top water

[basscatcher14]

i have purchased many poppers and spooks over the few years that i have been fishing (im 14) and im still having problems getting the desired action that i want

any tips on how to improve my lure control?

[mac (Doyle McEwen)]

All sorts of possibilities here..Right off the bat, keep practicing, it took me several years to finally get a spook to walk at all, and I am still not as good at it as some are..The problem might also be in the rod you are using, rather than the technique..It also might be a problem with the line or a combination of the two..It is really hard to say without seeing you actually working the lure with the rod and line you normally use..Good luck to you and keep fishing..

mac

[blkdog812]

keep your rod tip low to the water. always keep some slack (bow) in your line ( from the rod tip to the water) and snap your rod tip instead of giving it a slow steady pull.
go to the ise show or any other seminar and talk to the pro's i'm sure they would be glad to help you out and show you how to do it.

[Wild Bill]

Try to find someone willing to fish with you that is adept at using these lures successfully.... and then fish them with him.

Volumes can be learned by fishing with someone where they can see what you are doiing, and vice versa.

[Jason C.]

My suggestion is for you to join the Delta Teen Team. You arent TOO far from where they meet, and alot of the kids in there will be able to shoe you how to do it, if not them the DEFFINATELY some of the pros that take them out once a month will deffinately be able show you how to do it. Also getting the right rod will do you wonders. Also if you already arent doing it use 65lb braid. Short quick pops with the rod tip down just above the water will help you get the desired action.

[tunaman]

If you're right-handed, try fishing them with left-handed gear... vice versa if you're left-handed. I'm a righty, but fish my walk-the-dog presentations left-handed, as it just works better for me.

Aside from that, practice, practice, practice. Find someone with a pool, if you don't have one yourself, and chuck it every day for a while and you'll get good.

Roger

[RichThiel]

Basscatch,

Just come down to Russo's anytime, Im either here or fish'in. Call me in advance 925-684-2064 and I'll show you the technique's - Rod= Line etc.

On the water OJT

Rich Thiel

[Brian]

i have purchased many poppers and spooks over the few years that i have been fishing (im 14) and im still having problems getting the desired action that i want

any tips on how to improve my lure control?

Keep practicing it will come, use mono or braid for top water. Do not use flouro. When your walking your spook keep the line slack between walks, or pops. It is like a rythm, walk, walk, walk walk. If you practice enough it will come soon enough.

[mark poulson]

Don't over work it.

[Dan McKenzie]

what line are you using? what knot do you tie your bait to the line with? what action of rod? all of these along with the technique your using will have an affect on how the bait reacts.

[FATGUY]

for top water make sure you are not using floro...it sinks .. i use braid..it floats.. but just my preference over mono ..

[senkoskipper]

Im guessing your trying to "walk the dog" with your top water. Just leave some slack on line and just keep jerking downwards and reel in slowly to pick up a bit of the slack, you dont want too much. This technique also works if your using carolina rig, you can make the worm or whatever you are using walk the dog underwater.

[L Dub]

I saw something on TV recently where one of the pros was demonstrating his walk the dog. The most interesting thing I saw about it was that he wasen't turning his reel but was using the motion of the rod to turn the gear.

Kinda confusing, but think of this way.

For a right handed reel (left hand holding rod) - the right hand stays in a stationary position with the rod pointing downwards. Every time the rod was twitched downward, the reel would make a half turn.

I don't know if that made sense, but the key was that he wasen't taking up too much slack with each turn of the handle. Making sure your pointing your rod at your lure with no sideways bows in the line helps too.

[ash]

I have learned (from one of the teens in the Delta pro teen) that I was wayyy overworking my topwater baits, small movements on a slack line are what is desired.

I would say a VIXEN is the easiest to work it has a wide sashe and you can move to a full size spook then to your other baits from there. A 7' rod that is a little stiff is better for me then a real parabolic rod...I dont know why but I am much better with it.

Take Theil up on his training - this is something you can learn from the end of the dock. If you dont do the Delta Teen events you MUST attend the Delta Pro Teen event!

[tunaman]

Also, they make a Swayback Spook that is easier to learn to walk than the original spook.

Roger

[kopper_bass]

L Dub has hit on a little secret that i use and he is correct.
Its hard to explain, but he is right on with the notion.

The easiest way to simplify it is like this: Think of it as if you were cranking in the bait with the rod and reel (hand), and the crank (hand) is just stationary; like it was actually the rod in your hand. You just do 1 revolution, then pause.

As you crank up, the rod goes up in the air. As you start to crank forward and down with the reel, the rod yanks downward - jerking your topwater forward. Then you stop at the bottom, for a pause, allowing the bait to glide left and line to go slack. Repeat again, and the bait will now go right.

Give it a try - it works!!

Kopper_Bass

[MikeD]

Basscatch,

Just come down to Russo's anytime, Im either here or fish'in. Call me in advance 925-684-2064 and I'll show you the technique's - Rod= Line etc.

On the water OJT

Rich Thiel

you are not going to get a better offer than that