Topwater theories

[slick41st]

Hi Guys, Been doing a fair bit of surface fishing the past two "seasons" down here in Tassie.

Had been guided by a few theories on when to try - e.g. warmer weather, a little breeze, across the flats, high tide, forget about winter etc etc.

Last week we were at a fav isolated part of a waterway, the type you need to walk a fair few k's into.

Anyway it was about 13 deg (brrrrr), dead still, a rising tide (about an hour from full), and the low tide fishing beforehand was as slow as can be. So anyway on our walk back we put on some surface lures (PX and Jazz zappas), and started casting in the channel (min 2m deep), which also had a very fast current flowing through it.

In about 15mins we got smashed by 5 fish - and only managed to land one (because it was 41 TTF which is small for this area). The other fish wrapped us around snags and used the strong current to power away from us. I have never seen fish smash surface lures without any bit of hesitation like we saw on this day, I had two fish launch themselves out of the water like a dolphin surfacing to smash my lure (never see the lure again).

I am re-assessing everything I thought I knew about when to try surface - What do you look for to decide to tie on a surface lure? Am interested to hear your thoughts.

We do have a better pic of the fish on the brag mat, but mate has the camera, I'll put it up when I get it.

Regards, Damien

[Dodgy back]

If I'm fishing shallow I will always have a topwater tied on. I will try it periodicaly to see if any fish are rising to it.

Although I have had great topwater fishing on sunny days, overcast days really are the best.

Being Qld based means that I fish canals mostly. If it's a sandy canal I will throw a topwater no matter what. My new favourate canal is very rocky, I don't feel that they are good for a topwater so will only throw plastics.

The few natural banks that I do throw a topwater on are generally slowly tapered shallow to around 1.5 meters. wouldn't bother with any deeper than that.

Thing is also we are very lucky in QLD and have ,I reckon the best topwater fishery.

Topwater is the best.

Keep doing it. Any topwater will get a bream, it really comes down to personal preference and if the fish are timid I down size to tiny lures.

Cheers

[bargeass]

Hey dodgy back, what's your reasoning for preferring sandy canals over rocky canals for topwater?? I'm the opposite in that I fish almost exclusively rocky canals and still catch great numbers on fish on the surface. I would have thought the rocky canals attract more prawns and that sort of thing due to the increased structure compared to sandy canals. The more prawns in the area in theory better surface action. That's just my thinking, keen to hear yours :)

[Dodgy back]

It's just that I have had better results in sandy canals than rocky . Really is just my preference.

Also may be because the few rocky canals I fish are deep ??

Each to thier own I suppose,

[bargeass]

Fair enough then. Who knows why fish do what they do haha

[Dodgy back]

Dead Right Barge arse, dead right

[CHUNQX]

I am re-assessing everything I thought I knew about when to try surface - What do you look for to decide to tie on a surface lure? Am interested to hear your thoughts.


I won't be too quick to discard your other theories until you encounter these anomalies a lot more frequently. There are the rare moments when bream just seem to break all the "rules" and go absolutely nuts but those times are rare. As Bargeass said "Who knows why fish do what they do".

[slick41st]

thanks for the reply guys, the channel we were fishing was weed /sand

no prawns there, but a lot of little (15cm) salmon, that midway through the session we did see the bream smashing these across the surface like seas run trout would do to whitebait. so it was obvious it was this that was turning them "on".

Keep the theories coming though, am interested to learn more.

Cheers, Damien

[__MATT__]

if im fishing an area where bream are feeding on bait that they can herd agains the surface, a wall or tight edge (prawns, baitfish etc) then i will always tie on a topwater hardbait or plastic.

in the system i live on in sa fish eat topwater all year round because they are so accustomed to smashing prawns against retaining walls and eating bread thrown in the water by residents so they aren't as cautious as in other systems.

i reckon those salmon trout would have had a lot to do with it, there are easier areas for big lazy bream to chill than in fast flowing water. definitely there to feed.

how big were the topwaters you were using?

[slick41st]

PX55 and Jazz zappas Matt
see where you are going with this, I should have tied on a dog-x but already lost too many lures! What I really needed was heavier gear than the straight through flourocarbon I only took out to test a rod with, normally there I would use 6lb leader minimum.

[CHUNQX]

This is the kind of post I love:)

When I started breaming with lures I was told not to bother with Night fishing by blokes who were winning tournaments while I was struggling to catch a fish (ie after sunset).

"Dont go home until I catch one" rule was an eye opener.

It was also the day I decided to be more open minded about the way I assessed what I had been told;).

Sneaky Old Buggers sometimes lie to the new crew so they can have the river banks to themselves at night when they finish work:D;)

Now for surface lures it's "don't bother with surface lures for black bream.. only yellows hit surface lures.." Interestingly enough my current PB of 45cm is a black and caught on surface lures.

"Dont go home until I catch one" - Never been brave enough to try this because knowing myself, it'll end up in the Guinness Book of Records for the Longest Continuous Fishing session or worse, Longest Continuous Fishing Session without catching fish. Either that or someone will find my frozen body on the riverbank still in a standing up position holding a rod.

[CHUNQX]

I recently bought some 52lb snap swivels - I thought they would break at 52lbs - turns out they break at about 12lb - heart break at the time but lesson learnt.


This begs to be asked, why did you buy 52lb snap swivels (don't tell me you're going back to bait fishing:eek::eek:) and how did end up breaking it knowing it was 12lb strain you had on it?

[eddystone]

Damien,

I'm no expert... I'd suggest if you find fish shallow and they are feeding they will likely take a topwater...

You won't catch them in the middle of summer either if the conditions aren't right.. ;)

Topwaters are great fun that is for sure!

Pat

[slick41st]

Ta Pat,
That I can go with, just seeing if there is something else I have missed.

You are right - it is the most awesome fun - but seeing those fish launch themselves out of the water at the lure was magical - if only 3 of them were landed I think team Cascade would have been in a better position! :D

Cheers, Damien