Topwater.....whats your take?

[bassdisaster]

POPPERS, BUZZBAITS, SPOOKS AND SAMMYS, PROPBAITS, FROGS,
To name a few, I'm sitting here wondering if its too early in the season to consider topwater NOW?
I was in the boat re rigging tonite with the New Berkely 100% fluorocarbon I just got, and its so MILD out there I had the itch!
When Do you consider topwater a viable option?
I mean anytime they will take on top is a good time!
Whats your Favorite topwater to toss and when?

Personally I like Poppers before dark, buzzbaits after!

BD

[basskiller46]

As long as the water is above 60 it cant hurt to try.

[jiggineyes]

Yep 60* is the key temp. I tried a bit at metro over the weekend with no takers. Wouldnt even hit the jerk bait yet. It was a sunny day, so couldve just been timing too. Its gettin close. With these few warm days I wouldnt be surprised if they turned on to it.

I think its way early for buzzbaits though. A bit too fast yet. Id keep it slow for now. Id stick with the poppers, prop baits for now. Im waiting for the topwater too! My fav type opf fishing!

[thedude]

you can catch fish on buzzbaits in most any condition - water temp be damned. if the fish are shallow and the conditions right, they will eat them. Just like anything, never know until you try ;)

buddy got a fish tonight on a skitter pop too.

[bassdisaster]

you can catch fish on buzzbaits in most any condition - water temp be damned. if the fish are shallow and the conditions right, they will eat them. Just like anything, never know until you try ;)

buddy got a fish tonight on a skitter pop too.

Skitter pop eh!
So would this lead to the thinking that in the early season rattles are not necessary?


BD

[fishinthed]

Let's not forget the good 'ol jitterbug. The largemouths certainly took a liking to my frog finish jointed, rattling jitterbug near the lily pads in Lake Mitchell right after the last warm spell a couple weeks ago. They were hitting on every other cast. Unfortunately it was a pike tournament.

[Fishous]

I've already had bass hitting topwater lures, poppers and jitterbugs. I've noticed that they are usually most productive when the water is really calm. Not so much when there are ripples from wind.

[waterfoul]

Will work on any lake but Wabasis!

[cfruel]

I will fish top water even with water temps in the 50's. I think the key to a lot of top water baits is bait fish. IE: poppper, chuggers, walkers, wakers and props. Things like buzz baits, jitter bugs and other fast moving top water it's about aggravation. The bass can't help but to hit that bait. I believe in top water anytime bass are aggresive and shallow.

Cy

[42vj42]

I'd try them now. Just a heads up. Flouro lines will affect the action of your baits as they sink quicker than mono. It took me a few frustrated days of trying to figure out what was wrong with a Pop'R to figure this out. Not so much pop with the nose down. With other baits like a devils horse I don't mind so much, gives it more of a different action than a wrong action.

[Magic_Man]

Popper's have always worked well for me, right at dusk till dark. Then I usually switch to a jitterbug.

[RJSwirlz]

I don't commit myself to topwaters until postspawn. I'll use them earlier, but they produce more consistently for me when the water temp is between 70-75.

[MikeTightLines]

I love HulaPoppers, TinyTorpedos and Jitterbugs for bass, but usually later in the year. What I use now, and will be throwing this weekend, is an Original Floater Rapala, Size # 7-11, in black/silver, blue/white, or perch pattern. Twitch it gently on the surface and bass just can't resist it! I have caught bass using a Floating Rapala as early as first weekend of May, with water temp's in mid 50's. Hard to beat a Rapala anytime of year.....

[Oldgrandman]

Devils horse. Once my line must have had a weak spot and snapped off on a tangle at the tip on a cast. Was in my buddies boat and he was drifting a crawler, so I said 'hey bump me over there before a fish hits it.' No, he was gonna finish his drift, no fish is gonna hit it :rolleyes:....needless to say a fish hit it!
Really do not remember if I got it back anymore but I do remember cussing him out for about a month after that :lol:

[DaveW731]

Another vote for Devil's horse as an early season topwater. Now is not too early. Can vary from fast to slow, noisy to quiet. Also, IMO, for topwaters, ditch the flouro!!! I tried flouro two years ago for topwaters and it felt like I was retrieving baits through jello: the dogs didn't walk, poppers didn't pop jitterbugs didn't plop and the props just stopped.

[bassdisaster]

As an Avid Dropshotter I know the advantages of Flouro, and its disadvantages when you want to stay high:dizzy: Buzz Kill eh!
When are they gonna come up with a floating flouro that I can afford!
I about Chit myself when I seen the price of this new 20Lb Berkley 100% flouro OMG

I fished 6 hours today, I couldent talk myself into topwater, lipless was HOT, dropshotting was effective, and beavers worked, so I stuck to the lippless! My best 5 prolly close to 15Lbs of CROTON smallmouth today!
And at least 10 hammer handle slimmers, not 1 keeper! and befor I was done 1 of them toothy's got my lippless!

BD

[DaveW731]

Didn't know there was such a thing as a flouro that floats. I thought the issue was that the density of flourocarbon was greater than water, so nothing can be done to make it float.
Also, mildy surprised that lipless was the hot bait this early; would've thought a bit slower presentation would have been the ticket. Live and learn; I LOVE lipless baits, so am tying on my favorite Rattletrap this weekend, with a Devil's Horse on another pole and a good ol' Senko on pole#3

[bassdisaster]

Didn't know there was such a thing as a flouro that floats. I thought the issue was that the density of flourocarbon was greater than water, so nothing can be done to make it float.
Also, mildy surprised that lipless was the hot bait this early; would've thought a bit slower presentation would have been the ticket. Live and learn; I LOVE lipless baits, so am tying on my favorite Rattletrap this weekend, with a Devil's Horse on another pole and a good ol' Senko on pole#3

Lipless is 1 Of my fav methods, confidence means everything!
Some times Id go 15+ cast's between strikes then BAM hit 3 fish in 5 casts so go figure!

BD

[fishinthed]

I've had no problems with a fluoro leader using topwaters. Actually the leader being underwater makes it less visible than if it were lying on the top.

You can do a very slow presentation with the very slow sinking (almost suspending) "Red Zone" Rat-L-Traps or the floating Rat-L-Traps -- which actually have a slow rise, and don't bob up like a cork, which makes them well suited for slow presentations in shallow water, especially with a fluoro leader ;). Kinda like an injured baitfish.

Was getting lots of largemouth action in the canals off Lake St. Clair on a floating Rat-L-Trap Tuesday. Sinking ones were getting too mucked up. A slow (1.5 mph) trolling presentation worked best. :fish: No action on topwaters, though.

[jigworm]

Try removing the front blade from theDevil Horse. It makes the bait sit nose up. With a hard twitch it slaps the water then the back blade comes up and sputters. Just a different look for a great bait. My favorites are the spook, pop-r and the Devils Horse. I do like fishing frogs, but I don't fish the slop too much.

[DaveW731]

I've had no problems with a fluoro leader using topwaters. Actually the leader being underwater makes it less visible than if it were lying on the top.

You can do a very slow presentation with the very slow sinking (almost suspending) "Red Zone" Rat-L-Traps or the floating Rat-L-Traps -- which actually have a slow rise, and don't bob up like a cork, which makes them well suited for slow presentations in shallow water, especially with a fluoro leader ;). Kinda like an injured baitfish.

Was getting lots of largemouth action in the canals off Lake St. Clair on a floating Rat-L-Trap Tuesday. Sinking ones were getting too mucked up. A slow (1.5 mph) trolling presentation worked best. :fish: No action on topwaters, though.

Hadn't tried flouro as a leader: had used Berkley Vanish as main line. I can see how a flouro leader and mono mainline could be best of both worlds for topwaters:).
I have an old Cotton Cordell "Rattlespot" that is a true suspending lipless rattlebait and I LOVE it for exactly the type of applications you are describing. Hadn't known that RTrap Red Zone was designed to semi-suspend. Gotta pick up a couple: thanks for the info!:):)

[SPITFIRE]

Caught three bass yesterday on a white buzzbait ;)

[sea nympho]

I caught green & brown bass after dark last night on croton ,Carl, after the 2 big smallies...I start w/ the topwaters @ night gig when water hits 64F(spawn), and it's my favorite pattern of the whole year.

BTW, whenever I say 'topwater', I mean Hula Popper....& MONO is a MUST(just bought a spool 'o 8# today:lol:). Flouro sinks & braid won't stretch...the bait will not to make the right sound w/out some stretch & floating line.

Every once in a while a buzzbait or spook.

[Bigdoggy11350]

Nailed everything under the sun with a top wate rapala today water temp was high 60's it's never to early.:fish:

[fishinthed]

You're welcome, Dave. I love suspending baits. Will probably be re-working some of my floating baits with electrical terminal screws to make 'em suspend.

Are those suspending "rattlespots" still available?

I start w/ the topwaters @ night gig when water hits 64F(spawn), and it's my favorite pattern of the whole year.

BTW, whenever I say 'topwater', I mean Hula Popper....& MONO is a MUST(just bought a spool 'o 8# today:lol:). Flouro sinks & braid won't stretch...the bait will not to make the right sound w/out some stretch & floating line.

Hmmm... I'll keep a spool on hand with mono with that in mind. But I've done better with jitterbugs, which work great with a braid main line and fluoro leader.

I find braid essential to get the best out of suspending baits, unless they're ripped or slashed aggressively. Like to feel that "drum beat" when twitching the bait.

[UkiahDog]

I've had good success with topwater in some very mild wind. I try it early and late mostly. Focusing in the shallower water, especially when shaded by trees.

If it's a mild ripple I almost go to that first if I'm shallow and I think the fish are looking for the light wind to blow something into the water.

Any kind of wave, even a hint of wave is a no go, but I definately do not limit topwater action to glassed water.

I just go slow in spring, and let it set between tugs a while longer and in summer and fall speed it up a bit. I think 60 degrees is a good mark for how fast you fish anything in the spring.

The only topwater I steadily retreive is a buzzbait. Anything with a lip I'll jerk or tug and try to get a side to side twitch from tug to tug.

I've been getting some bass on a little Storm Chug Bug up here so far this year.

[Jnamo]

Chug Bugs are awesome during the hatch...Buzzbaits for Largies and poppers/chugs for smallies...That is the way I roll!!!

I usually don't get to excited about topwater until post spawn...then it is on until the fall!

Tight Lines