Kingdom Floating Pencil Surface Lure – Walk-the-Dog | 3D Holographic Eyes | 86mm 6.5g / 110mm 10g | Bass Trevally Kingfish

The Kingdom Floating Pencil is a topwater surface hard body lure in ABS with 3D holographic eyes, a high-carbon steel treble hook and double-coil split ring. Available in two sizes — 86mm/6.5g and 110mm/10g — in three colour variants. Suited to Australian bass, trevally, kingfish, tailor, estuary perch and any surface-feeding predator. $19.95.

What a Floating Pencil Is

A floating pencil — also called a stick bait or surface pencil — is a hard body lure with no built-in diving lip. Unlike a crankbait or minnow that dives on the retrieve, a floating pencil rests on or just below the surface at all times and produces no action of its own on a straight retrieve. All the lure’s action is generated by the angler through rod tip movements. This makes the floating pencil one of the most technique-dependent lure styles in fishing — and when worked correctly, one of the most effective surface lures for triggering violent strikes from predatory fish.

Walk-the-Dog Action

The primary technique for a floating pencil is walk-the-dog — a rhythmic side-to-side surface action created by alternating slack-line twitches of the rod tip while winding in slack on each pause:

• The technique: point the rod tip low and to the side, twitch sharply to one side, allow the line to go slack, twitch to the other side, allow slack, repeat; the lure rocks left then right across the surface in a zig-zag path, kicking spray on each twitch
• The action produced: the lure moves across the surface in an erratic, side-to-side path that mimics a distressed or disoriented baitfish on the surface; the irregular direction changes, surface spray and body flash combine to trigger a predatory strike response from fish holding below or cruising the surface
• Speed variation: a fast walk produces rapid, tight zig-zags for covering water and triggering aggressive fish; a slow walk produces wide, lazy side-to-side swings for more hesitant fish or calmer conditions; pausing the retrieve entirely causes the lure to float stationary on the surface — an effective trigger when a following fish pauses behind the lure

The source notes a “gentle pull or pause” creating an “almost-death fish movement” — this is the slow walk-the-dog retrieve at minimal twitch force, where the lure barely moves from side to side, mimicking a baitfish that is barely alive on the surface. This slow, subtle action is particularly effective for bream and estuary perch that are inspecting the lure carefully before committing.

3D Holographic Eyes

Each lure is fitted with 3D holographic eyes — domed, raised eyes with a holographic foil insert that produces directional flash and a realistic pupil detail from multiple viewing angles. During a walk-the-dog retrieve, the lure’s side-to-side rocking exposes the eye to the fish from alternating angles on each twitch, producing repeated flash signals that contribute to the lure’s surface visibility. Predatory fish key on the eye of prey species as a targeting reference point during the final strike approach.

High-Carbon Steel Treble Hook

The lure is fitted with a high-carbon steel treble hook. High-carbon steel provides higher tensile strength than standard carbon steel of equivalent wire gauge, resisting the bending or straightening that can occur when a large trevally or kingfish makes a sudden run immediately after the strike. Surface strikes from topwater predators are often violent and generate significant initial shock load on the hook; a high-carbon hook absorbs this shock without deforming. The hook penetrates quickly on the strike due to the sharp point geometry.

Double-Coil Split Ring

The hook is connected to the lure body via a double-coil split ring — a split ring wound from two layers of wire rather than a single coil. A standard single-coil split ring can open or deform under the extreme lateral tension generated by a large fish making a head-shake or directional change at close range. The double-coil construction doubles the wire cross-section at the opening point of the ring, significantly increasing the force required to open or distort the ring. For surface fishing where the strike-to-fight transition is immediate and violent, the double-coil split ring is the weakest-link protection between the hook, the lure and the leader.

Size Selection

• 86mm / 6.5g — the smaller size; suited to finesse surface presentations and smaller predators; bream on estuary rock walls and jetties on dawn and dusk surface sessions; estuary perch on slow walk-the-dog retrieve in river systems; smaller trevally in harbour and bay environments; suits light to medium spinning outfits (PE #0.8–#1.5, 10–16lb leader)
• 110mm / 10g — the larger size; the profile and weight target larger, more aggressive predators; Australian bass on surface at dawn and dusk in impoundments; trevally and tailor in open water and over shallow reef; kingfish on fast walk-the-dog retrieve over surface bait schools; suits medium spinning and baitcast outfits (PE #1.5–#3.0, 20–40lb leader for kingfish applications)

Target Species

• Australian Bass — walk-the-dog across open water edges and weed lines at dawn and dusk in impoundments and coastal rivers; bass are ambush predators that respond aggressively to surface disturbance above their holding position
• Trevally — fast walk-the-dog over shallow reef, rock platforms and in harbour and bay environments where trevally are actively chasing baitfish; the irregular surface action mimics a fleeing pilchard or whitebait on the surface
• Kingfish — 110mm model on fast walk-the-dog over surface bait schools and around structure; kingfish are sight predators that accelerate from depth to surface-strike; the large profile and surface spray of the 110mm pencil is visible from depth
• Tailor — dawn and dusk sessions in surf, estuary channels and rock platforms; tailor respond aggressively to a fast walk-the-dog retrieve and will strike repeatedly; the treble hook’s quick penetration is important for tailor that mouth lures briefly before ejecting
• Estuary Perch — 86mm model on slow, subtle walk-the-dog in confined river and estuary environments; estuary perch are cautious surface strikers that respond to the minimal-action slow walk rather than fast, aggressive surface movements

Specifications

• Brand: Kingdom
• Model: 5349
• Type: Floating pencil (topwater)
• Body: ABS
• Eyes: 3D holographic
• Hook: High-carbon steel treble
• Split ring: Double-coil
• Depth: Surface (0–0.5m)
• Sizes: 86mm/6.5g, 110mm/10g
• Colour variants: 3 (LN36, LN82, LN36A)
• Price: $19.95