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TRAILER


Duck and Cover Topwater lures are trying to kill me


My love is trying to kill me. No matter how many times I’ve tried pleading, begging, listening and learning, I always find myself in trouble. No matter what I do, topwater lures are out to get me. My most recent


run-in was a few weeks ago when I was working a plug over a weed bed. Watching the walk-the-dog lure dodge left and right like a line dancer, I


let my guard down. That’s when a big bass swirled on my lure. I pulled hard on the rod to drive the hooks home, but the line went slack. Then six razor- sharp hooks were speeding at my face. I heard the wind whistling through the split rings as I closed my eyes and ducked for cover. I expected warm blood, but my head felt cold. I opened my eyes and saw


that the lure had shot my hat off like William Tell’s apple. I rescued my hat from the water and yanked the hooks out of the brim. Maybe I should wear a helmet and full body armor. A smart person would give up the topwater bug for a safer technique.


I could catch just as many bass with a bobber and worm. But nothing beats the excitement and beauty of a topwater bite. The lure seductively popping and weaving like a careless critter. The rhythmic action cleaving the smooth surface of the water and leaving a wake that says, "Eat me."


74…KAYAK ANGLER 74…KAYAK ANGLER


Then, in slow motion, dark shoulders push a wave of water behind the lure. A split second later, the lure disappears into a whirlpool of water. This is when the killer can become the killed. To set the hook on a


topwater bite, the angler must haul back and heave the rod to snag the fish in the face before it can spit the lure. To do it right, wait to feel the weight of the fish on the line before setting the hook. Hold the rod horizontally and keep the rod tip low. A split second too early or too late and the tight line and bowed rod whip the lure at the angler like death on a thin leash. This attacker is responsible for hours of fishing fail videos on YouTube.


Get a topwater hook lodged in your hand or face, post the photo on social media before heading to the hospital or breaking out the pliers and antiseptic. It seems a topwater fail turns into a bigger trophy than landing the fish. Some anglers have gone to circle hooks on their topwater plugs, which are safer for the fish and the fisherman. But the learning curve is steep and the hook-up ratio is flat. So for now I’ll take my chances walking the razor’s edge. Ben Duchesney is the web editor of Kayak Angler. If he doesn’t show up for work, you know what happened.


ILLUSTRATION: LORENZO DEL BIANCO


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