Tauranga tackle shop manager and keen angler Sam Wilkinson, shares his experience on top water fishing for one of Godzone’s hardest pulling sports fish, the rugged kingfish.
Top water fishing is an exciting style of fishing, that has been used extensively around the world for many years to target large tropical reef species like tuna and giant trevally. It involves casting floating and/or slow-sinking stick baits and poppers, which are retrieved in a multitude of different ways to imitate frightened baitfish. This presents an exciting experience for anglers as strikes are often ferocious and extremely visual.
With advancements in the price and availability of specialised gear here in Godzone, the industry has seen a huge rise in the popularity of top water fishing over the last 2-3 years. Anglers can now be found casting stick baits and poppers from both the shore and boats around the country. This article aims to break down the basics and help beginner top water anglers down the path to success.
GEAR TO USE
The first and most frequent question I get asked in the store is; “Can I use my bait runner style reel to start top water fishing?”. The answer is short and sweet, NO – we don’t really advise it. Although they may do the job, in the long run they won’t last and you will have better success by investing in a dedicated setup.
Rod – Top water rods are usually quite a bit longer than your usual spin rod and range from 7’6″ to about 8’6″. They’re made from high-quality graphite and will have a soft forgiving tip for casting long distances, a medium action middle section which folds away shortening the leverage on the angler and then a VERY powerful lower section capable of handling the heavy drag loads required to pull large fish away from structure.
For a beginners set, look for a rod rated anywhere from 50-100lb or PE5-8 (ratings will vary between brands). It is also useful to look for a cast weight of between 60-120g as this will cover most applications in Godzone.
To read more, grab the latest issue #10 on sale now…..