topwaters in winter

[greg]

just looking on pete gregorys fb page and he had a great session on a local canal using topwater lures.does anybody else use them this time of year.and how was your results just curios.

[Daniel]

Pike will hit them all year round, especially if the venues not too deep, if a meal passes a few feet above a pikes head its barely going to use any energy hitting it as a few feet is covered with a tail flick. Sports not going to be as fast and frantic as it can be in the warmer months but you can still have good days.

[tiffey tom]

I frequently use use topwaters this time of year especially if it is slow going with other lures. I find a 6" plus lure with a lot tail action to to be very effective.
Although I make my own version. A Creek Chub Pikie with the diving vane modified to stay close to the top and worked in spurts often saves the day.

[martin(rockape)]

Never tried top water lures before but i plan to get out tomorrow on a stretch of river that I've never walked along let alone fish. I shall be lure fishing it and will try some top water lures that i bought a good while ago.

Slightly off tangent to this thread but I'm going to take an old style gazette bung so i can just slip it on the line swap the lure trace for a treble one and drop a dead bait in should i feel i need or want to. Its soley a recce and travel light affair to cover as much as i can.Any luck and i judt might christen the new spinning rod.

Regards

Martin

[Mark Phillips]

I've had plenty of pike on top waters in water, especially over shallow water. Tends to be slower moving lures (e.g. hawg wobblers) that get the most attention. I've also had a zander on a top water in winter, somewhat bizzare I know, as I can count on one hand how many I've had in more favourable conditions, not that I'd target zeds on top waters

[alan behenna]

The trick is to find an area that you think "will do it" on a topwater ie. "not too deep", although the not-too-deep thing can be subjective on the day. Something big and splashy has done it for me. What can happen is that yes, interest is registered initially when it passes over a fairly dormant/inactive fish. Sometimes this fish won't come up to the surface on the first pass or two (folks might then think there's nowt about), what can happen though is that enough interest is raised for her to follow the topwater' a little in the direction of each overhead pass. Eventually she might well attack the lure some distance away from the first time she picked up on it and a dam sight closer to you than you imagine.

Just because youve' had no apparent interest in a half dozen retrieves don't mean you ain't being stalked!

[Mike J]

Martin
To save carrying a Gazzete float you can produce an onsite float from a length of cut willow stem, slide the line into a 1/2" slit cut in the end, the added advantage is that when you tigheten to the fish the stick just pings off.

As Alan rightly says, you can sometimes move a fish on the first couple of casts, then it hangs around for another look or decides it must have it.
I was wobbling a wide shallow section and saw a fish move/flash some 15ft from the bait, on my next cast the fish shot across the river to hammer the bait with hardly a turn of the reel.

Recently Ive been employing the method Salmon fishers use to cover a pool ie; straight across and a swing around, a step downstream and repeat - until the lie/pool has been fully covered, slow and boring yes, but results have improved.

[Daniel]

Recently Ive been employing the method Salmon fishers use to cover a pool ie; straight across and a swing around, a step downstream and repeat - until the lie/pool has been fully covered, slow and boring yes, but results have improved.

Whats the point if it bores you? If you're not enjoying it what does the result matter?

[Mike J]

Recently Ive been employing the method Salmon fishers use to cover a pool ie; straight across and a swing around, a step downstream and repeat - until the lie/pool has been fully covered, slow and boring yes, but results have improved.

Whats the point if it bores you? If you're not enjoying it what does the result matter?

Actually the result is of minor importance.
Alone on the river, immersed in my own riverine world is what I go for, that and exersise, walking, a few casts and walking on, BUT if I just 'know' a fish is there I will really try and outwit it, and to me that is what angling is all about, deceiving the fish.

"Look ye also while life lasts" BB

[martin(rockape)]

Martin
To save carrying a Gazzete float you can produce an onsite float from a length of cut willow stem, slide the line into a 1/2" slit cut in the end, the added advantage is that when you tigheten to the fish the stick just pings off.

Good point, and I've improvised like this coarse fishing.

I shall try your tip when the need arises also i shall try the gazette bung, its a virgin you see never been used and according to my dad he has never fished for pike. So I'm determined to catch one on his old bung for him. My dad no longer fishes or even desire's to do so but at his age the cold soon creeps into him.

Regards

Martin

[Mike J]

Hi Martin
Ive actually used the Jardine style gazette bungs, those and pilot floats were all that was available in the '50's.
I remember how the wooden peg used to swell up and trap the line so tight it would/could cause the line to break when you 'hit' (how I hate that word now) the fish, always as instructed, on the second run.
What I do remember most was that when tackling down having to pull the wooden peg out with your teeth, no pliers in those days, just a gag, a long fork like disgorger and a chin gaff.
Best of luck getting a fish on yours, dont forget to post a pic when you do.



PS I still use pilot floats, but not for their intended use