Topwater for smallies 2024

Rebel Angler reply :

what types of topwaters are good for smallies in rivers this time of year?

Also how exaclty do you fish topwates in rivers, like workin with the current and all?

Thai reply :

Why not use soft plastics? Esp in this time of year

roadwarrior reply :

One of my best was caught on a full size Spook.

;D ;D 8-) ;D ;D

Thai reply :

Quote
One of my best was caught on a full size Spook.
;D ;D 8-) ;D ;D

My biggest was on a buzzbait

but that was in June lol!

singingdog reply :

You should check out the Riversmallies forum. Lots of folks over there that specialise in (drum roll) river fishing for smallmouth. I tried to post a link, but apparently I am on probation.

Topwater can work for smallmouth in fairly cool water. After about 50 degrees, it gets to be a low-percentage presentation, but always fun to try!

Some favorite river topwaters: spook, floating rap, buzzbait.

roadwarrior reply :

Quote
You should check out the Riversmallies forum. Lots of folks over there that specialise in (drum roll) river fishing for smallmouth. I tried to post a link, but apparently I am on probation.

A newbie posting links to other fishing forums

is considered rude. On this website ten posts

are required before links or pictures can be

posted. The purpose is to reduce spam, like

guys coming here to post the link to another

site.

-Kent a.k.a. roadwarrior

Global Moderator

p.s.

Most of the smallmouth guys here know about

RiverSmallies and some of us are members over

there, too.

Chris W reply :

Full size spook and Lucky Craft Gunfish 115 are my 2 favorites.

Delaware Valley Tackle reply :

I've had good luck throwing a jitterbug or Heddon's tiny torpedo both in dark color with a silver or gray belly. Cast upstream along seams in the current. I get most hits right after it hits the water or by giving it a twitch later in the drift.

Rebel Angler reply :

Well if topwaters are a bad choice for this time a year, what's the best to go with?

But next time I hit the water I'll definitely try some of the topwaters yall suggested.

thanks

jj2 reply :

this time of year in the new river here in ashe county you will want something you can fish slow along the bottom like a jig or maybe a 3'' grub bounced along the bottom as far as topwater next spring when the water warms up try some pop rs or torpedos something you can stop and go with I've had more luck with these than baits that are moveing constantly

VolFan reply :

I like to work a spook or popper down the current and let it wash into seams and eddies. Work it more slowly in the eddies and back into the current, washing it down to the next eddy or seam. This time of year, a topwater fish is hard to come by. I'd follow the advice above and try a 3" grub in teh deeper holes below riffles, or wait for a few warm sunny days in a row.

JDK. reply :

i fish tn river and maybe its i dont do it enough but dont seem to catch em on topwater much.. if you can find a reaction innovation vixen its the best spook i have used

Rebel Angler reply :

thanks for all the tips an advice

I'll try'em all out

thanks!

Crestliner2008 reply :

I truly *** you guys down south of me. With water temps around here hovering just above the freezing mark, we've put away our top waters.

That being said, in the more moderate periods of our fishing calendar around here, I've been successful using a popper (Pop-R type). I don't work it very much. One or two initial pops....then I let it drift for awhile and pop it again. Has produced some dandy small mouths!

fishermantony reply :

Lucky Craft Sammy is my favorite top-water lure any time of year now.

GRiver reply :

I like to twitch a Popper or slow crank a wake bait is what I've had best results with top water.

frogflogger reply :

My two biggest smallies 5lbs+ were both caught on phillips crippled killers (prop bait) one in the Elk r. in WVa the other on the mulberry in Ark. - both fish were positioned upstream of a submerged boulder at the head of large riffles. Not huge fish but big for where they were caught.

zero reply :

puppy spook because it is 3 inches long and i did caught 6 lbs smallie on that so try that

A-Rob reply :

I love topwaters for largemouth. For Smallies I try once in a while but all I get from it is a hit and miss. I follow it with a worm and pick it off sometimes. A lot of time it takes a swipe and I never see it again.

What I'm rambling on about is I do agree that it is exciting but not as effective or efficient as fishing other lures, ie a spinnerbait just below the surface, way better hook up ratio. So I'm in the same boat as you dude, I will be reading everyone elses answers haha

jacobhookem reply :

I would recommend a spook jr. or some sort of walking type bait like the spook. Lucky Craft makes a bait called the gunfish I really haven't tried it for smallies but earlier this year I caught a five and a half pound largemouth on it.

knappy reply :

a good old sara spook i would say ;D

Blade-Runner reply :

River Smallies on Top?

L.C. Sammy (M.S. Shad), Rapala Skitter Pop (Clown), 1/2 oz. Lunker Lure, Original Floating Rapala, Bomber Long A (Bone). Pearl/Redeye Footloose sure works good too. As does a rapido-twitched soft jerkbait.

Topwater wouldn't be my first choice right now, but you never know until you try. I'm a northerner but I can tell you that there is no better time of the year to locate river smallies than now, though their activity level might be low. You don't have to search hard...

Sure, D.O. is inversely proportional to temperature which would lead one to believe they could be anywhere. But that cold-bloodedness is the bane, a kin to a buck in the rut. They will not be fighting current. Topwater twitch in slack water with excrutiatingly slow retrieve could work. I'd be throwing a jig or suspending jerkbait. Good luck.

bassnleo reply :

If you are not trying topwater baits from spawn through fall your missing out.

I always throw a topwater and it produces some of my largest fish. Buzzbaits, poppers, walking, soft jerkbaits, all have their time and place. I choose a topwater based on water conditions and temperature.

In very clear and shallow river situations I lean to a popper. Murkier water is prime for a buzzbait.

Early fall shines for a walker. Soft jerkbaits work almost always.

My favorite spawn bait is a modified Rapala floater. I shave the bill so it does not dive, then weight the tail so it sits tail down at rest. Short and sharp snaps of the rod tip make the bait shimy and spit like a dying baitfish. I target shallow bedding areas. You'd be suprised of how many bedded smallmouth will rise from a bed to smoke this presentation.

I think the key to a topwater is first figuring out what type of bait then tuning in on how to present it. Once you dial in, stay with it. You may not get as many bites as other baits BUT the ones you do get will generally be larger, more agressive, fish.

Big Al23 reply :

I always have great luck with a 4" Rebel jointed minnow.

JKarbo214 reply :

My two favorite topwater lures for smallmouth bass include the Heddon Bill Dance Spit'n Image in Pearl/Black Back and a Cavitron Chartreuse/White Single Blade Buzzbait.

pennyankees reply :

not sure about this time of year, but the rage toad produces well for me when the temps are a little higher.

maybe try a slow buzzbait or something?

GRIZZ reply :

This time of the year, being from Massachusetts we're not thinking topwater, but if i was, it would be a Zara Spook, but i must mention and if you dont have one, a Lunker Punker is a must have topwater lure. I caught more fish on this bait this pass year ..........Incredible Lure!

jacobhookem reply :

I really like to fishh the lucky craft gunfish. it seems to put out a little bit more of a splash then for say a spook or sammy. Good luck ;D

Crestliner2008 reply :

GRIZZ - Where do you get those? Some pretty nice finishes I might ad.

Frog Turds reply :

crestliner, heres a link below for that lure...

http://blackdogbaits.com/store/lunker-punker/

Matt Kremers reply :

I primarily catch 'em on poppers and Jitterbugs. Every once in a while I will get one on a buzzbait.

robertb reply :

Try a chug bug. You won't be sorry

RandySBreth reply :

For regular tackle, I like soft jerkbaits worked very fast on top, any good "walk the dog" bait, and the poppers, like the Zell Pop from XCaliber or the Yellow Magic.

I really like my own popper for fly gear though...can't beat topwater Smallmouths!

Wild Bill [NY] reply :

The Black Dog Baits 'Lunker Punker" posted by Grizz was originally a wooden bait, and is marketed by two guys in California, Grant and Jeremy. The wood ones come in 6 and 9 inch versions.

Last year, they introduced plastic injection-molded ones, again in two sizes. These are far lighter in weight than thier wood counterparts.

Tremedous baits, and yeah, awesome paint jobs.

While I have never used them for Smallies [yet], I have done well with them for LMs.

The reason I have not tried them for Smallies is almost all the waters that I fish for Smallies also have Northern Pike, and I hate like all hell to see my $50 wooden one get bit off.

They have tremendous walking ability, and move a lot of water each time you move them, creating quite a topwater disturbance if worked aggressively.

The wooden ones weigh a few ounces, so a beefy rod is needed for the wood ones.

I 'believe' they brought out the plastic ones so guys could use them with heavy rods they already own without having to buy a dedicated swimbait rod.

I hope to be able to buy some of the plastic ones this year, as they are much cheaper [selling for $20 bucks].

.................................

Now, with that said, I do best myself on topwaters Smallies by using a fast steady action. Baits like Super Spooks, Super Spook Jrs, Chug Bugs, and BIG Jitterbugs have been my standouts, and each year for about the last 20 plus-years, I have caught my annual best Smallies doing that. The Jitterbugs get used primarily from dusk until dawn, but the other three get thrown all day, even under bright skies.

I feel it is the fast steady twitching of those three baits that trigger the violent attacks that I get on them. I work the Chug Bug like many would work a Spook, walking the dog with it in a series of fast twitches.

Hope this heps you all..

A-Jay reply :

Perhaps not a True topwater, The Rapala Subwalk has been a steady contributor to my SMB photo album. Smallies hammer the Mossback Shiner color size XRSB09. I haven't tried the smaller one or the new larger one yet.

http://www.rapala.com/products/lures/x-rap_subwalk/

A-Jay

riverfisher reply :

Quote
Try a chug bug. You won't be sorry

I was gonna say that!! One more for ya a Bill Dunce I mean Dance Excalibur Spit'n Image.

skeeteroneal reply :

yellow magic

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