What Do You Throw When The Topwater Bite Dies Off?

[Tuckahoe Joe]

Got to the lake this morning before sunrise.  I was getting a ton of topwater action but as soon as the sun came up, the topwater bite slowed and then eventually died off.  Any recommendations on what to throw when the fish stop hitting topwater?

[tbone1993]

Go deep for them then. Get the crankbait out or any other moving bait. Maybe slow down and fish a worm. 

[tholmes]

Move down the water column. A lipless crank or a spinnerbait, starting fairly shallow and progressing deeper. If that doesn't get bit, I'll go to a T-rig or a jig.

 

Tom

[Bass Junkie]

Move down the water column. A lipless crank or a spinnerbait, starting fairly shallow and progressing deeper. If that doesn't get bit, I'll go to a T-rig or a jig.

Tom

Either this, or move to the shade. If you start on the West bank and move to the East when the bite dies, you buy yourself an extra hour or more of topwater.

[deep]

Fish the 3 layers; this assuming you have located the fish and they're willing to bite.

[wnybassman]

Senko

[Siebert Outdoors]

Jig

[Christian M]

Jig & Craw

[papajoe222]

Top water baits can pull fish away from whatever cover or structure they were holding on.  When the bite dies,they are unwilling to abandon those areas to chase prey . Their strike zone may still be a large one, or may dwindle to next to nothing.  If you can find what they were holding to, you can choose a presentation to effectively probe it.  In the instances of isolated cover (stump, dead fall, etc.) they may return to it or another fish may take over residence there. Although other baits can apply here, a jig gives you the option of picking a piece of cover apart like no other. 

So make a mental note of the location of the fish you're catching on top and return to the same areas. Chances are the fish are still in the area, just unwilling to chase a bait down.

[Grizzn N Bassin]

Jig-craw.. senko.

[ww2farmer]

Senko

Same, and when the senko bite dies, I flip or drop shot.

[Tuckahoe Joe]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone.  So what I'm hearing is when the topwater bite dies, either senkos, jigs, or t-rigs around the cover in the same area where they were hitting on top and if not there, then go deeper with search baits like spinnerbaits or cranks.  I'll give some of these a try next time out.  Thanks guys!