4 great lures for surface action
Taking predators off the top is a spectacular way to catch perch, pike and even zander, so here are your best options for action...
When it comes to lure fishing there is nothing more electrifying than surface fishing.
Watching your piece of brightly coloured plastic wobble, pop and gyrate its way across the top of the lake before, in the blink of an eye and a flurry of water, it is violently snatched and you find yourself into a hungry predator.
With the water at its warmest, the prey fish are also close to the top and the predators have learned over the years that these unsuspecting fish make for a very easy meal at this time of the year.
Like all branches of lure fishing, lures that are designed to fish ‘on the top’ all have similarities, but each type of lure has slight differences, which means it is either fished/retrieved differently or it ‘fishes’ very differently.
Some are designed to ‘pop’, others jerk from side to side, while some move in an almost snake-like action.
And you never really know which one will be the ‘trigger’ on any particular day.
With this I mind, here is a brief guide to the main types of surface fishing lures.
Spro Ikiru
At first glance these types of lure seem to offer the angler very little. There is no propeller, spinner blade or nose cone to create an ‘action’ in the water.
To get the most out of what is known as a ‘walk the dog’ lure, you need to work the rod tip back and forth while jerking the reel handle in time. It’s a difficult art to master at first but, once mastered, the lure will ‘walk’ across the surface in a pleasing zig-zag motion.
The other downside is that it is tiring on the wrists, but it is a hypnotic way to fish. A true walk the dog lure is best fished in relatively calm conditions, because they are easily knocked off their stride in choppy water.
They can be cast a long way though, so you cover a lot of water quickly and tend to be more effective when fished at a slow to medium pace.
Sebile Splasher
This type of lure is characterised by the concave frontage. This sees it doing ‘what it says on the box’!
As you retrieve this lure, you also flick the rod tip down to exaggerate the movement and create the ‘pop’ as the lure’s concave part pushes the water.
Poppers make varying amounts of noise and disturbance and, as far as surface lures go, they are the most stable in choppier conditions.
Some anglers mistakenly believe that surface lures are to be used only when the conditions are flat calm, but a popper works best if there is a wind on the water and even the occasional white horse.
Its stability and relentless action can help bring the fish up to the surface and the accuracy with which you can fish them really helps to fish tight areas where the predators often lurk.
If the popper does not feel right on the retrieve and is behaving strangely, it has most likely turned over in flight and the trebles have caught your line. Wind in and check – this does happen from time to time.
Koppers Live Target frog
Frog lures are far from being a new concept. And when it comes to enticing a bite from a hungry predator, they are simply unbeatable at certain times in and around particular features such as lily beds that are natural nursery areas for young frogs.
Loved by pike and perch alike, frog lures can also be particularly effective when looking to target chub.
This one has a hollow body, with the two hooks wrapping around the sides. This makes it weedless, so it is ideal to fish into any areas of heavy vegetation.
To fish a frog lure, you can either jerk it back in a series of hops, making quarter turns of the reel handle before briefly pausing, or twist the rod side to side, so you can fish in a similar way to a ‘walk the dog’ lure.
Halco Nightwalker
These unusual looking lures have a quite distinct wing-shaped nose. It is this feature that enables the lure to ‘walk’ and ‘crawl’ across the surface, resembling a distressed fish, frog or rodent.
Fished with a simple retrieve or a slightly jerky movement will see you catching pike, perch and even zander. The walking action makes a very distinct popping noise as it scurries across the top.
A lure like this can even be fished at night, as the combination of the noise, action and the fact its propeller frontage glows in the dark, makes it a very interesting and very often deadly lure.
How to make wire traces
Whenever you are fishing for pike or zander you simply must use a wire trace, and here we show you how to make your own wire traces for lure fishing and bait fishing in easy to follow steps...
Using a wire trace when either lure or bait fishing shows that you care about the fish you are trying to catch. If you simply tied your treble hooks or lure directly on to your monofilament mainline, you are taking a big risk as both pike and zander have such sharp teeth they will cut straight through it. And what will happen next?
The fish won’t be able to shed the hooks, the fish will suffer as a result and possibly even die as it may not be able to continue feeding due to the obstruction in its mouth or throat. So please, always use a wire trace when tackling those toothed predators.
You can buy ready-tied traces for lure fishing and snap tackle for bait fishing – and reliable they are too – but there’s nothing like catching a fish on a trace you have made yourself, plus DIY trace making is the cheaper option in the long term. Here’s how to make both, using a variety of methods, plus detailed info on common mistakes…
Tying a wire trace for lure fishing
This method involves twisting the wire around itself to lock the swivels directly onto the trace wire.
1. You will need 18 inches of wire, a swivel, a snap link swivel, wire cutters and a pair of forceps.
2. Bend an inch of wire and pass the formed loop through the eye of your swivel.
3. Now pass the wire loop back over the swivel and pull it tight. Forceps will help you tighten the loop.
4. Clamp your forceps onto the tag end of wire and spin it around the main length of wire at least six times.
5. Trim off the tag end as close as you can to the whippings using sharp, reliable wire cutters.
6. Now lock a snap link swivel to the other end of wire using steps 2 to 5 to complete the trace.
Tying a wire trace for live and dead bait fishing
You don't have to use crimps to create a wire trace for your dead or live baits - you could use the twisted wire technique shown above to lock your swivel and bottom-most treble onto your wire.
1. You will need some wire, two treble hooks, a swivel, some crimps, crimping pliers and sharp wire cutters.
2. Cut off 18 inches of wire, thread on a crimp, pass the wire through a treble hook and thread it back, well inside the crimp.
3. Position the crimp around 5mm from the hook and squeeze it tightly using the crimping pliers.
4. The crimp should be squeezed three times, making sure each of the depressions line up like this.
5. Thread on your second hook and position it 2 to 3 inches from the first. This gap depends upon the size of bait to be used.
6. Hold the second treble in place and carefully wrap the wire around the base of the hook like this.
7. Now tightly wrap the wire around the hook’s shank three times and then thread it back through the eye.
8. Complete the snap tackle by crimping a strong swivel on to the other end of the wire.
Top tips for trace making
Cut the wire cleanly
It’s worth investing in sharp wire cutters as the end of the wire you are working with must be cut cleanly. A frayed section of wire can damage your main line and also prove extremely difficult to tie or crimp.
When to replace your trace
If the wire of your trace becomes twisted or kinked cut it off and discard it at home - not on the bank. Tie on another fresh one. If you do make your own traces and snap tackle remember to cut off the swivels and hooks. If they are still in good condition you will be able to use them again.
Incorrect crimping
The crimped trace pictured is a disaster waiting to happen! Firstly the crimp is too close to the hook therefore the hook has no freedom of movement. The wire tag end protrudes from the crimp and this could cause tangles or it may cut your main line. The crimp has been squeezed only twice – it should be crimped three times. And finally the crimp has been squeezed too close to the
edge and too hard (the wire can be seen through it). If any of these faults occur when you crimp your traces throw it away and do it again or you’re asking for trouble!
How far apart should the hooks be?
The distance between the treble hooks depends upon the bait you are fishing. The larger the bait the further apart the hooks need to be. Take a half mackerel for example. This bait may be 6in or 7in long and ideally the second treble should be positioned midway along the bait, therefore the trebles should be positioned about three inches apart. When fishing small baits like sprats or eel sections, the trebles can be 2in apart.
Guide to pike floats
There are loads of pike floats on the market, each one designed to do a specific task. Follow our guide to find out more...
1. STUBBY INLINE FLOATS
Stubby inlines are used for suspending larger lives or deadbaits, like half mackerel and big sardines. They can also be used for close-in deadbait work.
2. DEADBAIT PENCILS AND WAGGLERS
These sensitive floats are available in loaded (requiring no shot) and unloaded versions. These floats work best up to a distance of 40yards. Designed for use with deadbaits, they are fished bottom only, with the bait ideally set overdepth.
3. HI-VISIBILITY DART
A dumpy design with a dart flight that provides excellent visibility, especially in rough/choppy water. It’s well suited to fishing at long range. Attached at its base, this float provides sensitive bite indication when fishing static deadbaits.
4. SUNKEN FLOATS
These unusual floats are made to present a fish bait under the surface of the water. They work well on either slow-flowing rivers or stillwaters and are primarily used for popping up deadbaits in the current or for suspending livebaits off the bottom.
5. BALL BOB FLOATS
This classic is a truly universal pike float. Ideal for using on still or running water, ball floats are excellent for suspending live or deadbaits, free-roving livebait rigs or laying deadbaits on the bottom. The disadvantage is their shape, meaning they are not as sensitive as some slimmer types of float and they don’t cast well.
6. SLIMLINE INLINE FLOATS
Slimline inline floats are primarily designed for trotting either live or deadbaits in running water. The mainline passes through the centre of the float and is locked at depth using either rubber float stops or a sliding stop knot.