| Bass fishing with topwater baits is without a | | | | bait all the way to the boat. Work the bait |
| doubt the most fun you can have fishing for | | | | slowly to get that strike from the bass that |
| large or smallmouth bass. People watch these | | | | is hiding in the shadows and under cover. |
| bass tournaments on the tube and see all | | | | Have patience when fishing topwater baits, |
| these pros using plastic and spinner baits | | | | let the ripples disapear, and let the bait |
| jigs and crankbaits, forget about the fun and | | | | sit a few seconds before you make you |
| excitement you get with topwater baits. | | | | retrieve. |
| Topwater baits create great action and | | | | |
| stories to pass on to family and fishing | | | | When the bass strikes a topwater bait, wait |
| friends. | | | | till you feel the fish before you set the |
| | | | hook. If you try to set that hook when you |
| Bass fishing with topwater baits is without a | | | | first see the strike you'll miss more than |
| doubt the most fun you can have fishing for | | | | you will catch. I can't count the times that |
| large or smallmouth bass. People watch these | | | | lure has been nocked back towards me by the |
| bass tournaments on the tube and see all | | | | bass striking that topwater bait. |
| these pros using plastic and spinner baits | | | | |
| jigs and crankbaits, forget about the fun and | | | | Now for some of the most popular baits, |
| excitement you get with topwater baits. | | | | Poppers are among the oldest of topwater bass |
| Topwater baits create great action and | | | | fishing lures. They have the dished out face |
| stories to pass on to family and fishing | | | | with the line tie in the middle. When |
| friends. | | | | retrieved they make a slash noise or "bloop" |
| | | | when popped. Poppers work best in warm, calm, |
| The best time I find for topwater bass | | | | shallow, clear water. You get your action |
| fishing is in summer, the colder the water | | | | from the rod tip not reeling. The harder you |
| the slower the response, and the more you | | | | snap the bait the more noise and commotion |
| have to work that bait. Early morning and | | | | created. |
| evening are best for topwater bass fishing. | | | | |
| | | | Stickbaits are rounded, hot-dog shaped lures |
| Of course weather effects your choice of | | | | usually plastic or wood. weighted to float |
| lures also, on a bright sunny day it is | | | | nose up. The only action they have is what |
| better to have a light wind to go with it, a | | | | the angler ads to make them work. These baits |
| bit of a chop makes the bass less spooky. On | | | | have appeal for big bass, just using the |
| a calm sunny day use a heavier lure and | | | | jerk, then real up slack and jerking again |
| lighter line for longer casts. Bass tend to | | | | produces a good eratic side to side motion |
| become real spooky in calm and clear water, | | | | that gets lots of attention from bass. |
| so the further the cast from you the better | | | | |
| off you'll be. | | | | Propbaits are cigar shaped and fitted with |
| | | | propellers on one or both ends. Propbaits can |
| Wind can also change the type of topwater | | | | be worked fast or slow, quiet or loud, but |
| bait you can use I believe that when the wind | | | | stop and go retrieves are best. The bass will |
| comes up you should use a smaller bait that | | | | let you know what is best so vary your |
| makes a lot of noise. The larger baits just | | | | retrieve. Be sure to experiment, propbaits |
| plow through the chop, while the smaller | | | | are dynamite around sunken logs, lily pads, |
| baits ride the chop and still make that | | | | and shallow cover. Be sure the blades on the |
| enticing noise to get the strike you want. | | | | lure run freely, |
| Also try to fish through the troughs created | | | | |
| by the wind. | | | | Wobblers and Crawlers, these baits are |
| | | | particularly best at night or early morning, |
| Bass fishing topwater baits has some of it's | | | | Examples of these are the Jitterbug or the |
| own quirks you want to be able to make | | | | Crazy Crawler. They make a loud plopping |
| pinpoint casts to cover areas and make a | | | | sound when retrieved steadily. Use a steady |
| clear retrieve. Most of your topwater bass | | | | slow retrieve for the best results with this |
| fishing will be done in shallow water over | | | | bass bait. |
| weed beds, flats and around objects and | | | | |
| shoreline cover. The majority of bass | | | | Buzzbaits are a little like spinnerbaits |
| population remains in shallow water all | | | | desingned to be fished on the surface. There |
| summer. | | | | are two types, the opposite wire types, with |
| | | | the blade above the hook, and the inline type |
| To fish bass with topwater baits cast about a | | | | with everything on one shaft. Excellent for |
| foot or two past your target and bring it as | | | | clear water, and pick up less weeds. Again |
| close to the cover as possible. If you do not | | | | experiment with your working of this bait, |
| get a strike after the first few feet reel in | | | | twitching and vary speeds to create different |
| and try again and make another cast. Fishing | | | | noises. |
| cover like this there is no need to reel the | | | | |