Why Top Water Lures?

[stk44]

Why are people so confident in top water lures? I never get much action on them. Recently I've used some 3inch rapala poppers, frogs, and a mouse from MTB. I use them with cloud coverage, early morning, late evening, and always around lily pads or thick mattes of grass. I focus on points and special areas in the grass. Any suggestions?

[papajoe222]

Not quite sure what you're asking I fish them because they're exciting to fish, even when you don't catch anything on them, there is the anticipation of a fish exploding ony second. If you're commenting on them not producing and wondering what to do, I only have one suggestion.

The speed that you work a top water makes the difference between catching and just disturbing the water's surface. Vary your retrieve from fast to slow, with pauses and without aggressively or subtly. When you find out how the fish want it, stick with that retrieve until it stops working. When it does, don't put the topwater away until you try the various retrieves. Sometimes the bite doesn't die, they just change their preference.

[Raul]

I'm not confident about topwaters, actually, topwaters are really poor producers but even lacking in productivity they have the charm other baits lack of, they are the most fun way to catch a bass.

[Fun4Me]

The Spook Jr in my avatar has landed me many fish. I've caught more on that bait than any other, over the past couple months. When they work, they're awesome.

[scaleface]

Just got to know when to throw them .

[einscodek]

I agree with Raul.. subsurface lure are more effective .. but topwaters are

F-U-N !

[EvanT123]

I'm not confident about topwaters, actually, topwaters are really poor producers but even lacking in productivity they have the charm other baits lack of, they are the most fun way to catch a bass.

This. Top water is always my first lure on the water. It doesn't always work, it sometimes works, and when it's on it's on. There is nothing better in my opinion.

[RiverDave]

The gators are more interested in my topwaters than the bass are.  Especially the one in my photo.  Sheesh.

[ned_riggins]

I have one fishing rule and thats throwing a zara super spook or spook jr every time I fish. Id rather catch one on topwater than 5 on a senko. Theres just something awesome about watching a fish crush your lure. A few weeks ago I saw my bro hook a muskie on a top raider, I think my heart is still pounding.  

[edfitzvb]

Poppers, spooks, jitterbugs,frogs, buzz baits, prop baits, and floating jerk baits have accounted for LOTS of fish for me. Soft plastics will outfish them, but I enjoy the challenge. That's why I RARELY use live bait.

[fishballer06]

I see you're from Pittsburgh, so I'm going to guess you're fishing at Arthur. If so, that's your problem...

[gardnerjigman]

I fish top waters anytime the the bite is on because of the rush you get on those blowups. If you can't catch a fish on some form of topwater, you aren't fishing them in the right places or time. 

 

I'm not sure which is more exciting, a largemouth crushing a hollow body in the pads/willows/mats, or a smallmouth just releasing the beast on a spook on a shallow flat. Man I love it all!

[smalljaw67]

Sometimes the fish aren't going to hit a topwater and sometimes they hit it better than any other lure. The fish will give you clues as to when or what type of topwater to throw, for example, during the summer if I'm on the water at daybreak, I'll throw a towater first, if it is calm I might go with a popper but if there is a little breeze I'll try a prop bait and I'll see how the fish react, if I get no hits I'll go to a walking bait and if nothing then I put it away. Before I do that however, I'll use different retrieve speeds and cadences to see if that will get the fish to react. During the day if I'm seeing fish busting minnows on the surface and it is happening more than a time or two, then I'll go with a topwater, but it doesn't always mean they will hit, you just have to try.

[the reel ess]

Retrieve is important. Working a topwater too fast can kill your chances. Especially with poppers, Torpedoes, etc, don't be in a rush unless that's what fish tell you to do. Work them in short pops or rips with rest in between. A good way to gain confidence in them is to take them to a pond and use at sundown. I seem to do better at dusk than dawn with topwaters.

 

Bass won't always attack them. Usually, I need to see some activity on the surface to get a topwater bite. No activity usually means "forget it". I think the full-size Spook can be intimidating to bass unless they're really aggressive, so try the junior or the Chug'n Spook,Jr. I get a lot more bites on the Chug'n Jr model or a Chug Bug. In fact, Chug'n Jr been tied on my topwater rod for the whole summer. It just keeps getting bit.

 

If you ever see bass actively busting bait at the surface, there's no better time to throw the Pop R or Spook. Bass are hungry and looking at the surface for their food at this time and you'll get their attention.

 

Keep trying and good luck!

[NathanW]

Sorry guys but to say top waters are poor producers is ridiculous. Do you know how many tournaments and and how much money has been won on top water!! There are situations where no subsurface lure will out fish a certain top water lure. Also, there some fish that you wont get any other way. Its a matter of time and place just like any lure and if you aren't confident in them its because you don't understand the time, place or have not built confidence in the proper cadence. 

[MN_Bassin]

In my experience, certain conditions must be in place to use topwater. It will always catch fish, but there are definitely special days where it out produces everything. About a month ago, I had a crazy day with hollow body frogs. Light wind blew a thin film of scum into a little back corner of a bay on a sunny day. I heard sunnies popping bugs, and heard/saw bass explode of those sunfish. Anyways, everything was set for topwater for that specific day. I went back the next day, expecting to pound the bass again, only to find that the film blew away. I still caught some fish, but subsurface lures would've been a better choice.

[Raul]

Sorry guys but to say top waters are poor producers is ridiculous. Do you know how many tournaments and and how much money has been won on top water!! There are situations where no subsurface lure will out fish a certain top water lure. Also, there some fish that you wont get any other way. Its a matter of time and place just like any lure and if you aren't confident in them its because you don't understand the time, place or have not built confidence in the proper cadence. 

 

Sure, I don´t understand anything about topwaters, please instruct me.

[NathanW]

Sure, I don´t understand anything about topwaters, please instruct me.

Would you really claim that even down in Mexico guys aren't catching their kicker fish on a Wakebait, Buzzbait or a Frog?? I cannot tell you how many times I have heard that story or seen it happen there is no way its not happening in your area. I personally have my PB on a buzzbait and usually see about 8-10 days a year in the late summer when the only way to catch them efficiently is frogging because the lake gets so scummy.  I just don't think we should publishing that topwater is a glamour technique that cannot be as productive as subsurface. 

[WRB]

Look for signs of surface feeding fish, a splash or swirl, bait jumping out of the water all indicate a predator is feeding near or on the surface.

There are so many different ways and lures to fish on the surface from noisy buzz baits to quite stick baits, fast or vey slow, like any other lure you need to experiment with retrieve speeds and cadence.

Tom

[bigbill]

It's the excitement of the blow up's for me.

If your not seeing it your presentation is wrong.

One rip(1), two rip(2), three rip(3), pause.

Don't go too fast.

[WRB]

Back in the dark ages the "proper" way to fish a surface lure was to cast it out and let it sit until all the circle ripples the lure made disappeared. You dead stick the lure for about 30 seconds, then twitched it and let it sit again, then retrieved the lure fast or slow, stop or go to entice strikes.

Today few anglers have enough patients to fish the old school surface lures like a Hula popper the way they are designed to work. Faster is better, run and gun, cast here and there without much thought as to where the bass are located, just cover water is today's technique and that doesn't work well with surface lures most of the time or most other lures for that matter.

Bass have eye near the top of their head for a reason, to see good looking upwards.

Tom

[Catt]

Would you really claim that even down in Mexico guys aren't catching their kicker fish on a Wakebait, Buzzbait or a Frog?? I cannot tell you how many times I have heard that story or seen it happen there is no way its not happening in your area. I personally have my PB on a buzzbait and usually see about 8-10 days a year in the late summer when the only way to catch them efficiently is frogging because the lake gets so scummy. I just don't think we should publishing that topwater is a glamour technique that cannot be as productive as subsurface.

I've researched tournament results for the last 25 yrs and not just Pros but everything I could find on the web. I've also researched results for double digit bass caught over that same time period.

6 out of 10 tournaments were won on Texas Rigs

5 out of 10 double digit bass were caught Texas Rigs

Under the title "Texas Rig" falls; weighted, un-weighted, pegged weights (flipping & pitching), & Punch Rigs.

#2 is a Jig-N-Craw!

[NathanW]

I've researched tournament results for the last 25 yrs and not just Pros but everything I could find on the web. I've also researched results for double digit bass caught over that same time period.

6 out of 10 tournaments were won on Texas Rigs

5 out of 10 double digit bass were caught Texas Rigs

Under the title "Texas Rig" falls; weighted, un-weighted, pegged weights (flipping & pitching), & Punch Rigs.

#2 is a Jig-N-Craw!

I don't think anyone would argue against the effectiveness of a T-Rig. Top Water is not more productive than subsurface lures by and large but they have their time and place where they can be more or equally as productive. Also, when guys are catching them good punching you can bet they also have a frog tied on and visa versa if they know any better. Its just irresponsible to say that top water fishing is "just for the fun of it" and that it doesn't necessarily need to be a technique you understand and develop confidence in. Sometimes its just the easiest, fastest and most obvious way to catch them.

[Jake the Cake]

I swear by the X-Rap Pop (Pearl Gray Shiner color) for White Bass and Smallmouth

 

If you can afford it, check out the Siglett.  You'll catch fish ALL DAY with this little guy.  Only problem is that two of them will cost as much as your whole tackle box.  Gotta put a decent treble hook on it too, otherwise you'll yank them out of the mouth all day long.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Megabass-GRAND-SIGLETT-Topwater-Lamune/dp/B011218MB4/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1440699093&sr=8-5&keywords=winged+cicada+lure

[the reel ess]

I've researched tournament results for the last 25 yrs and not just Pros but everything I could find on the web. I've also researched results for double digit bass caught over that same time period.

6 out of 10 tournaments were won on Texas Rigs

5 out of 10 double digit bass were caught Texas Rigs

Under the title "Texas Rig" falls; weighted, un-weighted, pegged weights (flipping & pitching), & Punch Rigs.

#2 is a Jig-N-Craw!

Of course. But most of the tourney day is after the topwater bite would be over unless it was an exceptional day. I've caught 3 bass over 5# on topwater in the last month. Those have all come in the last hour of daylight. But the biggest fish this past month (6.3#) came on a T-rigged craw while the sun was still high. They'll bite the T-rig when they aren't "biting". They won't bite the topwater if they aren't "biting".

 

The only hard-fast rule in fishing is there are no hard-fast rules. But that's the conventional thinking on the matter.