4-22 dam area 4-23 big m and tackle question

[fowlthing]

4-22 put in near Dam. Fished   emerald point and long creek. Started at 11::00and took out at 5. Caught 20.   5 keepers Ned fluke and jerk bait. Also one on biffle bug. Got top water hits but couldn't land. 

4-23 put in at 4:00 fished until dark.  Caught 17 with 2 keepers. Ned rig pb&j. And spook for 10 of the fish. 

Main lake and secondary points  couple in the back of pockets  

My my question is about the Strike king sexy dawg with 3   hooks. Got bit  but lost each fish. The big Zara spook with 3 hooks never failed. 

Have other experienced this with the strike king? Would bigger hooks help?  

 

Thanks again. This forum is so helpful. 

[bluebasser86]

I have not had good luck with the Sexy Dawg. Doesn't want to walk very well but haven't noticed issues hooking up, but I change the hooks on mine to Owners. I've had much better luck with the Storm Arashi Top Walker 13. It's a big bait and very loud, strikes are very violent on it. 

[Quillback]

I would not hesitate to swap out the hooks if I thought they were a problem.  I've seen several videos where KVD himself recommends changing out the hooks on Strike King lures, and he is probably Strike King's most visible spokesman.

[bferg]

9 hours ago, bluebasser86 said:

I have not had good luck with the Sexy Dawg. Doesn't want to walk very well but haven't noticed issues hooking up, but I change the hooks on mine to Owners. I've had much better luck with the Storm Arashi Top Walker 13. It's a big bait and very loud, strikes are very violent on it. 

+1 for the sexy dawg not walking.  I have put them in the "use only in case of emergency" pile.  Not a fan.

[abkeenan]

Absolutely swap them if you see it being an issue on hook ups. Topwater, IMO, are the most important trebles to change out of all hardbaits. So often fish just blast it and don't get it. Either because they are just trying to stun it with a swipe or they are just uncoordinated and miss. Not sure which but changing out the trebles to a quality hook can make all the difference in the world. 

[TRRANGER]

I had some similar hook up issues with the dawg, found that tying a Duncan loop knot and a painful long wait on hook set. it seems to me to that the wait time is longer on a dog than a spook and think it might be that the tail is down more on the dawg. I am no expert just really like the dawg and have confidence in fishing It for most of my topwater action. 

[rps]

Switch out the trebles for Owner Stingers or Daiichi Deathtraps (depending on hook size/weight - the Daiichi are lighter wire) and learn to reel fast instead of hook set. Then when you feel the fish, set the hook.

I realize the reel fast is instinctively "wrong" and difficult to make yourself do. Every year I get part way through top water season before I am able to make myself do it.

[m&m]

Also, keep in mind that this time of the year, fish may be on a bed and just knock the TW lure out of the way rather than try to eat it. 

Mike

 

[big c]

Saw several bucks around beds. A few large female 3' deeper than the beds. Didn't fish them but they were sure were not locked on, around the imdian point marina area.