Skitter Walk Jitters

Article and photos by Fred Goh

Popping is definitely one of the most exciting forms of fishing and it is gaining popularity. The thrill of seeing the fish attacking the lure on the surface is a heart-stopping experience that leaves the angler wanting for more.

Light popping is getting very popular around our coastal and inland water, be it fishing for freshwater species like toman and haruan or targeting saltwater species like queenfish or smaller GT.

While cup faced poppers are the more popular choices, many anglers have come to realize that in heavily fished water and certain conditions “Walk-the-Dog” action can really turn fish on when others fail.

Rapala’s Skitter Walk is a “Walk-the-Dog” lure. It has superior construction that is able to survive the attack of the toughest tropical fish. The lure can be easily worked to imitate a swimming mullet or fleeing baitfish. The large internal bearings create a rhythmic sound when combing with the Walk-the-Dog action. The bearings and aerodynamic design also make long cast easier. The two sizes have a wide range of exciting colours and aggressor scheme to match predominant prey or agitate the fishes to strike.

The Skitter Walk can be fished with a slower tempo by simply using the classic wrist work to create the Walk the Dog action. Generally, this is very effective when the water is calm, or when the fish are spooky or less aggressive. On conditions where the fish are more aggressive, the Skitter Walk can be fished fast by skipping the lure on the surface with faster retrieve speed or combining with jerking of the rod tip at the same time to imitate fleeing baitfish. This action is especially effective for saltwater species like queenfish and GT.

Specifications:

Topwater lure

Model: SW08
Size: 8cm
Lure weight: 12g

Model: SSW11
Size: 11cm
Lure weight: 19g

Black or darker colours work well on dark or overcast days

Removing the middle treble from the lure allows it to cast well into the wind without the fear of fouling up the leader in windy conditions

This haruan pounced on the Skitter Walk on the first cast

Assorted colours and patterns. The folks at Rapala also came out with the Chrome pattern (far right) which is very pretty I must say