Now’s the time when we’re all starting to think about a topwater bite, and that’s appropriate. The water’s getting warm, the fish are moving shallow and they’re hungry. And, if there’s a more fun way to catch a bass I don’t know what it is.
I’ve been a topwater fan since I first started fishing, and my professional career hasn’t dampened my enthusiasm one bit. In fact, it may have actually pushed it forward.
In the spring I usually start my topwater fishing somewhere around the 55 degree mark. Now, that’s not the same on every lake and river. In some places it’ll start as low as 50 degrees and in others you’d be better off to wait for two or three more degrees. Nevertheless, 55 is a place to start.
My first baits of the year — before the eggs hatch — are buzzbaits and frogs. I like bigger topwater baits. The reason is simple: Bigger baits have a higher hooking percentage and they seem to attract bigger fish, especially during the prespawn when your bite is coming from the females.
As the water warms and the eggs hatch I switch to a popper. For some reason the females slow down but the males get really active. I don’t always fish this time of the year on top because the males tend to be smaller fish. As a tournament angler that’s not what I’m looking to catch. But, that thinking shouldn’t apply to everyone.
I said in my very first column that no one should confuse what we do as Elite Series anglers with what they do as a recreational angler. This is a perfect example of what I was talking about. You can have a really fun day catching smaller males on top. There’s nothing wrong with a 2 pound bass. It’s not about the weight unless you’re fishing for money. Go have some fun. Watch them tail-walk.
Late in the postseason I throw a lot of walking sticks. The big females are on the bite again and they like those big, three hook lures.
When the grass starts to mat in the heat of the summer, I’m looking to tie on a frog. There’s no lure that I can think of that’s as effective and as efficient as a top-quality frog when the grass is thick. I don’t do anything fancy with it — just walk and splash it across the mats and let it drop into open water from time-to-time.
In the fall I break out my walkin’ sticks again and add a few buzzbaits to the mix. Fishing an active topwater bite in the fall can be one of the most exciting things you can do. At times the action is nonstop and nothing short of explosive.
The last thing I want to mention is that bass will bite a topwater bait in much colder water in the fall than they will in the spring. I’ll fish topwater anytime the water temperature is 47 degrees or better and the leaves are turning. I’m not sure why that is, but it pretty much seems to be a universal thing around the country.
