# Topwater surf action?



## JeepMike (Feb 4, 2008)

Hey guys, I was just thinking back to my days of freshwater fishing... I would use alotta topwater stuff early morning or in the middle of a windless night. Man I have some memories! 

Anyways, are there times when it is possible to catch fish with topwater lures in the surf? Perhaps in the middle of summer when the winds have died down? I don't know if that sounds completely crazy or not, but oh man I would love to catch a big ole sumthing on a zara spook out between the waves!!:beer:


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## NCsurffisher (Jun 27, 2004)

Good in the late fall when the stripers arrive.


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## surfchunker (Apr 10, 2006)

*I've done just that*

I've caught a couple blues on a Zara Spook ... it's a blast man ..... you gotta try it Mike ........ Walk that Dog


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## Mark G (Nov 15, 2004)

Stripers will absolutely tear up a topwater bait under the right conditions. A Zara Spook is a tough critter to get any real distance from the surf tho- and rides the waves in a hurry. Some of the atomic topwater plugs are heavier , cast better, and range from semi-bouyant to sinking varieties, so they can be worked along the surf line for a longer period than the spook. There is a magnum version of the spook out that casts a little better, but it still rides the waves right on in- sometimes you can't reel fast enough to work the spook as it is headed back to you faster than all get out.

I have caught a ton of schoolie sized stripers off a spook- tho from a boat working the rock piles around the chesapeake bay. Caught my share of gulls too, something life like about the way that spook walks the dog makes it irresistible to many critters.

Topwater action is usually better around structure - jetties, rock croppings, etc, than the open beach, but I usually keep one handy just in case the fish start blitzing the beach.


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## Too Busy (Sep 7, 2007)

Zara Spooks, Mirrolures and some floating Rapala's have been producing nice trout in the creeks around Charleston, SC at dusk and dawn


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## pier-legend (Jan 14, 2004)

...well TOPWATER is a major THANG for a few of us spooks down here in the Carolina beach to Topsail beach area..
.Fortunately it hasn't caught on in the ocean yet!!!..
....but its big time in the back waters for speckled trout and puppy drum....

..BUT IN THE OCEAN..well there are a few of us real shadowy types that have been doing it for several years now..
..super spooks, super spook juniors, skitter walks. and top dogs.....O YEA!!!

..Last season I landed speckled trout, drum, blues,spanish macks and lady fish topwatering...
..And just wait til you have a 40-60 lb. blacktip eat your super spook!! (o yea)....

..it ain't the most productive fishing....(lots of casts and lots of planning to get bit)..
.but as anyone know..ONE TOPWATER TROUT is worth more than a dozen on a mirrolure..ONE OCEAN TOPWATER ANYTHING.. is WORTH THE EFFORT..
....and just a few times so far..ITS BEEN THE ONLY THING THAT WOULD GET BIT!!! 

..We started out just for Trout...then Puppy Drum..but now we do take time FOR LADYFISH!!
..bluefish and seagulls are EASY.....(Watch for birds ..they LOVE topwaters)

...Ocassionally we get shots at False Albacore in the surf on topwater..(BUT NOT LATELY)...

..lots of things you can do to your plugs to make em work right in the surf....
...I KEEP several packs of SUSPENDED DOTS with my Topwater bag and keep a few of EVERYTHING LOADED with em...
..THEY WORK WONDERS ON SPOOKS!!
..you can really load the front of the spook and she will keep on dog walking into the suds....

..anyhow if you really love TOPWATER...pick full and new moon tides where you got LOTS of water early in the morning...get out there beside one of the piers and take advantage of the "low lite"....it works in mid-day at times too.

..also...with TOPWATER IN MIND....NEVER let a school of mullet or pogies or any schooling bait go by!!!...NEVER!!

...TRY IT up there..I think you will be surprised!!


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## Rob S (Feb 7, 2008)

pier-legend said:


> ...well TOPWATER is a major THANG for a few of us spooks down here in the Carolina beach to Topsail beach area..
> .Fortunately it hasn't caught on in the ocean yet!!!..
> ....but its big time in the back waters for speckled trout and puppy drum....
> 
> ...


Is this from the surf?


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## pier-legend (Jan 14, 2004)

Rob S said:


> Is this from the surf?


....yes sir....even LADYFISH...but the LADYFISH do better just inside an inlet...


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## JeepMike (Feb 4, 2008)

Hmmm,, thanks alot guys! Pier Legend thats a ton of info right there! I need to carve out a niche here on the island. Most of these boys drum fish like crazy, and are quite good at it! I need to make a name for myself catching something in a unique way! I might spend a few afternoons a week trying to drag some fish to the sand with topwater's afterall!! Hopefully one day this wind will die down. I am lookin due north over the Pamlico as I type this and it is whitecapped all the way to the horizon, I'm afraid it might even come outta the banks and flood me a little! What is a ladyfish? I have never even seen or heard of those before. Are they like "weakfish"? I can't wait for things to warm up!! I feel like a squirrel in front of a shotgun!


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## Mudd (Jan 10, 2004)

:fishing: In late Sept and early Oct, you sometimes get Jack Crevelle on Da Point at sunrise. They will absolutely fight over who gets to smash your topwater offering. When you do hook up with a 20-30 lb Jack on topwater, if Mr Jack happens to stay hooked up long enough, you just might end up wishig you stayed in bed. A 30 lb Mr Jack C. will put a hurtin on ya!


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## JeepMike (Feb 4, 2008)

sweet mother... Mudd are you making this up? Do they make a spring run? Do you wade out to cast top's to them? Any other super secrets you fellas are holding out on?!


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## Mudd (Jan 10, 2004)

Absolutely positively the truth. Some years, not every year, between 9/20 and 10/20 the Jack Crevelle will show up in the mornings before sunrise and chase lures until after sunrise. They will also hit a soaked drum bait and thats how most are caught. When the weather stays constant, if they show up one morning they will usually show up for 3 or 4 days in a row.


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## oldschool (Apr 8, 2008)

I've seen those Jacks in the first trough, 15' off the beach, moving so fast you can't get a cast off before they're gone. 

That stuff will get your heart pumping  ! I think they'll eat anything you can cast into their line of vision and yes, if more than one sees your offering they will butt heads as they both crash on it. 

The first run from a big hog can strip your reel in a couple seconds if you hook up on a long cast. 

Those guys are FUN!!


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## JeepMike (Feb 4, 2008)

Okay so in no order of particular importance, I still need to catch a pompano, big drum, chopper blue, striper from the surf, doormat flounder, hog of a trout, a cobe swimmin behind a ray, spinner shark, a big biter, a big ray just for good measure, black drum, sheepshead, more blowtoads, set my pin rig for some kings on the pier, and last but not least there's another monster fish I just learn about... This Jack Crevalle critter sounds like my cup of tea! I dream of big fast fish that show up like ghosts, rip reels apart and then are gone again... The stuff of legends! 

Any other fish I'm missing that I should add to my "need to catch" list? So far since moving here I've gotten puppy drum, taylor blues, doggies, skates, blowtoad, sea trout.


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## Bigfisherman (Apr 22, 2005)

Don't forget Spanish Mac's


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## fishpimper (Nov 15, 2007)

yeah, i've caught lots of blues from the surf with a big popper in the past.  I think the make is atomic -- i've seen pups pulled in on a topwater plugs from the surf on more than one occasion too.
The more chug and spit you can make with them the better they work. I like to really rip them hard causing them to go under the water and leave a bubble trail.


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## Sully (Dec 13, 2007)

*My favorite top water lure.*

Lived on the oceanfront in Kitty Hawk for 42 years and I caught almost every local species during flat water and limited wind on a Cordell broken back minnow. Give it a try, what fun !!!!


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## Mark G (Nov 15, 2004)

JeepMike said:


> Okay so in no order of particular importance, I still need to catch a pompano, big drum, chopper blue, striper from the surf, doormat flounder, hog of a trout, a cobe swimmin behind a ray, spinner shark, a big biter, a big ray just for good measure, black drum, sheepshead, more blowtoads, set my pin rig for some kings on the pier, and last but not least there's another monster fish I just learn about... This Jack Crevalle critter sounds like my cup of tea! I dream of big fast fish that show up like ghosts, rip reels apart and then are gone again... The stuff of legends!
> 
> Any other fish I'm missing that I should add to my "need to catch" list? So far since moving here I've gotten puppy drum, taylor blues, doggies, skates, blowtoad, sea trout.



Chances are mighty slim- but you can put a tarpon on that list also.


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## bluefish1928 (Jun 9, 2007)

use creek chub striper strikes, they range from 3 inches at half oz. to 5 inches and over 2 ounces. primarily use in the NE, but works well in the south too. many othe rnorthen striper lures also works as long as they are not too large. blues, spanish, even trout will attack it. it casts really well. zara spooks are good for marsh and other places where a long cast is not needed. tsunami talking poppers also work but may be a bit big for some fish to swallow, great as a teaser though.


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## Rob S (Feb 7, 2008)

JeepMike said:


> sweet mother... Mudd are you making this up? Do they make a spring run? Do you wade out to cast top's to them? Any other super secrets you fellas are holding out on?!


My friend went fishing in Oct and caught a juvenile jack crevalle, pretty stunned at that. It was in the Bogue sound.


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## Too Busy (Sep 7, 2007)

JeepMike said:


> Okay so in no order of particular importance, I still need to catch a pompano, big drum, chopper blue, striper from the surf, doormat flounder, hog of a trout, a cobe swimmin behind a ray, spinner shark, a big biter, a big ray just for good measure, black drum, sheepshead, more blowtoads, set my pin rig for some kings on the pier, and last but not least there's another monster fish I just learn about... This Jack Crevalle critter sounds like my cup of tea! I dream of big fast fish that show up like ghosts, rip reels apart and then are gone again... The stuff of legends!
> 
> Any other fish I'm missing that I should add to my "need to catch" list? So far since moving here I've gotten puppy drum, taylor blues, doggies, skates, blowtoad, sea trout.


Mike
Don't forget to add Fat Albert's to your list. Nothing like a little torpedo up near the wash


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## JeepMike (Feb 4, 2008)

bluefish1928 said:


> use creek chub striper strikes, they range from 3 inches at half oz. to 5 inches and over 2 ounces. primarily use in the NE, but works well in the south too. many othe rnorthen striper lures also works as long as they are not too large. blues, spanish, even trout will attack it. it casts really well. zara spooks are good for marsh and other places where a long cast is not needed. tsunami talking poppers also work but may be a bit big for some fish to swallow, great as a teaser though.


Holy smokes... Here I was thinking about those Zara Spooks were my "go to" lures back in the freshwater days when you really needed to hurl a bait! I did forget about false albacore, spanish mac's and even a stray tarpon! I wonder what else might be out there? I would LOVE to catch a barracuda! Well it seems as though plenty of people have tried topwater fishing around here! Hopefully these winds will lay down in the next few weeks and I can go out and give it a whirl! Are there any resident stripers around HI? I haven't seen or heard of one except that one caught off the point about 3 weeks back. Is it worth hittin the sound on those flats in the mornign with topwater? GREAT advice so far fellas, I'm really looking forward to giving the topwater deal a try!! Thanks all! :beer::beer:


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