by John Kruse, June 29, 2021

If you are an angler, there are few things more awesome than watching a bass erupt out of the water and smash your lure. Topwater fishing is primarily a summertime affair and it’s the favorite style of fishing for many because of the shot of adrenaline that occurs every time you get a strike. Let’s run through some topwater bass fishing basics and talk about some lures you can use to hook into a largemouth or smallmouth this summer.

IT’S NOT JUST AN EARLY MORNING BITE – A lot of folks think the early morning is the best time to throw topwater lures for bass but topwater baits also work well in the evening and even after dark, especially on a moonlit night. At times, topwater lures will work all day, especially if you are fishing clear water under cloudy skies. While calm waters are ideal for topwater fishing, don’t be afraid to use these lures when there is a slight breeze and a little chop on the water.

PATIENCE IS KEY - A lot of anglers will rapidly cast and retrieve topwater lures, but sometimes, patience pays off. Anglers Steven Hurst and G. Lee Willinger, writing for Bassmaster Magazine, recommend waiting anywhere from 10 seconds to a minute after you cast a weedless frog before retrieving it. It’s not uncommon for the bass to take the lure while it is sitting still after you cast it or when you first start to retrieve it after waiting those 10 to 60 seconds.

Speaking of patience, the hardest thing to do when it comes to topwater fishing is to hook the fish. All too often you’ll see the swirl of the fish or actually see the bass come out of the water and your first instinct is to immediately set the hook. The problem is, that bass hasn’t hit the lure yet and you are literally yanking it away from the fish before it can bite it. As hard as it is to do, stifle that hook setting instinct until you actually feel the strike on your lure. Then, and only then, set that hook!

TOP WATER LURES TO USE – Weedless rubber or plastic frogs are great lures to cast into heavy mats of vegetation or lily pads, with the Spro Frog being a favorite with many frog aficionados. A popper works very well and can be retrieved in a “walk the dog”, zig zag fashion along the edges or open water pockets surrounded by vegetation. Well known angler Roland Martin loves a newer hard bait, the River2sea Whopper Plopper, which makes a lot of noise as it’s retrieved. Martin cautions the Whopper Plopper is not a lure to use to catch large numbers of bass, but it is especially effective for catching a few big bass.

CLASSIC LURES WORK TOO – Growing up in the 1970’s I fished a lot of the classic topwater lures and you know what, they still work! If the latest fad lure isn’t working, go old school and cast a Heddon Zara Spook (invented in 1939), an Arbogast Jitter Bug (invented by Fred Arbogast in 1938) or another Arbogast topwater plug, the Hula Popper (catching bass since 1941).

Speaking of classic lures, break out the fly rod and cast some small poppers or rabbit hair streamers for bass. Both have been catching largemouth and smallmouth bass for more than a hundred years.

SPINNERBAITS – Something very popular on the bass tournament scene back in the 1990’s was the spinner bait and it’s close cousin, the buzz bait. Retrieved rapidly to make a commotion on the surface of the water these baits are very effective in drawing strikes and while not weedless, the construction of these lures makes them less prone to hanging up in cover.

RODS, REELS AND LINE – When it comes to fishing with frogs, braided line works best because of its strength. Bass taking a frog in thick vegetation will often get wrapped up in that same vegetation or amongst the lily pads you hook them in and you’ll need strong line strength to get them out. Fluorocarbon line has become very popular with anglers but it doesn’t float, which gives an edge to monofilament line. Monofilament does float and also casts well when it comes to getting the maximum distance on your cast.
As for the rod and reel, it’s pretty basic. Both level wind baitcasting and open face spinning reels work just fine for topwater lure fishing. As for the rod, the experts at Bass Pro recommend a 6’6” rod with medium power and moderate action.

Now that you know what to use and how to fish top water lures it’s time to head to your favorite bass pond, lake or stream for a morning or evening of top water fishing fun. Once you try it and have success, like the bass you’re after, you’ll be hooked.

John Kruse – www.northwesternoutdoors.com and www.americaoutdoorsradio.com

PHOTO
1. David Kruse caught and released this largemouth bass at Potholes Reservoir– J. Kruse