WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE TOPWATER LURE AND WHY?????? 2024

noogai13 reply :

Type, color, pattern, size, brand, rod and reel choices, line, wood/plastic...

barroncooper reply :

my top 2 would be zoom horney toads and yellow magic poppers(japanese shad). 65lb. samurai braid on the frogs with a 7' heavy rod and a calcutta 200gtb. I fish frogs in lillypads here so i want a rod strong enough to pull em out of them pads. plus I feel safe yanking on em with that calcutta. super rigid frame. lost a 10+ lber this summer on 20# big game in the middle of the pads. that was and is the last time this reel sees mono.

central.PA.bass reply :

Spro Bronzeye Frog... Rainforest black.. 65lb Braid..

auburn bass man reply :

Some of my favorites are the Rapala Skitter walk, Heddon Torpedo and zara spook. The zara spook comes in several sizes, some with a single knocker, some with multiple and some with none. I believe this allows be to be more versatile. Topwater is my favorite way to fish so I like having options like this.

Thefishy1 reply :

LC Sammy 100 in Ghost Minnow on a Dobyns 704CB/Citica 200E with 12lb Triple Fish X-Rated Monofilament

VAfishin4me reply :

JITTERBUG

zero limit reply :

Quote
JITTERBUG

x2 also #7 & # 9 floating rap

Thai reply :

Buzzbaits hands down with a close second by the spro frog and zara spook takes third, when the bite is on and sun is setting you cant beat a topwater

shootermcbob reply :

Black jointed jitterbug. Why? very easy too use, and I catch fish on it nearly every outing.

Raul reply :

Quote
JITTERBUG

X4 !

190sxchamp reply :

My favorite is a Rebel Pop-R in bone color. I do some modifications to the lip area and hooks to get it to work like I want it to. I'm not sure what it is but for me, it out fishes all other topwater baits combined for me.

lightsout reply :

tossup between a black 3/8oz secret weapon buzzbait with a colorado blade behind the buzzer. Or luckycraft sammy 115 in American shad.

Sam reply :

1. Cavitron Buzzbait.

2. RICO.

3. Pink or White Trick Worm

Color and size depends on the waters being fished and the overall conditions.

.RM. reply :

#1 3X Zulu's White/Pearl, big spots (4#) love this lure locally during spawn....

#2 Rattling Chugg Bug Chrome/Blue, why because the big spots (4#) after spawn in my waters can't stay off of it..

#3 Buzzbaits Chart/White, because it works all the time....

Tight Lines!!!

Catt reply :

The Johnson spoon coupled with a pork chunk, single or twin tail grub, Zoom 3" Swimmin Chunk or just a skirt will make the bait buoyant slowing the rate of fall. Casting the Johnson spoon is like casting spinner baits in that the instant before touch down engage your reel hold your rod high and start reeling. If you reel fast enough you can skitter the spoon across the surface of any vegetation.

As with any top water bait you must wait until you feel the weight of the bass before setting hook. When I see or feel the strike I point my rod towards the fish, reel down to semi-slack, feel the fish, & then use a quick snap hook set. Many anglers use braided line for harder hook set but I feel this more often than not pulls the bait from the fish's mouth.

Any time I'm fishing a top water bait of any kind I'll have a Texas rig on the deck for follow up cast to missed fish. I'll usually opt for weightless or 1/32nd or 1/16th oz bullet weight; another excellent setup is a Texas rigged trick worm with a nail in the tail.

Spoon feeding bass in heavy vegetation aint for the weak hearted

tholmes reply :

Quote
JITTERBUG

+1^ It ain't the newest gee-whiz, high tech lure, but I've caught more topwater bass on jitterbugs than any other lure.

Favorite color? An old, beat up one that I spray painted solid black.

Tom

Shane J reply :

My favorite topwater lure, is a Rage Tail Shad, in black neon. I can throw it anywhere, including some nasty slop, and they flat out catch fish. This is actually my favorite bait, period. Also having caught my PB with one (gr.pumpkin/chartreuse) doesn't hurt either, but it's very exciting to fish with.

trevor reply :

Heddon Torpedo or floating Rapala

Primus reply :

If I were allowed only one I'll choose a Yellow Magic Popper, give me two colors. I'll choose Bone for overcast days and the Bream color at other times. I can walk it ,skitter it and spit it. This one does not need to be modified it's perfect right out of the box. I throw this on a 6'6" Med rod with 14 lb mono.

The Rooster reply :

I need to get into topwaters more. Only thing I've ever used and was successful on was a buzzbait and they've always been chartreuse or chartreuse/white. Got one of the Rapala Skitterpops for Christmas so we'll see how that goes. I've had others including some of the Heddon Spit'n Images and Spooks, Rebel Pop-R's, and various other poppers and walkers for years but never use them at all. When I did they never worked so I just quit using them and gave most of them away over time.

roadwarrior reply :

Megabass POP-MAX

Unique styling, hi grade components, masterful

finish, casts well and is very effective.

http://www.megabass.co.jp/product_detail.php?keyid=86&item1=1

8-)

barroncooper reply :

Quote
If I were allowed only one I'll choose a Yellow Magic Popper, give me two colors. I'll choose Bone for overcast days and the Bream color at other times. I can walk out ,skitter it and spit it. This one does not need to be modified it's perfect right out of the box. I throw this on a 6'6" Med rod with 14 lb mono.

it's about time someone else mentions this. Ill challenge anyone with this lure. I cant believe this lure hasn't been mentioned more. it was hard for me to drop 15 bucks but after the first morning...i have no more problems spending that kind of money for "that" bait

hjerk24 reply :

1. Popper- Excalibur or Any brand really...

(shad/chrome/blue)- needs the right RATTLE.

2. Gambler Cane Toad-(Black and White)

3. Buzzbait- Chartruse w/ red bleeder- from Walmart

Those have produced consistently over the years.

I don't fix what's not broken.

TimJ reply :

pop-r. need a bit of dark colour on belly for me...LM & SM almost anytime.

buzz bait. white/chart with black or blue...'cause it's a blast to fish.

pupfish (or look-alike). bone...'cause it's so easy to walk and the smallies love it.

knap reply :

frog and popper. love the explosionon from the bass on those two baits

angler1 reply :

helix ninja buzz bait, all black, abu garcia revo-s, 20# berkley crystal braid, st. croix mojo bass series topwater rod.

VABassin'14 reply :

Rapala skitter walk in bluegill because it catches many fish. I don't really care if its the best looking lure, I just care that it catches fish. Lures are suppose to be made to catch fish, not anglers.

Chris reply :

I have a pop R style bait that I hand carved that I like to use. I like it because it sits higher in the water making it easy to walk the dog with. The mouth is shaped to spit which I feel draws strikes. I can chug it to draw fish out of cover and slow it down. I can also walk it to cover flats and stuff. I also like using a spit'n image Jr. topwater lure. I sanded mine so it sits higher in the water and changed the hooks to a lighter wire. I feel it gives the lure more distance on the glide when walking it.

bmadd reply :

I have a Spro Dawg in gold/black that for some reason just flat out catches fish. I've tried other Spro Dawgs and this one is just special. It out fishes my Sammys as well. I fish that on a 7' MH Fast rod with 14lb Berkley Big Game.

Other than that it would be a sanded down Rebel Magnum Pop-R in bone. I fish it on a 6'8" M Mod rod with 10 lb mono.

lk ozark reply :

Double Chug Bug-Clear. It catches bass.

SkilletSizeBass. reply :

#1 Booyah chart./red buzzbait w/clanker,

# 2 Black jitterbug.

( got a Booyah dbl. blade buzzbait I'm gonna try)

Revo stx 7.1 & G-Loomis 6'6" GL3 mh fast action

P-Line cx 12lb.

simplejoe reply :

Rage tail shad or Toad.

Spro Bronzeye frog.

Matzuo spit and sputter.

Heddon torpedo or super spook.

Chaz Hickcox reply :

Topwater

1. Buzzbait (Cavitron or Strike King depending on how slow I have to go)

2. Rapala Skitterpop

3. Scum Frog Paddle Frog

Skinny Water

1. Castaic Original Hard Headed Shad

2. Castaic Rock Hard Baby Trout

3. Rapala 5 in Jointed Minnow

brushhoggin reply :

a good ole stanley ribbit, not the high floaters though. they need better paint jobs for those suckers.

CWB reply :

Strike King Rage Shad. Flat out catches fish.

Casts easy.

Great action.

Fun to watch.

Like fishing a buzzbait where you never thought you could.

Did I mention it catches fish.

Hornytoad 10 reply :

strike king rage tail shad, in smokey shad color.

jaymc reply :

Smithwick Devil's Warhorse. They haven't made any in 30 years but I have two left. Hopefyully I'll run out before they do. The Warhorse is a stick bait that stands up perpindicular to the surface at rest, When it enters the water it goes in vertically like a diver and then bobs up and down when it comes to the surface. If you give it a little twitch it darts under and bobs again at the surface. You can also walk it, but it walks just under the surface. Too bad they stopped making them. Heddon used to ahve a similar bait called the Dying Quiver.

Floating Rapala

Heddon Moss Boss for slop....

Prop baits and poppers, like the Hula Popper, for when there is a chop on the water.

Dahallberg Diver in Frog when I'm using my fly rod.

I never use more than 12lb test and short stiff rods. You can hang yourself with 12lb line.

rumbal reply :

Gunfish 95 Chartreuse Shad.

Jepu reply :

1st- Buzzbait

2nd- Zara Spook

LCpointerKILLA reply :

Gunfish Ghost Minnow

Aluma-Bass reply :

zara spook, the biggest they make! i love walk the dog action!

riverat reply :

Agree with Catt re: Johnson spoon in heavy vegetation along with the Spro Frog.

In open water I alternate between the Spro Frog and a Hub's Chub Rattalur or a Johnny Rattler.

Blade-Runner reply :

Love the Original Lunker Lure, Original Floating Rapala, and the Long-A.

But my favorite topwater has got to be the Rapala Skitterpop (Clown) - searched all over for that model because I wanted one like Al Lindner's! It does work wonders for bassin blowups.

Fishes in trees reply :

I like to throw some sort of popper. The original pop-r or the Berkley Frenzy version, or the Lucky Craft version and I'm sure I'm forgetting some. I throw them on baitcasters with 14 or 17 lb mono. I use the All Star Zell Rowland Topwater special rod. (6 1/2' medium light, fast tip)

I think that the poppers give you a greater range of speed control than you get with a buzz bait and I think that it is easier to get a walk the dog type action with them. The one modification I make is to put an extra oval split ring on the treble hooks, to get them to hang down a little lower.

Obviously these baits don't work very well in thick or matted vegetation. If I've got to fish that situation I'll use a horny toad or some other plastic weedless frog.

Gangley reply :

ZOOM Horny Toad followed by a Rebel Minnow

Ballpark Frank reply :

Reaction Innovation's Squeaky Dolphin(buzzbait) in Black and Blue

Big Game Green 15#

G.Loomis MBR783 GL2

Quantum Code Burner

mrbassky68 reply :

Lunker punker 6in molded

Bluegill

It catches good fish anywhere

Kingbass43 reply :

Top water rapala any color any size caught me my most fish

Anglin reply :

The Heddon Zara spook Jr. fished on 10lb test. I could fish it fast and peacock bass in south Florida absolutely crush it.

b.Lee reply :

Jitterbug and zara spook, yes im old school, I will also throw a devilhorse every once in a while

bass or bass ? reply :

Arbogast Jitterbug. Leopard frog pattern.

I like their surface action and have caught more fish on them than any other surface lure.

A-Rob reply :

Gambler Toad...its got way more action at slower speed than the other soft plastic buzzfrogs....down size is they rip up, but if I'm catching fish I don't mind.

RoLo reply :

If I didn't consider the J-spoon a subsurface lure, it would definitely be my favorite (they are Killer).

With regard to full-fledged surface lures, it must be "weedless" (fishable) and preferably "soft" (mouthable).

As much as I love the Stanley Ribbit, I have to give the nod to the Sizmic Floating Pop'n Toad.

I believe this lure has already caught more bass than all those I've boated on a Jitterbug.

It's important to specify "floating", because unlike the horny toad for example,

the Sizmic Pop'n Toad is a "true" topwater lure that does not sink when paused.

My confidence color is "Mossback" but all the colors work very well.

The Floating Pop'n Toad will POP as loud as a cannon if that's what you want,

or can be softly chugged. Nonetheless, my favorite retrieve is kind of a "bubble plow",

similar to a fast cranked Jitterbug. I generally wake the toad for about 18" then let it pause at least 3 secs, and so on.

This lure is not good for twitching or zigzaging, which I leave to other surface lures.

The best hook I've found is a 5/0 Horny Toad Hook with a screw-coil retainer.

I fish the Pop'n Toad strictly on MH 15-lb spinning tackle, spooled with 30-lb fireline braid.

Roger

NitroBass23 reply :

My top 3

Spro Frog

Bleedin Buzz Bait

Pop R

jbtcardfan reply :

Strike King Buzz King, white or chartreuse, because the strikes are just awesome!

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WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE TOPWATER LURE AND WHY?????? 2024

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