Surface lures

[Neil]

Anyone done any topwater fishing for pike?
Which lures score well and what is the best thing to do when you get follows but no takes?

Cheapskate angler

[Smarts]

Neil,

For any info of any kind..speak to the Harris's @
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.harrisangling.co.uk>http://www.harrisangling.co.uk</A>

There is nothing about lure fishing that they don't know!

Smarts<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by scorpio on 05/03/01 06:57 PM (server time).</FONT></P>

[Tom]

Top water fishing for Pike has to be one of the most exiciting types of lure fishing that there is - seeing a bow wave appear behind your lure and then being smashed into by a big Pike is priceless.
If the Pike are following but not taking fish the lure slower - you cannot fish a surface lure too slow. Try taking 5 minutes retriving the lure - let it stop, give it a twitch and let it rest. You are trying to mimick a dying baitfish (usually) and if you watch one of these it starts and stops and moves in fast short motions. Also make sure you fish the lure right the way into the bank and leave it in the water for a few seconds - very often you will get a take right at the bank.
My favourite surface lures are the Heddon Meadow Mouse - this caught me loads of fish last year and was particularly sucessful in a Thames weirpool that I fish.
The Cordell Crazy Shad is another favourite of mine - I have also caught a fair few Perch on this lure.

Tom

[scorpio]

I have fished for Pike and Trout using surface or just under the surface lures, I have found that most of the takes come as you are lifting the fly off the water, when you do this it speeds up... the best thing to do is keep the same momentum going,,,, speeding it up and slowing it down occasionally works but keeping the same momentum normally works better..... a predator will follow it's prey and if it thinks it is getting away will strike so fish the lure right into the bank even if it means walking back from the bank itself.

Tony