Getting Frustrated By Topwater Short-Strikes? Then Try This…
- By: Tony Acevedo
- on
Are you getting frustrated by topwater short-strikes?
Fall is one of the best times of the year for topwater eats.
But sometimes fish will hesitate to strike or flat-out miss your lure entirely.
When that happens, try this…
Getting Frustrated By Topwater Short-Strikes? Then Try This… [VIDEO]
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Featured Gear:
- Moonwalker Topwater Lure
- Slam Shady 2.0 Paddletail
- 3/0 Hoss Helix Hook 1/8 oz.
- 20lb Berkley Vanish Fluorocarbon Leader
If fish aren’t fully committing to your topwater lures, you can go ahead and add a trailer behind it.
This comes in handy when fish are short-striking topwater lures.
A trailer is a soft plastic lure of your choice that swims behind the topwater plug.
All you have to do is add a section of leader to the rear eye of the topwater lure.
Rig your favorite soft plastic lure on either a jighead or weedless hook and tie that to the leader.
This will help trigger strikes in thick schools of bait or if there is a lot of floating grass around.
Be sure to give this a shot if fish are hesitant to strike your topwater lures!
FINDING THE FISH HELP
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1. WEEKEND GAME PLANS (UPDATED WEEKLY)
These regional game plans will show you exactly what types of spots to target in under 10 minutes… just click the video to start, and you’ll be informed on what to do on your next trip.
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I watch a lot of the fishing tips, but this has particular relevance to the striped bass fishing I do. They will often hit topwater, but evade the hooks somehow. After missing several strikes on a cast I often try a swimbait immediately afterward but seldom does this work, they are either wary or have moved on. THIS technique has great potential to short circuit both of those faults in the topwater bait alone.
Reading other comments, I see some good feedback. Stephen Johnson ties his to the hook itself. Gary White removes the front (really, center) hook and ties off there, maintaining a neutral drag on the bait that would, I think, permit a more natural “walk the dog” movement. I think I would combine these elements (Gary’s and Stephen’s) and tie off to the front hook shank directly. This may (pending testing it out) allow freedom of movement for the bait and give me a deadly trailer (Slam Shady II for sure!). One issue, if you could call it that, the stripers often attack in small groups, I could see hooking up 2 on same cast easily. Good problem to have I guess.
2 fish at once seems like a good problem to have!
Thanks I’ll try it..
Go get em’!
Hi Tony-When fly fishing I usually tie my trailer off the bend of the hook rather than tying a dropper off the hook eye. It greatly reduces tangles. I think the same principle applies here. Try tying off the bend on the rear hook to reduce problems.
Good tip!
Its great to see this video on adding the soft plastic trailer to a top water lure.
Ive been using this set-up for about 100 years. Ive found out that removing the front hook and attaching the leader at that location doesnt pull the lure down and doesnt affect the action of bait.
Try both way to see what work for you.
Will have to try it out, thanks Gary!
A power prawn jr would also work well as a trailing bait.
For sure!
Yea Tony I remember one of the first videos I saw you doing shortly after I joined in 17 you were fishing for baby tarpon using a small clear bubble float with a fly fishing fly attached to a leader fishing in very small canals in and around mangrove islands then on another video not long after the clear bubble one you talked about doing this procedure with a paddletail attached to a leader tied to the rear eyelet of a topwater plug I have seen this technique mentioned in both field and stream magazine as well as florida sportsman have tried it with limited success but every tried and true technique and method in fishing is a timing thing it works when b the time calls for it and doesn’t when it doesn’t call for it buy that’s why it’s called fishing instead of catching we the anglers just have to figure out wich one it is thanks for the info and all you do👍😉
Definitely a better technique at certain times!
That’s a tried & true option Tony, thanks for sharing ! A1/16th oz or unweighted hook worked best for me .
You’re welcome George!
Isn’t that weighted paddletail to much weight that will affect the action of the lure? Why not use a popping cork? In the Mid-atlantic for stripers we’ll use a feathered or bucktail teaser. Something that won’t be to heavy. It gives the impression of a fish chasing the lure and the fish will either strike the teaser or the lure.
There will be a bit of an effect on the action, but if you’ve ever used a popping cork and notice fish hitting the cork instead of the lure/bait, then this could catch those fish!
Good idea, Tony!
Thanks Bill!
Great tip – how do you avoid the leader getting snagged on the rear hook?
Hi Pablo, I’ve been using this type rig for years. I usually like to use a unweighted hook as it seems to impede the action of the top water less. You will get the trailer snagged in the hooks once in a while, but I’ve found the best way to minimize that is a soft cast, like you are casting live bait versus snapping the rod to load it up. You can see the difference in the trailer flying away from the top water as it goes through the air. Also, should you do snag a hook, (usually the front one by the way), you will know instantly when retrieving it so you can quick retrieve it and send it flying again. I’ve found that at least 50% of catches when rigged this way are on the trailer hook. Tight lines…
Yeah the leader on the rear hook isn’t much of an issue like it would be if it was snagging the front hook. You could also remove the rear hook if needed.