March 2016 Volume 17 • Issue 189 | Page 39

let. If I'm in a area full of those two things, I know there will be some monster specks around. It's hard to find any better way to catch a speckled trout than a topwater. One thing that will definitely help you catch more fish on a topwater is to be very patient. Those fish sometimes come up and miss your topwater three and four times, and get it in their mouth on the fifth. I see it so many times when someone is fishing a topwater and on the initial hit on their topwater, they pull it away trying to set the hook; they miss the fish and pull it out of the strike zone, as well. Let the two treble hooks do the work. Sometimes you can just continue to walk it, and they come back and crush it. Another way I find that works great is to pause that rhythm at which you were working your topwater and just barely twitch it. Sometimes it makes it look like the fish just wounded the bait, and they can't resist coming back to finish what they started. One of the best ways I've found to break the habit of pulling it away too soon is to just close your eyes and work the bait until you feel the fish pulling back on the line. It's hard to have so much self control, but it will teach you to not take it out of the strike zone prematurely. One thing that really helps with keeping the specks on the line is a pair of good hooks. When the new Matrix Mullet prototype was created, the first thing we wanted to do was to use the best and sharpest hooks we could possibly find. Sharp hooks can save your day when throwing topwaters for specks mainly because that soft mouth may break on the hook, and the hook will get lodged somewhere else on his mouth and keep him on the line. Keep these crucial tips in mind this March, and you will surely see some big specks come over the side of your gunwale. Be on the lookout for the new Matrix Mullet topwater, and check out DocksideLa.com for all of our videos on the Lake this spring. If you’re looking to get in on this awesome action this spring, give Marsh & Bayou Outfitters (504) 309-3446 a call and book the trip of your lifetime!