Topwater Question

[syd]

On topwater do most of you generally quit fishing topwater once the sun comes up. I was just wondering if on cloudy, cooler, or windy days you may stick with topwater a little longer. I have heard some people will fish buzz baits on cloudy days all day.

[riverfisher]

I do not go by the sun up and sun down.................I'll fish'em all day long. I put them away once the water hits about 55 degrees but always keep one on incase I see bait bustin in the fall.

[carolina-rig-01]

Fish them until the fish stop eating them. Some days a topwater bite once the sun gets up, other days it can last all day long especially if you have some clouds or even better rain.

[Old Hooker]

Topwater is like anything else. As long as they are hitting it, I'm throwing it.

[bassinbob]

I'll fish all day over pads and slop. Be ready with a follow up bait.

[woody]

Likewise for me too... Something else I'll add is that I'm throwing a popper style bait when there is no noticable chop on the water, otherwise it's a buzzbait.


-Mark

[Marty]

I fish topwater much more than anything else and have caught many large bass (large by western NY standards) on topwaters under sunny conditions in mid-afternoon. There's never a time I don't fish topwater unless I've already concluded that they won't come up for one due to cold water or some other reason.

[tim4081]

As others have said I'll fish topwater as long as the fish are hitting it. I've fished frogs in and around heavy cover and pads all day even in bright sun when the bite keeps going.

[walkeraviator]

Here in Kentucky the topwater bite actually doesn't even start til the sun comes out. I find the peak of buzzbait action to be between 10am and noon. After noon, I will keep the towaters going until they stop hittin it. Then I go Jerk Baits and lipless cranks. And if I feel the sun has em really shut down, I will break out the Jigs... have been wanting to try Dropshot in this situation too.

[keithdog]

Actually, I base my topwater fishing based more on water conditions than the sun. As long as the waters surface is fairly calm I'll be throwing topwater no matter what time of day. Once it gets choppy my topwater success drops dramatically. If I am using topwater on a sunny day though, I will be trying to toss it into shaded areas or areas where there is ample cover below to offer bass the cover of submerged shade.

[Bassboss]

Originally Posted by carolina-rig-01

Fish them until the fish stop eating them. Some days a topwater bite once the sun gets up, other days it can last all day long especially if you have some clouds or even better rain.

Same here, screw the sun, if I catch them when it's down, I could when it's up! However if I'm just getting on the lake a 11:00, a top water is not most likely what I'll throw first.

[bamabassman]

If the bass are busting it, I'm gonna keep at it.

[ted48]

I throw top water, mostly buzz baits every time I am on the water.

Several years ago I had a small pond that I could only fish in the afternoons. In the spring a cold snap put skim ice on the most shallow end. I fished parrallel to the damn and had a forty-five minute window that big bass, 4 to 7 lb hammered a buzz bait. Repeated this two of three times a week the whole spring, With ice on the shallows most days.

Fish top water every time you go out it is the most exiciting way to catch Bass.

[Bob Smith]

Originally Posted by ted48

I throw top water, mostly buzz baits every time I am on the water.

Several years ago I had a small pond that I could only fish in the afternoons. In the spring a cold snap put skim ice on the most shallow end. I fished parrallel to the damn and had a forty-five minute window that big bass, 4 to 7 lb hammered a buzz bait. Repeated this two of three times a week the whole spring, With ice on the shallows most days.

Fish top water every time you go out it is the most exiciting way to catch Bass.

Ted, you just hit on an answer that most folks simply do not realize. There are some bodies of water, regardless of thier location, that are just better topwater venues. In the same paragraph you touched another reason I don't usually throw topwaters that much, especially in tournaments ("45 minute window"), that is so true. There are exceptions to every rule and when the opportunity presents itself you can catch fish on topwater all day long on any body of water. My favorite three topwater methods are frogs, buzzbaits, and dog walking baits (not necessarily in that order).