Charlie Campbell Walks The Dog

Written And Illustrated By BERNIE SCHULTZ

A magician with a stickbait, this pro makes his pet topwater lure do bass-attracting tricks...

     The expression,"walking the dog," refers to the unique zigzag action associated with cigar-shaped topwater plugs. Twitched properly, the lure slides from side to side during the retrieve. Bass love the motion.
     Ask any touring pro to name the best at making surface lures walk, and Charlie Campbell's name comes up almost every time. Campbell is a legend in freshwater circles, largely because of his abilities with surface lures.
     His favorite lures include the Heddon Zara Spook and Luhr-Jensen Woodwalker. In fact, Campbell is the only angler to have his own signature series of either lure.
     Nearly featureless and tubular in shape, some walking baits are made of wood while others, like the Zara Spook, are molded in plastic and are hollow-bodied. All feature a weighted tail section that lifts the nose above the waterline. This, along with the

specific action imparted by the angler, is what enables them to sashay from side to side.
     To walk these lures correctly, a balanced selection of tackle is critical. Campbell begins with 5 1/2-foot, medium-light, pistol-grip casting rods. The pistol-style handles provide more control while reducing fatigue from repeated twitching of the rod.
     He matches them with 5.0:1 casting reels, spooled with 14- to 17- pound-test mono. Lighter line allows the lure to slide better, though certain cover situations require the heavier line.
     Campbell uses a No.3 interlocking snap attached to the line-tie for added mobility. He says split rings or even a loop knot will work, but the important thing to remember is not to overweight the front of the lure. This will kill the action. He uses a Palomar knot to secure the line to the snap or split ring.

     Next, Campbell casts well beyond the target. He prefers standing while fishing, and he points the rod tip toward the water's surface. With slack removed, he begins twitching the rod tip down and toward his feet in short, rhythmic pulls. Each subsequent twitch should be done on a slack line, using the wrist only.
     The length of each pull, along with the cadence, determine the distance the lure travels on each glide. Campbell recommends pulls of approximately 6 to 8 inches at first. How the fish respond will dictate the speed of the retrieve. Agressive fish usually will take a speedy retrieve, while lethargic bass react best to slow, or even paused retrieves.
     Line should be recovered with each snap of the wrist. Though it may sound complicated, turning the cranking handle will come naturally as you twitch the rod.




Walking lures feature a weighted tail section that provides a pivot point. Some are solid wood (Woodwalker), while others (Zara Spook) are molded of plastic and are hollow bodied.

 

  Lure Colors - Frog finish, shore minnow, foil or chrome, flitter shad (in order of preference).

  Equipment - 5 1/2 foot medium-light graphite casting rod with pistol-style handle; 5.0:1 casting reel; 14- to 17- pound-test mono.

  Seasonal Effectiveness - Can work year-round; pre-spawn to late fall is best.

  Water Clarity - Will work best in clearer water. Use lighter colors in clear (chrome, foil finish, or shore minnow). In stained water, dark colors are best (frog, or darker shore minnow.

  Depth - In clear water, the technique can pull fish from depths of 15 to 18 feet. In stained, usually 4 to 6 feet is best.

  Presentation - Longer casts are best. Cast well beyond target to achieve walking action prior to reaching target.

 Retrieve - Normal walking is achieved by short, rhythmic twitches of the rod tip. Use only the wrist and make each pull equal distance. To half-step, alternate the speed and length of your cadence, giving one long pull followed by one quick, short pull, another long, a short pull, etc.

  Rigging - Campbell prefers tying to a No. 3 snap. Split rings will also work. The important thing is not to overweight the front of the lure. To modify the lure's buoyancy, you can change the hooks. Campbell does this if a particular lure sits too low or too high in the water.

     "You could almost do this better blindfolded," he suggests, "because watching the lure can sometimes cause your cadence to become erratic. Concentrate on twitching the rod tip," he adds. "When the sliding lure forms slack in the line, you'll feel it, and that's when you twitch again."
     This can also help with short-striking fish. If an angler is intent on watching the lure, his reaction may be too quick. By concentrating on the rod tip, the angler will have more time to determine if a striking fish has the lure.
     When a bass does miss the lure, Campbell pauses for a moment, then resumes the walking action. Sometimes a second or third cast is necessary to force another take.
     It's fabled that these lures can literally walk around emergent objects like stumps, rocks, or pilings. Campbell insists that it is possible to nearly circle such objects. All that is needed is the proper casting angle and a slight variation in the retrieve.
     "By half-stepping the cadence, you can walk a lure to one side," he states.
     Start by walking the lure normally. Each twitch will be equally spaced and the same length. To half-step, make the same initial pull, then follow with a quick but softer half-pull. The cadence will now be a series of alternating pulls. One full, one half, one full, one half.
     Remember to make your secondary pulls slightly quicker and with less force. This will

cause the lure to glide in one direction. In this instance, it is critical to watch the lure to make sure it's walking the way you want it to, he says.
     With those thoughts in mind, Campbell casts slightly to the side and beyond the target he intends the lure to circle. He then initiates the half-stepping action to bring the lure across the backside of the target. As the lure travels behind the object, the line begins to wrap around its backside. By maintaining the half-stepping action, the lure will eventually reach and strike the object as it circles it. Contact is usually made with only the lure's nose, so hangups are rare. (See Fig. 1.)
     Once the lure is free, Campbell resumes the normal walking motion for about 6 to 8 feet. Then, he retrieves the lure.
    Bringing the lure into contact with an object is crucial to Campbell's success. He feels by "bumping the stump," his chances for a strike are much greater than by merely passing by the object with a straight retrieve.      Shadows play an important role in Campbell's approach to any target. He prefers to cast into the sun. That way, his shadow won't alarm the fish, and secondly, the silhouette of an approaching lure often excites bass - especially in clear water.
     In situations involving current, Campbell recommends bringing the lure into the target from the upcurrent side. He feels this is more natural and maximizes the time the lure is in the strike zone.


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