Picking the Right Surface Plug
By Jared Wood
The Schoolies have arrived and the bigger bass are on the move North. June has always been a month to catch a great number of stripers on surface plugs. The fish are hungry along their migration path to the waters they will call home for the summer. Targeting fish on the surface gets you excited every time a bass hits your plug even if it is the 10000 time this has happened. How to go about choosing the right plug sometimes can be frustrating. There are subtle differences between pencils poppers, polaris poppers, spooks and Danny plugs.
Pencil poppers come in a broad variety. The action of the plug is imparted by the angler using the rod and reel to impart the action. Some pencils work very easily with subtle movement imparted by the angler while others take more work. Choosing which style of pencil and weight depends on the factors mothers nature provides. Wind, current, wave height and frequency all play apart in the action of the plug.
The canal style or flat bottom pencils work well in all conditions. The flat bottom brings the pencil to the surface allowing it to slash back and forth. The more action the angler imparts the zig zag movements become tighter. Imparting less action to the plug allows it to slide a little wider across the surface. Canal style pencils really shine in heavy currents. My favorite flat bottom pencils are made by Strike Pro (2 ¾ ounce) and Guppy Lures (Jobo Jr. 3 ounce).
Round bottom pencils do well in flat to moderate surf. The weight and sizes vary from ¾ ounces to 4 ½ ounces and 4 inches to 9 inches. Working slowly across the surface can elicit strikes from finicky fish that sometimes are not interested in a pencil being worked too quickly across the surface. The bass will dictate the presentation that they are looking for with some days wanting a lazy slashing pencil while others they want a fast tight action.
The oddball pencil popper that is always in your bag but only comes out when the wind is screaming in your face and the fish are breaking on the second sandbar. The loaded pencil that takes a lot of work to keep in on the surface and slashing properly. These pencils are heavily tail weight and sink as soon as they hit the water. When I need one I reach for an RM Loaded Jigsmith or a Left Hook Pilgrim. A favorite retrieve on these is to let them sink and twitch my rod tip when the plug first hits the water. Then start working the plug to the surface. Many strikes happen just as the plug reaches the surface.
Polaris Poppers have fallen by the wayside in recent years. They are an underutilized tool in your surf bag. There are many different ways to retrieve them. The standard steady reeling with a pop. The pop and pause is my favorite because it acts like a dying baitfish. If you have ever seen a dying fish on the surface they have a burst that causes a splash followed by no movement. This is performed effectively with a popper that floats. Swimming your popper with a steady retrieve gives it the action of a swimming plug. When the fish are looking for a more natural baitfish movement try swimming your poppers.
Spooks have become one of my favorite ways to target bass. The lazy walk the dog action gets some of the most violent strikes. I have had stripers completely launch out of the water attacking these plugs. In my opinion these bass see a big easy meal and want to hammer it before another one does. When it comes to choosing a spook Rebel Jumping Minnows, Bigfish Bait Co. Blitzseeker, and RM Jackhammer are my top choices in no particular order. I make my decision based on the bait that is prevalent at the time.
Working a spook takes a certain set of conditions for the plug to be effective. A flat to very moderate surf with light wind allows these plugs to shine. Putting your rod under your arm and sweeping to the side allows the plug to walk back and forth with ease. Spooks fall into that niche plug in your bag but when the conditions are right it is well worth tying one on.
Danny Plugs and Pikies are great plugs for targeting big fish on the surface. The lazy side to side roll with that tail waggle rings the dinner bell. The Danny has a knack for calling big fish to the surface. Straight out of the package these plugs can be fished effectively with just a steady cast and retrieve. They look like a bunker on the surface swimming along. Crawling one over a boulder or sand bar can draw out fish on the hunt. Adding a pop to the plug every so often can lead to a strike sometimes instead of the bass swirling off behind the plug.
The Pikie that is made for top water replicates an injured baitfish that is struggling on the surface. The plugs’ lip drives the tail waggle and tries to dive below the surface action but the buoyancy of the plug keeps it on top. From the fish’s perspective it looks like a baitfish that is injured and is trying to get to the safety of the bottom but can’t. Adding an occasional twitch, pop, or pause adds to the injured bait look. With Pikies I try 10 casts with one retrieve and then try a different cycling through until I find what works.
Some days the stripers will make you work for that top water blow up. Other days you can throw any retrieve at them when they are in full blitz mode. Colors I don’t find as important as the action. Keeping your colors simple with white, yellow, and mackerel covers your bases. Baitfish have white bellies so for a fish that is looking up at a plug on the surface something with a white under belly is a good choice. Trial and error allow you to figure out what works best. The fish change their diet from day to day. What worked yesterday might not work the next.
Jared Wood is a surfcaster who fishes from Maine to Connecticut. Targeting Striped, Bass, Bluefish, Albies, and Bonito in the surf. He can be found on Instagram as surfcaster_jared. For any questions he can be reached at jaredwood25@gmail.com.