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Posts: 2687
Location: Hayward, WI | I have a quick question. A little while ago I bought a Mouldy's Topper Stopper from Mouldy's Archery and Tackle (I live about a half hour north of Eau Claire). I more or less like the way the bait sounds, but I don't think it's working quite right. For one, I keep hearing about it being such a noisy bait. Well, it does squeak a little, but other than that the two blades just gurlge a little. On a calm day I can't hear it until it's fairly close to the boat, maybe a half cast away.
The biggest problem though, is that I can't hardly get the bait to stay on the surface. When I make a cast (and a relatively short one at that), it have to start reeling before my line falls back to the water. If the line hits the water, that thing runs just under the surface and makes no noise at all. Once it gets close enough for the line to come completely out of the water, it pops up and starts running like it should.
I heard somebody say it was a good rough water bait. Mine won't hardly churn it's way through a ripple without going under water. Just wondering how they work for most people. I don't know if I have the receipt or not, but I might take it back and try another one or get my money back. Just wondering how they work for most people.
curleytail
Edited by curleytail 9/11/2006 2:26 PM
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Posts: 726
Location: Eau Claire, WI | Hey T. first off, how heavy is your leader (swivel and snap too). might be too heavy.
to get more sound, try cupping the blades.
When I cast these baits, I will start the rod at about 2 oclock position and lower the tip as the bait comes back to the boat.
topper stopper is a good bait but I don't think of it as "very" noisy. I'd use it in all conditions but it's probably best in moderate to calm. Anything rougher then start thinking globe or tail prop bait.
Just my opinion.
Jono
Edited by Jono 9/11/2006 3:02 PM
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Posts: 2112
Location: The Sportsman, home, or out on the water | yeah, what he said.
Is the finish compromised? She may be water logged.
As far as noise goes, GENTLY cup the blades some, and do one of 2 things:
1) on the way to the lake, have your passanger hold the bait by the line tie out of the window for 20 minutes, or
2) Crank up your air compressor, hold the bait by the line tie, and blow air from head to tail on the bait, for about 5 minutes.
What this does is rounds out the holes on the blades creating more play between the bait and the shaft. More play = More noise.
I do this to every topwater I own with blades.
Just a tip from yer old uncle Rob
Edited by muskynightmare 9/11/2006 4:02 PM
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Posts: 2687
Location: Hayward, WI | Hey Jon, I've seen you floating around here a little. Thanks for the tips guys. I might have to try a lighter leader. I'm using a Pete Maina 12" Jerkbait leader. I don't know what size snaps and swivels it uses, but I'm sure there are lighter leaders. I though of that too, but it sure seems to dive easy. I wouldn't think it should be taking on water. It's a new bait, the finish looks pretty good, and it did it the first time it saw water. It's not terrible. I got so I could make it work ok on calm water. Any waves at all though and it doesn't seem to really work.
I think I'll keep playing with it. It is a more subtle sound (to my ears) than a tail prop bait, and I might actually really like it for those super quiet evenings. Just though I would try to find out if they have a tendancy to go subsurface or if I got a odd one.
Thanks again!
curleytail
Edited by curleytail 9/11/2006 9:02 PM
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Posts: 33
Location: Minneapolis, MN | Hi Curley. I just added the topper stopper to the rotation also. The one I have floats great, even in waves, and is not leader sensitive. You may want to see if you can exchange it for a different one either through the store or Mouldys. If is not loud but it has raised fish and hopefully catches one soon.
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Posts: 2112
Location: The Sportsman, home, or out on the water | all wood lures are subject to varrying wood densities. Think about it. You have a suick that swims like none of the others in your box. The toppers stopper is Lori's favorite bait. She caught her first musky on it (out of my box, which, also gave me my first topwater fish). It resides in her Plano now, and she would not trade that bait for your boat, truck, home, whatever.
On Topwaters, we always use 80# hard mono leaders, or 150# mono leaders (of my own making, which I used to market).
Try hard mono. They behave like sevenstrand, yet do not slice up the fish when she rolls in it. Sevenstrand leaders kill fish. |
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Posts: 2687
Location: Hayward, WI | I went to Mouldy's today and they exchanged the bait after I told them what the problem was. I've always liked that shop! The new Topper Stopper works 10 times better than the other one I had. It was a calm day out, but it handled waves from boat wake great, and I didn't have to do any fancy rod handing or reeling techniques to get it started and keep it that way. Interestingly, they weighed it on their arrow scale at Mouldy's, and I guess the weights were pretty close (I didn't see the numbers on the scale but I trust them).
I cupped the blades a little and it sounds great!
Thanks for the help guys.
curleytail |
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Posts: 2091
Location: Stevens Point, WI | I'm a big topwater fan and I have many different type of prop baits that I throw on a regular basis. I let the fish tell me whether the bait is making the "right" sound or not. My most productive Topraider that I have (20+ fish) is not nearly as loud or has that distinct plop, more of a gurgle. Topper Stoppers are usually pretty quiet compared to most single blade tail baits. |
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