Post-Spawn Walking Topwater Bait Patterns & Techniques
"Walking-the-dog” with a Walking or Spook-style bait is a fundamental bass fishing skill and a phenomenal technique when worked fast around schooling fish or slowed down and stalled around cover to tempt a big bite. The Post-Spawn season is a great time to work a Walking Bait slowly over fry guarding males and around cover where big females could be sitting to recover after the Spawn. Covering water towards the main lake is also highly effective because bass will be starting to school up and heavily feed on shad as they transition into a Summer pattern.
Rods:
For the most part, you’re looking for a 7’-7’6” graphite rod with a Medium to Medium Heavy action and a Moderate to Moderate Fast taper. Something with enough length to really launch a spook style bait, but still soft enough not to rip out the treble hooks. Longer rods will give you more leverage for making long casts and covering water, but shorter rods give you better pinpoint accuracy for targeting specific pieces of cover.
Reels:
A casting reel with a 7:1 to 8:1 gear ratio and good line capacity is what you want for fishing Walking Baits. You usually don’t set the hook with a Walking Bait, you more sweep your rod and wind into them, so you need to be able to pick up line quickly, and at the end of a long cast you need to be able to take up line in a hurry also, especially if it’s windy. Line capacity is a key for fishing Walking Baits, so you’re going to want a reel in the 200-size range with its bolstered line capacity.
Line:
Usually 30-50lb braid for your main line, due to the fact that braid casts extremely far, has minimal stretch and it floats. Using a 1-2ft leader of 15-30lb monofilament can also be a good idea, because braid tends to catch on the front treble. It’s also a good call if the fish seem to be line shy, but if you’re around big fish and heavy cover, straight braid is the way to go.
Modifications & Rigging:
Add a rear feathered treble if your bait doesn’t come with one. It’s never a bad idea to change out your other treble hooks either, since depending on the brand they don’t always come with the greatest hooks right out of the box. Adding a red treble to the front can also give bass a target to focus on when they strike and can lead to better hook up ratios.
Tips & Tricks:
If you’re not getting the walking action you want out of your bait, add a split ring to your line tie or tie a loop knot. This will usually give your lure a larger range of motion when you’re walking-the-dog. Using a snap is another great option and gives you the ability to swap out lures quickly without having to re-tie. If fish are short striking or missing your bait, downsizing to a smaller profile lure can make a huge difference and dramatically increase your hook-ups.
Colors:
White or Bone colors are a solid choice, so are Shads and Translucent Shads if the water’s a little clearer. During Post-Spawn, if you are targeting shallow water with bluegill beds and fry guarding bass, Chartreuse and Bluegill colors are an excellent choice.
