Can anyone recommend a top water that is best for learning? 2024
detroithiker reply :
I always see fish hitting the waters surface but never really learned to fish that action.
I have picked up a few lures for it but I can never seem to make any lure cause a strike when the fish are hitting the bugs.
Now I am not just talking about the evening, I am mostly referring to middle of the day surface feeding.
So where should I start? The popper, Jitterbug, and hollow frog I own all seem far to big when they are just grabbin little bugs.
I have tried all three and just give up after about 20 casts or so without as much as a little splash.
Now I know I need practice before I can catch anything with topwater bait and I have watched videos for each of the three, but it seems like the fish are feeding on such small bugs you would have to be fly fishing to really imitate them.
Can anyone recommend a top water that is best for learning?
Outdoor Zack reply :
Rebel frog r or heddon torpedo are good starts. To imitate bugs, look at the rebel insect series
lakeannaangler reply :
Popper and super spook. Try early in the morning around cover. Also try hollow belly frog in grass
BassinLou reply :
The Zara spook I would say is a good learning bait. Imho, it's a foundation lure that will teach how to walk baits. You walk a spook, you can walk every other bait that can be walked.
Jon G reply :
I think a spook or a buzzbait are the easiest to learn. You say that you see fish hitting small bugs, are you sure they are not panfish?
Dave A reply :
I have always had good luck with Buzzbaits and Jitterbugs. Love that topwater strike!
MassYak85 reply :
I think it's important to realize what the fish are feeding on. If you are sure they are bass, are they hitting baitfish on the surface? Blowing up on frogs up shallow? Sucking bugs off the surface (something I usually associate with panfish). It's best to try and imitate what they are feeding on. If you show up to the lake and there are hundreds of ripples, most likely it's panfish sucking bugs off the surface. Larger bass generally are not going to be bothered with hitting tiny flies that had the misfortune of crash landing into the water. Most bass surface lures are going to be mimicking baitfish of some sort. I think the easiest for you to learn would be a spook, buzzbait, or jitterbug.
thebillsman reply :
Zara Spook. Learn a loop/rapala knot and teach yourself how to walk the dog.
Torn Thumb reply :
I would have to say popper here as far as ease of use. Super fun and when the bass want that type of bite it doesn't get better. Spooks are awesome too. For me spooks work better walked slowly and stopped every few feet if you can help it. I have to agree about bass not wasting time on little bugs. It is probably bluegill or rockbass creating those stirs. I fished topwater exclusively for two years as I knew no better. So i had alot of time with my poppers and spooks.
Angry John reply :
A duo pencil is supper easy to work and i have done well on them. They do walk easy and should teach you the feel to work other spook type baits.
http://duo-international.com/products/realis-pencil-85/
I also like the DUO bug.
http://duo-inc.co.jp/bass/en/realis-grade-a/shinmushi/
Turkey sandwich reply :
As far as easy to use, a spook, popper, and buzz bait cover your basics for open water and a frog, mouse, or even T-rigged creature/craw/worms thrown across pads cover your vegetation options. To make things really simple, associate poppers and spooks with open water/above submerged grass and frogs with surface vegetation. Make things simple.
Once you start to learn basics of presentation, it's important to understand conditions. Most daytime insect bites are likely to be panfish, so don't frustrate yourself throwing a 5" walking bait at a 4" fish. Similarly, understand when it's in your best interest to throw a top water and when it's very inefficient. If you're throwing them over exposed shallow flats in the middle of the summer with a big bright sun overhead and the temperature pushing 90 degrees, you're likely to become more frustrated than successful. Don't worry about when to "break the rules" fishing a bait or how to be successful with it under difficult conditions until you have a good understanding of the basics and some mastery of the core presentations. Throw them early, late, when it's overcast and when you see bait pushed to the surface because that's when you'll have success, build confidence, and you'll actually be able to take notes.
Good luck, man! Topwater fishing is as fun as it gets.
Molay1292 reply :
Nothing more exciting than a good topwater bite. I typically start every fishing trip trying one type of top water or another. There are many good topwater baits that are easy to learn the basics of. Some of the baits that I have used that are both easy to walk and catch are, the Heddon Superspook Jr, Lucky Craft Sammy, (lots of good copies of this bait) Cavitron buzzbaits, they get on top the water quick and allow you to move your bait slower than most. and lastly I prefer the Jackall Iobee frog, it is one of the easiest frogs to walk and requires no modifications out of the package.
These are my personal choices, they may not be right for you, but they will certainly get you started in the right direction.
fishballer06 reply :
If I had to recommend 3 lures to learn/gain confidence in topwater fishing (along with my personal recommendation) :
1. Popper (Rapala Skitter Pop)
2. Buzzbait (Megastrike Cavitron)
3. Wake bait (Jitterbug, Rapala DT Fat 1 or Storm Arashi Wake)
scaleface reply :
A beginner can use them all . The only one even a little bit difficult is a walking bait and they are easily learned .You could always get a floating Rapala and just let it set . My favorite is a buzzbait and all you do is reel it in .
Red Bear reply :
torpedo or buzzbait or rage tail toads or the various rebel floater/divers. i got a lot of top water blowups on the rebels the instant they hit the water, youre likely to catch a lot of panfish with them too though...
HeavyDluxe reply :
Topwater, in general, has been among the easiest things to learn... You can see the lure working, so there's immediate, visible feedback. And since the different flavors of topwater are have their own nuances (buzz frog vs hollow-body, pop-r vs spook, etc), I think it's worth just picking one that you think looks like fun and focusing there.
The hardest thing about topwater is slowing down your brain enough to resist snatching the bait away after the strike. That heartbeat between toilet-flush and reel-and-set seems like an eternity.
VolFan reply :
It sounds like you already have a heavy rod if you're fishing frogs, so I'm going to go a different direction - get a whopper plopper or a Mini MS Slammer in black or bluegill. Slow retrieve on the surface so they can do what they do. Don't. Look. Back.
Angry John reply :
An MS Slamer is a solid choice if you have the rod to handle it!!! An s-waiver is also sweet.
1201vilbig reply :
The Strike King Rage Shad. You rig it weedless so you can throw it anywhere. When you're not worried about losing it, you can experiment with different retrieves, cadences etc. You can then apply that to other topwater baits. Good luck!!
Jtrout reply :
Spooks, poppers and humpin toads
hawgenvy reply :
One of the easiest (if there are no surface weeds) is the Heddon Baby Torpedo. And it is very effective. You just toss it out and reel it in. When it gets bit, you just keep reeling. No fancy hookset or special timing needed.
BTW, I'd bet those guys popping bugs on the surface are bream of some sort. There may be hungry bass below them awaiting an opportunity to nab an innocent little bluegill. Maybe toss a senko where the bug suckers are feeding and let it sink to the bottom on semi-slack line.
Maxximus Redneckus reply :
Jitterbug...cast and reel fast or slow. 5 to 100 yrs old
Bankbeater reply :
It's easy to vary the retrieve on Jitterbugs and poppers. You can see what the bait is doing.
wnspain reply :
On 8/1/2016 at 8:01 AM, detroithiker said:I always see fish hitting the waters surface but never really learned to fish that action.
I have picked up a few lures for it but I can never seem to make any lure cause a strike when the fish are hitting the bugs.
Now I am not just talking about the evening, I am mostly referring to middle of the day surface feeding.
So where should I start? The popper, Jitterbug, and hollow frog I own all seem far to big when they are just grabbin little bugs.
I have tried all three and just give up after about 20 casts or so without as much as a little splash.
Now I know I need practice before I can catch anything with topwater bait and I have watched videos for each of the three, but it seems like the fish are feeding on such small bugs you would have to be fly fishing to really imitate them.
Can anyone recommend a top water that is best for learning?
I'm no expert but for the most part, I have very little luck with topwater in the middle of the day. Very early and late in the day outproduce midday topwater 10 to 1 for me. Also, 20 casts and give up?? Sounds to me like your're fishing the same water, the same way, and expecting different results. Cover some water!! If you are looking to catch those little ones hitting bugs on the surface, fly fish with a little popper or drag a popper behind a float that can be partially filled with water to add some weight for casting. If you're not interested in the panfish, try the topwater bite early and late as stated before.
iiTzChunky reply :
On 8/1/2016 at 8:47 AM, Jon G said:I think a spook or a buzzbait are the easiest to learn. You say that you see fish hitting small bugs, are you sure they are not panfish?
I've seen catfish come up to the top and do the same thing, thinking they where bass I was throwing every top water I had until I realized they where cats
fishinfiend reply :
zara spook
Crestliner2008 reply :
I'll tell you true, this Popn'Image by Bill Dance has been one of my easiest to work and most productive, top water baits I've ever had. You can easily 'walk-the-dog' with it, pop it in place, or whatever you want to do, with the least amount of learning and/or effort. Besides that, it's extremely productive, however you fish it. This is what this bad boy looks like:
J Francho reply :
I always felt like the bigger spooks and sammies were the easiest to walk.
Bass Turd reply :
Whopper Plopper 90. It's a fish shaped buzz bait that floats.You can start by just casting it out and reeling it in in a steady retrieve. If they don't hit that add some pauses into your retrieve. If still no action pop it and make it look like an injured bait fish then pause and let it just float there. If still no action move to another spot and repeat.
Crowcommander reply :
I agree with Bass Turd on the Whopper Plopper 90 in Phantom Shad (no 17). Also don't be afraid to throw the 130.Underhand short casts are best as Overhead cast are like throwing a brick in the water.
Bass Turd reply :
On 8/3/2016 at 4:10 AM, Crowcommander said:I agree with Bass Turd on the Whopper Plopper 90 in Phantom Shad (no 17). Also don't be afraid to throw the 130.Underhand short casts are best as Overhead cast are like throwing a brick in the water.
The only reason I didn't recommend the 130 is that it weighs almost an ounce and a half and that exceeds all but the stoutest rod weight recommendations.
YoTone reply :
theres not much to learn on the plopper. any idiot can catch bass on that.
id vote for the spook, get the walk down good and you can use that skill on frogs.
Bass Turd reply :
On 8/3/2016 at 4:22 AM, YoTone said:theres not much to learn on the plopper. any idiot can catch bass on that.
id vote for the spook, get the walk down good and you can use that skill on frogs.
Not cool.
YoTone reply :
On 8/3/2016 at 4:34 AM, Bass Turd said:Not cool.
i mean i speak from experience. the plopper for the most part, you just cast and retrieve. on a pencil you need to get a certain rhythm down using cadence in the line. its not easy but its something you work on to improve. not trying to insult anyone, ive been using the plopper everyday for the past few weeks. i still have not got the walk the dog down perfectly but its something i put work into.
Gundog reply :
For a beginner you should start out simple. Using a bait that you don't need to learn how to work. A bait like a jitter bug is a good start. Just a simple cast and retrieve bait. The action is done by just reeling in the bait. Whopper ploppers are another example but an expensive one.
YoTone reply :
On 8/3/2016 at 4:42 AM, Gundog said:For a beginner you should start out simple. Using a bait that you don't need to learn how to work. A bait like a jitter bug is a good start. Just a simple cast and retrieve bait. The action is done by just reeling in the bait. Whopper ploppers are another example but an expensive one.
but what is there exactly to learn on such bait? he said he wanted to learn. those are cast and retrieve. sure you can vary the speed of the retrieve but what can that translate into later on when or if he wants to choose another method of top water?
Bass Turd reply :
Don't make it harder than it needs to be. OP said he has not caught fish on a top water bait. Many are suggesting highly productive baits that have small learning curves. Once he is confident catching fish on top water he can experiment with baits that require a longer learning curve.
Gundog reply :
On 8/3/2016 at 4:47 AM, YoTone said:but what is there exactly to learn on such bait? he said he wanted to learn. those are cast and retrieve. sure you can vary the speed of the retrieve but what can that translate into later on when or if he wants to choose another method of top water?
The beginnings of topwater fishing to me is a hookset. Not the easiest thing to do when fishing topwater. Learning patients and how to set the hook on a bass that hits a topwater bait is the first thing to learn.
On 8/3/2016 at 5:16 AM, Bass Turd said:Don't make it harder than it needs to be. OP said he has not caught fish on a top water bait. Many are suggesting highly productive baits that have small learning curves. Once he is confident catching fish on top water he can experiment with baits that require a longer learning curve.
^^^^This...agreed.
YoTone reply :
well we can agree to disagree. i hope i didnt offend anyone by saying the plopper is almost dummy proof. i have yet to miss a strike on one therefore i deemed it almost skill less top water technique. i still love using it though and its still my go to for top water action these days but if i land a few and switch over to a frog just for a challenge.
soflabasser reply :
On 8/1/2016 at 8:01 AM, detroithiker said:I always see fish hitting the waters surface but never really learned to fish that action.
I have picked up a few lures for it but I can never seem to make any lure cause a strike when the fish are hitting the bugs.
Now I am not just talking about the evening, I am mostly referring to middle of the day surface feeding.
So where should I start? The popper, Jitterbug, and hollow frog I own all seem far to big when they are just grabbin little bugs.
I have tried all three and just give up after about 20 casts or so without as much as a little splash.
Now I know I need practice before I can catch anything with topwater bait and I have watched videos for each of the three, but it seems like the fish are feeding on such small bugs you would have to be fly fishing to really imitate them.
Can anyone recommend a top water that is best for learning?
Try a Rebel Pop R,it's one of the easiest and best top waters to use.Fish it in relatively open water or close to aquatic vegetation.Also get a small sized hollow body frog to fish over the aquatic vegetation,it's another easy lure to use(wait for the frog to disappear under the water when a bass hits before setting the hook).
detroithiker reply :
On 8/3/2016 at 2:26 AM, iiTzChunky said:I've seen catfish come up to the top and do the same thing, thinking they where bass I was throwing every top water I had until I realized they where cats
That is something I must remember, thanks man.
detroithiker reply :
On 8/3/2016 at 2:26 AM, iiTzChunky said:I've seen catfish come up to the top and do the same thing, thinking they where bass I was throwing every top water I had until I realized they where cats
That is something I must remember, thanks man.
roadwarrior reply :
For numbers try the Zara Puppy (Black & Silver).
https://www.google.com/search?q=zara+puppy&espv=2&biw=1280&bih=699&tbm=isch&imgil=1aH9M3llRw8X-M%3A%3BPNCWrEUQwSUvSM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.lurenet.com%252Fheddon-wounded-zara-spook&source=iu&pf=m&fir=1aH9M3llRw8X-M%3A%2CPNCWrEUQwSUvSM%2C_&usg=__5c1T96zoGHaZeee5ksshephY9bY%3D&ved=0ahUKEwia4oOXpq_OAhVC6SYKHZSUCIIQyjcIdg&ei=kyinV9rMD8LSmwGUqaKQCA#imgrc=1aH9M3llRw8X-M%3A
Drew03cmc reply :
I'm far from an expert on topwater, having only caught 4 bass in my life on them, but I have found that I couldn't work a WTD bait with the rod in my left hand so I have transitioned to holding the rod in my dominant hand and it made all the difference in walking a bait. Having said that, the buzzbait and Jitterbugs aren't learned skills, my easiest walking baits are the Rover 98 and the Super Spook Jr.
detroithiker reply :
On 8/2/2016 at 6:58 AM, VolFan said:It sounds like you already have a heavy rod if you're fishing frogs, so I'm going to go a different direction - get a whopper plopper or a Mini MS Slammer in black or bluegill. Slow retrieve on the surface so they can do what they do. Don't. Look. Back.
No I have med. rod with spin reel, but I do plan to get a heavy rod with BC reel as soon I can save up the money for it.
detroithiker reply :
On 8/3/2016 at 4:47 AM, YoTone said:but what is there exactly to learn on such bait? he said he wanted to learn. those are cast and retrieve. sure you can vary the speed of the retrieve but what can that translate into later on when or if he wants to choose another method of top water?
Being the OP I will say I want to start off with the easy stuff, I just want to have some top water success at first so I have the confidence to believe in top water fishing, the fact that I have never landed a fish on top water is making it hard to resist switching to a soft plastic worm I know I can get hits on, this lack of confidence in top water always causes me to 2nd guess the use of the bait, due to being a new fisherman I am always thinking, "is this even gonna work right now, is the weather right for top water, is it the right time of day, am I doing this right, should I switch to something else?" these are the kinda things that run though my head while I am waiting for a bite, when I know something works I tend to stick with it.
I hope that makes sense?
Ncflats reply :
Spooks are easy to use and are productive walking baits. A Rebel Pop R is a simple popper to use. A lot of folks lose confidence too quickly in top water fishing. There's s time in place they perform better than others but you've got to keep it tied on to catch fish. Build your top water confidence on either these or other listed easy to use plugs and go from there.
greentrout reply :
Storm Chug Bug
Smithwick Devil's Horse
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