Favorite winter-spring AZ top water lures

[gavinfaulkner]

Hey all,

I was wondering what you guys like to use when the water is going into the 50’s during the winter. Poppers slow? Whatever you guys think let me know . i typically fish small ponds and go shallow. 

[Dorado]

I have a buddy that starts hammering in AZ as early as February on frogs. Poppers worked slowly, in baby bass pattern, do well for me in early spring. I don’t throw top water in winter because I’m too focused on drop shot, Ned, or finesse jigs during that time. Summer - Fall in AZ, I can’t put down the walking baits though. In weeds, it’s all about the weedless bluegill frog-like lures, like the Livetarget Sunfish types. Sorry to go off course, just covering all bases for these AZ small ponds you mentioned. 

Here’s my secret top water for early spring. Cali 420 Zoom Ultravibe Speed Worm worked like a buzz bait. It’s killer!

[WRB]

You are located in Show Low Mogollon  Rim White Mountains over 6,000’ elevation. We are talking cold water during the winter to pre spawn. Top water bite should be in about 2 months from now, when you see surface aquatic plants are growing. Try whatever you like using but top water lures may be a lot of practice casting. 

Finesse C-rig/slip shot rig and finesse worms. 1/4 oz spinnerbaits and jerk baits should work.

Tom

 

[gavinfaulkner]

On 1/14/2021 at 10:44 PM, Dorado said:

I have a buddy that starts hammering in AZ as early as February on frogs. Poppers worked slowly, in baby bass pattern, do well for me in early spring. I don’t throw top water in winter because I’m too focused on drop shot, Ned, or finesse jigs during that time. Summer - Fall in AZ, I can’t put down the walking baits though. In weeds, it’s all about the weedless bluegill frog-like lures, like the Livetarget Sunfish types. Sorry to go off course, just covering all bases for these AZ small ponds you mentioned. 

Here’s my secret top water for early spring. Cali 420 Zoom Ultravibe Speed Worm worked like a buzz bait. It’s killer!

Hey, it’s been a while since i have been in here. But do you just weedless rig that work and throw it topwater??? Seems genius!!!

[Dorado]

26 minutes ago, gavinfaulkner said:

Hey, it’s been a while since i have been in here. But do you just weedless rig that work and throw it topwater??? Seems genius!!!

I use a 4/0 Gamakatsu G-Lock worm hook and now Texas rig it with a very light bullet lead weight (pegged). I’ve refined this technique since that original post since I used to go weightless. Having that light weight in front keeps the worm on an even keel and gives me a little more distance in that cast. Weightless gives it a tendency for the worm to roll side to side. You want the worm to travel on top of the surface straight and let that tail do all of the action for you. The fast fluttering churns the surface and creates a nice wake too. 
 

I can’t buy a bite with a standard buzzbait. I fish very highly pressured ponds in the city limits and I’m just a firm believer that these trained bass turn away from the loud artificial metal clunking hardbaits. Now there are exceptions to everything and there are some windows in the valley, like prespawn and our very short “Fall” period in AZ, where chatterbaits and lipless cranks dominant. But for 90% of my fishing these days In urban ponds, it’s all finesse fishing for this guy. 
 

Back to the point, that Zoom Ultravibe Speed worm is a finesse buzzbait. With that light Texas-rig, just make sure you keep your rod tip pointed 11 o’clock and semi-burn it to keep it high on the surface or barely subsurface. Last tip, when you rig the worm, make sure the tail ends up pointed downwards. It helps churn the water more effectively. Hope this helps. Try it this Fall! It only last like three weeks lol

[gavinfaulkner]

1 hour ago, Dorado said:

I use a 4/0 Gamakatsu G-Lock worm hook and now Texas rig it with a very light bullet lead weight (pegged). I’ve refined this technique since that original post since I used to go weightless. Having that light weight in front keeps the worm on an even keel and gives me a little more distance in that cast. Weightless gives it a tendency for the worm to roll side to side. You want the worm to travel on top of the surface straight and let that tail do all of the action for you. The fast fluttering churns the surface and creates a nice wake too. 
 

I can’t buy a bite with a standard buzzbait. I fish very highly pressured ponds in the city limits and I’m just a firm believer that these trained bass turn away from the loud artificial metal clunking hardbaits. Now there are exceptions to everything and there are some windows in the valley, like prespawn and our very short “Fall” period in AZ, where chatterbaits and lipless cranks dominant. But for 90% of my fishing these days In urban ponds, it’s all finesse fishing for this guy. 
 

Back to the point, that Zoom Ultravibe Speed worm is a finesse buzzbait. With that light Texas-rig, just make sure you keep your rod tip pointed 11 o’clock and semi-burn it to keep it high on the surface or barely subsurface. Last tip, when you rig the worm, make sure the tail ends up pointed downwards. It helps churn the water more effectively. Hope this helps. Try it this Fall! It only last like three weeks lol

holy **** that’s genius dude. i think what makes that bait dominate in the valley, is that these fish see too much **** and i’ve caught the most fish on the most unorthodox lures. poppers with crazy designs, buzzbaits with no skirts and just paddle tails, popper frogs, etc. if they haven’t seen it, they will usually hit it. i love this idea from you! let me know if u got anything else that you like to throw on topwater that seems to work for ya. i love topwater just like most anglers out there so i love to get more info!