
Make sure you are retrieving your topwater lure all of the way back to you because sometimes predator fish will wait until the last second to strike.
Have you caught fish on the very last part of your topwater retrieve?
Let me know down in the comments.
And if you know someone who may be making this mistake, please TAG or SHARE this with them!
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Hi Tony
Great advice as usual on the top water lure.
What Kayak are you using?
I’m thinking about upgrading
Thanks
Thank you for the great feedback David!
I am currently using a 2020 Hobie Outback
I’m sometimes guilty of what you are advising us not to do Tony. Great advice
I still am as well! Always a great reminder. Thank you for the great feedback Mel!
Yea usually the only time I reel in my lure before it gets back to my boat is if I see bait being attacked and there is a big commotion otherwise I 99 percent of the time reel it in all the way to the boat and yes I have had many fish hit right at the boat right before lifting my bait out of the water but I have found that they are mostly flounder after following my spinnerbait not a whole lot with topwater and sometimes if the flounder sees me and immediately goes to the bottom instead of hitting my spinnerbait I will drop it down to where it went and on rare occasions can get them to hit it by jigging it off the bottom a few times but not always anyways thanks for the info and all you do😁
Yup always good to get a cast in quickly in that case. Thank you Steve!
Great tip. Applicable to soft plastics as well. I’ve had my Slam Shady or Alabama Leprechaun smacked right next to the boat.
Very true!
I meant to also ask…
How do you like that Whopper Plopper?
Hey Neal!
It’s a great alternative if you just want to try something different (also great option in choppy water since it makes a lot of noise). I have mainly been sticking to super spook style topwaters though.
Thanks for the Top Water Tip Tony!
I totallly agree! ANOTHER added benefit to the full ‘back to you’ retrieve is not spooking off any area fish with that sudden, noisey & unnatural jerking – back to you “plowing action”.
My pleasure Neal! Very true! Depending on how aggressive the fish are sometime they may attack it while you reel it back in fast, but most likely will miss the strike.
You might want to try a figure eight (a fresh water musky technique where you work the lure back and forth at the side of the boat at the end of your retrieve) and let it set for a while. It doesn’t work as often as hard core musky fishers imply, but it can give you a big surprise.
Good stuff!
People actually do that down here in Florida for snook around docks using paddletail lures or jerk baits.
Great video an tip Tony!!- Question you used a 20# leader – any reason for the leader size for the top water?
Thanks Pablo!
20# is just my standard leader size. No particular reason there. If I was targeting snook I may have bumped it up to 30#.
Great tip Tony. I plan to try the moon walker this Friday.
Thanks Willie! Good luck out there!
What’s the best way to connect braided line to the leader? Barrel swivel?
Preferred size and brand of hook when replacing trebles with single hooks?
Thanks for the videos – informative!
Hey John!
I prefer a braid to leader knot, such as the FG knot or a uni to uni knot.
For replacement hooks, I use 2/0 Owner Inline Replacement Hooks:
https://fishstrong.com/collections/saltwater-hooks/products/owner-single-replacement-hooks?variant=32601328943189
John, if I may. The best inshore knot especially for small guides is the FG. The best video I’ve seen on this is at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oohOoOOmbNk
It takes some practice but you’ll love it.