13 tips to catch more WHITING on SURFACE LURES

We try multiple surface lures to get topwater eats from yellowfin sand whiting to try and find the best lure. Additionally, We will give you 13 tips to entice more and catch and hook more whiting on surface topwater lures.
Chapters in this video
0:00 Introduction - Scouting a new area and cycling through lures to find the best lure for the day
1:31 1: Selecting the right tides to find whiting
1:52 2: Selecting the best lure for the conditions and mood of the fish
3:05 3: Once you find a lure the whiting hit, stick with it and try different retrieves
3:46 4: Do long casts to cover more water, use the wind to your advantage
4:28 5: Modify your retrieve until you find a retrieve that gets the bite
5:45 6: Fishing choppy water is better as the fish are less shy and will commit to a lure
6:18 7: Try a slower blooping retrieve for topwater bites
7:44 8: Change and adjust your retrieve when something random happens
8:28 9: Use a longer assist hook and a finer gauge hook
9:10 10: Tight drag to get the hook up and then back it off during the fight
10:48 11: Against popular belief, try a pause bloop retrieve
12:16 12: Try a fast fleeing prawn retrieve
15:53 13: Look for gutters or funnels where fish will travel and be confined
If you enjoy the video, please don't forget to leave a comment subscribe or like, and check us out on other social platforms

[@Sam-ci6sl]

The most info in one video, you are a true fisherman

[@AdriftFishing]

@@Sam-ci6sl thanks man, appreciate that. I have a few more videos on whiting on the Chanel worth a watch 🤙

[@Sam-ci6sl]

@AdriftFishing new to surface lures, sugapen has converted me 👍

[@Sam-ci6sl]

@AdriftFishing will stock up on your suggestions also

[@AdriftFishing]

@ it’s a great lure but there are also some other great ones out there too

[@Sam-ci6sl]

@@AdriftFishing liking all your suggestions, subscribed

[@russellgrubner1916]

Looks like a lot of fun, John. I'll get over there & have a go one day. I like the way you adapted to suit, that's a big part of the satisfaction & fun of fishing, I reckon 🐟

[@AdriftFishing]

Russell, you would love it man. Right up your alley. Mini bonefish. That’s the buzz, finding them and then adjusting to get the eats

[@colinwhiting5410]

Nice to get some great tips ,I used to target flathead but never tried whiting is places like Thompsons areas walking following tides . Cheers Wombat 🐾👍

[@AdriftFishing]

Same places and different species, but I have not yet had one by catch of a flat head while top water fishing for whiting which is weird

[@rigfn]

Good Video mate, keep it up love the tips.

[@AdriftFishing]

Thanks man! You must have been 1# viewer 🙌🙌

[@tristanlobo8597]

Hey mate, another awesome vid! just wondering what pound leader do you run when targeting surface tings? do you need to go down more of the finesse route or does it not make much of a difference?

[@AdriftFishing]

@@tristanlobo8597 thanks mate, I normally use 6lb fluro, as the water is clear and shallow. I wouldn’t bother lighter than that. But I have caught them on 10lb too

[@jaysonkelly8962]

What's the best way to tie leader to mainline when lure fishing, is it via knot or a swivel?

[@AdriftFishing]

@@jaysonkelly8962 I do a double Uni for light stuff, FG for the big fish

[@nenadnedovic9246]

​@AdriftFishing Hey mate fishing surface people say use mono because it doesn't sink.

[@AdriftFishing]

@@nenadnedovic9246 that is true, I use mono fly fishing for dry flies for that reason. Two schools of thought with the mono v fluro and I’m un decided. Mono will float and not drag the lure down, but will create more surface line disturbance ahead of the lure which could spook fish. Fluro sinks and will be invisible, depending on lure it may change the action slightly, if it’s a popper style it will make it bloop more.

[@MattsFishingEscapes]

Great tips... one question... how do you find them? What things are you looking for?

[@AdriftFishing]

Hey Matt, that is the tricky part. I’ve fount them in the known spots and worked so many other flats to find patches of them. My go to spots of last year don’t produce this year. When I do a trip I may jump 2-3 different places to cover the bases until I find them. But generally, shallow flats with good food on them, with access to some form of shallow channel for them to funnel through. Watch for skipping bait or prawns, that’s a dead give away. Watch for follows then work the area hard when you see one. I fished this same spot this weekend for zero, moved to another system and caught a dozen. It can be hit and miss and sand flats expansive but persevere.

[@MattsFishingEscapes]

@AdriftFishing cheers boss... I'd love to be successful at it... just feel top water whiting for me is just a good walk... 🤣

[@AdriftFishing]

@@MattsFishingEscapes until you find them and it’s all on. This video day I literally couldn’t fish this spot all day as the tide was huge. Then when a piddly high tide came in they flooded onto what little flats were left. Some people do well north locally but I haven’t had too much luck there

[@nenadnedovic9246]

Mate love the content. Some great ideas and techniques.Ill give them a crack. Would like to know does lure color affect the catch rate of whiting. In my whiting box I have a range of stick and poppers in various brands and colors. What are your thoughts? What's the biggest popper and stick bait do you throw?

[@AdriftFishing]

@@nenadnedovic9246 I’ve had a lot of luck on the bigger lures. 80-95. I find bigger the better, you can see it and cast further. And only a few times I have had to down size to get a bite. Colour I’m not overly sold on, but like to have confidence in lures so keep buying similar colours. I like the clear and orange/red lures. Or a prawn pattern

[@darrenminns3181]

Nice rod what is it the brand and line rating

[@AdriftFishing]

@@darrenminns3181 thanks mate, it’s a TD black drunken monkey 1-2kg or 1-3. 10lb on that reel but 6 is better

[@seanmorgan6913]

Hey John, in one scene it looked like you have a quick snap attached? Is this your preferred method? I've always tied directly to the tow point, but not a bad idea, especially if you are changing lures frequently? Cheers

[@AdriftFishing]

Hey man, yeah I use lure clips for everything from light lures, fresh and salt upto jigs for kingfish. It allows me to set up a range of lures and swap them in a second and not miss opportunities that present. Have had no issue with loosing fish on them. Though these light ones you do need to check after each fish. I have cast off a lure a few times to one opening on a cast. But that’s the trade off. Down time tying knots or new leaders when they get short can take 30-40mins of fishing time out of your day and you could have caught 5 fish in that time

[@nenadnedovic9246]

Mate love the content. Some great ideas and techniques.Ill give them a crack. Would like to know does lure color affect the catch rate of whiting. In my whiting box I have a range of stick and poppers in various brands and colors. What are your thoughts? What's the biggest popper and stick bait do you throw?

[@vinceveloce9897]

Obviously, the assist hooks work but what makes the whiting bite just a hook hanging ten cm behind the lure?

[@AdriftFishing]

@@vinceveloce9897 I’ve seen them chase bait, so they do hunt, I think the hanging hooks with some decoration makes the snap when swiping.

[@vinceveloce9897]

@@AdriftFishing Oh ok I didn't picture them actively hunting I get it now... Thanks for the video keep'em coming.

[@AdriftFishing]

@@vinceveloce9897 yeah me neither early on but knew you could get them on surface lures. And seen them chase small bait and prawns and boof them on the surface. Funny thing is I have had opportunity in crazy clear water to watch them show no interest in flies, prawns, vibes, plastics of various sizes. Then go a clear surface lure and they switch on 🤷‍♂️

[@vinceveloce9897]

@@AdriftFishing 20-30 years ago I was into lure fishing for bream (and then I stupidly got married and never had time😆) you would hear of the incidental catch of whiting on lures but no one ever specifically targeted them you have shown this old dog how different things really are in the modern era of fishing so thanks much appreciated. I guess we all keep learning.

[@AdriftFishing]

@@vinceveloce9897 no worries man. If they will eat a lure I’ll chase them 😂

[@reymonchichi]

i’ve tried all over adelaide for whiting on lures but had no luck and a few people pointed me towards yorke peninsula as they said there is more yellow fin whiting. what do you think

[@AdriftFishing]

That would be my recommendation. I have seen plenty swimming at selicks and maslins and Kingston but can’t raise them. Go somewhere with no swimmers, plenty of places north and on Yorkes

[@davincifpv3983]

What rod do you use?

[@AdriftFishing]

I am using an older td black by Daiwa. 1-2kg

[@no1aussiepaul]

pop the trebles back on and you would of caught them all

[@AdriftFishing]

@@no1aussiepaul dunno, I used to loose a lot with trebles back in the day. Haven’t ran them since

[@finleyjones-m6z]

Those assist hooks are the best

[@AdriftFishing]

@ I like them, some say teens are better but I don’t know