How To Easily Trigger Topwater Strikes
- By: Matthew Lanier
- on
Here’s how to easily trigger topwater strikes with any type of surface lure!!
Topwater action is just so much fun.
Find out more in the video here!
How To Easily Trigger Topwater Strikes [VIDEO]
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Lately, lots of requests have come in to help anglers perfect the walk-the-dog retrieve of most topwater lures.
It is no secret we love the Salt Strong Moonwalker and it’s also a super effective lure.
This lure just alone has actually won me inshore fishing tournaments.
However, the walk-the-dog retrieve can be a bit challenging for a number of reasons.
So are there lures out there that cause the same topwater strikes as topwater lures but that doesn’t need to be retrieved like one?
Yup.
The Strike King KVD Wake Bait is a bill-styled crankbait that runs just on the water’s surface.
It can run on the surface or even just below.
Wake Baits actually take all of the work out of the equation entirely.
The lure does all of the work and creates its own wobble by itself.
Simply pair this lure with a straight and steady retrieve for maximum results.
The objective is to appear as injured bait or bait skimming across the surface, running away from predators.
It actually just does an excellent job of appearing natural and like an easy meal to BIG fish.
Additionally, the lure’s wobble creates a low-frequency rattle designed to call fish in from far away.
When To Throw The Wake Bait
If you are fishing in a high tide situation, it is best to find and fish around some structure.
Grass lines, points, as well as covered oyster bars, are spots of extra interest during high tide.
Moreover, if you are trying to cover lots of water on a grass flat, this is the best option for you.
Fellow Fishing Coach Pat Ogletree likes to call these,”…the paddletail lures of topwater”.
As we move further into fall, creek mouths and drains are going to hold lots of hungry redfish.
If you are out fishing on a lower tide or slack tide, you will want to find pockets of deeper water.
With the Strike King Wake Baits, if you speed up your retrieve, the lure will dive deeper into the water and you can fish it subsurface.
Keep in mind you will have to speed up your retrieve to bury this lure under the surface but keep in mind that negates the topwater action of the lures.
Treble Hook Replacement
The Strike King Wake Bait is almost perfect, but you don’t need those treble hooks it comes with!
Single inline hooks actually increase your hook-up ratio and ensure you’ll bring more fish to the boat.
Bigger fish have a tendency to shake treble hooks which ruins your fishing and it can even endanger you as an angler.
Conclusion
The Strike King Wake Bait has already become a go-to lure for me that I ALWAYS have in my tackle box.
If you’re struggling to perfect the topwater walk-the-dog style retrieve, then try out a Wake Bait.
The redfish love them!!!
Get Single Inline Replacement Hooks
Do you have any additional questions about how to easily trigger topwater strikes?
Please share your thoughts and opinions down in the comments!!
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I live on Dowling Lake in Dade City FL
And all I’m looking for is to download the app that you guys are using to see in the water .
Thanks I bought one really like it 🎣
Awesome! Now go catch those fish!
Excellent info. What would be the best knot for the wake bait or moonwalker?
For the wake bait I like a cinch knot. For the Moonwalker I like to use a loop knot for a little more action. 💪
I am going to get out and try the wake baits, I really enjoyed the video and I feel like it is a challenge to me to see how many I can catch with each. Thanks again and Tight Lines.
Go get em buddy!
Matt,
The Moon Walker in Bone has been “ho”t on the Chesapeake Bay for Stripers in shallow water….lately, they have been catch’n the bigger fish….
Love that moonwalker!
Some good info, thanks
No Problem, Kenneth!
Regarding the “KVD Strike King Wake bait”with the treble hooks, as received new; why not simply, “cut away the two unneeded hooks”???
Those treble hooks are not strong enough to hold inshore fish. They bend and break before you get the fish in the boat. 😡 It’s not that hard to swap them out. Even this ol’ lady did it!😂
That would only weaken the hook further.
This is an easy way to change those hooks:
https://saltstrongdev.wpengine.com/articles/wake-bait-hook-swap/
How early is too early for topwater? For example, if you typically go out before first light, should you be working something subsurface until the sun starts to come up?
There is never a time topwater isn’t good! I use it all day, but at dawn even before sunlight, is great as it gives those fish an audible target to strike.
Good question!
Matt, the tackle shop webpage has 2 colors available for the wake bait, your video shows you using the Shizzle, the other is Natural Shad. Color selection is always a tough decision for me. Does the color make any difference or is it mostly fisherman’s preference?
Color does make a difference at times, and i actually use both regularly, despite this video footage may have favored the Shizzle color. I like using the Natural Shad when I have cleaner water like an incoming tide, and the Shizzle when I have dirtier water, like with an outgoing tide. Good question!
Good to know, I fish Aripeka and Bayport FL areas mostly and the water is usually clean and clear, so I think that I start with the natural shad. Thanks
I’m sure the wake bait can get you some top water/high water column bites. But I’m goin spook then the mirrodine 17MR with the red eyes!!!!!
Killer lure! Thanks for watching Ken!