From Bottom to Top
Capt. Chris Martin
Bay Flats Lodge, Inc.
www.BayFlatsLodge.com
Port O’Connor/Seadrift
I had made several empty casts along an area shoreline while fishing the other
day, when finally the water boiled underneath my surface plug. That is when it
happened. The lure was abruptly attacked and was sent sailing two feet into the
air. As the lure settled back upon the surface of the water, I still had not
witnessed any citing of the attacker. Instead of making the readily predictable
knee-jerk reaction form of a hook set, I simply let my lure sit motionless while
I counted for eight seconds. While never taking my eyes off the lure, I slowly
made one slight "twitch" with the rod tip. And that was all that was needed.
The trout had been studying its prey and had been waiting for the bait to make
its next move before striking out with a deadly blow. Suddenly, I had gone from
a flying top water lure to a now seemingly unforgiving fight with a six pound
trout.
There are few things as exciting as watching a hungry trout or red fish
annihilate your top water lure. No matter which top water you choose, they all
have one common characteristic in that the strikes that they tend to trigger are
generally heart-stopping in nature. The fish usually explodes upon the bait,
sending water everywhere and instilling in the angler an almost irresistible
urge to instantly strike back. Don't do it! Wait! Wait until you feel the
weight and resistance of the fish, and then set the hook. Believe me when I tell
you that it is much easier for me to tell you to do this than it is for you to
actually do it, as the natural reaction is to instantly attempt a hook set
immediately upon seeing the blow-up. In this instance, practice will certainly
always lead toward perfection.
With the warmer months now upon us, and with surface water temperatures now
climbing almost daily, we are already experiencing some very good surface water
action. The "prescription for success" when using top water lures is to
remember that whenever you are chunking a top water lure, it is important for
you to immediately analyze things as they are happening. Here is how you can
apply that prescription to your next top water fishing trip. As soon as the
hook is set, the first thing that I immediately attempt to determine is just how
well the fish is hooked as a result of my set. I take special note of where the
hooks of the lure have settled within the body of the fish, as this dictates the
type of bite I am experiencing. I have found there to be basically three
different types of bites - the Territorial, the Feeding, and the Curiosity
bite. With a Territorial bite you will notice the lure hooks to be on the side
of the fish's face. But, a Feeding bite lands the hooks inside the fish's mouth
or deep inside their throat. And in a Curiosity bite, the hooks are generally
found to be on top of the head, the back, or the stomach of the fish. Early-on
detection of which type of the three bites you are experiencing will also allow
you to determine exactly how much pressure you will need to apply when reeling
in the fish.
Texas Gulf Coast
Fishing
