Around Matagorda Bay - Fishing Tips

A topwater lure is designed to mimic a mullet - which is a favorite food of specks and reds. These lures typically have more weight in the back end, which aids in the walking motion when being retrieved and helps them to sit head-up in the water when resting - much like a mullet would. Some of these lures even have pellets on the inside of them which makes a clicking noise when it moves, and this noise attracts fish. "Walking the Dog" means to retrieve a topwater lure with a steady jerking motion which makes the head of the lure wag from side to side, making a tight zigzag through the water.

You do not want to use a line that sinks for topwater lures. This is because the action of your lure is killed when your line gets below the surface of the water and it may even cause the lure to dive.

How to "Walk the Dog":

Cast the topwater lure to a likely spot and let it rest for a moment or two.

Make the lure look like an injured prey by lowering your rod tip, and give a quick snap of your wrists to move the lure forward just a few quick inches.

Focus on the slack in your line, not the lure. As your line gets slack after the motion, snap the rod tip again so that the slack of your line bounces up quickly, and then quickly stop again.

Keep doing this in a rhythmic fashion so that you are snapping the slack in your line.

The slack is necessary after pulling the lure forward to allow the lure to change directions.

The next snap moves it forward and causes it to dart the opposite direction.

If you fail to bounce the slack, the lure would just move straight forward without the tantalizing side-to-side action.

After moving the lure forward you will need to control the slack by occasionally turning the reel handle a couple of revolutions between snaps.

Walking the Dog

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