Others, though, are beginning to find success in the shallows. Talked to a friend just yesterday, who had been out for a couple of hours in the early morning with another fella and found success with their topwater baits. Also overheard some anglers at the Dewey Mullins Memorial Bass Tourney last Sunday talking about the topwater action they had enjoyed.
Topwater bass fishing, as we all know, is one of the most popular techniques in this sport. Few things equal the joy of watching a big bass come out of its environment and attack your lure. It just never gets old.
The warming temperatures of spring offer anglers of all skill levels a first-hand opportunity to experience this adrenaline rush. As the bass move to and from their annual spawning grounds, topwater lures are a sure-fire way to elicit some vicious reaction strikes.
A basic question everyone has to answer first, though, is: What lure do I throw? According to Wired2Fish writer Walker Smith, there are five that he recommends anyone should keep in their collection, starting with frogs.
"Big bass have a hard time turning them down," he said. "Although you may not always catch a lot of fish with these hollow-bellied lures, the bites you get are likely to be the "right" ones. If you keep it in your hand long enough, your perseverance will be handsomely rewarded.
"While you'll have a good chance of finding a solid frog bite whenever the water temps exceed 55 degrees, these lures often are at their best throughout the post-spawn period," he continued. "As the bass protect their newly hatched fry, they become incredibly territorial, and the walking and spitting of a hollow-bellied frog is difficult to beat.
"Willow trees and other types of brushy, overhanging cover are excellent targets for topwater frogs. It's also a good idea to target the front of docks.
"There's rarely any doubt when a bass eats your frog. While some may discretely sneak up and slurp it down, the vast majority of bites will be quite dramatic. When you see the explosion, give the bass a half-second or so before setting the hook in order to make sure they are connected with it, then set the hook upwards as hard as you can."
Another tried-and-true choice throughout much of the year, but especially in the spring, is poppers. While they're not ideal for thick cover, due to their treble hooks, they are a force to be reckoned with when used in fairly open-water scenarios. They can be used comfortably with either casting or spinning gear.
"You'll have your best luck with topwater poppers in isolated cover during both the spawn and post-spawn periods," noted Smith. "As long as the water temperatures are in the 60-to-75-degree range, it's a good idea to have one rigged up and ready to cast. These lures are especially effective when fished over bedding areas. They also disturb groups of post-spawn fry, which forces otherwise lethargic bass to bite out of pure reaction.
"Stumps, corner dock posts, outside grass lines, and sparse laydowns are high-percentage targets, but don't rule them out around the late-spring shad spawns, either. Most of your targets will be in close proximity to spawning flats, so focus your efforts on shallow, south-facing pockets with a sandy or firm bottom composition.
"Popper bites aren't always overly aggressive, so it's important to keep steady visual contact with the lure throughout your retrieve. Some bass will go completely bonkers on the bait, but some of the bigger fish will suck it underneath the water with very little fanfare. Forget a dramatic hookset; just sweep your rod to the side, much like you would with a crankbait."
While prop baits may seem like they're designed for a steady surface retrieve, they're most effective when fished just like a topwater popper...a few small twitches, followed by intermittent pauses. And, as explained by Smith, "They're an excellent choice around shallow bass beds, post-spawn bluegill beds, and even cruising wolf packs.
"When you find yourself in the back of a spawning pocket," he continued, "be sure to make specific target-oriented casts to any dark areas you see, including stumps, vegetation, or even small rocks. Shallow bluegill beds perhaps are the best springtime targets for prop baits because, as the big post-spawn females are recovering from the rigors of the spawn, bluegill represent an easy and nutrient-rich meal.
"Many prop-bait bites will be very similar to topwater popper bites, but it seems as if prop-bait bites can be even more subtle at times. Expect bites that you won't even hear or see...the lure just simply disappears. A winding sweep is all that's needed to the large majority of your bites."
Another topwater lure recommended by Smith is the buzzbait. In his words, "It's a remarkable tool for quickly covering large areas of water and remains one of the best big-bass baits in existence. They can work almost all year long, depending upon your location. And it's not unusual to see outstanding buzzbait catches in water as cool as 48 degrees or as hot as 85 degrees when the bass are very active.
"A relatively quick, steady surface retrieve makes them a solid choice when you're searching for a productive spring pattern. Fan cast them over large spawning flats, make short pitches to isolated cover, and target pre- and post-spawn staging areas.
"There's no such thing as a stereotypical buzzbait bite, but because of the constant tension and contact with the lure throughout your retrieve, they won't be hard to detect. Braid is a good choice of line due to its lack of stretch. Whether the bass explodes on your lure, or simply sucks it under, just keep tension and speed your retrieve, and you'll enjoy a healthy landing percentage."
Smith's last recommendation is a soft-plastic toad, which is often overlooked in favor of fancier and/or flashier offerings. While some anglers utilize a steady retrieve to allow the toad to spit and sputter on the surface, others actually will allow the bait to sink into small holes to fool big bass. "Regardless of your preferred method, the bass will inhale these baits," Smith assured.
"You may not get many bites on the toad throughout the prespawn period," he continued, "but it's certainly worth trying when the water is above 55 degrees. Once the spawn begins, toads are red-hot all season long.
"With the efficiency of a buzzbait and the weedless qualities of a hollow-bellied frog, soft-plastic toads excel at covering vast expanses of thick cover in a short period of time. Grass lines, grass mats, stumps, potential bedding areas, and underneath docks are all fair game for these baits," Smith concluded.
Can only speak for myself, but you can bet I'll be tossing topwaters for the foreseeable future, especially during the early morning.
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