Light topwater baits

[Dirtyeggroll]

I’ve been thinking about how fun it is to catch bass on light tackle.

 

Most topwater techniques/lures with which I am familiar are pretty heavy and almost require casting (vs. spinning) gear. 

 

What kinds of topwater lures are you all using that can be handled easily by medium/light spinning gear?

[Scott F]

I’ve been throwing top water baits for smallmouth for over 30 years and always used lighter spinning gear until I started using whopper ploppers. Poppers, tiny torpedos, Chug Bugs, Hula Poppers, Zara Spook Jr. are just some of the smaller top water baits you can throw with a spinning rod. 

[Spankey]

Pretty much the same as Scott. I’m a big Rappy fan so I do like the Skitter Pop, Skitter Prop and this year I’ve used the X-Pop for the first time. Got a couple of river smallies on it. Dink’s and runts but a nice one will come. I was real hot on two colors of it and was able to find them. 

 

There is is a ton of stuff out there. 

[Mike L]

Pop R 

 

 

 

 

Mike

[Armtx77]

How small we talking?

 

I have a St Croix 6'6" L/F with a Sedona 1000 and 4lb HiViz Stren. That I throw Rebel Crickets, WeeCraws, Single hook Poppers and 1/16oz RoosterTails.

 

It is a mixed bag of Bull Blugills, Crappie,Hybrid and LMB, but it is a d**n good time fishing that light gear, especially in the dog days of summer.

[Dirtyeggroll]

Somehow I forgot about small poppers!

[Armtx77]

2 minutes ago, Dirtyeggroll said:

Somehow I forgot about small poppers!

Oh yeah, the micro market is obnoxious and the price they want for the scaled down versions is even more obnoxious...supple and demand of course.

I have great luck, matching the hatch with Rebel Crickets. One would be surprised, how they will get a LMB to rise up and smack one of those.

[BassNJake]

Smaller buzzbaits(1/8) work well too.

I like removing the skirt and using curly tail grub as a trailer

[NYWayfarer]

Small Rebel Pop-R, Rebel Frog-R, Heddon Tiny Torpedo, Small Heddon Hula Popper, LunkerHunt Kraken Popping Frog.

 

I use all of these small topwater baits on a spinning rod.

[Timberwolf530]

Rig a Fluke with the hook back from the nose about a half inch.  It keeps it up on top so you can walk the dog, and you can actually get it to jump out of the water if you want it to.  It creates a pretty good commotion, and you can fish it through anything.  Floating worms are another good option.  I've also had some luck with weightless tubes with light wire 1/0 hooks skipped under docks.  Rig it up, then put a foam ear plug up it's butt and they will float great.

[Dorado]

16 minutes ago, Timberwolf530 said:

Rig a Fluke with the hook back from the nose about a half inch.  It keeps it up on top so you can walk the dog, and you can actually get it to jump out of the water if you want it to.  It creates a pretty good commotion, and you can fish it through anything.  Floating worms are another good option.  I've also had some luck with weightless tubes with light wire 1/0 hooks skipped under docks.  Rig it up, then put a foam ear plug up it's butt and they will float great.

May you show a pic of this rigged fluke you’re talking about. I’m really interested   Thanks!

[bagofdonuts]

the old zara puppy kills

[Junger]

Teeny Pop-R (1/8oz) and Rico popper (1/4oz) get the job done for me. They catch big ones too.

 

I think the biggest thing is that they don't spook fish when the splash down into the water. Many times my larger 3/8-1/2oz poppers will spook a fish if I unknowingly nail them on the head.

 

I've tried the Spro 2" frog too, but I'm not a fan. The action isn't good and the hooks are so small, I don't see a hook up ratio being that good.

[Timberwolf530]

30 minutes ago, Dorado said:

May you show a pic of this rigged fluke you’re talking about. I’m really interested   Thanks!

I don't have a picture of one, but its real easy to do.  You rig just like you normally would (Texas style), except instead of having the eye of the hook right on the tip of the nose, you go about a 1/2" deeper into the fluke.  So you end up with 1/2" in the nose that's floppy.  Then you Tex-pose the hook.  You can skin hook it if you're going to be in some slop, but I usually do not.

[Bluebasser86]

I've got Zara Puppies and Tiny PopRs in my creek box that I fish on a 5' light spinning rod with 4lb test. They've caught hundreds of bass and sunfish for me.

[Mbirdsley]

How do you fish the rebel hopper and cricket? I have a couple I bought in three pack.  They have diving lips but, I always thought it was silly just to use them like a crank.  I mean I guess you could 

[greentrout]

own all the rebel critters ... the crickhopper best for topwater for me ... u/l and light gear 4 and 6# line ...

 

they catch all kinds of fish ...   

 

good fishing ...

[Armtx77]

21 hours ago, Mbirdsley said:

How do you fish the rebel hopper and cricket? I have a couple I bought in three pack.  They have diving lips but, I always thought it was silly just to use them like a crank.  I mean I guess you could 

Same as a PopR.

 

Throw them out and let is settle. A couple, three quick jerks and let it sit. Vary the retrieve as you see fit. I caught some bull bluegills a few weeks ago and by bull, they were 11". All on a Green CrickHopper.

[Festivus]

Smaller Spook Jr., Rapala Skitterwalk 8s. Most poppers are small and so are Arobgast Jitterbugs, hooks are not great though. 

[MIbassyaker]

Any 1/4oz or less popper or propbait fits the bill. Most of the usual suspects have been mentioned already. 

 

Don't overlook the Rapala Floating Minnow in the smaller sizes-- work them with twiches/jerks/pulls with pauses in-between.

[Munkin]

Lucky Craft Bevy pop 50 in whatever color you think will work.  It is 2" and weights like 1/8oz? I throw it on a 6' light action spinning rod with 4 to 6lb momo and it catches everything. 

 

Allen 

[The Bassman]

On 8/2/2019 at 9:28 AM, BassNJake said:

Smaller buzzbaits(1/8) work well too.

I like removing the skirt and using curly tail grub as a trailer

Dynamite for low water creek smallmouth. I've switched to tiny paddletail trailers like Z-Man Slim Swimz. Helps the bait run straight. Caught several up to 16" Fri. on my first real wade of the summer.

[Festivus]

Another one is a wake bait, lots of companies make them and they come in smaller sizes weighing about 1/4 oz. 

[waymont]

Pop R, skitter prop and pop, hula popper, original floating Rapala 

[OkobojiEagle]

There are plenty of light top water baits that can be presented easily with med. light spinning gear, but presentation is only 1/2 of the equation.  After enticing your bass to the hook, will you have enough rod to control and bring the bass to hand?  In most of the environments I fish top waters I need a solid med. (sometimes even med. heavy) action rod to quickly turn my bass and get it headed in my direction.  Fighting a bass that has buried itself deeply into cover doesn't do the bass any good and invites disappointment on your part.

 

oe