Lets talk topwater

[McCarter]

Among my many, many fishing weaknesses, i would place topwater in the first 3.  The only time i really throw a topwater with confidence is during the post spawn period.  like everyone else, i take advantage of bass feeding on bedding bluegill.  The rest of the season, i might throw topwater here and there a few times, but i have no confidence in it.  I never stick with it for very long, unless i bang out a couple fish in a hurry.

There are a couple reasons for this.  One, that i really just realized yesterday while browsing some RI Vixens on LandBigFish.com, is color selection.  I am pretty lame when it comes to selecting color patterns for topwaters.  Obviously, i have always done well on natural colors and chrome finishes.  But some of the other colors leave me stumped.  I have heard guys talk about certain colors, but i can never bring myself to buy them.  So i am always stuck on 3 main colors for topwater.  Bone, Baby Bass, and Chrome blue or black.  I have a few shad patterns as well, but i dont really do well on them.

Another reason is rod selection.  I just cant find a rod action that i am comfortable with while fishing topwater lures.  I have about 20 rods that i rotate through on a regular basis, but none of them feel right for walking the dog, or popping and chugging.

And, other than post spawn, i am not really sure about what conditions are best to start throwing a topwater.  I know the basic rules.  Windy, choppy conditions throw a prop bait.  Slick conditions, throw a popper style.  Walker for active or schooling fish, blah blah blah.  Thats all fine and good, but thats any day of the week on any  lake in the world and i just dont have success on it very often.  Its hard to narrow down what, when, and where.

I will give you some examples on when and what i would throw and have found success on.

Cloudy days:  Popper style baits on shallow flats have worked well for me enough times that i will always have one tied on during these conditions.

Late in the day in late spring/early summer:  walker style baits have produced well for me on shallow flats where bluegills are bedding.  this is another one that is always in the back of my mind, when the conditions are right.

Sunny, hot days, early to late morning:   I have been hit or miss on this one, but i use a chrome popper.  It has worked well from time to time but once the sun is too high, the fish take a hike.

Post cold fronts:  I think it was Hank Parker years ago, maybe not...but i seen this on a TV show.  Whoever it was, was throwing a buzzbait to shady areas on bluebird days and killing them.  I remember this years later and tried it, and it worked.  So i try to keep this in mind to try.

Calm, rainy days:  An old stand by.  Find pads and throw just about anything that floats.

Thats all i can think of where i would throw a topwater.  But i am never really confident when i start.  I guess i am just not comfortable enough in lure selection and especially color.

So how about some help.  Let me know how you go about selecting lure style, color, what rod action and length you prefer, what conditions you look for, etc.  I am looking for any and all information you guys can offer.  I have decided that 2007 is the year of the topwater for me, and i want to get a good grip on most of this stuff so i can stock up on some more lures.

PB himself

[stackenem]

I like throwing spooks on my flipping stick with braid early morn. I can throw it a mile and the braid really lets me work it well I have good luck when the water is smooth and it is hot out. I have used this in water up to 10 ft deep and done well. They seem to just crush it when you are in a little deeper water.

[Skulley]

There is no other bait that I would rather throw than a topwater.? It is one of my best baits from pre-spawn all the way until fall when the water falls into the low 60's.? I almost always have a popper and a spook tied on.? I have had success in shallow as well as deep water with them.? They shine in the dog days of summer when the bass are suspended over structure.? Colors to me don't matter.? It is the action of a spook that I think draws the strikes.? On poppers I use a natural feather on the rear treble hook.? When the bait sits in the water, that feather suductively entices bass to strike.? There are some techniques on poppers that do need to be perfected in order to get the bass to hit them.?

As far as poppers go, I am really sold on the Iovino Splash-its.? For some reason these baits draw more strikes than any other popper I have ever fished.? They rattle which I think is key.? They are cheaper than Lucky Crafts but more expensive than the regular Heddon Pop-R's.? Smallmouth and Largemouth just eat them up.

As far as spooks or walking baits, I have no preference.? It is all in the action.? I don't believe any one pattern is better than any other.? For example, I have several different patterns, but fished one color all summer long and never changed.? Several years ago I tried several different colors and patterns and could not pinpoint why the bass hit them except for the action I put in the bait walking the dog.? I think the ones that rattle are better and draw more strikes.? When fishing walking baits, practice makes perfect.? I practice in my swimming pool.? I throw it out there and work it back.?

Next season if you would like to go out and fish with me, I would be happy to teach you what I have learned about fishing them.?

As far as rods go, I prefer a 6 foot to 6 and half foot baitcaster with 14lb test or more so that the line floats.  The rod should have a short handle so that it doesn't keep hitting on your forearm.  Using the long handle all day will leave bruises on your forearm.  I prefer the same type of rod for jerkbaits however I down size the line on those to 10lb test.

There is no other bait I would rather fish.? I could leave all my other baits at home and know that I could get a solid limit on them consistantly.? My daughter is amazed at how many fish I catch on them versus other baits in my arsenal.? I throw them in any conditions.  If the fish don't hit them....and sometimes they don't, that is when I switch to something else other than topwaters.  Good luck.

BD? ? ?

[McCarter]

Next season if you would like to go out and fish with me, I would be happy to teach you what I have learned about fishing them.?

Ummmm......yes!  Sounds good to me.

PB himself

[Team houston]

The Splash-Its  have been my go to topwater for about 6 years. When I throw top water.

[Team houston]

Oh yeah,  any shad color is fine.

[dartag]

PB you need to start thinking about Diper changing and staying up late for the feeding.    sad to say Brown is going to be the color of choice for a while.  i a sure us " old guys " will have lots of advice for ya.

[matt]

good advices   

I have zero confience in top water lures....haven't caught one with them yet since i started fishing again 2 years ago.

[Skulley]

Well, PB I will expect an email or a personal message so that we can get together next season......since you are interested in my offer.  Now don't forget.   

BD? ?

[djkimmel]

I have one baby bass Splash-it. When it is the hot bait, it is HOT! But sometimes, the 'louder' Pop'r kicks its butt! The Splash-it is really good for me in the postspawn on inland lakes in particular.

I like loud, full-sized Super Spooks in light colors on St. Clair in mid - to late summer. Caught some toads on those.

If you are ever on Kentucky/Barkley though, you better have a black Super Spook.

Regardless, you can't ever overlook the good ole buzzbait for big bass... and that includes smallies. I've culled big several times with smallies on buzzbaits... and I've had some awesome pre-to-postspawn buzzbait action on smallies in the bays/reeds on St. Clair! I mean days you just believe it can't get any better. I even have witnesses.

[joshimoto son]

As far as rods go... I've never had any good consistency with keeping them hooked up.
Generally I have always used a 6'6" medium to MH rod with mono.

On the days when the fish are really aggressive and completely eat the bait, those rods have worked fine. But when they're a little finicky and don't smash the bait, I tend to lose quite a few fish. I always make sure I'm throwing sharp hooks.

This year I started throwing top water on my 7' 0" cranking rod. It's a Quantum Tour glass rod and have found that, even when they're just hanging on by one hook, my percentages of landing them have gone up tremendously.

Obviously, this will not work well around heavy cover, I am talking more around open water.

joshimoto son

[Skulley]

Actually the rods I use for topwater fishing is a 6ft. to 6 and a half ft. Quantum Tour Edition graphite rod in a medium action.  The reels I have been using are the Quantum 1310 MG and Quantum Iron spooled with 14lb mono.  I use super sharp hooks on all my topwater baits and I rarely lose fish no matter how they strike.  I guess that is because depending on how they hit the bait I am either counting 1000, 2000, 3000 and then setting the hook on an aggressive strike or I am counting 1000, 2000, 3000, 4000, 5000 and setting the hook when the bass just suck the bait under.  Super sharp hooks are key.

BD     

[bshaner]

When you say topwater all I can think about is frogs!!!!  I have Joshimoto to blame for this.   

It seems like we are talking more about poppers and walkers here though.

You need a short stick with a short handle,  good call UAW.  The rod power/action isnt as important for the presentation as the line type/test.  Definately need mono for the floating properties and for the stretch which helps quite a bit if you are one to pull the trigger too fast.

Buzzbaits get a 7' MH/Fast with a burner speed reel.  I've never really noticed a difference in skirt colors.  In my opinion the bass are reacting to the vibration and key in on it more so than the color.

I tend to follow the rules of thumb for buzz baits along the same lines as the spinnerbaits.  Windy/choppy/cloudy conditions etc etc.

Poppers and walkers I have less confidence in but I will throw them all day long if the bite is on.   For poppers I like the original Pop-R's but I replace the hooks and try to put on a longer, fuller feather. I agree again with UAW... the feather can clinch the deal.   For both poppers and sammies I replace the rear hook with a size bigger.  This seems to really increase my hookup ratio.   For walkers I really like the sammies.  They out perform spooks all day long as far as I'm concerned.  For both walkers and poppers I use the same basic colors you already mentioned, PB.  I think if you can just mimic any kind of baitfish or bluegill as far as color then you are good.  Poppers are basically imitating dying fish on the surface giving it one last hurrah before going to fishy heaven.

As for where to throw?  Well, you are just targetting a water column (the top).  The area you target will be where you think the fish are on that particular lake at that particular time - within reason.  If you believe the fish are in 40 FOW holding on structure, well I'll just laugh at you if you abandon a drop shot for a popper.  But I generally like to laugh at people anyway.  You get the point though. 

Josh really turned me on to the frogs this year though.  I'll tell you, if the weeds are even close to the surface I'd rather be throwing a frog than anything else.  There's just something about those soft plastic toads that turns the fish on.  Toads arent just for pads.  I've been known to catch decent fish in open water on frogs too.

Hope this helps a little,

B

[Skulley]

Yeah, frogs are good too.  I use them when there is a lot of slop present.  I tend to use walkers and poppers when the weeds are below the surface but I will throw them around the slop. 

As far as Buzzbaits go, I tend to use black.  I don't think color has any effect on the fish as much as I would agree that it is the noise and vibration that brings the strikes.  I stick with black because the fish can see the outline/shadow of the bait when looking up at it.

All in all topwater fishing is my favorite way to fish.  There is nothing like that adrenaline rush when a bass explodes on your offering and you can see it.  It gives interactive fishing a new meaning.

BD               

[Hooksetter]

Frogs were a new bait for me this year and quickly became a favorite, although they didn't produce real well for me in a tournament until the DK Open ! I rig them on a 6'6" med-heavy fast action rod with 65# braid and did not have any problems. Only about a 50% hook up rate even though I would wait until I could feel the fish pull before I would set the hook. I tried varying this more or less but the results stayed about the same.

Topwater is my favorite way to catch fish if that is working. My favorites are Sammys, Chug bugs and Pop-Rs, depending on the lake I am fishing.

I use a 6'6" med-heavy fast action rod for all of them, that seems to work good for me. I use 12 or 17 lb. mono, depending on how heavy the cover I am fishing over or by.

I change the hooks to Gammys on all of them except the Sammy, they are good to go right out of the box.

I have never caught a fish on a buzzbait, I have absolutely no confidence in them at all. Maybe I haven't been in the right place at the right time but I quit using them a few years ago and don't have any plans to try them again anytime in the near future.

Just my 2cents.

Willie

[Cheetam]

I tend to follow the rules of thumb for buzz baits along the same lines as the spinnerbaits.? Windy/choppy/cloudy conditions etc etc.

Some of my absolutely best days fishing a buzzbait have been calm days with blue bird skies...don't just limit yourself to windy/choppy/cloudy days...

[Skulley]

You can increase your hook-up percentages with frogs by using a stinger hook.? I use two different kinds.? I will use weedless treble hooks or sometimes weedless Eagle Claws.? That definitely will take that 50% hookup and increase it to 90% plus.? That has helped my frog fishing when it comes to sticking and landing them.? Give that a try.


BD? ? ? ? ?

[bshaner]

You can increase your hook-up percentages with frogs by using a stinger hook. I use two different kinds. I will use weedless treble hooks or sometime weedless Eagle Claws. That definitly will take that 50% hookup and increase it to 90% plus. That has helped my frog fishing when it comes to sticking and landing them. Give that a try.


BD

I've been doing this for a while also.  I just use a Gammie trailer hook and let it run between the toad legs.  It acts as a rudder and keeps it upright.  90% is a conservative hook up ratio when done this way.  It doesnt work the best in the slop though  .  Next year I'll go to the weedless hook of some sort for a stinger for the slop.

I tend to follow the rules of thumb for buzz baits along the same lines as the spinnerbaits.  Windy/choppy/cloudy conditions etc etc.

Some of my absolutely best days fishing a buzzbait have been calm days with blue bird skies...don't just limit yourself to windy/choppy/cloudy days...

I use them on bluebird days if the bite is on.  Just as a general rule of thumb I mimic the spinnerbait pattern.

B

[BassinGT]

I love to attack lilly pads with my buzzbait. If they aren't too thick I simply navigate it between the pads. The bad thing is that I have to take off the trailer hook otherwise I get caught up in the pads. It's soo much fun. If a fish misses the buzzbait I quickly follow it up with my trusty senko in the same spot. I too like to fish my buzzbait with a 6'6" med hvy rod. I prefer a black skirt or a chartreuse skirt. Had equal luck with both colors. When not fishing the pads I always use a trailer hook.

-Gary