The Megadog from Megabass is not your typical topwater stickbait. At 8.6 inches in length and 4.6 ounces in weight, it dwarfs the walking baits commonly used by bass anglers across the country. Although many anglers will scoff at this behemoth lure, Bassmaster Elite Series pro Chris Zaldain has been catching bass with the Megadog since it was introduced in October 2018.
A native of California, Zaldain fished custom-made wooden topwater baits for more than 10 years in West Coast waters. Some of those lures were even bigger than the hard plastic Megadog.
“While growing up in California, I caught huge largemouth bass on big walking-style baits and even big smallmouth bass with them on the Columbia River,” Zaldain said. “Despite its size, you actually have a good chance of catching a 3-pound bass on it.”
Now a resident of Fort Worth, Texas, Zaldain said the Megadog produced bass for him in autumn of 2018 while walking it over flats with submerged grass and again in late spring of the following year. “I’ve caught some 3- and 4-pounders on it, but nothing real huge yet,” Zaldain said. “That will happen for sure because a bait like this appeals to bigger bass. I’m talking about the ones you take a picture of and share on social media when you’re fun fishing.”
Zaldain recommends waiting until May or June to start slinging the Megadog. This is when the topwater bite for postspawn bass begins to take off. He typically starts with a popper or a 4- or 5-inch walking bait. After he boats a good limit on those lures and needs a heavy-weight bass to cull up, he won’t hesitate to tie on the Megadog. During the postspawn, he targets spawning flats, secondary points and main-lake points. The presence of submerged grass is always a plus, he added.
“The Megadog will get you that kicker,” Zaldain said. “Along with its size, it has lifelike eyes, realistic color schemes, and it gives off a loud knocking sound.”
