# Offshore top water casting lures



## ashcreek (Oct 4, 2007)

What are your favorite offshore top water casting lures and what species do you target with it?


----------



## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

Yo Zuri hydro tiger poppers are prop my fav but there are a lot of good ones. Yo zuri surface cruiser, surface bull, frenzy angry popper, strike pro tuna hunter, river2sea dumbbell popper, etc, etc

I think the main thing is not getting caught up on using huge poppers just because they seem like they'll get bigger fish. The hook up rate with the larger poppers seems less to me. The biggest fish I've taken on a popper offshore was a 142lb yellowfin that ate a chrome/sardine hydro tiger. That bait is less than 5" long. You'll also do better on tuna if you pop the lure 3 or 4 hard times and then let it sit for a long period of 10 seconds or more.

With stickbaits, like those made by tsunami, al gags lures and others, you do a faster retrieve that "walks" the lure on the surface.


----------



## recess (Oct 8, 2007)

waxwings get quite a few strikes but the hookup isnt there , I prefer the yozuri hydra tiger plus is cheaper than most other and comes with good hardware


----------



## ashcreek (Oct 4, 2007)

What about for AJs i have seen some people throw top water looking for jacks and cobia around rigs and good structure


----------



## FenderBender (Oct 2, 2007)

ashcreek said:


> What about for AJs i have seen some people throw top water looking for jacks and cobia around rigs and good structure



I love catching AJs on poppers! They are pretty bad at it, it's fun watching them blow up and miss over and over. I made all these poppers myself on a lathe, I don't have a single one left due to the fish stealing them, but the ones that worked the best are the ones shaped like the brown one and mahi painted ones. When I make more I will only make that shape. The brown (natural) one was the absolute best... I called it the Oprah lure


----------



## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

With AJs, it's a catch 22. The best poppers for taking them are big and loud, but like said above, they are horribly inaccurate and the hookup rate on the bigger lures suck

Get them fired up with poppers and throw in a sebile magic swimmer. That thing rocks


----------



## ashcreek (Oct 4, 2007)

Fendee bender that got me fired up!!!! I love this whole fishing thing way toooooo much.


----------



## ashcreek (Oct 4, 2007)

Chris can you get them fired up on a regular basis or just in your shallow water spots. I have a couple spots in about 125' that hold smaller AJs on a regular basis around 40' down that i am pretty sure would come to the top


----------



## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

I've caught them on top water in over 200'. Sometimes they will come up top and sometimes they won't. Teasing them up helps. I've always wanted to try live chumming but never have that much bait on hand


----------



## ashcreek (Oct 4, 2007)

That would be a great day trip with my dad and nephew


----------



## bigtallluke (Jul 14, 2012)

Chris V said:


> Yo Zuri hydro tiger poppers are prop my fav but there are a lot of good ones. Yo zuri surface cruiser, surface bull, frenzy angry popper, strike pro tuna hunter, river2sea dumbbell popper, etc, etc
> 
> I think the main thing is not getting caught up on using huge poppers just because they seem like they'll get bigger fish. The hook up rate with the larger poppers seems less to me. The biggest fish I've taken on a popper offshore was a 142lb yellowfin that ate a chrome/sardine hydro tiger. That bait is less than 5" long. You'll also do better on tuna if you pop the lure 3 or 4 hard times and then let it sit for a long period of 10 seconds or more.
> 
> With stickbaits, like those made by tsunami, al gags lures and others, you do a faster retrieve that "walks" the lure on the surface.


I just read a really good article on www.floridasportfishing.com about using poppers particularly for finicky mahi that circle the boat but dont take any of your offerings. This can be pretty frustrating when you stumble upon them and dont have enough bait to chum them into a frenzy. With that said, what color hydro tiger would you reccomend for this particular application, and how would you fish it? Your opinion will be greatly valued... And any others who can chime in with experience! Thanks guys


----------



## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

Just about any color will work, but the smaller sized hydro tiger will prob do better. They do make a dorado colored hydro tiger but I don't think it'll matter much. The biggest dolphin I've caught on a popper was on a chrome sardine hydro tiger


----------



## bigtallluke (Jul 14, 2012)

When you say smaller, are you referring to the 5" hydro tiger? Do you use a leader on these lures? I typically use a small leader with a swivel and I use them in conjunction with a snap swivel on my main line so that I can change out lures quickly if need be. Thoughts on this? I truly don't like the extra hardware on my line, but love the speed of switching out lures when "a crisis arises" lol. Thanks for the help


----------



## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

The 5" model is the big one. The small one I refer to is 3 5/8" or so. I usually use a leader for most topwater fishing except for popping tuna. I tie my popper straight to my braid for tuna popping. 

I wouldn't use a snap, but that's just me


----------



## sniperpeeps (Mar 5, 2011)

I have gotten turned onto the DOA swimming mullet lately haven't found much that won't chew on it. I wish the hook was a little beefier though I bet the tuna would crush it.


----------



## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

sniperpeeps said:


> I have gotten turned onto the DOA swimming mullet lately haven't found much that won't chew on it. I wish the hook was a little beefier though I bet the tuna would crush it.


Tuna won't eat them 

Owner longshank ballyhoo hook and zap glue to keep it put


----------



## bigtallluke (Jul 14, 2012)

I bought the floating 90mm (3 1/2") Yozuri hydro tiger off of ebay in the mahi/dorado color scheme, and I can't wait to use it!! I'm fired up... I also made a trip to half hitch and bought all sorts of goodies to get me prepared for the season. After tying leaders, making bally hoo rigs, and assembling a few new trolling lures/leaders, I'm itching to get off shore so bad that I can hardly stand it! For some reason I'm specifically excited to test out the popper though! Hopefully I get the chance to use it when we go out... i'll let you guys know


----------



## captken (Feb 24, 2008)

*The biggest Zara Spook*

Tuna really blast the big Zara if you make it scream across the surface. Dolphin and Wahoo cream it too.


----------



## ateupwitit (May 26, 2008)

has anyone used the floating hogy lures for tuna yet? or anything?

I've used the hogy jigging model for ajs but haven't been this year to use the floating series


----------

