How Many Of Yall Always Start With A Topwater?

[tcbass]

I would throw top water all day if I could and I have with even the slightest overcast to encourage me.

I've caught plenty of fish on topwater in bright sunny blue bird days. Especially with a Ragetail Toad.

[bangolure]

Always keep a topwater bait tied on. A bangolure, buzzbait, and a popper.You have to be able to cast to the shade under the limbs. Caught a lot of fish on the bangolure with the single spinner.

[Catch and Grease]

I've caught plenty of fish on topwater in bright sunny blue bird days. Especially with a Ragetail Toad.

The only top water I' have cofidence in 100 degree bluebird skies is a buzzbait or soft plastic working as a buzz bait... Sometimes frogs work but I don't have confidence with em away from morning/evening

[Felix77]

I'll start with top water if the water is smooth, but if there's a little chop I go spinnerbait or lipless first.

x3 with one difference.  I tend to use Spinnerbait our Chatterbait.  Lipless is a 3rd option for me.

[primetime]

a Floating stickbait is a topwater bait and a subsurface/Jerkbait or crankbait all in one.....I will always start with a floating minnow style bait to see how aggressive the fish are and if they want it on the surface, a few feet or inches below, and if they want it erratic or just with a steady roll....

 

I then decide based on conditions, strikes, how fish have been caught (barely hooked on last treble or crushing the bait) what to throw as it heats up and how to fish it...

 

In Florida, eveyone throws frogs over grass, flips, or for topwater, it is a hollow belly all the time, but alot of guys do well with the Topwater bite and throw large floating jerkbaits...Rapala, bagley's, bomber, Red Fins, or Storm twitchin stick are all good options, and so is a Sebile flatt Shad for fishing surface with a lipless crank as it suspends on a dime and can be fished in areas you would never think of throwing a lipless crank with success....

 

rattling rogues get the call for dirty water, Bomber long A for windy days, and the Red fin for days when a steady retrieve is key, or waking...If not committing an just smacking the lure, then time for a wake bait like the Bandit footloose, Manns, or any lure that will float and stay steady and is small...

 

if fish are active, go Subsurface, and swim or work the jerkbait erractic, and some lures do it all......sebile stick Shad sinks, Rapala Xrap Subwalk, but my new favorite topwater hands down, and I thought my box of spooks, and Sammy walking baits was complete.....IMA Skimmer, and of course the Gun Fish.....Topwater is great all day if you match the presantation to what the fish are feeding on and what they want....easier said than done, but for covering water, take out a Bomber Long A or rapala F-9 if you like smaller baits and figure out what is best, you may end up swimming it all day with a stop and go retrieve 2-3' down, or letting it drift and barley moving it...Sometimes the bite never stops, or starts, but worms will never let you down.....

[tcbass]

The only top water I' have cofidence in 100 degree bluebird skies is a buzzbait or soft plastic working as a buzz bait... Sometimes frogs work but I don't have confidence with em away from morning/evening

I've never had real success with hollow body frogs. However, I've caught fish on all types of days with my Ragetsil Toad. It's perhaps my favorite lure and catches fish almost all the time. Try letting one sink to the bottom sometime and soak for a few seconds. Sometimes fish love them that way.

[iceintheveins]

I almost always start with a topwater when the water is over 60 degrees because I often start fishing before sunrise. If it doesn't get hits quickly I switch to a spinnerbait and burn it shallow within 1 - 2 feet of the surface. That gets hit when the topwater doesn't, which isn't common.

[Mr. BattleArmor]

In the morning if the water is calm I will always use top water. I will stop if they just aren't hitting it, or until they stop hitting it

[FrogFreak]

I usually start at the top of the water column and work my way down. I also start out fast in each area of the water column and then slow down as needed.

 

Top

Poppers, Buzzbaits, Hollow frogs, walking baits

 

Medium depth: 

Swim Jigs, Spinners, Cranks, Swim baits

 

Deep:

Drop shot, cranks, Spinners, plastics, jigs