# Topwater Explosions!!- 6/11



## Jeffbro999#2 (Feb 17, 2014)

The last couple weeks I have been throwing nothing but topwater, and it has been producing some great results all day and all night. Sun, clouds, wind, water clarity, darkness; none of that has mattered much. They have been hungry!

Conditions were perfect and I figured the bite would be great, so I started fishing around 5. Immediately started out catching 4 or 5 big male trout in the same spot, and knew they were there for a reason. A few casts later and she crushed the Spook. After 4 good hard runs and some massive head shakes and wallowing on the surface, the hooks pull I have seen this trout 3 times, and she's the biggest I have ever seen. 

I keep fishing along catching a few trout and lower slot reds when I get a strange bite. Fish fights very hard ripping drag and I'm thinking redfish, but doesn't look very big. As I bring it in, I see that it's a really nice Snapper! First time I have caught one on topwater. I haven't been keeping fish lately, but this one went home for dinner. 

As the sun started to go down, I found another school of male trout that were grouped up. Again, after catching several of them, she finally decided to blow up the Spook, and this one was hooked good. I think she stayed on the surface the whole time, thrashing and jumping and putting on a show! Got her in, measured 26" and right at 5lbs. I had to work with her for 15 minutes before I felt good about releasing, but she swam off strong. What a great way to help get over a fish loss, even though it'll be a hard one to forget. Took a few pics of some trout and the snapper(sorry for the poor picture quality on a couple pics, not sure why that happened). All fish caught on Bone colored Spook Jr. in 1-4'.


----------



## Emerald Ghost (Mar 11, 2008)

Very nice report.


----------



## barefoot (Nov 3, 2011)

Great job Jeff!
Trout on topwater...doesn't get much better than that.


----------



## 82montauk (Nov 5, 2007)

thanks for the good report. Escambia, BW, or Pensacola?


----------



## Jason (Oct 2, 2007)

Nice job on some goodens!!!!


----------



## Jeffbro999#2 (Feb 17, 2014)

barefoot said:


> Great job Jeff!
> Trout on topwater...doesn't get much better than that.


Thanks Bruce. Getting better at topwater is my goal this year, since I have always been able to get good strikes, but miss A LOT of hookups. The trout are giving me plenty of practice though, and it's getting better. Love catching trout, and love throwing topwater, so I definitely agree, doesn't get much better:thumbup:


----------



## Jeffbro999#2 (Feb 17, 2014)

82montauk said:


> thanks for the good report. Escambia, BW, or Pensacola?


Been fishing all over the place lately, but mainly the Sound and Pensacola Bay. The bite has been good pretty much everywhere though, tough to choose where to go!


----------



## Badbagger (Apr 27, 2011)

Nice report, way to catchem up !


----------



## gastonfish (Mar 24, 2012)

Sweet, very nice but the snapper is an impressive catch for sure!


----------



## dabutcher (Apr 19, 2008)

Great report!

I haven't fished Pensacola Bay in a while. Looks like I need to get back over there.

I've caught several snapper on top water. Most of them were in the 12 to 13 inch range. I'm sure I haven't caught one as big as the one in the picture.


----------



## Jeffbro999#2 (Feb 17, 2014)

gastonfish said:


> Sweet, very nice but the snapper is an impressive catch for sure!


Thanks Scott, that snapper definitely surprised me! Probably my favorite eating inshore fish, so it was an awesome bonus.


----------



## Jeffbro999#2 (Feb 17, 2014)

dabutcher said:


> Great report!
> 
> I haven't fished Pensacola Bay in a while. Looks like I need to get back over there.
> 
> I've caught several snapper on top water. Most of them were in the 12 to 13 inch range. I'm sure I haven't caught one as big as the one in the picture.


Thanks! Both north and south, Gulf Breeze is fishing great right now. 

That is interesting. I catch some in the 12-14" size range on jerkbaits, but not many that are much bigger. Great to hear they will hit a topwater from that size and up. Definitely my biggest on a lure that I can remember.


----------



## timjb83 (Jan 23, 2013)

Great report Jeff.. Hate you lost ANOTHER big speck(remember that one that bout straightened the hook?!) your persistence will pay off soon I'm sure.. 

Finally got me a baitcaster.. We'll have to try it out!


----------



## Jeffbro999#2 (Feb 17, 2014)

timjb83 said:


> Great report Jeff.. Hate you lost ANOTHER big speck(remember that one that bout straightened the hook?!) your persistence will pay off soon I'm sure..
> 
> Finally got me a baitcaster.. We'll have to try it out!


Seems to be the way it's going this year. Hook them long enough to get a good look and then come off. Things are looking up though as that's the first one I've lost on these new hooks. I know where she lives though, and she will get her picture taken soon enough. Ill never forget the one that bent the hooks out, that was one of the biggest trout I had ever seen. I'm glad you guys were there to witness that. 

Let me know when you have time to make it out and we will go catch some fish. Topwaters are great to help adjust to using a baitcaster since they cast easily. That spot we saw you at a few weeks ago is a great place to throw some Spooks....


----------



## lsucole (May 7, 2009)

You are obviously going to be banned from this forum! How dare you photo shop a bone colored Spook into the mouth of those trout when EVERYONE KNOWS that the ONLY lure that fish will bite on in this area is Matrix Shad ! Shame on you !


----------



## Jeffbro999#2 (Feb 17, 2014)

lsucole said:


> You are obviously going to be banned from this forum! How dare you photo shop a bone colored Spook into the mouth of those trout when EVERYONE KNOWS that the ONLY lure that fish will bite on in this area is Matrix Shad ! Shame on you !


LOL. I rarely ever use them for trout. Flounder is a different story. Im sure I could catch more fish if I was throwing a jerkbait, but I fish for the fun of it, and it doesn't get much better than topwater blowups. I'm really not that good at photoshop....


----------



## WV Boy (Nov 10, 2015)

what speed walk the dog are you getting most of your strikes on?


----------



## Jeffbro999#2 (Feb 17, 2014)

WV Boy said:


> what speed walk the dog are you getting most of your strikes on?


I am constantly changing my retrieve all the way back. Working it a little faster seems to draw a lot of strikes though. I don't pause much, maybe twice per cast, since the strikes are more aggressive when it's constantly moving. Just watch the baitfish closely and copy what they do.


----------



## Dunt (Aug 14, 2015)

GREAT ON YOU FOR RELEASING HER!

I also found in my earlier topwater days that pinching barbs makes no difference in hookup to landing ratio.

Tight lines!


----------



## LIM-IT-OUT (Aug 26, 2014)

Oh Man!!!!

Way to Go!!!! Jeff!

Always good to see a report of those smashin'em up and on topwater hahaha hell yah thats the best way to get it done no doubt about it.... now to add a flounder and top slot to the mix!! 

..... Im thinking this is a pre-game for the Bud Light! I believe we maybe on just the right bites for the 1,2,3 knockout Slam within Pensacola waters and on artificials only.... lets do THIS!


----------



## Jeffbro999#2 (Feb 17, 2014)

Dunt said:


> GREAT ON YOU FOR RELEASING HER!
> 
> I also found in my earlier topwater days that pinching barbs makes no difference in hookup to landing ratio.
> 
> Tight lines!


There's something about watching a big trout swim away that makes you feel good :thumbup: Great tip about pinching barbs! I do that at night occasionally to make it easier to unhook them.


----------



## Jeffbro999#2 (Feb 17, 2014)

LIM-IT-OUT said:


> Oh Man!!!!
> 
> Way to Go!!!! Jeff!
> 
> ...


Thanks bro, it's been a lot of fun out there lately! Time to go find some slot reds, since I know you have the flounder on lockdown. Definitely practice practice practice leading up to it, have to stay on the fish! I'm ready! Gonna be a fun tourney again this year!


----------



## Jeffbro999#2 (Feb 17, 2014)

*Another Big Trout On Topwater!*

One more from yesterday afternoon. 25" and just under 5lbs. Got out there after the storms passed and saw some finger mullet getting chased right away. 3rd cast with the Spook= KABOOM! Love catching them super shallow, since the fight is on the surface the whole time! Bright sun, warm temps- bust out the topwater :thumbup:


----------



## timjb83 (Jan 23, 2013)

Jeffbro999 said:


> One more from yesterday afternoon. 25" and just under 5lbs. Got out there after the storms passed and saw some finger mullet getting chased right away. 3rd cast with the Spook= KABOOM! Love catching them super shallow, since the fight is on the surface the whole time! Bright sun, warm temps- bust out the topwater


Rub it in Jeff!! Haha..


----------



## Jeffbro999#2 (Feb 17, 2014)

timjb83 said:


> Rub it in Jeff!! Haha..


Call me anytime Tim, you are always welcome to join! The trout bite is on fire!


----------



## 153 Large fish (Nov 30, 2013)

Topwater sure is exciting. ..great job


----------



## feef706 (Oct 18, 2011)

153 Large fish said:


> Topwater sure is exciting. ..great job


If I lived closer to pcola is certainly join you, love top water action, had lots of good hits on my bone colored badonka donk but most result in a miss and never even feeling pressure. Great report and catches.


----------



## Jeffbro999#2 (Feb 17, 2014)

feef706 said:


> If I lived closer to pcola is certainly join you, love top water action, had lots of good hits on my bone colored badonka donk but most result in a miss and never even feeling pressure. Great report and catches.


Thanks! I would try speeding it up, make it walk a little faster. A constant, fast retrieve seems to make them attack it very aggressively. They may be getting to good of a look at it when it's moving slow.


----------



## feef706 (Oct 18, 2011)

Jeffbro999 said:


> Thanks! I would try speeding it up, make it walk a little faster. A constant, fast retrieve seems to make them attack it very aggressively. They may be getting to good of a look at it when it's moving slow.


Thanks for the advice, I usually walk it pretty steadily but will try a little faster.


----------



## bamacpa (Nov 8, 2013)

For me a higher speed reel works better also. Helps get that slack reeled in after the snap so you can stay in touch with the lure better. Especially on long casts.


----------



## GROUPERKING (Sep 28, 2011)

Awesome report ! Hard to beat the excitement of top water action when the trout are turned on.


----------



## Jeffbro999#2 (Feb 17, 2014)

bamacpa said:


> For me a higher speed reel works better also. Helps get that slack reeled in after the snap so you can stay in touch with the lure better. Especially on long casts.


That is some great advice! Hadn't given that much thought until now. My Metanium XG is a 8.5:1 ratio with 36" per crank, and it has helped in a lot of ways. I crank down on them with the reel on strike, instead of setting the hook with the rod right away. This keeps the lure in the water instead of ripping it away from them and if they miss it, usually come back again, since the lure didn't go flying through the air. Some of the fish have been crushing it and running straight at me, so the fast retrieve also helps keep up with them when they are angry. Slack line and trebles usually don't work out well together.


----------

