Yesterday, my partner and I were leaving a large cove and we noticed an angler on a long tapered gravel point at the mouth of the cove throwing a bait very far and catching fish on nearly every cast.  It was unlike any bait I've ever seen.

The "mystery" bait:

The bait appeared to be white & about the size of a Super Spook (long & shad like) but the strange part was, he had something tied in front of the bait about 8-12" up from the "mystery bait".  I'd say the "something" was the size of a 3/4oz egg sinker.  I have heard of using a Norman Front Runner in line with a Spook and I thought that might be what he was using but I'm not sure.  He was giving the bait a very fast upward twitch in a rhythmic cadence.  Just like you would retrieve a spook.  The water was very rough so I don't know how he was able to work a topwater on water that rough.

Conditions:

Just to give you the conditions, the winds were 20-30mph gusts so the water was rolling over like white caps and very choppy.  I'd guess his Ranger was in 30-40ft and he was casting into 12-20ft along the ridgeline of that point.  We were about 70-100 yards away so it was hard to see exactly what he was throwing.  Whatever it was, he was catching quality fish in great numbers whereas the current weather conditions were horrible.  A cold front rolled in the day before, high winds, lower barometric pressure, etc.  It had been a slow bite since the wind picked up earlier that morning.

So, what is your guess? (imagine the theme song to Jeopardy while you think)

Carolina rigged jerk bait?  ? ?

Carolina rigged jerk bait? ? ?

I thought of that but the bait was too large for a normal jerk bait.  It was the size of a large offshore tube bait or ......a "Super Spook".  When he cast it, the larger bait was heavier and would lead the smaller "thing" in the air so that told me it was heavier than the sinker or front runner or whatever it was.  A c-rig usually weight usually leads the cast with the bait behind the weight because it's lighter than the weight.  

I thought it might have been a large jigging spoon, but the weight or whatever it was up the line in front of the bait doesn't make since.  Why have two heavy objects?

I'm really convincing myself it was a white Super Spook and a front runner.  I've done a few searches and that's popped up.  Anyone know how that bait combo works?  What kind of action does it give, etc?

Maybe this, c-rigged?

http://image.basspro.com/images/images2/91500/91656-12.jpg

I'm pretty sure it was a Super Spook with a Front Runner tied on.  That's an unknown but popular bait around here.  By unknown, only the tournament anglers here know about it and it's popular with them.  The average angler or beginner like myself has never heard of it.  I've spoken with a few guys and they tell me that's probably what it was.

Too bad Norman discontinued the Front Runner.  Sounds like it could have been a good thing.

This is fun, but there are many possiblities.

If he was using a rhythmic cadence then it probably was a spook or other type walker.

It very well could have been a sinker.  I have heard of people putting sinkers in front of spooks.

It takes the bait below the surface and the walking motion is as deadly under the surface as it is on top.

There are no rules of engagement forbidding the use of top water baits in rough water; as a matter of fact they can be quite productive. While I have not used a Super Spook in rough water I have used buzz baits with excellent results in a 2 foot chop. Fishing top water baits in rough water is a highly productive for catching Red fish using Top Pup®, She Dog®, He Dog®, Super Spooks and Skitter Walkers.