[Tony Barnes]

Hi Guys,

Just a couple of quick questions. I'm sorry if it's been asked before.

When referring to 'adding a few twitches' to your retrieve, is that a vertical movement of the rod tip, downwards or sideways? Do you start with the rod up or pointing down at the water?

When 'waliking the dog', do you move the rod tip side to side or up and down? I've seen both and prefer the former. Am I doing this right? Again, do you start with the rod up or down?

Any links to videos which clearly sho what to do with your hands and the effect on the lure would be much appreciated.

Many thanks,
Tones.

 

[Andrew Wilson]

Tones, i'm sure the eggspurts will chip in shortly and maybe Bob or Mick the Patchinko masters will throw in a few tips too.
I have no idea if I do any of this right but generally I will have the rod tip down close to the water and if holding the rod with my right hand tend to give the lures twitches with a bit of action that goes towards my left knee if that makes any sense, will most probably be wrong but it still seems to catch the odd fella. I suppose it depends on conditions too, surf etc.

With regards Walking the dog, I pretty much use the same action making sure that after each snap to give the lure slack straight after to give the lure time to swing, seems to work and you can vary the snaps from short quick ones for a tight WTD to longer sweeps, just needs a bit of practice and remember to pause if you see a boil or a knock on your lure then start again.

 

[bob jameson]

Hi Tones ..

Walking the dog !!! for me i normaly use the up & down motion , with a slow retrieve , this seems to give me a nice action with patchincos & Zclaws..

Not holding the rod to high either , unless there is structure in the way which would give me the control to flick the lure over it !!

Using the sideways action is ok , i find it a bit uncomfortable after a while , as for twitches .. wtd, pause a bit then twitch and carry on the action

Hope this helps , much easier to teach in practice than written word ....... it is for me . Mr Miagii the master could explain better ! he taught me :lol:

Bob

 

[Dave Irving]

I tend to twitch the same way as Mosseydog, rod tip pointing at the water in the direction of the lure, "twitch" the lure using a wrist action ( :muttley: ), which moves the rod towards the left knee. The aim is to get the lure to dart and keel over slightly (which gives extra flash), think wounded baitfish struggling along. And you won't go far wrong. A longer sweep can also trigger a take, as it really gets the lure humming through the water. Sweep and a long pause has worked for me several times this year, particular if done as the lure passes structure.
WTD, basically this is all about when to have tight and slack line. I pop (short pull) the lure and then drop the rod tip back towards the lure, this allows the slack line required for the lure to turn, then pop again and drop the tip back towards the lure, which turns the lure the other way. Sounds harder than it is. Alot depends on the lure you are using, Z Claw's seem to work best as Mossey said, short fast Wtd, keeping a nice tight action on the lure. Patchinko's (for me) work best slower, allowing more time for the lure to swing, giving you a lovely snaking retrieve. Super Spook Jnr-quick tight action like a Z Claw, and the larger Super Spook is somewhere between that and the Patchinko. But it pays to try different retrieves on the day. Some days just the odd twitch is the killer, and on other days fast splashy retrieves with sudden stops is the killer.
Tones,
If your ever around the brighton area at the weekends, give me a shout, and will give you demo, and show you a few topwater lures.
For the final tips/tricks/techniques Admin Bob is your man, He really helped me sort out WTD/Surface lures. Check out the link on his posts for what can happen when you really know how to work topwater lures.

 

[Dave Irving]

And on the subject of topwater lures, just when you think you have it sussed, someone sells you a Xorus BassArrow :badlol: . Which is a whole new ball game, took a while to get anything out of it. But in flat calm conditions it would be first out of my box now. Although I received my first baby Patchinko yesterday, long story short, another is heading this way as well. Saltiga, we are going to have a blast on that beach this summer :horsesword:

 

[Andrew Wilson]

What colour babys did you go for Tunny? I am finding it so hard this week to not pick up the craggy island hotline, MUST RESIST, MUST WAIT TILL AFTER CHRISTMAS, NOOOOOoooooooo :muttley:

 

[Tony Barnes]

Thanks for the replies guys. It's going to take me a while to decipher and digest them. But I at least get the bit about pointing the rod at the water and twitching it towards my left knee. I think that i've mostly been holding the rod horizontally and pulling up on it. So something new to try, cool.

I don't suppose that our man in Jersey has a half price January sale.

Tones.

 

[Dave Irving]

Mossey,
Black and silver and a G500. I have the black and silver here and it looks cracking. Can't wait to get the G500. Those days where the bass splash/sworl on the patchinko but won't hit, are numbered. It is just such a nice mouthful size for any bass.

Tones,
No right or wrong way mate, as long as you are getting the action into the lure. Worth practising with the rod in different angles/directions. Tip high, out to the side, or for when you fish from the rocks tip below your feet. I have used all of these this years, when weather/conditions forced me too.

 

[Mick Ward]

Its been pretty much covered by the replies already, and I agree with Bob its easier to show and do than to discribe. WTD is easy with the right rod, reel and line, we all started off with absolutely aweful rods for the job, but having learnt with them it now becomes aparent why a fast action rod makes all the difference. We will do some video of the angler whilst walking and popping this year, instead of just at the lure. oh and dont be too set in your ways as to holding the rod, as sometimes you need to hold the rod up or to the side or down depending on the wind, weather or situation.