EP's off the Top

[Whiskers]

Poking around some skinny backwaters today I came across a shallow pool with baitfish scattering along the margins and being harrassed by predators.

I used a soft plastic paddle tail minnow with just a worm hook (no jig head), as I wanted the plastic to fish virtually on the surface. No idea what it was called but it was a pale olive colour with green metallic flecks in it.

In a mad half hour or so I had about a dozen hard surface takes with three fish landed. All Estuary Perch about 12 to 15 inches long.

It's the first time I've seen EP's hunting in a pack like this. The bite stopped as suddenly as it started.

Sorry, no camera with me so no photos.

:water:

[Basti]

they're a schooling fish, with numbers generally going down in the school as the fish get bigger. i've never seen them actually co-operate to feed, but they'll feed simultaneously on a bait school. well done on matching the hatch

[rb85]

Great job Whiskers good report love surface fishing.

[Lightningx]

Sounds like you had some fun while it lasted. Nice :thumbsup:

[purple5ive]

well done mate, thats a great effort , very soon you will be a pro at surface fishing for these fish.
cheers

[greggo]

Good stuff mate, I dont think anything beats surface fishing. I've used that same rig on EP's when they aren't taking regular surface lures...with excellent results. I had a session on Bass as well that would only take that rig, but it was a curl-tail that was the killer plastic.

That's the great thing about lure fishing, you have to work out so many elements, e.g. Lure type (plastic/hardbody), where they're feeding in the water column, retrieve action etc.. You can have the right lure, at the right depth, but an incorrect retrieve keeps you fishless. At this stage you still dont know which element is failing - but when you finally work it all out, it's a great feeling of accomplishment.