Topwater Conditions

[dumb_dog11]

What are conditions that are conducive to specific types of topwater lures.

For example, I know that buzzbaits and buzzfrogs are good for overcast days with a little wind.

But, what about poppers, prop baits and pencil baits? When is it a good time to use these?

[iceintheveins]

The very best conditions for topwaters are any days where it's cloudy, or the two twillight periods surrounding sunrise and sunset. This goes with any topwater bait.

However, if lots of baitfish are up on the surface, a topwater lure is a good call regardless of time of day. I've also found that buzzbaits work better than other topwaters during the day, especially for covering large amounts of weedy shallows.

During the ideal conditions I listed at the first part of this post, topwaters are my go to presentation.

[MNGeorge]

Don't limit yourself to calm days for throwing a buzz bait.  We have had some of our best buzz bait success on very windy days.  Use the biggest, loudest buzzer you have and work it over submerged weed beds.  You will likely be pleasantly surprised at the action you get.

We don't throw pencil baits much at all, but do fish heavy slop with both buzz frogs and hollow body frogs like the Swamp Donkey or Spro Dean Rojas Bronze Eye Frog.  This is a very exciting and fun way to fish.  It does require some specialized tackle, heavy action rod, heavy braided line etc. to pull fish from the heavy cover, but it is so much fun to watch them blow up on a bait in the middle of a big area of thick cover.

Popper or chugger type baits we use on calm to relatively calm days, especially if there is some cloud cover and/or it is humid out.  Don't know what the humidity has to do with it, but we have had some awesome days with both popper/chugger style baits as well as walk the dog type baits when it was very humid out.

[Castamasta]

would you prefer a double bladed buzzbait over a single bladed?

[BassinBoy]

I like topwaters when its pretty calm.

[brgbassmaster]

i use popper type baits in the mornings over weed beds on points or deep weedbeds when its calm. buzzbaits i like to use when its windy and cloudy. i even use popr type baits when it is windy and cloudy or i have done really well on torpedos when it is choppy.

[Marty]

Sunny days can be surprisingly good for topwaters, so don't rule them out  just because of the weather.

[MNGeorge]

would you prefer a double bladed buzzbait over a single bladed?

If you are asking me this question, we use both depending mostly on how fast you have to retrieve them to induce strikes.  The double bladed ones can be really burned in without washing out like some single blade models do on high speed retrieves.  The important thing in windy conditions is how much commotion they create.  The more the better.

[Castamasta]

thanks for the advice MNGeorge

[iceintheveins]

Sunny days can be surprisingly good for topwaters, so don't rule them out just because of the weather.

Definately. I have had that happen.