Classic Baits: Zara Spook

Wade's World Fishing: The Heddon Zara Spook hit the fishing scene in 1939, and since then it continues to be a favorite topwater lure for bass. No question, most pro’s on the national tournament circuit have a selection of Zara Spooks in their tackle box and go to them when they need a “big bite.” Because of this lure’s strong appeal to bass, it was the first of Heddon Lures’ “million sellers.”

The Zara Spook looks like a pointed cigar with treble hooks dangling beneath it. It has no built-in action; the angler must supply the action. More specifically, users must learn to “walk the dog,” twitching their rod tip with short, rhythmical pops to cause the bait to “stitch” the water. This action causes a maximum of surface commotion while moving the bait fairly slowly across the surface. It’s good at attracting both surface-feeding and suspended bass. Strikes are typically aggressive and heart-stopping!

Zara Spooks come in a range of sizes and colors. The best source for on-line purchase is www.lurenet.com.

Here are additional tips for fishing a Zara Spook for black bass.

Best tackle for fishing a Zara Spook is a 6 ½-foot casting rod and reel spooled with 14- to 17-pound test monofilament line. The rod should have a medium action tip for “walking the dog.”
To work the bait, point the rod tip toward the bait and down at the water and at a slight angle away from the bait. Begin popping the rod tip to pull the lure in short back/forth movements. Set up a cadence to “walk” the lure. As you work the lure, simultaneously reel up slack line as needed.
Alternate trying short pauses in the steady walk-the-dog retrieve. Sometimes this is when strikes will come.
Walk this lure across flats, along bluff faces or riprap banks, over logs, along bridge pilings. Cast it wherever surface feeding activity is evident.
When a fish strikes, keep the bait walking until you feel the weight of the bass. Sometimes fish will miss the lure, but there’s a high likelihood that they will strike again if the bait hasn’t been pulled away.