Best TopWater Baits for SMB 2024
Ziggy Bones reply :
I wanted to start a discussion for topwater baits everyone has had success with hunting the bronzebacks. Last weekend I hooked up on a few in East TN using a 3in topwater popper, and a few with a size 90 whopper plopper, but I'm curious as to what else might be a good topwater presentations? I've had some people recommend a jerkbait and one buddy even recommended wacky rigging a senko and dragging it on the top/a few inches down, but I haven't had time to try it out. I've also seen this "double plopper" A-rig looking buzz bait deal, and am very intrigued to hear if anyone has had success with it (at $18 a piece I didn't want to dive in if it's just a bunk bait). Lend me your knowledge, fellow smallie smackers!
Krux5506 reply :
I think it varies from water to water substantially. I love the classic Heddon lures that I feel like nobody I know even fishes. My old favorite was the Dying Flutter which isn't even made anymore but not that hard to find on ebay sometimes for a decent price. Also the Torpedos are a favorite of mine and have taken many smallies.
On certain waters I've had a great smallie bite with buzz baits in choppy conditions. On my home port where I keep my boat, and in Lake Ontario, these methods have never worked for me.
A-Jay reply :
Repoman walking bait has been a solid producer for smallies.
The Megabass PopMax gets it done as well.
If there's going to be a topwater bite, I'm usually throwing one or the other.
btw the Megabass Dog-X Diamante gets honorable mention for me as well.
A-Jay
mattkenzer reply :
The three i am using this time of year ......
- Strike King - KVD Sexy Splash Jr. .... Clear Water Minnow
- Heddon - Super Spook Jr. .... Bone
- Yo-Zuri - 3DB Prop Prism .... Ghost Shad
After this ... I wave the White Flag!
NYWayfarer reply :
This year I have had a lot of luck with the Heddon Baby Torpedo on calm days and the Whopper Plopper 90 on windy days/choppy waters.
Smallmouth in my area love the Bluegill color WP. It far outperforms my bone colored WP
J_Pearson reply :
A list of a few of my smallie go-to's when it comes to topwater:
- Bone Super Spook
- Jr. "sammy-style" keeled topwaters
- Any slightly "smaller" popper (Ricos, Megabass pop-x, Daiwa td zeros...)
- Smaller/ Jr. Sized Wakebaits
- Whopper plopper 90
- Jonathan
flyfisher reply :
Megabass PopX and PopMax for me as they both allow for popping or walking the dog if needed.
FryDog62 reply :
Whopper Plopper 110
Jitterbug
Heddon Crazy Crawler
Further North reply :
I love doing this, every time the topic comes up:
...but for me, any popper, slider or diver I can toss with a 6, 7 or 8 wt. fly rod.
RyneB reply :
When I spend a week in traverse city every spring, a Evergreen Shower Blows is by far my best producing topwater. Runner up would be a little popper.
Bluebasser86 reply :
I could easily get rid of all my topwaters except my 90 ploppers and Super Spook Jr's when it comes to smallies.
J.Vincent reply :
Lucky Craft Sammy
Birdman2136 reply :
Whopper Plopper 90 in T1000 or Pacman and Super Spook Jr in Bone.
scaleface reply :
A local river use to be full of big smalmouths until a three year flood destroyed the population . Buzzbaits were my preferred top water followed by poppers.
Further North reply :
On 7/23/2018 at 8:59 AM, RyneB said:When I spend a week in traverse city every spring, a Evergreen Shower Blows is by far my best producing topwater. Runner up would be a little popper.
...that...sounds...dirty...
Maybe that's their goal?
Turkey sandwich reply :
In my experience, when smallies are feeding on the surface, they aren't always super picky. If I need to cover lots of water, a walking bait or Whopper Plopper (usually 90, sometimes the 130) are my first choice. If I need to target smaller pockets and can get away with treble hooks, I'm throwing some kind of popper. If there's lots of weeds/grass, I'm reaching for a popping frog.
If I'm chucking flies, I like deer hair poppers, Dahlberg Diver variations, and even Deceivers fished on a floating line stripped fast across the surface.
NHBull reply :
This Summer a black or white popper has been on deck all year and landing rate since going to the Gammy AM trebles has been over 90%
Way north bass guy reply :
For me it’s mostly a super spook junior, but I’ve also caught some monster smallies on a hollow frog when they’re in shallow water. Also, when it’s real calm and low light, this guy “just barely twitched” on the surface with a spinning rod and light line will call up some real dandies.
Further North reply :
On 8/6/2018 at 7:07 PM, NHBull said:This Summer a black or white popper has been on deck all year and landing rate since going to the Gammy AM trebles has been over 90%
Question: What do guys who don't use fly rods throw poppers on? And what kind of poppers?
I've got a few, but am just curious.
Turkey sandwich reply :
On 8/7/2018 at 12:08 PM, Further North said:Question: What to guys who don't use fly rods throw poppers on? And what kind of poppers?
I've got a few, but am just curious.
Most of my gear poppers cast well on either a Mojo 7' Med Fast or 6'8 Avid X ML F spinning rods.
Vilas15 reply :
On 7/19/2018 at 10:02 PM, Ziggy Bones said:I've also seen this "double plopper" A-rig looking buzz bait deal, and am very intrigued to hear if anyone has had success with it (at $18 a piece I didn't want to dive in if it's just a bunk bait).
I wouldn't buy it. Lots of reviews saying wires bend on the first fish. Stick to the regular plopper which gets plenty of action based on this thread alone.
NHBull reply :
On 8/7/2018 at 12:08 PM, Further North said:Question: What to guys who don't use fly rods throw poppers on? And what kind of poppers?
I've got a few, but am just curious.
https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Impulse_Energy_Series_Casting_Rods/descpage-IMPUL.html
Best topwaters rod I have used. Look it up
burrows reply :
I don’t fish a lot of small mouth but I do fish for spots and I hear they act very similar probably not exactly the same at all, but some what similar best poprs would be for me, duo realis popr 64 and the yozuri 3DR both are great also just a regular rebel popr is also a great choice and easy on your wallet.
B-Dozer reply :
try this. reel it fast enough to wiggle, slow enough to stay on top.
bagofdonuts reply :
On 7/20/2018 at 10:47 AM, Further North said:I love doing this, every time the topic comes up:
...but for me, any popper, slider or diver I can toss with a 6, 7 or 8 wt. fly rod.
i'm more of a walmart popping bug fan.
Further North reply :
On 8/7/2018 at 1:27 PM, Turkey sandwich said:Most of my gear poppers cast well on either a Mojo 7' Med Fast or 6'8 Avid X ML F spinning rods.
On 8/7/2018 at 4:50 PM, NHBull said:https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Impulse_Energy_Series_Casting_Rods/descpage-IMPUL.html
Best topwaters rod I have used. Look it up
Cool.
...what kind of poppers?
Further North reply :
On 8/7/2018 at 10:01 PM, bagofdonuts said:i'm more of a walmart popping bug fan.
Those work well and I don't cry when I lose them.
That uses the same head as this:
NHBull reply :
On 8/7/2018 at 10:29 PM, Further North said:Cool.
...what kind of poppers?
I stay with 3 colors
Black, white, silver and styles similar to the pop max, because I also like to walk the dog and they tend to be a bit more versatile. BPS has cheaper ones that are on the same note. Lovino also has some great ones......don't go overboard, keep it simple. A couple 1/4's and a few 1/2 ounce and your good. Got 2 4 lbers this AM
J Francho reply :
Really, most anything that isn't too big, and even then they hit big baits, too. I like a Sammy 100 or Popmax.
Further North reply :
On 8/7/2018 at 10:50 PM, NHBull said:I stay with 3 colors
Black, white, silver and styles similar to the pop max, because I also like to walk the dog and they tend to be a bit more versatile. BPS has cheaper ones that are on the same note. Lovino also has some great ones......don't go overboard, keep it simple. A couple 1/4's and a few 1/2 ounce and your good. Got 2 4 lbers this AM
On 8/7/2018 at 10:53 PM, J Francho said:Really, most anything that isn't too big, and even then they hit big baits, too. I like a Sammy 100 or Popmax.
Thanks.
...I've used the Z-Man Pop Shadz a couple times. Seem to work OK.
J Francho reply :
On 8/7/2018 at 11:30 PM, Further North said:I've used the Z-Man Pop Shadz a couple times. Seem to work OK.
I haven't tried one yet. Weird little bait. Seems really similar to their floating fluke baits as a topwater, but with a popper mouth. I like this around boat slips and pontoons because they're quiet when you bounce of the metal.
Further North reply :
On 8/7/2018 at 11:35 PM, J Francho said:I haven't tried one yet. Weird little bait. Seems really similar to their floating fluke baits as a topwater, but with a popper mouth. I like this around boat slips and pontoons because they're quiet when you bounce of the metal.
Yep. Good place for them.
They also run pretty weedless, so in among branches and weeds too.
moguy1973 reply :
I use:
Whopper Ploppers
Sexy Dawgs
Buzz baits
Horny Toads
Poppers
All have their time and place.
Turkey sandwich reply :
On 8/7/2018 at 10:29 PM, Further North said:Cool.
...what kind of poppers?
Rapala x-Pop and Skitterpop mostly, but I also really like soft body popping frogs (7' MH F Aetos casting rod) around grass and snaggy stuff.
Further North reply :
On 8/8/2018 at 3:26 AM, Turkey sandwich said:
Rapala x-Pop and Skitterpop mostly, but I also really like soft body popping frogs (7' MH F Aetos casting rod) around grass and snaggy stuff.
I have both, thanks. Wanted to be sure I had a grasp of what folks were using.
joe chum reply :
Gunfish 95
Shower Blows 115
Crazy Shad
Big Splash It
Jackall SK- Pop Grande
Rapala Floating #13
DogBone_384 reply :
Perch colored Rapala Skitter-walk, followed by a gold prism Yozuri 3DB pencil bait, and lastly, a perch 110 Whopper Plopper round out my best performing topwater baits.
Munkin reply :
Sammy 100 for bigger fish
Gunfish 95
Popper
Jitterbug
Tiny torpedo
White buzzbait
Allen
OkobojiEagle reply :
Back up... I'm looking for a comparison between the Gunfish 115 and Evergreen SB (shower blows ?) 105. I thought I might add one of these to next year's arsenal. I've thrown the Gunfish 95 for several years and am looking for a slightly larger compliment to it.
oe
Bluebasser86 reply :
On 10/10/2018 at 10:18 PM, OkobojiEagle said:Back up... I'm looking for a comparison between the Gunfish 115 and Evergreen SB (shower blows ?) 105. I thought I might add one of these to next year's arsenal. I've thrown the Gunfish 95 for several years and am looking for a slightly larger compliment to it.
oe
Gunfish is more of a walker like a spook while the SB is more of a hybrid popper/walker. The SB doesn't move far with each twitch because of the face cup and weight back design, it really will sit in one spot and cut side to side, great for annoying fish. I imagine you could probably really work it hard to make it move a little further, but I've never tried fishing it like that.
Schocker reply :
In the rivers, I have done quite well with black zoom horny toads and jitter bugs.
stratoliner92 reply :
On 7/23/2018 at 1:38 PM, J.Vincent said:Lucky Craft Sammy
X2 wore out some Minnesota smallies
waymont reply :
Mine are super spook jr, 1/4oz jitterbug, rebel pop r, skitterprop, Rapala floating original and jointed minnows
FryDog62 reply :
Arashi Cover Pop with Wayzata Bait small crank leader. Walk the dog plus the popping sound has twice the ability to entice strikes. The leader is small enough to not hinder the action and prevents the frequent pike bite-offs in our part of the country.
bowhunter63 reply :
Rapala skitter pop and Heddons tiny torpedo are my two favorites.Plus the floating Rapala works good two.
DogBone_384 reply :
????
JWall14 reply :
From what I’ve heard the whopper plopper kicks butt!
Kvltism reply :
My top 3 in no particular order:
cl8 bait Mighty Mouse-any and all colorways
jackall Pompadour Jr-bone white and gill bone
ms slammer mini-black grey and white
Runners up:
rio rico-definitely overpriced for what it is but it has its own brand of spit, chug, pop & walk + every colorway you never wanted
every spook ever made????️
Ive had a banner year with the pop-x in white python and gunfish 95 in Lazer clear ghost, so hey! Up size, down size, mid size just get out there and send em!
related Smallmouth Bass Fishing topic
previous topic
next topic
© 2024 - fishing.qciss.net. All Rights Reserved.