01-30-2011, 10:54 PM
When I am fishing top-waters, I don't really set the hook. When you get a hit, wait til you feel weight before you put any force into the fish. If you set the hook before they have turned and re-entered the water, you will pull the bait away from them.
BUT... Topwaters are tough at night. You will miss a lot of fish purely because they miss the bait. It is hard to see, and you are pulling it away from them. They just mis-judge the strikes.
Try a big spinnerbait, a big plastic worm, or a big swimbait. Big, dark, and slow. A bait with presence can be easily tracked down. Those are some things to think about with nighttime fishing. As far as topwaters, try something like a jitterbug or a wakebait. Anything that leaves an unbroken trail on the surface can help with hookups.
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BUT... Topwaters are tough at night. You will miss a lot of fish purely because they miss the bait. It is hard to see, and you are pulling it away from them. They just mis-judge the strikes.
Try a big spinnerbait, a big plastic worm, or a big swimbait. Big, dark, and slow. A bait with presence can be easily tracked down. Those are some things to think about with nighttime fishing. As far as topwaters, try something like a jitterbug or a wakebait. Anything that leaves an unbroken trail on the surface can help with hookups.
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