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Hey guys, last year I went down to Powell and fished with Spooks for the first time. That was fun! I'm wondering if any of the lakes up here in the Valley have bass that'll hit the spooks the same way they did down at Powell?
Does anyone fish with these top water lures? Do you have good luck? Is it an 'evening' type of lure, or a 'give it a go' whenever? Thoughts?
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Have you ever fished for wipers? They are a blast, if you can get close enough to a boil to cast a Spook into. Lots of lakes around here have wipers now but I've only used them at Willard. You can find boils just about any time of the day but I've done best in the morning and evening hours. If you are talking about SM or LM bass, I can't help you there, only used them on wipers.
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I have used them on Holmes Creek and have caught fish with them. Also fished floating rapalas with a twitch and pause retrieve. It is sure fun to see those bass explode on them.
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Zara Spooks and similar topwater "slap baits" are excellent. In their various sizes I have caught trout, SMB, LMB, Wipers, Stripers, and in salt water more species than I care to count.
I don't think that there is a wrong time to fish them, but early and late in the day, or overcast days seem to be best.
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They work well on Northern pike, never tried them for Muskie but I would imagine they would catch them as well.
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Never heard them called "slap baits". Spooks are made by Heddon and are the original in a class of baits called "dog walkers" due to the action that can be imparted by fishing them on a slack line. There are a variety of baits out there, with almost every major bait manufacturer having at least one in their line of baits.
Walking the dog is accomplished by jerking the bait on a slack line with the rod tip held low to the water. The bait will glide from side to side as it is retrieved by the fisherman. When you learn the technique, you will set up a cadence that will drive the fish crazy. Some of my best days with Spooks have been on Deer Creek when the LMB population was better. Great topwater bait.
As to where you can fish it up here, anywhere there are LMB, SMB, Wipers, Tiger Musky, or Northerns.
PS: Some of the best days for topwater are in the middle of the day during July and August !!
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Zara Spooks are a classic bait. Back when I fished for bass we used them quite a bit. They provoke explosive bites. I have a bunch from that era, late 80's or so. Really fun.
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[quote Therapist]Never heard them called "slap baits". Spooks are made by Heddon and are the original in a class of baits called "dog walkers" due to the action that can be imparted by fishing them on a slack line..........................
................PS: Some of the best days for topwater are in the middle of the day during July and August !! [/quote]
The "dog walker" category includes the "slap baits" like the Zara spook, and the glide baits like the Dahlberg Wide Glide and various Pike glide baits in Europe. Unfortunately, we don't have "description police", at least not normally, that keep descriptions and categories from drifting. The term glide bait in the US is gradually shifting/drifting toward the jointed gliders like the River2Sea S Waver.
A slap bait, from a lure maker's point of view, is one that slaps one direction, then another, but does not move much more then an inch or two from an imaginary line that runs back to the angler. A glide bait, at least in the European and older US Pike fisherman's point of view, still moves one direction, then the other, but can move several inches to as much as several feet to the left and right of that same imaginary line that runs back to the angler.
But, if we are going to have a 'description police', I nominate you. LOL
Sure do agree on the time of day and season.
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Just pointing out that I have never heard of the term "slap bait". Not interested in becoming the name police !!
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I can neither confirm, or deny, that I may have used Zara Spooks a few times in my 63 years of fishing. Oh what the heck, yea I've used them. Caught more than a few fish on them in all those years.
If you're headed to Lake Powell between now and December, don't leave the Spooks home.
TopH20 isn't just my BFT handle, it's a way of life! [cool]
Mike
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Used them and lots of other top water type lures for LMB when fishing in Georgia and Florida. Get a 7 or 8 lb. Florida strain large mouth or Peacock Bass hit one of those and you have a fight on your hands. Lots of fun !
I keep a couple in the box on my boat for the rare event I'm close enough to a Wiper boil at Willard. Been awhile since I've been close enough to use one though.
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Zara spooks are great in clear water lakes with shad populations. These lakes, similar to Powell, tend to have boils, and a Zara Spook is great for casting a mile at them. I always have a spook ready to go when fishing Powell! 
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