# How to walk the dog on a yak?



## Maca (Aug 29, 2008)

I've been doing a lot of bream fishing recently and have been using poppers with good results. The next obvious progression from here is to learn a walk the dog retrieve. And with that hear comes me volley of questions:

1. What lure is good to start learning the technique? I have heard that it can be applied to a large variety of lures but some are much easier to learn with.
2. What techniques work when trying the retrieve from a yak? I've seen blokes doing from boats but what works best from a yak?
3. What line is best (main and leader)? I have heard that a heavier leader works best.
4. What terminating knot is best (loop knot or tight knot [like blood knot])? I've seen a US vid that said use blood knot with 12lb leader, but an aussie told me 2-4lb leader with blood knot.
5. What are some good lures in regard to value for money?

Any info will be much appreciated.


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## Squidder (Sep 2, 2005)

*1. What lure is good to start learning the technique? I have heard that it can be applied to a large variety of lures but some are much easier to learn with.*
Easiest to walk are surface lures with a banana shape - for small bream lures, this includes Towadis, Jackson T-pivots, and the larger Lucky Craft Sammys and B-pivots. Ecogear PX45s are also pretty easy to walk.

*2. What techniques work when trying the retrieve from a yak? I've seen blokes doing from boats but what works best from a yak?*
I have never been shown the technique by an 'expert' but can manage it pretty easily, I start with rod near the horizontal (parallel to the surface of the water - at 3 o'clock), briskly raise the rod tip about 30cm (to 2 o'clock), then lower again to 3 o'clock, take up slack, raise to 2 o'clock, repeat, etc. When I first started I thought that I'd have to move the rod from left to right during the retrieve to get that walk the dog action - not so.

*3. What line is best (main and leader)? I have heard that a heavier leader works best.*
I use 4-6 pound braid mainline and 4-8lb fluoro leader of about 1-1.5m.

*4. What terminating knot is best (loop knot or tight knot [like blood knot])? I've seen a US vid that said use blood knot with 12lb leader, but an aussie told me 2-4lb leader with blood knot.*
Definately use a knot that has a loop attaching to the tow point on the lure to give the lure freedom to swing from side to side - a loop knot, or uni knot that is not cinched right down works well

*5. What are some good lures in regard to value for money?*
None of the lures I mentioned are cheap. You can walk any stickbait - and stickbaits are by far the easiest lure to make at home (hint hint). You could do a lot worse than buying one PX45 or towadi, and using it as a template for your own homegrown versions. ;-)


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## LoboLoco (Feb 1, 2008)

good advice  I think it would be easier with a PA that you can stand up in :s if your rich....

I agree that home made stick baits are a good idea! Need to try it out myself


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## Davey G (Jan 15, 2006)

does the walk the dog (side to side) style retrieve work any more effectively than a normal bloop bloop or skipping style retrieve? I've tried various retrieves and apart from bream liking a slow action and whiting liking a faster action I can't tell whether it makes a difference?


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## Squidder (Sep 2, 2005)

Davey G said:


> does the walk the dog (side to side) style retrieve work any more effectively than a normal bloop bloop or skipping style retrieve?


In my experience, targeting estuary species like whiting, bream or flatties with surface lures, either a flat out popping retrieve, or very slow blooping retrieve are best - I don't use the walk the dog retrieve much. Last summer I got a few bass on PX45s doing short walks, after casting close to structure.


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## .329 (Apr 17, 2006)

Davey G said:


> does the walk the dog (side to side) style retrieve work any more effectively than a normal bloop bloop or skipping style retrieve? I've tried various retrieves and apart from bream liking a slow action and whiting liking a faster action I can't tell whether it makes a difference?


Depends on the day in my experience. Somedays a walked towadi gets more attention from bream than say a blooped hopper popper, other days it might be the reverse. One thing when walking a lure for bream, is that I have most experienced with about 5 or 6 walks then a pause, rather than constant retrieve.


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## dishley (Jan 20, 2009)

Sammy's were the go to lure for a few of the people i fished with last year, i'm just getting into them too. To retrieve i just do a quick short jerk in a downwards motion, wind up slack and repeat. The faster i do it the better it walks but i like to slow down, add plenty of pauses.
I also have a chinupen (think that's what it's called) and i was told that it was one of the easier ones to use, but i'm stubborn and i wanted to get the sammy working properly first so i haven't tested the other one yet.


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## wongus (Feb 12, 2006)

Maca,

Try this.. he doesn't recommend flurocarbon leader as it sinks.






bugger can't get it to work.. here's the full link


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## RedPhoenix (Jun 13, 2006)

Unfortunately, due to the change in ownership of this web site and the lack of response by the owners to my requests to remove my email address from all administrative-level notifications and functionality, I have decided to remove my posts on AKFF. Thank you for the great times, the fantastic learning experiences and the many many fish. If you are desperate for the old content of this particular post, it is available below base64 encoded and bzip2 compressed.

Red.

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## Maca (Aug 29, 2008)

Cheers to everyone for the information. I'm going to buy something and give it a go.


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## clarkey (Jan 13, 2009)

i say use a loop knot(only short) and 10lb leader as it's a little stiffer and gives a little resistance when you pop your lure(so it moves off to the side rather then just plopping forward)
sammys are good to learn as smaller lures need a softer touch
small pop take up slack(could be half crank of handle)small pop take up slack,just got to get into a rhythm so it seems like one action
clarkey


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