Hot Topwater Fishing with My MVP (Most Valuable Plug)!

Add this lure to your collection if you do topwater fishing anywhere. The fish were crushing it in the canals this trip. It's one of my favorites for multiple species in several environments!
---------Gear and Stuff------
Online Fishing Course Discounts - www.saltstrong...
---Rod, Reel, Line, Lure--
Rod: bit.ly/3DAtwTQ
Reel: bit.ly/2ICzn37
Rebel Jumpin Minnow (4.5-inch): bit.ly/3bQ9KWN
Line (20#): bit.ly/38GwIjJ
Leader: bit.ly/2EcadoD
---Miscellaneous Gear---
Hobie H Crate: amzn.to/2IAyzJH
Boots: bit.ly/34Nx1YB
Lip Grip: amzn.to/3b0lZTu
Sun Gloves: bit.ly/3oAwO57
David Dunleavy Performance Fishing Apparel - lddy.no/ykp8
----My Books----
Fishing the Bucktail: amzn.to/2MQDysM
Fishing for Summer Flounder: amzn.to/2TcZnIP
Striper Pursuit: amzn.to/3ceIQYp
A Season on the Edge: amzn.to/3lHWye4
The above are Affiliate Links that generate small monetary commissions.
Fishfinder: bit.ly/33QYGYr
Kayak - bit.ly/sportsma...

[@DanEvan]

My favorite Dave Anderson quote when he was writing for SJ was something like: “John Skinner once caught a keeper (sized) striper in a roadside puddle, that’s how good he is” 🤣

[@roscosgrow9906]

I have seen your channel , I have learned so much about the canal going over your footage ! Thanks !

[@DanEvan]

@@roscosgrow9906 hey thanks man. I’m glad you could take away something from them. I really appreciate the kind words

[@LongIslandLethals]

Happens to the best of us John, we can all be happy that no gear was damaged from the fishuation.

[@wishinone]

A Florida local told me years back that a five pound jack will pull a ten pound redfish backwards, another great video thanks.

[@americanfishingadventures5486]

😮😍😮Beautiful Fish!! Fun to see how it controlled your whole kayak!!

[@iangreenberg5101]

Wow. He'll of a first trip john. Amazing footage. Can't wait for the next one.

[@idkcousin]

While rewatching a bunch of your older videos from 5-7 years ago, you upload just now lol

[@dannyrc223]

I just finished watching last video and notification went on ,next video great thank You.

[@nightsurf3927]

That was some cast at 14:35, textbook right there. Great job once again!!

[@JohnSkinnerFishing]

The hardest part for me - learning to have to pinpoint cast.

[@avid2112]

Those Jacks are serious contenders!

[@davidteitel9720]

Welcome back to SW Florida. Greetings from Cape Haze.

[@MrSwarner793]

I love that you show it how it is, good or bad. Great reminder on Awareness when you, of all folks, went into the mangroves. I lose track every time, glad to see even our superheroes do occasionally as well. Great video.

[@sgflyboy]

Nice work John. I’m usually on the other side of the main channel when I’m fishing that area. I’m up in Jax but fish down there time to time as well. I need to get back up to Long Island for some big blue action again too.

[@smokster0604]

Awesome gosh I love south west Florida.....Fish on...

[@thecomebackkid1292]

John F’in Skinner coming into new waters. Those snook have no idea what type of winter they are in for

[@tomkelly1017]

another excellent video, thanks John

[@williamfris3835]

Looks like a good day of fishing down south

[@williamwalsh6282]

Hey John… love to see these vids… small stripers still around in the CC Canal… hope to extend my striper catch time til Santa Comes.

[@nyciscfishing1561]

Dang real nice run on that 2nd one. Awesome!

[@ronaldmattson6963]

Hi John..great to see Your video in Fl. with the Rebel chrome jumper. That Rebel Jumpin Minnow is a great lure that is only topped by Rebel’s chartreuse Jumpin Minnow T20194. This color is no longer made and we have to buy 600 in order for Rebel to make them for us. Bill Wetzel can confirm the incredible fish catching ability of this lure seen at Napeague and Montauk! Snook,Redfish,Speckled Trout,Striped Bass,Bluefish,Crevalle Jack and anything that will hit a topwater lure. Let me know where You are speaking this season and I will get You some. Also excellent lure for Peacock Bass in Brazil.

[@robricketts8273]

@Ronald Mattson I'd be interested in trying out the Rebel's Chartreuse Jumping Minnow T20194 how can I get ahold of some?

[@peteraikens8151]

Headed down on the 30th hope to see ya out there! Hope you had a nice summer!

[@JohnSkinnerFishing]

Excellent. Much cleaner water will be here to greet you!

[@bobbymartin2604]

Hey John, great video! I’m still catching Togs up in Rhode Island. Your jigging/bouncing rod is doing amazing I just put a new reel on it for togs

[@JohnSkinnerFishing]

Thanks for the feedback on the rod! I've had so many people tell me how much they like it for tog. A total accident. I was really focused on it being a great fluke rod, which it is, but it turned out to be much more of an all-around.

[@paulfisher1563]

Caught my first snook and jacks this year, much smaller than yours. Thanks for the FL Video!

[@davecosgrove8787]

Jacks on the fly are the best fun you can have with your trousers on.

[@ryanrossi1398]

Nothing like that top water snook bite!! I was just down ur way cape coral and punta gorda was tough fishing with the tide and wind. Did find good fish in shallow water and near mouths of creeks. Idk if that beeping from the trolling motor annoys u but if u play around with the remote settings youll find that u can turn that beeping off. The only time it beeps after that is when the spot lock is disengaged.

[@JohnSkinnerFishing]

Thanks, I need to hear the beep to know what I'm doing when at very low speed.

[@Valk69]

So snook are kinda like our stripers and those black and white ones (sheepshead?) are like our blackfish. Guess jacks are the bluefish. EDIT: I typed that before seeing the part at the end where you compared the jack to the blue/albie. Great minds think alike...

[@JohnSkinnerFishing]

Just in the last hour I was thinking about sheepshead like tog! The snook sure are a lot like stripers.

[@fernandocruz-eb1sy]

Catfish = sea robin

[@7citiesfishing]

great video as always! didnt topwater fish as much a I should have for speckled trout here this year

[@JohnSkinnerFishing]

That's the one thing I'm not finding right now - specks. I don't go looking for them, but they are usually in places I fish for reds.

[@leeseoWestport]

This is so cool…looks like sometimes only kayaks can get in the proper casting spots. Also, are bucktails not as useful down there?

[@JohnSkinnerFishing]

They also work. I'll use them when it's cooler.

[@josephstreet3407]

Glad you didn't give up earlier.

[@connleahy9226]

John have you tried the small 4” Cordell pencil for Florida yet? Might be an option for the Snook.

[@JohnSkinnerFishing]

I have them and will try.

[@JamesThatcher_jtnwdc]

Incoming tide? Maybe it was just too low earlier for the fish to be active? Some excellent casts deep in there, with the payoff!

[@JohnSkinnerFishing]

That casting is really a challenge for me because I didn't come up in an environment where that was necessary. A yard makes a lot of difference here. Takes some getting used to.

[@JamesThatcher_jtnwdc]

@@JohnSkinnerFishing Yes indeed. You're on it though, congratulations on nailing that skill. Looking forward to watching the rest of your winter!

[@miraclefred]

Damn, that current really rips through there, doesn’t it?

[@carsonturowski3997]

John, when you cast you bring the rod back while the plug is still in the air. Can you explain what you're doing there? Are you slowing it down without having to put your hand on the spool?

[@JohnSkinnerFishing]

Yes. Trying to drop it in rather than overshoot.

[@brianwoodard82]

Nice fish, you must swap out the hooks on the jumpin minnow? What size holds up to those fish without changing the lures action? Thanks..

[@JohnSkinnerFishing]

#1 VMC 9626

[@wromeo940]

You should try the yozuri top knock pencil if you haven’t already. I honestly think it will beat the rebel

[@JohnSkinnerFishing]

I have one with me. Will try it again at some point. It didn't do much for me the first attempt.

[@jamespaggioli1092]

What do they call a Nantucket Sliegh ride in S W Florida?

[@markbass354]

BIG BATE BIG FISH

[@skatevans1215]

John - what is your load and unload process like with the kayak, motor, and battery? I decided to go with the PDL version to avoid having to tote a battery around....I want to say I think you have a lithium battery? Thanks.

[@JohnSkinnerFishing]

Yes, I have a 23-pound Lithium battery. The motor drops right in. 2 things get plugged in. Considering the rest of the gear that goes with any kayak trip, there's not much difference in setup/breakdown time between this and my Hobie.

[@skatevans1215]

@@JohnSkinnerFishing Yeah lithium is the only way to go...especially on a kayak. Thanks!

[@sike1dj]

Topwater 🤤🤤🤤 Hey John... The intro has that kayak cruising! How fast and Long do you get on that? Edit: Jesus I wish we had Jacks up here in the north east. What a fighter.

[@JohnSkinnerFishing]

Top speed on calm non-moving water - 4mph.

[@sike1dj]

@@JohnSkinnerFishing sweet! That's actually impressive. Thanks for replying!

[@ryanhodgin8007]

The current looked very strong in the video. Do you have an idea in how many knots it was, or how strong it was?

[@JohnSkinnerFishing]

I'm guessing 2mph-ish

[@termite122]

john u prefer tying a loop over using a tactical anglers clip?

[@JohnSkinnerFishing]

Down here on those small/light lures - yes.

[@alleykat5188]

I think blues are members of the jack family.

[@trancemusic8805]

nice fish!

[@deanhenderson5090]

How do u feel long term about the evict? What size you using here?

[@JohnSkinnerFishing]

I live on those reels down here and for blackfish jigging. They hold up well. Mine is a 2000. They're sized a little big.

[@fishingtherapy4565]

Is there spot loc or are you choosing not to use it?

[@JohnSkinnerFishing]

There is, and choosing to go manual so that the motor isn't making constant adjustments potentially spooking stuff.

[@dontaylor4454]

What kind of knot between braid and leader are you using? Thanks!

[@JohnSkinnerFishing]

I'm going through a small stainless barrel swivel.

[@troydavison2467]

Rank which fish fights the hardest based on say an 8 pound fish? jack, snook, redfish, bluefish, striper?

[@JohnSkinnerFishing]

Jack is strongest, followed by bluefish. Striper and red similar, but the red doesn't give up. The snook fight is different. Kind of violent.

[@troydavison2467]

@@JohnSkinnerFishing I've always been curious because I have a friend in Connecticut who fishes and I'm from southwest Florida and we've argued which fish is the strongest. Thanks for the insight.

[@davkimb]

Nothing trash about jacks or lady fish!

[@Ghost-sz7uo]

How do you decide to jig side to side vs up and down?

[@JohnSkinnerFishing]

The spook-type plugs do better for me with the side retrieve. Up and down for poppers.

[@mr1wildchildcaribbeanangle536]

Ever run out of battery befor getting back?

[@JohnSkinnerFishing]

No, and I've put in some long days in current in the everglades.

[@williamkenney339]

Which species of jack was that? How do you tell them apart?

[@JohnSkinnerFishing]

Jack Crevalle - it's the only one I know!

[@RikkiTikkiTavi290]

Its a Jack Crevalle. Quite a few different members of the family but most look pretty different. In the Pacific, outside of the U.S., the Jack family is called Trevally.

[@anthonyorovio7660]

Hey John what size evict do you use?

[@JohnSkinnerFishing]

2000

[@anthonyorovio7660]

Thank you very much. The striper course has taught me so much, everyone needs to check it out

[@JohnSkinnerFishing]

Thanks for the kind words on that.

[@boonpang1]

What brand Topwater lure is that?

[@JohnSkinnerFishing]

Rebel makes it. There's a link in the video description. It's the 4.5-inch one. Sort of like a spook.

[@boonpang1]

@@JohnSkinnerFishing thank you

[@MexicoPescadoro]

Paddle 1 - Tech 0.

[@noggginn]

SWFL?

[@JohnSkinnerFishing]

Yes.

[@tracyb1577]

Thanks for screwing up. Real fishing matters.

[@JohnSkinnerFishing]

I should make a composite video of the stupid stuff I do.