Favorite top water for smallies:

[bassface44]

To the original question I have 2 main topwaters for smallies up north, and pretty much every where I fish. The first, and most used, is the Zara Super Spook. I use both the Super Spook and the Super Spook Jr. I probably favor the Jr for smallmouth and the full Super Spook for largies. I don't think color makes a huge difference to the fish but my confidence color is the florida bass color. Bass just can't help themselves but to eat it. The other bait is a chug bug. I like torpedos and pop Rs and skitter pops but I just seem to have more confidence in the bug.

For a guy who fishes top water only occasionally, I find that I only have confidence (and not much at that) in what last caught me a fish. My first top water bass was caught on a skitter pop, therefor I've mostly only fished with Skitters.

One of these days I need to go on an outing with the attitude that I am going to really fish topwater hard and really learn it. Too often, I'll tie on and cast for 10 or twenty minutes with no bites, and once I see my partner catch one or two fish in the meantime on our usual soft plastics, I just say "F&%* it, I'm going back to Senkos."

The other thing that is daunting about topwater is where to fish. You can cast into the areas in which you normally fish (near shore or structure), but it's known that many fish hit topwaters out in the open water. How often do we see surface strikes way out in the open part of a lake, not near any specific structure whatsoever? But to fish for those fish seems like 'needle in a haystack' to me.

I look at top waters as search baits primarily so if something else is catching more fish then I make the switch instantly. That being said there are times that the topwater will select for a better size fish. The other guy may catch more but all of yours will be good uns. Something to keep in mind.

Even though you may be throwing topwaters toward open water that does not mean you aren't fishing structure. It may be that the structure is just 15 ft deep. I will fish topwaters in 20 ft of water but there has to be a bottom feature associated with the deep water. Usually a sharp break but sometimes it can be a couple of huge boulders or a ship wreck. It feels like you are throwing out into the middle of the lake but you really are throwing to structure. Marker bouys, structure scan, side imaging and imagination are what help on these spots.

[FryDog62]

There is no better fishing than smallies on topwater. For me, poppers are too painfully slow to retrieve. Walk the dog types are fun but get a little tiring after awhile. Just right, in between, and provokes strikes as well as anything is the old reliable Jitterbug. I've tried most of those listed in the above thread, but eventually go back to "The Jitters" and have the best luck of all...

[fishincrazy]

Originally Posted by FryDog62

There is no better fishing than smallies on topwater. For me, poppers are too painfully slow to retrieve. Walk the dog types are fun but get a little tiring after awhile. Just right, in between, and provokes strikes as well as anything is the old reliable Jitterbug. I've tried most of those listed in the above thread, but eventually go back to "The Jitters" and have the best luck of all...

Wow I was waiting for the jitterbug to arrive!!The guy who owns the camp I am going to this year told me his favorite top water is you guessed it the jitterbug.Do you have a favorite color?Size?how do you work your retrive fast slow medium?

FryDog going old fashion I love it!!!

FC

[fishincrazy]

Originally Posted by bassface44

To the original question I have 2 main topwaters for smallies up north, and pretty much every where I fish. The first, and most used, is the Zara Super Spook. I use both the Super Spook and the Super Spook Jr. I probably favor the Jr for smallmouth and the full Super Spook for largies. I don't think color makes a huge difference to the fish but my confidence color is the florida bass color. Bass just can't help themselves but to eat it. The other bait is a chug bug. I like torpedos and pop Rs and skitter pops but I just seem to have more confidence in the bug.



I look at top waters as search baits primarily so if something else is catching more fish then I make the switch instantly. That being said there are times that the topwater will select for a better size fish. The other guy may catch more but all of yours will be good uns. Something to keep in mind.

Even though you may be throwing topwaters toward open water that does not mean you aren't fishing structure. It may be that the structure is just 15 ft deep. I will fish topwaters in 20 ft of water but there has to be a bottom feature associated with the deep water. Usually a sharp break but sometimes it can be a couple of huge boulders or a ship wreck. It feels like you are throwing out into the middle of the lake but you really are throwing to structure. Marker bouys, structure scan, side imaging and imagination are what help on these spots.

Bassface I too am a big fan of the bug!My favorite one looks like it has been through the battle zone!I also like to fish over deep structure.I haven't used top water as a search bait although I plan to give it a go! Thanks for the post!

FC

[FryDog62]

I use all different colors but typically the brighter green/yellow during the day, black with white early evening. I tend to stick with the larger size and consequently get some toothy critters once in awhile (that'll get your attention). Speaking of old time topwater baits - my close second favorite is the "Crazy Crawler." Love the swimming action of those arms!!

[fishincrazy]

Originally Posted by FryDog62

I use all different colors but typically the brighter green/yellow during the day, black with white early evening. I tend to stick with the larger size and consequently get some toothy critters once in awhile (that'll get your attention). Speaking of old time topwater baits - my close second favorite is the "Crazy Crawler." Love the swimming action of those arms!!

I've got one it won't see water though.

FC