How To Catch Big Bass Zara Spook Everglades Bass Fishing Guides

Everglades bass fishing guide John Pate thinks every fisherman should learn how to catch big bass with a zara spook.

Everglades bass fishing guide, John Pate thinks fisherman should know how to catch big bass with a zara spook.  That’s because learning how to fish a zara spook properly is one of the best ways to catch trophy bass in the florida everglades – or anywhere you live and fish.

The first zara spook was made in 1939 and in the right hands – it has been catching moster bass ever since.  The zara spook is one of John Pate’s “go to” lures in tournaments when money is on the line.  Some fisherman think the zara spook is only good at certain times of the year and day.  When it comes to Florida everglades bass fishing, the zara spook, when fished correctly… can catch huge bass all year long and at all times of the day.

How To Catch Big Bass Zara Spook Everglades Bass Fishing Guides

On wired2fish’s list of the top 20 lures of all time – the Zara Spook came in at number eleven…

This bait is a fun pick. But it’s more than just fun that got it this high on our list of Most Influential Bass Fishing Lures. The Heddon Zara Spook spawned not only a craze of topwater anglers and savage heart stopping strikes from hungry bass, but it spawned it’s own swagger on the water. The “walk the dog” technique was born with the creation and perfection of this lure and it was an overnight success.

I can remember seeing Charlie Campbell for the first time on television making this topwater bait zig zag back and forth across the surface, even walking it around a stump before a big bass jumped out of the water to bite it. I was hooked from that moment. Now I can’t have enough Zara Spooks or their later imitators in the boat when the water is warm and bass chase forage.

The walk the dog technique became not only an effective way to catch bass, but also search for bass during the warm months in tournament situations. It seemed to call bass from great distances and a lot of times you could get bass to show themselves without ever having to hook them by taking the hooks off the bait.

The original version had hook hangers screwed on the outside of the bait and was silent with a handful of colors. Now there are a multitude of sizes, colors, rattle options, silent options, three hook and two hook varieties and more. Their popularity remains strong to this day.

Even though it’s a niche bait, the fact that it spawned its own technique, gave anglers more options and opened up topwater fishing to another dimension, it’s still a small window of opportunity and it’s influence didn’t reach as deep as those in our top 10. But it’s still a monumental lure in bass fishing and for that reason we made it No. 11 on our list of 20 Most Influential Bass Fishing Lures.

Here’s A Video Of Bass Fishing Legend Jimmy Houston Teaching How To Fish The Zara Spook Properly

At first glance its one of those lures that doesn’t look like much of anything, but under the right circumstances , will fill your live well in a hurry. It comes in many sizes and colors, and there are a lot of other lure companies , copying this lure in some form or another. While they are all probably effective , they simply can not duplicate what the Zara Spook can do.

The technique used with the Spook is commonly referred to as “WALKING THE DOG” and to be quite honest with you is not easy to learn and will take lots of practise to master, But again, well worth the effort. Many times I have caught my limit of big bass in 15 or 20 minutes in the right place. When a big large mouth bass busts this lure it can get the blood flowing rather quickly and can be the most exciting fishing you have ever experienced. I truly love the top water bite.

I will do my best to explain how to ” walk the dog” with the Zara Spook, that works for me and if you practise this method you will be walking the dog in no time!

When tying on a spook you should use either a loop knot or a snap.Remember, the the spook must be worked on a slack line. Point the rod tip at the water, raise the tip about 12 inches then snap it down with your wrist. The lure should swing to one side. Raise the rod tip and snap it again. This will cause the lure to go to the other side. The more slack in the line, the further the lure will move to the side. It is not necessary to move the rod tip from side to side, just snap it straight down, the loop knot or snap allows the lure to swing freely. It isn’t necessary to move the rod tip from side to side, just snap it straight down. Reel handle slow enough to keep the slack in the line, yet fast enough to keep the lure moving. The only tip I have for this is PRACTICE!

I find the Zara will draw strikes any time of year the water temps are 55 and up. As far as time of day, I have my best success in low light conditions. If it’s overcast, strike can come all day long. This isn’t a rule however. I have caught fish under bluebird skies in the middle of the day.There are a couple of tips on the Zara Spook that we should keep fresh in our minds. First, you can’t sharpen the hooks enough. The strikes you’ll get will be vicious. I’ve hooked fish in just about every part of their body. Second, don’t set the hook until you feel the fish. Too often you set the hook at the sight or sound only to have the lure come flying back at you. If you can, resist setting the hook until you feel the fish on. Should he miss, the chances are good you’ll get a second strike as soon as you start working the bait again.

If you don’t have a spook or know how to walk the dog , then you should buy some and master this technique. Experiment with colors and this technique, and you will be pulling in a lot of Big bass. Some argue that the spook is more effective in the fall , some say spring, but I have caught bass on the Zara Spook all year round.

Source:  Kenny’s Great Outdoors.

If you would like to go fishing with John “King of the Everglades” Pate and learn how to  how to catch big bass on a zara spook – from a professional fisherman who has been an everglades bass fishing guide since 1973 – just give him a call.  His cell phone number is 954-325-5310.  If you have any questions send an email to: southfloridabassguides@gmail.com.