The Topwater Bite
It’s no secret that I love to fish a jig and will work it at almost any given opportunity. The one except is during the early hours or late afternoon nothing gets my blood pumping more than a post spawn topwater bite. Some of your best fishing stories will come from working topwater baits in the spring. A good topwater plug can be counted as one of an angler’s prized possessions, and certainly the envy of others. It never fails that during a tournament the bait of choice will be a Heddon Chugger that went out of production in 1973 – and you only have one. It’s happened to me more than once. Topwater plugs are definitely warm weather baits. They can be pricey, and unfortunately are only productive during certain times of the year. Pop-R, Zara Spook, and Original Lunker Lure Buzzbait are always part of my springtime arsenal. These baits disperse a lot of water, make a lot of chatter, and are simply irresistible to bass in the spring. These are extreamly versatile baits worked in and around shallow cover, structure, grass flats, or schooling fish in open water. I normally work my baits in an erratic twitch, twitch pattern. I very the retrieval speeds until I get a bite, then I let the fish set the rhythm. Stick to colors that are close to the type of bait fish you’re trying to imitate, unless the water color dictates otherwise. A productive angler always has a follow-up lure handy for missed strikes. If the bass are short striking follow-up with soft plastic bait such as El Grande’s Hatch Match stick. More times than not, you’ll catch the missed strike.Proper equipment for topwater baits can be just as important as the bait. I prefer a 7-foot Medium Heavy, 21 Carrot Series rod. Monofilament or a braid is a must. Use a US Reel Super Caster Pro that enables a long casting distance and a high speed retrieval rate. One of the downsides to fishing topwater baits is controlling the chaos that hooks can cause if not stored properly. Plano’s FlipSider storage/utility boxes are awesome for keeping baits well organized and tangle free. It doesn’t matter the size of the bait, they all seem to fit. The boxes fit neatly into the compartments, and the see through plastic makes identifying the baits a breeze. Check them out at www.planomolding.com