Walking the Dog for Bass

[bretto]

Twitch, twitch, twitch, pause and bang im on.

Over the last week I have been having success on some big bass on walk the dog style lures and I thought I would highlight just how effective these lures are on the native bass both wild and stocked. The average size of bass taken using this method was surprising with the average size in the mid 40's and few stonker fish mixed in.

The lures that I have had most success on is the Heddon Zara Puppy (second from top) in black and a Gold Luckycraft sammy 65 (bottom).

[img size=150]http://www.photovations.com/ims/pic.php?u=4393OkmcH&i=40474

Mixing up the retrieve on the day will help to see what the fish want too see but what i have found most successful is to cast high and long for a big splash and pause till the ripples created disappear. Then work the lure using rhythmic twitches of the rod tip and a slow retrieve to make the lure slowly zig zag back and forth for about 1-2m and then pause for 10 sec and repeat all the way in. I have had a bass take lure while I was talking to a mate for about a minute without moving it once so no pause is too long.

[img size=150]http://www.photovations.com/ims/pic.php?u=4393OkmcH&i=40476

Every lure seems to have its optimum retrieve speed so a little experimentation is needed but when you get it, it is easy.

I has also become apparent that wild bass seem to like a more erratic action with a long pause as opposed to a smooth action on impoundment fish. On the plus side bream are a sucker for topwater lures as well and make fore a pleasing bycatch when fishing for river bass.

These two were found in the same area.

[img size=150]http://www.photovations.com/ims/pic.php?u=4393OkmcH&i=40475

[img size=150]http://www.photovations.com/ims/pic.php?u=4393OkmcH&i=40477

Hope this might help some AFO members out

Brett

[mangler]

Good info there mate, I'm sure plenty of people will fond it helpful. Some great catches there too!

[Rocket75]

With surface fishing for bass high on my list of "to do's", that's some really great info. One thing that I have noted in many posts discussing surface lures is the pause...it seems the longer the better. Looks like I'll need to work on my patience, something makes me want to make big spashes and crank it in GT style!:blush:

Thanks Brett

[kriso]

cheers bretto i have quite a few of these type of lures to try and after reading this i might have a chance on using them correctly lol

[kreel]

Thanks Bretto, I actually just bought the Heddon lure in your image and wanted some advice on how best to use it.

I think I've been mesmerised by lures, if I see a lure that appeals to me I have to have it, yet I do so little lure fishing.

Note to self: Must use lures more often.

[Nitris]

Thats some good info bretto.. cheers for sharing

[bootyinblue]

kreel wrote:

I think I've been mesmerised by lures, if I see a lure that appeals to me I have to have it,

Its the fish that are suppose to have that reaction to the lure, not the angler!

Great little article with some helpful hints there, and I might have to relent and actually try fresh water fishing sometime.

[Dinodadog]

Well done Bretto nice fish I like using the torpedos or fizzers late in the arvo

[pinkey]

I lovvee dogwalkers . Got a few bream, cod, tailor and even butterbream on a Prial First pencil 70, up the coast. Good article, i want to get a bream on one in the brissy river.

[werewolf]

Thanks for the tips mate. You're always ready to offer some sound advice!

[Nitris]

not taking the piss outa u mate bretto.. but can u please give me a smile in ur next pic's its like someone is forcing u to hold the fish for a photo with a gun to ur head. Just one slmile.. id be grin ear to ear with one of those fish on popers. ( and for a few days after) :laugh: but all in fun no stabs at u..

[Feral]

Kev and Dan gave me a horrendously expensive one of those lures, sits in my tackle box, I try it every now and then, never had any luck on it. If I want surface fish I usually go with a walker,popper or fizzer, at least the lure does something!

[bretto]

Nitris wrote:

not taking the piss outa u mate bretto.. but can u please give me a smile in ur next pic's its like someone is forcing u to hold the fish for a photo with a gun to ur head. Just one slmile.. id be grin ear to ear with one of those fish on popers. ( and for a few days after) :laugh: but all in fun no stabs at u..

I'll do my best to sort it out

[img size=453]http://www.australianfishing.com.au/media/kunena/attachments/legacy/images/smile01.JPG

[planetfonz]

bahaha well he did ask for it haha

[Nitris]

hahahahaha damm now that is what im looking for.. a smile and a half.. :laugh: :laugh:

[Plastic Man]

Feral wrote:

Kev and Dan gave me a horrendously expensive one of those lures, sits in my tackle box, I try it every now and then, never had any luck on it. If I want surface fish I usually go with a walker,popper or fizzer, at least the lure does something!

feral they have a lot of action just have to get the hang of it then it too easy awesome bass lure you gotta love em

also nice fish mate well done

[Feral]

I'll have to get someone to show me on one of the AFO trips, it just drags along the top for me, no action.

[Jspinner]

Thanks for the advice Bretto. After reading your post I ventured to NPD on saturday to give my Zara puppy and a few other surface lures a good work out in the hope of catching my first ever Bass. The weather was pretty average but there was plenty of surface action so I persisted. It took me a dozen or so casts to get used to the action of the puppy but once I did I was pretty confident of stirring up some interest from the resident bass. After working sections of the bank at Forgans for nil result I was starting to feel like I was just going through the motions. It was then, after a long cast out past one of the points, that my complacency would come to bite me in the arse. After working the lure back to within about ten meters of my feet I paused... twitch, twitch..... nothing.......pause and then BANG! A football sized bass had just blasted the surface and my lure but to my disappointment missed the hooks. I was blown away at how hard this fish had hit my lure and I dont mind telling you that it got my heart racing. Unfortunately I didn't end up catching my elusive first bass that day but I can't even begin to tell how keen I am to hit the local rivers and lakes up using Zara puppys and other surface lures. Its gotta be the most exciting way catch fish I reckon. Thanks again for the advice mate.

[Terry H]

Feral: give the rod a short pull back. Don't hold the rod up in the air, being a surface lure its best to keep the rod tip near the water when working it otherwise you'll pull the lure up out of the water and skip it along the surface. a short twitch. How short? Just short enough to pull the lure a small distance. More of a small flick of the wrist. If you do tihs right you'll notice the lure darts off to one side. it's not a slow retrieve like other hardbody lures.

One you notice that action you then need to work on linking multiple flicks while slowly retrieveing to bring up slack. Eventually what you want is to be able to constantly flick the rod back with your wrist while retrieving line at the right speed so you can continually flick it.

The lure will dart to the left, then the right, the left, the right the left the right all while coming towards you. You can vary the speed of the retrieve, and the distance it moves either way to suit conditions.

That's "walking the dog"

As Plastic Man said, once you get the hang of it it's fairly easy. I'm no expert at it yet but last time I tried could do it adequately. I've only tried a couple of times, if you're not use to it, it will no doubt be awkward

[Feral]

Ta Terry, I'll give it a go next time I am out after bass.

[Rocket75]

so does the lure have it's own action, or is it all about how you work it?

[MichaelJ]

if u just wind it the lure doesnt do anythin u have to twitch it and give it the action

[Rocket75]

so just twitching will bring it in stright (like a popper)?

so you need to impart some sideways action with the wrist alternating from left to right...?

[bretto]

Flicking the rod tip straight down repetatively will make it dart from left to right and no need for left to right with rod tip.

[MichaelJ]

nah when u twitch once it moves one way iether to the left or to the right the next twich makes it move the other way

[Rocket75]

that is one clever lure! yet another thing to add to my wish list:P thanks guys.

Rocket