Topwater - what to throw and when?

[Beetlebz]

This year I have been making a really hard push to gain confidence in topwater baits. I have been throwing primarily hollow bodied frogs on braid and having a ton of fun but I'm left with alot of questions, the answers to which dont seem to be as apparent as I would like.

 

So I understand that the quieter the water, the more subtle the presentation. At least that is what I have understood. So if it's dead slick calm I'll throw a walking frog instead of a popping frog. If its windy with chop I'll throw a sprinker or prop frog instead of a popping or walking frog.

 

But what if its calm and open water? Do I throw a spook or a walking frog? Would a popper work just as well In open water being walked? When should I switch to a spook with the rattles from a silent stick bait?

 

And just as confusing, what colors apply to what conditions? Almost all of my bites were on a black terminator walking frog and a dark brown poppin pad crasher. I own a couple with white bellies and a couple with yellow, but I just throw the black one because I'm not sure when the other colors apply. Sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't, but I'm not even sure if color matters that much. 

 

Lastly, does the color on fast moving topwater baits like torpedoes, prop frogs, sprinkers and the like have any real effect? The biggest and best fish i have caught yet was in almost zero light on a line green sprinker... not a black one that the internet would make me believe is necessary. 

 

Anyway I've rambled enough... what rules do you folks abide by?

[the reel ess]

Check this out. This guy has the best topwater videos from some great trophy fisheries. Usually, I take conditions into account. After you've gained experience, you'll have those guidelines to draw from. But, as with any other technique, just when you've figured something out, bass will show you you don't know anything.

 

 

 

[Scott F]

In my opinion, you are overthinking this. The fish have never used the internet so they don’t know the “rules” you seem to think are important. You can follow them if you want. But you might be surprised how many fish you catch by trying a lot of variations that break all the rules. 

[Tennessee Boy]

There are very few rules,  most of what you mentioned should be considered guidelines.  When we hit the water,  we have to decide what to try first.  There are almost endless options when you consider bait,  color,  presentation.    Use guidelines and your past experience (hopefully documented in your fishing journal) to decide what you will try and in what order.

[papajoe222]

Don’t forget buzz baits. Calm water or with a chop, they can draw some violent strikes from inactive fish. 

As for colors, most fish, frogs, mice, etc. have white or light colored bellies and bass are looking up at your topwater lure. Something to think about. 

[BrackishBassin]

Bottom line - they can’t bite it if you’re not throwing it. My PB (fish in my picture) was caught on a wakebait in the middle of February when you’re ‘supposed’ to be crawling jigs on the bottom or dead sticking a senko to get a bite. If you’ve got it, throw it. Might just be a PB with your name on it waiting to see something different. 

[Beetlebz]

25 minutes ago, BrackishBassin said:

Bottom line - they can’t bite it if you’re not throwing it. My PB (fish in my picture) was caught on a wakebait in the middle of February when you’re ‘supposed’ to be crawling jigs on the bottom or dead sticking a senko to get a bite. If you’ve got it, throw it. Might just be a PB with your name on it waiting to see something different. 

Man you're right about that. My PB for this season came burning a lipless at warp speed in 41 degree water. 

 

I tend to not have alot of low light to fish in, I'm just trying to narrow down some choices to minimize my wasted time. I think I'm going to pick up a white popping frog and maybe a white spook style bait to start. Sadly this is the time of year when the grass grows crazy and limits the stuff you can throw in these waters. I haven't had so much as a boil on the lunkerhunt prop frog so I'll stick to the walking frog and popping frog in different colors. Can't hurt to try I suppose.

[Chris186]

3 hours ago, papajoe222 said:

Don’t forget buzz baits. Calm water or with a chop, they can draw some violent strikes from inactive fish. 

This^^

A couple weeks ago I had a 4lb largemouth absolutely hammer my buzz bait, the water was as slick as glass

[Koz]

If there is a bunch of heavy weeds or vegetation then obviously I'm going to throw something without treble hooks like a Pad Crasher or Sprinker.

 

But if I don't have to worry about vegetation then I don't worry about unwritten rules or anything like that. I'll size up the weather and water conditions, but mainly I throw the baits I like or if I have a hunch I throw that one. I'm not a pro angler worrying with every cast about putting money in the bank. I just enjoy being out there and relaxing.

 

 

[TnRiver46]

I like bone color on my topwaters. Buzzbait I like white but a lot of People like black. I usually try a few different things, I chucked a prop bait into busting fish the other day and they wouldn’t hit it. Threw a spook and one hit it harder than I could ever imagine. Maybe he didn’t see the prop bait but with big loud stuff I figure they see and hear it on the first cast or two