Topwater saltwater fishing, yes it can be relaxing, even fascinating, to watch your bait scamper over the surface of the water while you fish for it, right up to the moment that the water bursts as a predator assaults it from below.
Topwater saltwater fishing, on the other hand, is not for those who are easily intimidated. When you aren't getting any bites on your line, fishing can go from being peaceful and captivating to being just plain dull very quickly. There are often more effective ways to get a fish on the end of your line.
However, if you are willing to put in the time and effort to witness this magnificent sight and feel that surge of adrenaline, the following 9 tips and methods can help you become a more effective topwater angler, regardless of where you cast your line or what you are attempting to catch.
Your Retrieve Matters
Change both the speed and the cadence of your retrieve. It is all too easy to get stuck in a rut and begin retrieving your lure in a routine fashion if you continue to make cast after cast. Don't let this happen. The fish are able to alter their preferences on a weekly, daily, and even an hourly basis. This can happen for a number of reasons.
Therefore, make consistent adjustments to the speed and cadence of your retrieve until you begin to receive strikes. When you start getting blow-ups, you'll know whether the fish love it fast, slow, erratic, or steady, and you'll be able to repeat that approach to obtain additional blow-ups.
Chuggers & Poppers Are Productive Lures
When the going gets tough, chuggers and poppers are good options. The vast majority of topwater lures feature internal rattles to assist in luring fish, and in the stillness of a slick calm, the addition of the loud chugs and burps created by lures with a concave head can actually create sufficient noise to scare away the fish.
On stormy days, when there is a lot of background noise caused by the crashing of waves or the falling of rain, the additional noise of a chugger or popper can help induce strikes.
Embrace Walking The Dog
Learn how to use a “walk the dog” approach, which is intended for topwater lures that come to a cone or point rather than being concave in the front. This type of lure is designed to attract fish that are hiding in deeper water.
Cast the line out and keep your rod tip low, then in a rhythmic motion, pump it up and down about a foot at a time while cranking the reel. Keep an eye on your lure; as it “swims” toward you, it should make a zigzag pattern from left to right. If it isn't zigging and zagging, pump a bit harder. Pump a little less forcefully or more slowly if it breaks the surface of the water or flies out of the water.
Treble Hooks Catch More Fish
If you're going to be fishing with a catch-and-release method, you should change the treble hooks on your lure to singles. It's possible that you won't get any dates this way.
However, because of the significant harm that these treble hooks frequently cause to the fish, the majority of experienced anglers who are conscientious about the condition of our fisheries no longer use them. In addition, it is far too simple to get a treble hook entangled in a human body part, which can bring an abrupt and excruciating end to a day of fishing. Replace the Treble Hook on the Fishing Lure with a Single Hook.
White/Dark Color Comobos
When fishing in bright conditions, select topwater saltwater fishing lures with a white belly; when fishing in dim or dark conditions, select topwater lures with a dark belly.
When used in direct sunshine, a lure that is white on the bottom imitates baitfish. Baitfish typically have a white underside to make it more difficult for predators to see them from below when they are looking up at the highly lighted top of the water. However, when it is dark or nearly dark outside, a lure with a black underside will block out what little light there is and will form a shadow for gamefish to focus their attention on.
Sunrise & Sunset – Topwater Saltwater Fishing Is Effective In Peaceful Environments
If at all possible, you should concentrate your efforts during times when there is ambient light. Topwater saltwater fishing action is at its best between sunrise, sunset, and when there is a strong cloud cover. Attempting this strategy when the sun is directly overhead is almost always going to be a bad idea.
There are bound to be outliers, and we can't always pick and choose when we get to go fishing, but as a general rule of thumb, these times of indirect lighting are going to provide you the best chance of reeling in some fish.
The First Strike Doesn't Mean It's Over
When you don't get a strike, don't give up on retrieving. The majority of topwater saltwater fishing lures look to be nothing more than sticks since they float in place without making any movement. However, if you keep it moving, it will look like an injured baitfish trying to get away, and you will frequently receive a follow-up strike as a result.
Embrace Lure Technology
Try employing a topwater saltwater fishing lure that creates its own fish-attracting action without any additional input from the angler if you are a novice angler (or if you have a novice onboard your boat). This will make it easier for you to catch fish.
Even when they are being reeled in without any walks or pumps caused by manipulating the rod, lures that have lips that help them swim, tiny props, or spinning tails will look alive and induce strikes because they appear to be swimming.
Let The Strike Happen – Let The Fish Eat
When the explosion occurs, you should make yourself wait for about a second while you swing the tip of your rod toward the fish and take up any slack in the line. After that, you should rear back. You are fishing with a hair trigger when the following occurs: your plug often soars through the air back at you following hook-sets; this is a pretty normal phenomena.
It is very, very tough to accomplish, but you need to exercise greater self-control and let the fish a second to take the lure all the way into its mouth before moving on to the next step.
