Just like subsurface fishing, an element of luck has a tendency to occasionally override a well thought out plan. However, over time you will find that by implementing a casting structure when you walk into the night, your overall catch rate will increase.
Triangulating casts
I like to start my retrieve by working in a cone style arc. Firstly, I deliver five casts to my right, five directly in front and five to my left, all in a slow sweeping motion. Once I have completed this series, I place a further cast in each of the three strata’s of the cone arc.
Far too many anglers attack topwater fishing with a scattergun approach, shot gunning casts in every direction with no rhythm or reason. Plying your trade this way doesn’t allow the curious green back the opportunity to hone in on the commotion you are creating on the top. By the time the fish has ventured into the vicinity of the surface lure, the angler flings a cast in the complete opposite direction. Concentrating at least five casts in each stratum will help ensure that if you have pricked the lateral line of a hungry cod, you give yourself the best opportunity at turning that interest into a heart-stopping strike.
Pause for effect
Another technique that we commonly employ is the use of a three to eight second pause during almost every retrieve. Depending on the length of the cast, we traditionally incorporate a pause at the start, middle and end of the retrieve. Why you may feel a stationary lure is just not in the game, this ‘sitting duck’ has generated a healthy portion all of surface strikes.
Also, once you receive the initial boof, don’t immediately start your retrieve, instead continue to bob the lure on the spot. While missed hook ups are not uncommon, it is rare for a cod to have only one swipe at the lure and not attempt to come back and finish it off. Letting your lure sit dormant on the water’s surface can be easier said than done, as you have to also have to deal with an oversupply of adrenaline that rapidly floods your system.
Finally, I have found it best not to strike at a surface boof like you would with a sub-surface hit. Play a dead stick, meaning wait for the fish to generate a load in the rod, before you arc into the green fish and fully set the hooks. Again, a sudden spike in adrenaline will make this harder than it sounds