Favorite / Most productive Top water? 2024

David P reply :

I only started throwing top waters recently, but my god is it fun!

I have only thrown a Chug Bug, what other productive, decently priced top waters are out there? Are those YoZuri jerko and wacko's good? What else?

Raul reply :

My favorite is the Jitterbug, my most productive is the Jitterbug which is not really a big surprise simply because I fish with a Jitterbug more than with all my other topwaters together just because I like the gurgling sound of the Jitterbug. I also like the Gatta X and the BPS locust, they gurgle like the Jitterbug.

Got a friend that just loves Torpedoes and it 's his most productive topwater since his go-to topwater is is the Torpedo.

jdw174 reply :

Pop-R's, Spittin' Image, Zara Spook, just to name 3 more....

Guitarist86 reply :

I can't count how many fish i've caught this year on a buzzbait....bass up here in NEPA slam them

Jeff H reply :

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My favorite is the Jitterbug, my most productive is the Jitterbug which is not really a big surprise simply because I fish with a Jitterbug more than with all my other topwaters together just because I like the gurgling sound of the Jitterbug. I also like the Gatta X and the BPS locust, they gurgle like the Jitterbug.
Got a friend that just loves Torpedoes and it 's his most productive topwater since his go-to topwater is is the Torpedo.

WOW!! I thought I would be the only one to say "Jitterbug" Honestly I don't fish topwater much but the Jitterbug takes the cake for me. I like to replace the trebles with twin hooks and the front hook will fold right up to the body when you drag it across anything and you can fish it right square through the junk with no problems. A great bait that has withstood the test of time!!

My next favorite is the Pop R. I hate buzzbaits for some reason, maybe because the fish seem to miss it as much as they get hold of it.

guest reply :

Buzzbaits and jitterbugs, especially when night fishing.

bpm2000 reply :

Quote

Quote
My favorite is the Jitterbug, my most productive is the Jitterbug which is not really a big surprise simply because I fish with a Jitterbug more than with all my other topwaters together just because I like the gurgling sound of the Jitterbug. I also like the Gatta X and the BPS locust, they gurgle like the Jitterbug.
Got a friend that just loves Torpedoes and it 's his most productive topwater since his go-to topwater is is the Torpedo.

WOW!! I thought I would be the only one to say "Jitterbug" Honestly I don't fish topwater much but the Jitterbug takes the cake for me. I like to replace the trebles with twin hooks and the front hook will fold right up to the body when you drag it across anything and you can fish it right square through the junk with no problems. A great bait that has withstood the test of time!!

My next favorite is the Pop R. I hate buzzbaits for some reason, maybe because the fish seem to miss it as much as they get hold of it.

thats a cool trick - bend side up yea?

Marty reply :

I use:

Jitterbugs

Buzzbaits

Ribbits

UV-Flukes, which is what I call something that I put together. It's the body section of an Assassin/Fluke fused to the tail section of an Ultra-Vibe Speed Worm.

skillet reply :

Just call me "butterfly". I've never found a topwater bait that I didn't instantly fall in love with ;D...

As Ever,

skillet

wismallie reply :

Hard to beat a floating rapala twitched on the surface.

Turtle. reply :

Favorite / Most productive Top water?

I'd have to say Horney toad.I throw it quite a bit.

Surface or sub/surface around and threw cover and junk

Hot n Tot reply :

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Hard to beat a floating rapala twitched on the surface.

That's my favorite topwater method as well.

My favorite 'pure' topwater bait is the Heddon Tiny Torpedo

T-rig reply :

LC Sammy 100, 115, 128

Owner Cultiva Tango Dancer 115

Megabass Pop Max

Rapala Skitter Walk (saltwater version)

And these two:

Grayz Jolt

Imakatsu Lot BT100

RoLo reply :

That's a tough question because the topwaters I've used for decades have caught a higher number of bass,

but some of today's lures seem to generate more strikes per hour and provide better hook-ups:

All-Time

Rapala Original Floater

Rebel 65 Pop-R

Heddon Super Spook Jr.

New Breed

Gambler Cane Toad

Sizmic Toad

Snag Proof Weed Demon

Strike King Zulu (W-rigged & twitched on top)

Roger

mattm reply :

I'm really shocked buzzbaits didn't get more resopnses.

RoLo reply :

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I'm really shocked buzzbaits didn't get more resopnses.

Mattm, I've had loads of fun fishing with buzzbaits, but lately I've been moving more-and-more to soft baits.

If you haven't already, try buzzing a Cane Toad in the same manner and places as your buzzbait.

They're more mouthable than the Cavitron I used to throw, but more importantly, they're even more weedless.

Roger

guest reply :

gotta be a 1/4oz war eagle buzzbait. the basirisky frog is starting to grow on me though

bpm2000 reply :

T-Rig, you are not allowed to post bait pictures anymore - youre causing me to go broke! ;D

To add to the thread, my fav is the black jitterbug.

LakeAnnaBasser reply :

the cavitron buzz bait is by far my favorite to throw

.dsaavedra. reply :

JITTERBUG!!!

sounds just like a 3wing buzzbait fished so slowly it barely stays up.....except i can pause the jitterbug and twitch it w/o having to worry about it sinkng

Sam reply :

Love those RICO's!

Great bait.

Spooks a distant second.

Also, have you tried the Ribbit? Great action.

Had a bass come out of the bushes and hit at it yesterday evening at a local pond but he missed it. I will continue to throw it in place of the buzzbait just to see if I can entice any strikes.

senile1 reply :

Quote

That's a tough question because the topwaters I've used for decades have caught a higher number of bass,

but some of today's lures seem to generate more strikes per hour and provide better hook-ups:

All-Time

Rapala Original Floater

Rebel 65 Pop-R

Heddon Super Spook Jr.

New Breed

Gambler Cane Toad

Sizmic Toad

Snag Proof Weed Demon

Strike King Zulu (W-rigged & twitched on top)

Roger

My all-time topwaters are the same as Roger's. I haven't tried too many soft plastics on top. I need to get with the program.

mattm reply :

RoLo... thank you very much for the suggestions ;D. I have actually thrown plastic frogs(zoom and ribbit). I like to throw them when fishing exremly shallow(newly flooded grass)or heavy grass when it is neccessary to fish on top of the mats, then in open water and then on top of mats again. I've tried the above mentioned frogs in open areas where a buzzbait could of easily been fished and have found for me that they simply don't produce like a buzzbait. Anyways, I have a couple of questions for you.

1) Is there anything different or better about the frog you recommended that might improve my results?

2) What is so unmouthable about a buzzbait? I fish the med. length one made by Booyah so the fish is basically biting/mouthing a spinner bait without the blades.

Thanks Again

Matt

BassPonder72 reply :

Pop-R in gold fleck/rainbow

White buzzbait (strike king elite)

Bass Kicker reply :

man its got to be the heddon torpedo god i have caught all my biggest fish on that lure and won plenty of tournements on it as well another if you could count it would be the fluke and the buzz bait unless the pond or lake has moss then its all about the frogs baby

RoLo reply :

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What is so unmouthable about a buzzbait? I fish the med. length one made by Booyah so the fish is basically biting/mouthing a spinner bait without the blades. Thanks Again Matt

For example Matt, most anglers who add scent to their lures are looking for an extra few microseconds of mouthability.

The soft plastic lure does the same thing, but instead of using the sense of taste and smell, it uses the sense of touch and feel.

A hard buzzbait consists of a whirling metal blade, a hard body, a hard wire-arm and a hard hook. The only hard component

on a soft plastic toad is the hook, the one component we can't eliminate. How much difference does this really make?

Most of the time it probably makes no difference at all. But during those few fence-cases, a few microseconds

could spell the difference between a hookup and a missed fish.

By the way, your Booyah is a real nice buzzbait, in fact they remind me of the Lunker City buzzbait,

which I believe was the very first buzzbait and still one of the best.

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Is there anything different or better about the frog you recommended that might improve my results?

Technically speaking Matt, a frog is generally a "hollow plastic" lure, while a toad (like the cane toad) is "solid plastic".

Being solid plastic is the toad's first big advantage. Hollow frogs have an opening around the line-eye and around the hook,

therefore no hollow-bodied frog is totally immune to taking on water. As soon as a little water gets in the fuselage,

the frog sits lower on the surface, which destroys the action, and if left untended it'll ultimately sink.

It's a real drag having to stop fishing in order to wring the water out of the hollow frog, but that's never a concern with a solid toad.

The horny toad is a hoot, but I like it better as a subsurface lure and not as a topwater lure.

The horny toad sinks rather quickly therefore a brisk pace is needed to keep it on the surface.

When bass are actively aggressive the brisk pace is not a problem, but bass spend most of their time in a passive disposition.

The cane toad, on the other hand, can be slowed down nearly to a standstill before it begins to sink.

In addition to staying on the water surface at slow speeds, it's important that the feet remain active at low speeds.

I compared the low-speed action of many toad brands, using a partner who simultaneously retrieved another brand of toad.

Toads whose feet remained active at the slowest forward speeds were the Cane Toad and the Sizmic Toad (virtually a dead heat).

As for noise, I don't know any soft topwater that produces as much water disturbance as the cane toad.

This is important during twilight hours and in murky water. When you burn the sucker it makes almost as much commotion

as a Cavitron buzzbait

The cane toad is shaped like a surfboard, with a wide beam and thin fuselage. The broad beam helps to skate the toad

on the surface and during the hook-set the wafer-like body doesn't clog the hook throat with plastic.

Since the rat won at Guntersville, there haven't been very many tournament wins on toads and frogs, that is until the cane toad.

In local tournaments where I live (central Florida) the cane toad has been making a lot of money.

I noticed that Gambler's testimonials revealed the same thing at state and national levels. Here are a few:

Ron Fabiszak wins the Okeechobee FLW. On the final day Ron caught his two best fish on the

Gambler Cane Toad and took home the $25,000 check.

Christopher McCall fished the Gambler Cane Toad in bullfrog to seal the deal in the Central Division Championship and take second place in the Sam Rayburn Stren Tournament.

In Moonshine Bay Okeechobee, Chris Lane wins the Southern Open on a black Cane Toad

with a overall weight of 54 lbs. Chris buzzed heavy grass, pads and reeds, and credits the Cane Toad's ability to stay on top of the water at a slow pace.

Ron Shuffield took third at the Classic using the Gambler Cane Toad with 47-14 on Lake Kissimmee.

Chris Lane was the first rookie ever to win the Champlain Bassmaster Elite Series. During the fourth day Chris said he went through five bags of Cane Toads during a 2-hour period, it was crazy. The camera guy had all he needed in 30 minutes, and said he'd never seen anything like it before.

Roger

Jimzee reply :

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the cavitron buzz bait is by far my favorite to throw

Mine too.

the ohh face reply :

All time favorite is the pop-r. Thats top of the list cause its one of the first lures I used after i graduated from earth worms at 6. Probably caught the most fish on black buzzbaits (from several companies) fished at dusk.

lovecranking reply :

So how do you rig a sizmic toad? If I'm using it as a topwater, my guess is that it's weightless w/4/0 ewg rigged t-style, correct? Then also does it matter if you are using a spinning or casting reel? After casting out, am I bringing the toad back like a buzzbait?

bugman reply :

hard baits = pop-r, spooks & jitterbugs.

soft baits = toads, spro bronz eye frogs.

I just picked up a LC splash tail in chart shad. the props spin with the lightest twitch.

Gorgebassman reply :

My all time favorite is a storm rattlin chug bug. I have fished it more than any other but lately been having luck on the lews speed lures popper and caught a couple on the lews speed lures pencil as well.

MALTESE FALCON reply :

For me it's the Zara Spook hands down. Number two would have to be Rapala Skitter Pop.

Falcon

JayW reply :

I love Zara Spooks, Bang O' Lures and a Buzz baits. Those are my favorites.

RoLo reply :

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So how do you rig a sizmic toad?
If I'm using it as a topwater, my guess is that it's weightless w/4/0 ewg rigged t-style, correct?

Exactly! (unweighted - 4/0 hook - T-rigged)

But I'd go with a standard wire Gammy (series 54) rather than a super line Gammy (series 74).

With the lighter hook the toad floats higher with better foot-action

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Then also does it matter if you are using a spinning or casting reel?

What's a casting reel? Never mind, I'm just being a wise guy. Yes, I use spinning gear for everything.

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After casting out, am I bringing the toad back like a buzzbait?

Sometimes you can, especially when bass are feeding actively on top.

Most of the time though, I'll hold the rod-tip high and crank the reel Slowly & Steadily, just fast enough for reliable foot-action

That makes it easier for lazy bass to home-in on the lure.

One other thing, be sure to choose a Sizmic Toad designated as "High-Floater", which only come in three colors.

I use White, but I'm sure the other colors are equally effective.

http://www.unclejosh.com/sizmiclure/modules/cart/navigate.php/nav_id/49

Roger

Brad_Coovert reply :

Walking baits. There are a lot of them to choose from, but my perosonal favs are the LC Sammy, RI Vixens, Zara Spook series and the Spittin' Image.

Brad

rbrick reply :

RoLo,

Don't want to change the subject but which rat won at Guntersville?

Rattlinrogue reply :

Floating Minnows such as Rapalas and Rogues,Tiny Torpedo,Devil's Horse,and a Buzzbait are the topwaters that I catch bass on.

Culprit reply :

Have to go with a Rebel Pop R in ole baby bass

Theres alot of great topwater lures the pop r has just been good to me throughout the years

Captain Cali reply :

Walking baits produce the best for me also. Favorite is the Gun Fish 95 in Ghost Blue Shad.

Just got my hands on a Barely Legal Vixen and I think it's going to produce very nice. I like the fact that, when dead sticked, the back end doesn't sink like the Gun Fish and Sammy. It's also loud and has a unique sound.

island bassin reply :

Pop-r closely followed by a buzzbait

guest reply :

My favorite lures change all the time.

I think right now I'd say a megabass pop max, a lubina rico, a super spook jr, a baby torpedo and a spro bronze eye

Taliesin reply :

For me it has to be the Tiny torpedoe, partly because it can be fished in so many different ways. Fast, slow, erratic, straight, walked, twitched, just about any type of action.

Following that is the Super Spook, buzz baits, and soft plastics.

If it is really mossy I'll use a hollow frog too.

RoLo reply :

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RoLo,
Don't want to change the subject but which rat won at Guntersville?

I don't recall the original rat, but it looked the same as the Snag Proof Boss Rat

Roger

Pond Hopper reply :

Booyah buzzbaits and Ribbits. Although up in MN for smallies I had a blast fishing a Hula Popper. I am similar to the guy mentioned before, have never seen a topwater I didnt want to throw.

dingesslee reply :

Buzzbaits are my first to try bait. Then popR's, Zara puppy spook and now the Rapala pop'r lure.

T-Bone reply :

Buzzbait w/ gold blade

Pop-R

Super Spook

Devil's Horse

Snag Proof frog

Buzzfrog

I like them all but it depends on where I'm fishing and what the fish are feeding on.

T-Bone

Bass_junky reply :

I am surprised nobody mentioned the new swimming senko's. I have found this to be a potential #1 for me in clear water. Think about it, if it misses on first strike, simply stop the retrieve and let it sink, 75% have given a second opportunity for a hook set.

captbob reply :

Have a couple of real old woodies I like, a Zara spook that can jump clear out of the water, and 3 old repainted flatfish that work when nothing else does on a learned retrieve only.

Bassassasin12 reply :

My go to topwaters are the spro bronzeye frog, heddon tiny torpedo, and rapala skitterprop.

BassHunter69 reply :

my biggest producers are the zara spook, strike kings mini buzz in chartruse,then the mini in spinner in same color, also the zoom black lizrd with red flakes as a top water my other big producer is strike kings boot tailed frog

Mobydick reply :

Jitterbug :-/ Zara Spook, hmmmmmmm :-/

norm2525 reply :

My favorites are LC sammies, spooks, and Storm chug bugs.

BassinSoldier reply :

Sammy 100 in aurora/black, cavitron buzzbait in black with red blade, cane toads & horny toads in the thick stuff, and a spro bronze eye when I can't afford to go through 3 or 4 bags of toads in one day

lubina reply :

This year 7" MS Slammer

mdgreco191 reply :

Storm chug bug, in baby bass.

Rebel Magnum Pop'r, silver sides/black back.

Original Floating rapala (or any floating minnow), silver sides/black back.

The magnum pop'r has caught the biggest fish, but it also gets lots of strikes from bream, and I even caught a 1/4 lbs. warmouth with it!

ejtaylor822 reply :

1. LC Sammy

2. Spook

3. Buzz baits

MN Basser reply :

Snag-proof Tournament Frog

GrandSlamBasser87 reply :

Buzzbaits have always been my "Ol reliable" topwater choices. Have 3 over 6lbs on them this year. When i switch things up, I will go with a chug bug or a zara puppy.

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