Top Water Baits

[Sharkbite]

Hey Guys

I been looking around for a good top water bait to use  in the river. I has the Rapala Frog popper but lost I am thinking about trying a Hula popper. I heard these are great for night fishing Small Mouth and Large. Any ody use them I would love to hear some feeds back

[SuskyDude]

Sharkbite-

I can't help but notice that you've been having difficulty catching smallies on the deleware, and you keep on asking WHAT kind of baits you should be using. The WHERE is far more inportant. River smallies can be very aggressive, more so, in my opinion, than their still water brothers. The WHAT usually doen't matter too much when you know WHERE to put the WHAT! I'm not saying WHAT doesn't matter, put I think its lower on the pecking order.

To answer your topwater question. I like poppers in the daytime. Anything with a shallow cup and a recessed bottom lip. I like Yo-Zuri ZZ POPs. Worked fast, with the rod tip low, they skitter across the water, spitin' and sprayin' as they go. At night, a 5/8 oz jitterbug, slowly crawled, is hard to beat.

However, you can throw these all day long till your arms fall off, but you won't catch a thing if they aren't there.

Oh yeah, hula poppers will work too, but not my favorite on the river. Too much "glug", not enough "spit". Worked with the rod tip high, they spit pretty good, but can be fussy.

[Sharkbite]

ok Bro thanx. I seen some small bass inthe area but your rite I need to find them first. I am going to fish alot of areas that have current breaking by rocks I understand thats some of there favorite structure in the river

[SuskyDude]

ok Bro thanx. I seen some small bass inthe area but your rite I need to find them first. I am going to fish alot of areas that have current breaking by rocks I understand thats some of there favorite structure in the river

Now you're thinkin! Remember though, not all current breaks are created equal. For example, access to deep water is often key. How deep is deep? Deep enough that you can't see the bottom from above.

The more you get out and fish different areas, the more you'll see how the structural elements of the river affect the way the current flows. Start catching a few smallies, and you'll start to put it together.

Smallies use different current situations at different times.

There are many different current situations, all of them are dictated by structure (or in some cases cover, like a log jam, or pile of rocks).

The variables in fishing are uncountable, add the unstatic nature of a river (always changing:dropping, rising, over time holes become bars and vice versa, you get the idea) and trying to narrow it down can be a daunting task. But....

One thing you can count on is that the river always flows, water always travels the path of least resistance, the bottom of the river always dictates that path, and smallies always use the flowing water to their advantage.

Of course, how smallies use the flow to their advantage can change!   But if you remember the constants above, get out there and pound the river with confidence, you'll begin to see how and why smallies use different current situations (and structure) with each different variable (be it river conditions, temp., time of year etc). The more you catch, the more the pattern will reveal itself.  

Do this grasshopper, and you will be spanking smallmouths like it it's going out of style in no time. ;D Promise.

[roadwarrior]

One of the biggest smallmouth I didn't catch

was fooled by a full-size Zara Spook! Don't

let "size" scare you away. Big fish like big meals.

:

[Dan:]

Great advice, SuskyDude.

For river smallies, my favorites are spooks and prop baits. Remember that in many areas, smallmouth are more likely to hit topwaters in the daytime than largemouth. I have caught lots of smallies in small, fairly shallow rivers in the middle of a summer day.

[jaystraw]

Black Jitterbug.  Any size, but the bigger one with  the two trebles is my favorite..is that the 5/8th?

Heddon Torpedo in baby bass.  

I've caught my biggest smallies on both those baits and they are consistant producers.  Especially at dusk.  Good luck!

[SuskyDude]

Remember that in many areas, smallmouth are more likely to hit topwaters in the daytime than largemouth. I have caught lots of smallies in small, fairly shallow rivers in the middle of a summer day.

Couldn't agree more. My favorite search bait in the summer time, especially when the water is low, is the above mentioned popper. I focus on the fastest, nastiest chutes and riffles, the ones you wouldn't want wade in (be carfeul!) from morning until evening. Many big fish hang in these well oxygenated, "fast food conveyor belts." You gotta set your drag a little loose though. Big fish, FAST water, you get the idea.

[MNGeorge]

Remember that in many areas, smallmouth are more likely to hit topwaters in the daytime than largemouth. I have caught lots of smallies in small, fairly shallow rivers in the middle of a summer day.

Couldn't agree more. My favorite search bait in the summer time, especially when the water is low, is the above mentioned popper. I focus on the fastest, nastiest chutes and riffles, the ones you wouldn't want wade in (be carfeul!) from morning until evening. Many big fish hang in these well oxygenated, "fast food conveyor belts." You gotta set your drag a little loose though. Big fish, FAST water, you get the idea.

Add a fast moving buzzbait to your arsenal when fishing that fast water, but be sure you're holding on to your rod because the strikes will not be tentative.  We especially like a double buzzer because it will stay upright in the fast water even at the fastest retrieves and a lot of times the fastest retrieves produce the best results.

[Sam]

Last smallie I caught was on a buzzbait off a dock in the Historic James River adjacent to my American Legion Post around 6:30 PM while I was waiting for the meeting to start in October, '07.

I threw the buzzbait into the river over some grass; let it sink to the bottom; and then ripped it to the surface.  He hit it before it reached the surface.

Fun fish with a lot of fight.

[Sharkbite]

Hey Guys do you have a link for the Jitter Bugs?

[fishnaddiction]

heddon tiny torpedos work great   heres a link to an article on using them in rivers http://www.bassintips.com/article_riversmallmouthsecrets.html

[Sharkbite]

ok I am going to order the torpedo which color works best? What about the jitter bugs

[Sharkbite]

Hey guys I've checked Tackle Warehouse, *** and cabellas and can't find jitter bugs I've never seen one so maybe I've missed it. Are they soft baits or what????

[Alpster]

Hey guys I've checked Tackle Warehouse, *** and cabellas and can't find jitter bugs I've never seen one so maybe I've missed it. Are they soft baits or what????

Here ya go.......

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10151&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&partNumber=1694&hvarTarget=search&cmCat=SearchResults

Ronnie

[Sharkbite]

OK thank alot bro looks great. I'll get them and the article was posted about the river bass was great

[jaystraw]

I just caught my fist topwater fish yesterday on the Tiny Torpedo in Baby bass.  It was a LM, but a good sized one.

[Sharkbite]

Dam great catch bro was it at night what was the temp of the water there?

[jaystraw]

I'm not sure of the water temp becasue we were in a jon boat with no electronics. I'd say around 62-65 though from how they were biting.

Topwater turned on in the early AM for a bit, and really on just after dark...8:00-8:30pm.

[Sharkbite]

ok I am going to get some of these torpedos. How did you work it in the water

[jaystraw]

I normally do best with a slow retrieve with some pauses.  This night the fish wanted a short pull, pause a few seconds, short pull, pause a few seconds...WHAM!

Also, this fish hit it like a shark actually coming OUT of the water to get it.  A lot of times they just suck it down from below.  This one hit it like a tiny great white.  It was so cool.

[bigbill]

Top water action is the best!!!!!

My lures are as follows;

1. BPS topnocker

2. Bomber FAT A in redapplecraw size 05 (slow topwater they float)

3. Rebel crawfish lure in chatruse (slow topwater they float)

4. Panther martin size 06 with orange/red trailer(slow reeled)

5. Mepps inline spinners silver blade /brown trailer size 2 or 3(slow reeled)

6. Topedo's 2" size just rip and pause and repeat it exactly.

7. Joes Flies Bass size 1/4oz

Using inlines I keep my rod straight up and reel slow just enough to keep my bait on the surface. In rivers i let my inlines go over rocks into the pools were the fish are.

But in rivers here the Rebel crawfish crank is the best lure because there are crawfish shells all over the shore.(plentiful)

[Sharkbite]

Ok great bro thank you I will do my home work and get some. This has been a great topic

[Sharkbite]

Hey guy's I got a deal on E bay. I got 4 Tiny Torpedos at $25.00 I can't wait to get em.

[zachvii]

I caught a smallie this last weekend that was 2lbs and it hit the torpedo on a steady retrieve.  The water was only 55 degree's....Just goes to show you can catch top water fish even when the water is cold!