Gear Review: Heddon Zara Spook

The Heddon "Zara Spook" and "Chug'n Spook" are my two new favorite topwater lures. Their flash and action is unmatched in any other topwater I've found, and the beauty is in the simplicity. Good size and weight, excellent craftsmanship, and bottom-line bargain prices make this one of my staple lures.

Firstly, the Zara Spook. Measuring 4.5" long and just under 1/2 ounce, this topwater is fantastic for medium to medium-heavy set ups, particularly bass and pike. The simple tube-shape design yields a classic bait fish silhouette for apex predators. By implementing a simple "walk-the-dog" technique the tube frantically slides from side to side, triggering aggressive strikes. Several fantastic colors are offered for the Zara Spook, but I choose to go with "baby bass" or "Florida bass" most often. Large eyes painted onto each design help to aid in realism, and hook-guards prevent the hooks from orienting themselves towards the front of the lure,

Zara Spook.

reducing foul-ups. Large #1 sized hooks lead to increased hook-ups, minimizing the largest complaint about top-water lures. Fishing this type of lure is pretty self explanatory. Make sure to "walk-the-dog", and use it in places where fish are going to be going after topwaters. Pause the retrieve for a moment over possible holding areas and you might be greeted with the most aggressive strike of your life. The only changes I would advise for anglers would be to change out the hooks for VMC or Gamakatsu hooks, as the ones provided aren't exactly top-quality. This is less important if you aren't dealing with toothy predators, but if pike or musky are in your target range, be safe and switch them out.

Chug'n Spook.

Secondly, the Chug'n Spook. Slightly larger at 5" long, and a bit heaver at 1 solid ounce, the Chug'n Spook caters to a somewhat larger crowd of fish. Not in numbers of fish, but rather in their respective size. Despite the increased size, it can still be fished on a medium to medium-heavy rod. Go with a 6'10" rod or more to aid in casting this whopper. The cupped mouth on the Chug'n Spook spits loads of water with each pull, yet does not waver in it's natural walk-the-dog motion. A rattle is included inside of the body, allowing the lure to make a "clacking" noise as it runs from side to side. In my experience, it would take a very large bass to try and take on something this size. It is possible, so don't rule it out, but more often than not you're going to get pike on this size and action of lure. However, many times I've seen bass go after something they wouldn't feasibly be able to eat, so if your presentation is good enough, you'll probably have a fantastic time with largemouths, too. Shiny metallic paint provides great flash in the water, and in-laid reflective eyes provide loads of realism.

Cupped mouth for spitting loads of water.

I have a serious obsession with topwater lures. Being a kayak fisherman, I often times work my way back into bays and shallows where no other boats can go. As a result, snag ups are unavoidable. If I don't keep my baits on the top, they will prevent me from fishing all together. This has forced me to try out countless different types of topwaters. The Zara Spook and Chug'n Spook are top-of-the-line in my book when it comes to catering towards this type of fishing. Oftentimes, I like to customize my lures, and these are no different. A feather added to the aft ring on either of these lures could prove helpful. And as stated before, upgrading the rings and hooks probably wouldn't be a bad idea. Overall, there isn't too much to be done to make these lures the best they can be. If you're looking for a walk-the-dog type lure to get aggressive strikes from bass and pike that won't put a hurting on your billfold, check out the Heddon "Zara Spook" and "Chug'n Spook."