Topwater KPN - walk the dog teqnique - HOW TO

[gletemfeelsteelgary]

I’ll try to give you a few tips on getting the walk the dog action but there’s also a “finning” action that can be derived by reeling faster and shorter pops as well…

Both are deadly retrieval methods !

It’s not always easily described in words but better “shown” ….too bad you didn’t attend my seminars at the lagoon a week and a half ago, I really covered these methods in depth…and demonstrated what I’ll speak of here !

To walk the dog with a KPN, 99% of the action of the lure is created from the WRIST if your doing it right.

I try to teach people…..if your elbow or full arm moves a whole lot, your probably doing it wrong….

To learn this action, it’s probably best to stay true to an upright, straight out in front of you approach …..left or right action of the rod can come later once you’ve perfected the walking motion…


NOTE: I recommend a spinning pole rather than a baitcaster for this lure, a baitcaster can be used but it requires much more physical exertion to create the desired action regularly.

*Holding the rod at about roughly 9 oclock straight in front of you….

*pointed at the lures direction..

*Begin a straight semi rapid STRAIGHT retrieve with the left hand on the reel handle….

*While keeping this straight retrieve going…Begin a rapid popping motion generated from the wrist not the arm or elbow so the rod tip eratically pop’s from the 9 oclock position to roughly the 11 oclock position !

*Keep your eyes on the lure at all times and you’ll slowly develop a feel for the action required to obtain the walking of the dog action, experiment with speed, ferocity of the rod pop etc until you obtain the desired action….

*All of this I mention above if done correctly will automatically create a "tension"...."slack" "tension" slack" motion...that is what creates the walking effect.

*As mentioned in the previous post, a certain cadence will develop as the walk the dog action happens, this cadence will become your “bread and butter” of the retrieve patterning but as you get better….many times you’ll mix it up to see if you can draw a strike in otherwise dead water.


*Once you develop a feel for this, you’ll still be able to walk the dog at all sorts of rates of retrieves….

*Rule of thumb is that lighter the line the easier it will be to walk the dog but please be careful not to use too light of line or you’ll snap the lure off on a cast or Mr toad stripey will smoke your gear as well…

*10-12 lb test SEAGUAR 100% fluorocarbon is what I’d recommend, 10 is light so you’ll have to play the fish hard to land them regularly but 12lb test will reduce casting distance which can be crucial if your fishing from the shoreline.
Note: other lines can be used but that is my personal preference.

Now, furthermore you can also “fin” the lure which emulates a “finning” shad.

This is particularly effective when the fish aren’t boiling and you draw a strike off of dead water (no boiling).

*To create this “finning”action, it’s not a whole lot different than all the motions I mention above to walk the dog but the key factors and things to do differently are to:

*Retrieve more quickly (again a straight retrieve with the left hand on the spinning reel)

And

*Much more shorter and faster pops from the rod tip at only about 10 oclock sweeping to about 11 oclock.

The end result is that the lure slightly "submarines" and goes just below the surface with a fast kicking motion leaving a slight wake here and there which is what a fleeing baitfish does very often, this can be very deadly and is one of the qualities the KPN delivers that other lures seem to not.

Here is one last tip to obtain even BETTER topwater action with ANY topwater lure:
Apply some silicone flyline dressing that is made for flyfishing to your line, from the lure to about 10’ to 12’ above the lure, this will aid the line in staying afloat rather than creat a large “Bow” into the water in front of the lure.

NOTE: this is not absolutely necessary but it’s a great little trick to squeeze a little more out of your topwater lures action.

Well, print this out and study it….it’s pretty much all inclusive, work at it and perfect it, you’ll be on the fish in no time…

Good luck…
Gary

[breeze71]

I like!

...now how about an article like.. "How not to hook yourself while boiling action is going on." ?

[MichelleBedore]

Thanks!!!!!! :))
I'm grateful you're willing to go over this "one more time" for probably the hundredth time, hehe
Since I'm a lefty, I'm gonna reverse those directions, right? 3 o'clock and one o'clock, right?
Actually, wait; since I'm a weirdo lefty, I cut with righty scissors and throw and catch a softball ONLY with my left, etc...So I hold the rod with my left hand and retrieve with my right. Is that typical lefty holding? Assuming it is, then it's 1 and 3 'oclock for me then, right?
I don't have a KPN yet, but I have 2 other lures suitable to "walk the dog" according to the directions on the box. We're heading out right now to castaic. Hubby's hitchin up the boat---thinking no bimini top today...cloudy and cold. I guess we'll have to wake up the fish with some irresistible retrivals!

Oh, and I truly regret not going to your seminar...I keep seeing that thread and wishing I'd registered sooner and gone to it....How often do you give them?

[gletemfeelsteelgary]

Thanks!!!!!! :))
I'm grateful you're willing to go over this "one more time" for probably the hundredth time, hehe
Since I'm a lefty, I'm gonna reverse those directions, right? 3 o'clock and one o'clock, right?
Actually, wait; since I'm a weirdo lefty, I cut with righty scissors and throw and catch a softball ONLY with my left, etc...So I hold the rod with my left hand and retrieve with my right. Is that typical lefty holding? Assuming it is, then it's 1 and 3 'oclock for me then, right?
I don't have a KPN yet, but I have 2 other lures suitable to "walk the dog" according to the directions on the box. We're heading out right now to castaic. Hubby's hitchin up the boat---thinking no bimini top today...cloudy and cold. I guess we'll have to wake up the fish with some irresistible retrivals!

Oh, and I truly regret not going to your seminar...I keep seeing that thread and wishing I'd registered sooner and gone to it....How often do you give them?

Clock position does NOT change left or right handed !

Please read closely, I recomend to start out working the rod straight up and down in front of you at first, later down the line you can span off to a sideward motion,...


I guess maybe I'll try to clarify a little more, as I noted, it's not as easy to put in words than to show someone...

When I say the 9 oclock position, thats straight in front of you as if where your standing would be the 3 oclock position..

NOT facing the clock as if your looking at it on the wall, it's as if your standing on the side of the clock at the 3 oclock area ..

Basically where your reel handle and reel would be (at your waist) would be in the 3 oclock position

I hope that makes sense..

Good luck....

Again....NO CHANGE IN CLOCK POSTITION LEFT OR RIGHT....JUST CHANGE OF RETRIEVAL HANDS

[sweetfish]

Gary, I like the idea of putting dry fly silicone on the line. Makes perfect sense florocarbon line sinks.

[gletemfeelsteelgary]

Oh, and I truly regret not going to your seminar...I keep seeing that thread and wishing I'd registered sooner and gone to it....How often do you give them?

This is the 2nd year I've done it at Castaic Lagoon, once a year, it's a whole lot of work, I don't forsee doing them more often.

So I guess the answer is once a year

[gletemfeelsteelgary]

Gary, I like the idea of putting dry fly silicone on the line. Makes perfect sense florocarbon line sinks.

NOTE:
NOT "dry fly" dressing...


"FLYLINE DRESSING" it's a little different....costs about 7 bucks and it works for flouro, mono, & copolymer

Don't apply to braid or your knot will be subject to slipping

[chansen49]

Nice write up Gary... Walking the dog is awesome when you get it going right, but does require a lil more work than most other styles..


Chris

[cutbait]

Nice "how to"

Now come up to Bako for your "how to" lesson from the Bako boyz.

[msos]

Thank a lot Garry! I had three different KPN lures but can't get it to hook up fish. This walk the dog is new to me but really interesting. I did not know that you give the seminar at lagoon; therefore; I did not attend that seminar.