Topwater Troubles

[The Young Gun]

I cant get topwaters to work!

I've tried my chartruese buzz bait over a rocky 5ft deep river where I know there is smallies, and ive tried in shallow humps in the calm lake days, and at night and no luck!

Tried my hula-poppers at nighttime dead night, id cast, give it 2 minyutes then reel in slow, try an eeratic action and nothing! jitterbugs in all the places id normaly catch bass and I cant get anything! Any help, tips?

[00 mod]

Keep trying and don't give up!

Jeff

[Sun Fish]

When they arent biting top water fish under the surface.

[bkohlman]

Like Sun Fish said, if they aren't biting on top go a bit shallower with a spinnerbait or a shallow crank.

[Marty]

Are you failing on topwater while fish are being caught on subsurface lures? Are you trying your topwaters as a last resort after you find other lures aren't working? At any rate, topwaters are incredibly effective lures and you will catch fish on them if you stick with it.

[The Young Gun]

Are you failing on topwater while fish are being caught on subsurface lures? Are you trying your topwaters as a last resort after you find other lures aren't working? At any rate, topwaters are incredibly effective lures and you will catch fish on them if you stick with it.

Uhm, well ill be a clam day on the lake in the middle of the lake theres a big shallow rock point and I just cant seem to get a bite and its always my first lure choice. It starts with a green popper then a chartreause buzz bait and I know the fish are there, but they wont bite!!!!

[rockchalk06]

I mainly use poppers (next to Jigs my favorite go to bait) in the early AM and late evening. I know they are an all day bait, but I have had the best of luck using them at those times.

[Bluebasser86]

If they aren't hitting topwater try something subsurface. If you don't catch anything then you might be in the wrong area or they just not be biting. Right now it's tough on topwater. Water temps are at their highest they'll be all year and some places it gets so hot they just don't want to chase their food very far, making a topwater not the best choice. Something like a popper with long pauses might get them or a buzzbait fished as slow as you can. Otherwise I'd probably switch to something subsurface.

[The Young Gun]

If they aren't hitting topwater try something subsurface. If you don't catch anything then you might be in the wrong area or they just not be biting. Right now it's tough on topwater. Water temps are at their highest they'll be all year and some places it gets so hot they just don't want to chase their food very far, making a topwater not the best choice. Something like a popper with long pauses might get them or a buzzbait fished as slow as you can. Otherwise I'd probably switch to something subsurface.

I was always told to fish topwater in summer? best time too is colder water or when fish come to surface on not so hot days?

[Bluebasser86]

I was always told to fish topwater in summer? best time too is colder water or when fish come to surface on not so hot days?

Summer will usually be a great time to fish topwater. Don't know what the conditions have been up there but we're suffering from extreme drought and heat. Dropping water backs the fish off the banks and the high 80 to low 90 degree water temps makes the bass sluggish during the day. I'm sure the water temps aren't that hot up there but still those fish are used to a different climate than they are here. I would for sure suggest trying topwater during low light conditions like early morning, late evening, at night, or while it's overcast. It's usually pretty slow going once the sun gets up high during the summer time though.

[Jman59wl3]

Try a tiny torpedo (blue shiner or bull frog) the little fish will go after that! Just jerk it slow and they will hit and don't stop trying!

[Jigfishn10]

For me, the dog days of summer mean fishing a topwater fast. I used to work them slow during this period, but I find that my success rate elevated when I fish them faster.

[Marty]

Uhm, well ill be a clam day on the lake in the middle of the lake theres a big shallow rock point and I just cant seem to get a bite and its always my first lure choice.

Well, at least you're giving it a chance if it's your first lure choice. I don't know what else to say except what I said earlier, to stick with it because topwaters are very productive lures.

[The Young Gun]

Okay next question, nighttime fishing off the docks, whats a good go to lure? ive heard black buzzbaitys but i dont have any and cant find any in stores:(what else will work?