Figures 8's

[setterguy]

When working a top water I always speed up my retrieve when the bait is about 15-20 feet from the boat, if there is a fish there sometimes the speed increase will trigger a fish to eat or get them so focused they don't see the boat ect. It does make sense that the fish would be looking up at the bait and maybe have a better view of the boat, shadow of fisherman ect.

[Tim_Anderson]

This has been the best year ever for us for converting fish by the boat. It's been a strange year. Less follows overall, but a huge chunk of the follows we did get have been caught. The last two months have been amazing.

One of my best investments this season has been a 9 foot rod with a Shimano 700TE. The reel allows for speed reeling with less effort, and the long rod helps with more control with the boatside maneuvers.

I am a fanatical bait watcher. When I'm working any kind of bucktail, I generally work it pretty fast, and keep it in the top 8 inches of the water column. When I see a fish coming after my bait a ways out there, I speed up as fast as I can. This is often all it takes to make a follower into a suicidal fish. When you kick it into overdrive, you pull away from the fish for an instant, and then with a flick of it's tail, it runs it over, or makes up it's mind it's time to eat!

I also used to do the figure 8, but have been doing big ovals alot more lately. Seemed with the eight, even though I made big circles, the fish would loose track of the bait more often. Sometimes, they would just sit there wondering where it went (it seemed). I converted several of these fish by coming from behind them and pulling it quickly right past their nose.

When doing the ovals, I keep my speed up. I am usually high on the outside corner, and this is usually where the fish eats it. I would venture to guess that easily over half of our fish during the day have come right next to the boat.

At night, I slow way down. Again, probably more like 2/3 or 3/4 of the fish caught at night are right next to the boat.

Hope this keeps up as it sure is great fun...nothing like getting to watch them eat!

[TheHawgTrough]

Do you go sub-surface? The bait will weave back and forth sub-surface.

[RK]

Hiya -

I've caught quite a few at the boat this year also. Got back from a short trip to Lake of the Woods not too long ago, and 13 of 14 fish hit right at the boat.

It seems like boatside fish go in streaks - for a while everything you catch is right at your feet, then you go for weeks without one.

Some of it I'm sure is what we're all using these days. Lots of us throwing bucktails like DCGs. Any time you're using a bucktail, boatside hits go way up. A.) They're a fast-moving bait for the most part, so you're getting fish aggressive with just the speed. B.) Other than speed there isn't a lot to trigger a fish that follows until you start to make boatside moves. and C.) They're the easiest lure in the world to Figure-8 with, so your odds go up just based on that alone.

Along with that, I think fish are starting to wise up to the big double bladed baits a little. When they first came out fish would woof them in mid-retrieve. Now, it takes something more to trigger them. It's an observation I've heard from several good anglers, and I remember the same thing happening when Eagle Tails came out way back when too.

As far as technique goes, there are so many variables, but it really boils down to a game of keep-away. I have the good fortune to fish pretty regularly with Jack Burns, who, for my money, is one of the best there is at converting fish at boatside. Can't think of how many times he's had a follow where I've looked at the fish's attitude and thought "no way that one's going to eat" only to have head shakes and white water 30 seconds later. All he really does is play keep-away and performs his figure-8s or Os (both of us use an 'O' on big fish or with baits that don't figure-8 well) with flawless technique - no short corners or sloppy L-turns. From there it's just reading the fish's attitude, which is mainly just experience. As soon as he sees a fish, he'll start speeding up, and see how the fish reacts. If it matches the pace, he'll keep on speeding up gradually. I've watched him get fish to go from slow and lazy to roaring around corners with their tails coming out of the water.

Really, the earlier you can see a fish coming the better your chances are at boatside. This is where good sunglasses really pay off. If I see a fish coming, I speed up, and especially with topwaters, will start zig-zagging the boat back and forth by moving my rod tip from side to side. If you can get a fish moving out of a straight line to where they're snaking back and forth, your chances of getting the fish to hit go WAY up.

Cjac talked about the 'curl pattern' Dan Craven uses. Dan's also an exceptional boatside guy. It's something I do also, especially when a fish keeps following but won't commit, or when a fish is following the 8 but falling behind. Just cut a corner short and bring it right back over their head. It's sort of an all or nothing deal but it can definitely work when nothing else will.

About topwaters: they're tough. My main technique with topwaters is trying everything I can think of to make them hit before they get to the boat. Speed up, zig-zag, vary retrieve speed - whatever. With walk the dog baits I'll sometimes actually stop the bait dead. It's a real all or nothing but it works sometimes. When I do figure-8 a topwater, it's underwater, unless a fish is coming very hard at a fast-moving bait like a buzzbait, in which case I'll just go right around the boat on the surface.

Anyhow - could go on, but to me the main things with boatside fish are seeing the fish as early as possible and having good mechanics. After that, it's just keepaway and experience.

Cheers,

Rob Kimm

[TheHawgTrough]

Rob-

This is really good information. Thanks for sharing.

Jason

[HugoBox]

I am a fanatical bait watcher. When I'm working any kind of bucktail, I generally work it pretty fast, and keep it in the top 8 inches of the water column.

Tim -

Do you keep your bucktails high even if fishing over deeper water? The reason I ask is that my walleye ways always cause me to think that unless I'm fishing over visible weeds I'm fishing too high if the bucktail is the top foot. I know that's probably wrong as I've caught fish on topwaters over deep water. Just curious how you fish bucktails in deep water - excluding slow rollin.

thanks for the help - erik

[Tim_Anderson]

Erik,

I still keep them high in deep water. It takes nothing at all for them to shoot up to eat, or for a look if they're down deeper. Have gotten quite a few this year with the boat in 30 or 40 fow. Usually in this case, I'm working a steep break, or a sunken hump. I like dark colors for a good silhouette.

If they're not active though, sometimes I'll go after them deeper by slow-rolling a spinnerbait, ripping a crankbait, or I'll go trolling.

[Crestliner Rog]

Any good tricks for knowing when to stop cranking in the dark? I have a habit of running the leader into the first eyelet on the 8, once the light level drops.

[Tippman]

Any good tricks for knowing when to stop cranking in the dark? I have a habit of running the leader into the first eyelet on the 8, once the light level drops.

Some people put a glow bead on their line just in front of the leader. Others tie a slip knot or two a few feet up the line and you feel when it hits the tip of your rod.

[Crestliner Rog]

Thanks Tippman, I'll try the slipknot trick.

[RK]

Any good tricks for knowing when to stop cranking in the dark? I have a habit of running the leader into the first eyelet on the 8, once the light level drops.

Hiya -

Cabelas sells big, soft glow in the dark beads that are great for this. Not only can you see them, but if you do smack them into the rod tip, they're soft so it wont mash your guide insert.

Cheers,

Rob Kimm

[cjac]

I also use the glow beads at night for the fact mentioned of not hitting the guide inserts. I have a pretty good feel for when I'm close to the end of a retrieve but in the dark I'll take every benefit I can, especially if I'm going deep on the 8. Thorne Bros has what I'm using, so $3 for a pack to save a bum rod and a $10 insert replacement makes sense ($ cents $) to me as well.

A rod with a bad guide is not of much use.....even more so on a trip outside of civilization.

[propster]

And consider tying a bobber stop real tight right above the glow bead (Owner) to keep it from sliding up the line and actually getting through your guide(s), which is a pain to get out. Maybe it's my old eyes, but unless I charge that glow bead with a flashlight every now and then I can't see that any better than the lure. Usually on anything outside a couple days either side of the new moon I'm okay, but when it's dark I have a heck of a time seeing anything. That's when I try to really slow down and go by feel.

[Rebel9921]

Basically what Propster said...

Slipknots do need some perodical adjusting... they'll slide up and down after several casts so its hard to be 100% accurate...

I know of few who would use nothing but go by the feel... with time and practice, some would be able to tell the difference between a bucktail running through the water 30-40 feet out and at rod-tip... I hate using any type of light at night unless its red (which my headlamp has) as it takes quite a while for my night vision to return after a light goes on... I havent achieved that ultimate feel yet where it just "turns on"... but I've noticed that once it gets dark... I start concentrating on the feel and within 15-30 min, I nail it and have no problem with it... What helps some is moving your rod often during the retrieve... sometimes I feel that the bucktail is close so I move the rod left or right like Im going into a figure 8... if I dont feel enough resistance, I know the bucktail hasnt arrived yet... but if I do feel the right amount of resistance then the bucktail's right there and I continue the rod motion into an 8 or an oval... it takes practice... it helps when you're using 8'6 or 9'0 rods... you can also adjust the depth of the figure 8 or the oval by the angle of the rod in the water...

Other tip with helping you practice attaining the feel would be to use orange or chartruese blades... and use a black-light headlamp... have the black light on... reel in and you'll notice the blade glowing under black light... then close your eyes... when you feel the bucktail near, open your eyes and you'll see where it really is... just develop it... in time, you'll start to wean yourself off the black-light and just go totally dark with the feel...

[50inchpig]

you can use your index finger to feel your levelwind and know when your bait is close, it'll stop in the same place each time, i like the soft beads too