The Hunt For Big Fish with Larry Dahlberg

Hello:

I fish topwater baits a lot. Baits are like the Zara Spook, but aren't limited to that model. I get a lot of strikes that don't result in a hookup. Can you recommend any improvements I can make that can increase my hookup percentage? Thanks!

(By the way, this is an ironic situation because I can hardly touch my lures without poking my hands or getting hung up on my clothes. It's hard to believe any fish can hit that same lure four or five times and still not get hooked. )

I have never fished topwater baits in saltwater, however, I use it a lot in lakes and rivers.
Normally when I see the fish not getting the hooks I either downsize to maybe a Zara Puppy, fish much slower, or use a different bait like a Pop-R or a Heddon Torpedo. One of my go-to baits for neutral/inactive fish is a Heddon Torpedo. The hooks are attached directly to the body, and I have modified mine by adding a split ring and then the hook. I think it gives a better chance of the fish getting the business end.

Stephan

In this thread Larry talks about the "shrink tube trick". Haven't tried it yet myself but it sounds promising. viewtopic.php?f=1&t=8243&p=16733&hilit=shrink#p16733