Types of Topwaters and Fishing Them

…and other ways to get a heart attack

            The huge female bass lay, sulking, next to a mostly submerged oak stump. She was a smart bass – had to be to grow to her current weight, 13 pounds. She didn’t get this big by being stupid. Suddenly, an intruder disturbed her peace and quiet. Something was buzzing on the surface. She eased up to get another look. It was an impudent… well, something. The sow had never seen anything like it. It kept buzzing around up there, challenging her, taunting her, daring her to strike. She couldn’t stand it any longer. With a smashing blow, the bass leapt clear of the water and crushed the thing, only to feel a joyful angler’s solid hookset. Yet another trophy bass had fallen to a topwater lure.

            Topwaters - there is no other lure in all of bass fishing that gets such smashing blows, such heart-stopping leaps, and such large numbers of fish. If you really want to have fun, catch bass, and get your heart pumping, fish a surface plug. 

            There are several types of topwaters; poppers, stick baits, minnow imitators, buzzbaits, and torpedoes. I will discuss each lure individually.

POPPERS – poppers, like the Rapala Skitter Pop or the Rebel Pop-R, are mostly used on days when bass are active, namely, early and late spring, early summer, and fall. These lures, like all topwaters, should be used in water 10 feet deep or less. They produce the most bass when fished with a steady, pop-pop-pop-pause retrieve. This retrieve excites the bass, making for explosive strikes.  Make the action erratic, like a wounded frog or baitfish.

STICK BAITS – by far, the most popular stick bait is the Zara Spook. This is fished with a walk-the-dog pattern, which is a steady, side-to-side retrieve. Many pros use this bait to upgrade their catch in tournaments after they have caught their limit for the day.

MINNOW IMITATORS – such as the Rapala minnow can be used just about in any condition. The most productive retrieve is when the angler reels it for about 1-2 feet, then a pause-jerk-jerk-pause-reel, and then it starts all over again. However, if you want a truly big bass, you have to 'mix it up a lot.' Some days, the best retrieve is just a simple reeling-it-in pattern. Experiment to find the retrieve that works best for you.

BUZZBAITS – these baits are for exasperating the bass until it finally ‘blows up’ on the lure. Buzzbaits are somewhat like hospital food – you don’t know what it is, but you eat it anyway. It works the same way with bass. This is an ‘active bass only’ lure.

TORPEDOES – this lure is supposed to imitate a wounded baitfish, staggering aimlessly on the surface. Use a jerk-jerk-pause retrieve, or reel it back slowly and steadily. This lure works great at night when it is worked slowly. If you see a bass following it, or if you keep getting nips but no strikes, reel it faster, or, even better, jerk it even more desperately and crazily.

Oh, by the way, when a bass hits your topwater, let it run for about 1-2 seconds, and then SET THAT HOOK! Cross his eyes, so to speak. Have fun!

            By Brandon Shook