Fall topwater 2025
Drew03cmc reply :
Hey all, the question is simple, what's your favorite topwater for fall and what rod and reel do you toss it on?
MBB Nate reply :
So far it's been a Rebel Pop R Magnum in bass color on a lews LFS soooled with 15 lb yo zuri hybrid, on a 6'6 veritas 2.0 med hvy/moderate fast.
riverbasser reply :
Pop r for me too but in black silver
Drew03cmc reply :
I have no confidence in poppers, but might have to try it this week as I have one of the 3" Pop R in bass, and several walkers that I love fishing, but don't have the experience.
Jon G reply :
Some sort of spook such as a gunfish but I gave in and have been trying a Whopper Plopper and it's been extremely effective.
Drew03cmc reply :
I didn't catch anything on a WP, but I have on the Gunfish. Also a Sexy Dawg Jr is a killer bait!
Bluebasser86 reply :
My favorite topwater really doesn't change all year. I like to fish a 3/8oz black on black Cavitron when the fish will eat it, which is most of the time they're eating topwater. The last few weeks though, they've been biting the WP 90 and ignoring a buzzbait. I also have done pretty well with a discontinued Excaliber Zell Pop (the smaller size). It's one of those magic baits that just has something about it that really catches fish when they ignore everything else. I'm almost afraid to fish it because I don't want to lose it but it's too good to leave in the box.
Bankbeater reply :
The topwater bite has been very slow for me this fall. September was a bust, and so far in October the only bait that seems to be working is a black jitterbug.
Jar11591 reply :
My favorite fall top water is also my favorite year-round topwater.
Its a Rapala Skitter Walk thrown on a 6'6" medium fast rod and 6:1 reel.
scaleface reply :
Buzzbait .6.5 foot med rod and baitcaster .
Megastink reply :
Strike King Sexy Dawg in Clearwater Minnow, Ardent Apex Elite 6.5:1 w/ 15lb Hi-Seas Mono, Duckett Terex 6'6" M.
I also like Natural Shad, Bluegill, and Bone colors. I caught two bass on the same cast on this bait a few weeks ago. All those teeth marks were from one trip. Love this bait in clear water!
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"hamma" reply :
Defiantely a rebel pop-r,. I think It may be a zell rowland model from back in the 90's Its got the hackled rear treble. Its a 1/4 model bass patterned. I toss it from a 5'9" berkley air med action rod spinning rod, with a 2500 series shimano saros reel and 10 lb stren green mono.
Much like bluebasser, I dont want to loose it as it's produced for me for many years, but it's hard not to use what works so well. I do have a few backups, but they have yet to prove themselves as worthy, as I always go right for my favorite every time...lol
Drew03cmc reply :
I'm glad other people use a spinning rod with topwaters. I'm looking at going out for an hour or so a couple days this week after work with a Damiki Dolphin, Pop R and a Gunfish.
Onvacation reply :
I haven't caught a fish on topwater since the end of September. Fish a frog in some dying pads today and got four good blowups, but none of them grab it. Very slow topwater month for me.
BradGinKC reply :
My favorite topwater is probably a good old-fashioned Zara Spook. Right now I have it on a curado 200i and st croix mojo 7ft MF, with 13lb Sunline Shooter Defier mono.
I also have good luck in the Fall with a black buzzbait. I actually tend to catch bigger fish with a buzzbait, but the spook is still my favorite. It's just fun taking that bait for a walk.
Oklahoma Mike reply :
Jackall Pompadour in either bone white or black bone, depending on conditions. Close second is a black Cavitron.
jonnyblazex reply :
Rapala skitter pop. The bigger sized one in frog color. I caught a nice one yesterday, and the water temp was 50 degrees. That's 3 weeks in a row now that that popper has been catching fish!
Dogmatic reply :
MS Slammer, either mini, 7", or 9", depending time of day. Usually tied to Reaction Strike Mattlures 7'11" H, Curado 301e, 20# P-line CXX.
Drew03cmc reply :
Is the MS Slammer Mini small enough for a MH rod?
primetime reply :
Bagleys bang O Lure rear Prop and the regular Bang O lure floating Minnow, Rapala F-9,F-11 worked on top or waked, but I use a Torpedo alot in the fall as a topwater, I seem to do better with prop baits in the fall then others but some days walkers are good,same with poppers.
I love the bagley's with the rear prop since you can work it as a jerkbait on top, wake it, or buzz it...Good lure all year round.
I throw most topwater lures in fall on 8-12lb test,15 if in big fish water. Med Spinning to med casting depending on what is tied to what. I like balsa or minnow baits, most topwater lures on lighter line since I feel heavy line laying on the water is a good way to spook fish. (I try to use lightest line, clear mono, since water is usually clear and less weeds, lure has much better action. I am convinced I catch fish 2/1 on 8lb test with a smaller/regular topwater/prop bait then if I am using heavy mono over 12lb diameter. I go 6lb if possible.
All topwater lures can work so I would have a few walkers, poppers, prop baits and minnow baits in your arsenal. I like the jerkbait since you can work it fast or slow and cover water to find active fish feeding on top.
Brett's_daddy reply :
On 10/18/2016 at 5:31 AM, Drew03cmc said:Is the MS Slammer Mini small enough for a MH rod?
Yes it is. I fish it with a Fenwick HMG 7ft. MH spinning rod. I also use this rod for Whopper Plopper 130's which at 1.38 oz. weigh a little bit more than the Mini Slammer at 1.25 oz. That being said, not all rods are created equal, mine has a lure rating up to 1 oz. so it's not as bad throwing those two baits but some other MH rods are only rated up to 5/8 oz. or 3/4 oz. and I probably wouldn't throw those heavier baits using one of those rods.
Dogmatic reply :
On 10/18/2016 at 5:31 AM, Drew03cmc said:Is the MS Slammer Mini small enough for a MH rod?
Like Brett's daddy said it should be, any rod rated to 2oz. I throw it on a heavy because that's my topwater swimbait set up.
papajoe222 reply :
#9 Original Rapala floater, either blk/gold or blk/silver. Custom rod (Rainshadow blank) and Pfluger President (6925)
weso reply :
Just fyi I purchased some jawbone frogs at Dicks sporting goods and they were garbage. They were sinking like crazy and i had to constantly squeeze water out of them. The legs which were rubber strings were falling off. Any tips on some good frogs.I'm new to this type of fishing but loving it.
IndianaFinesse reply :
On 10/18/2016 at 11:15 AM, weso said:Just fyi I purchased some jawbone frogs at Dicks sporting goods and they were garbage. They were sinking like crazy and i had to constantly squeeze water out of them. The legs which were rubber strings were falling off. Any tips on some good frogs.I'm new to this type of fishing but loving it.
Get some Booyah pad crashers, in both sizes. Only two colors you need are something dark and something light, my favorites are cricket frog and black.
dumfish reply :
Z man jerk shad, small wire hook to float the jerk shad. Let the fish deside how they want it.
Yeajray231 reply :
On 10/18/2016 at 3:41 AM, jonnyblazex said:Rapala skitter pop. The bigger sized one in frog color. I caught a nice one yesterday, and the water temp was 50 degrees. That's 3 weeks in a row now that that popper has been catching fish!
Caught my PB on this exact bait. !
Fishingintheweeds reply :
On 10/18/2016 at 11:15 AM, weso said:Just fyi I purchased some jawbone frogs at Dicks sporting goods and they were garbage. They were sinking like crazy and i had to constantly squeeze water out of them. The legs which were rubber strings were falling off. Any tips on some good frogs.I'm new to this type of fishing but loving it.
I like the Snagproof Bobby's perfect frog and the Scum Frog (I believe the trophy one), especially for the cost. The Scum Frogs are all reasonably priced.
Both of them cast well and neither take on water. I have a Booyah (also very reasonably priced) popper and a Jackal popper...they don't on take water either. They cast ok for being poppers. I haven't actually caught anything on them though, so I can't really comment on what happens after a strike.
Everybody has their preferences but I haven't heard anybody have any negative comments yet about these 4.
Of the hard baits, they aren't my favorites but I've had the most luck, all sound, on the Heddon prop baits. Either that, frogs or running the Pit Boss (yes, a soft plastic) weightless and retrieving it as a topwater.
Because I'm kinda addicted to topwater fishing, I'd love for the other, big hard baits to get me enough fish to comment...but so far, not much luck.
ChrisD46 reply :
On 10/16/2016 at 1:39 PM, Bluebasser86 said:My favorite topwater really doesn't change all year. I like to fish a 3/8oz black on black Cavitron when the fish will eat it, which is most of the time they're eating topwater. The last few weeks though, they've been biting the WP 90 and ignoring a buzzbait. I also have done pretty well with a discontinued Excaliber Zell Pop (the smaller size). It's one of those magic baits that just has something about it that really catches fish when they ignore everything else. I'm almost afraid to fish it because I don't want to lose it but it's too good to leave in the box.
Though not quite the same as the Zell Pop , the Booyah Boss Pop in the smaller size is still quite a good copy . The Ghost Shiner color sort of looks like everything which a few tour guys have gravitated to . *As far as the Cavitron - is that not THE nicest buzzbait or what ? ... I love those things !
looking45 reply :
I throw a small Deps Buzz Jet on a gLoomis GLX 802. A slow crawl when the water is flat and pretty fast to cause a commotion when the water has a ripple.
Bluebasser86 reply :
On 9/9/2018 at 11:52 AM, ChrisD46 said:Though not quite the same as the Zell Pop , the Booyah Boss Pop in the smaller size is still quite a good copy . The Ghost Shiner color sort of looks like everything which a few tour guys have gravitated to . *As far as the Cavitron - is that not THE nicest buzzbait or what ? ... I love those things !
I like the Boss Pop, but I have one specific Zell Pops that is one of those baits that just has "it". That thing outfishes even the other Zell Pops I have in the exact same color. I don't know if it sounds different or maybe because the paint is ate off it, the thing is just a killer. I don't know how many sets of hooks it's gone through, but it's a bunch. Hasn't had eyes for a few years now.
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