I do believe its topwater time!

[smittyman]

springtime topwater fishing, gotta love it. whats everyones opinion in there favorite topwaters. i just picked up a couple xcalibur poppers, spro frogs, and booyah buzzbaits.

[Bassboss]

I really like walking baits like the Zara spook, but ones where the tail is just slightly under the water. I wanna get some sammies this season and see how they fair. They seem to get me plenty of numbers, and definitely big fish. I've gotta make some more of my own, they're fun to make, and 100% customizable, I can get the perfect length, and tail weight. Buzz frogs come in second for me!

[cassidyta]

Being that I throw them on the junk, I never really consider a frog as TW.
I will say that my favorite is a gunfish

[keithdog]

Two of my favorites are the Heddon Baby Torpedo and the Excaliber Poppers. I'm also a fan of the Rattlin Spook from Heddon. Once summer gets closer I'll also be working a Jitterbug.

[Apt79]

Gotta go with the buzz baits! I catch alot of fish on those.

[bamabassman]

<<<jsut wants ot go fishing on GUNTERSVILLE!!!! buzz's, pop-r's,devil hosses............lol

[smittyman]

the xcalibur popper i got is in that sexxxy shad colorway... i cant wait to pop that little guy across the water this weekend. i know if i was i fish i would loooove to see that thing above my head!!!

[danielbasspro]

my absolute favee would be a Heddon tiny Torpedo. I was on the kissimmee chain and caught twenty nice fish one was a 9 pounder, its definitely the time

[Imgoodatwhatido]

rage shad, pop r, boogerman buzzbait, spitn image, floatin fluke

[keithdog]

I'm anxious to try a buzz bait at Wilson in may. I've probably made 2000 casts with a buzz bait and only caught one bass on one. Now a buzz frog I catch plenty. But an actual buzz bait, I don't. And I really can't explain why.

[lilmule]

My first frog fish comes in march and water barely 50 ish,you dont get many hits in cool water but those that do are large in comparisson to lil wee ones attacking a buzzbait early.
Lately ive switched to pretty much a single brand capt kens desinger bass frogs,realistic look and movement,front hook is not the problem one thinks.
Yet spawn and tail sippers cause problems with all frogs,his skitter legs mod with four sets of legs lets one skip,pop,sputter or run one like a buzzbait or horney toad but when one swirls you dont have to reel in fast to toss again merely stop they float and twitch.Another of the legs also lets it do a limited dive,yes dive,experimentaion with retrieve hopping off a pad swimming say 3 ft popping up,can get commode flushes,the skitter legs mod comes with a set of small double hooks for the rear ,also fairly weedless.
Will one get all those hooked fish in,with those doubles no,far back in the jungle many come loose,but considering most you wouldnt have had on with a conventional frog a real treat.16 in fish no problem in or out.

[IowaBasser]

As I read this thread I say to myself, "OK stupid, how come we didn't know it was top-water time?" (my multiple personalities argue about fishing all the time)

When is good top-water time - besides when they are biting? ...I mean the water is only 55 degrees here and the bass are still pre-spawn - though I think some of the little boy bass are getting pretty horny. Speaking of horny, Zoom Horny Toads are my favorite top-waters. Should I be throwing them already? Or should I be throwing a more classic top-water like a buzz-bait, popper or stick-bait?

[LeBron_Hill]

Definately getting top water time...had a hawg blow up on a spook last weekend but it was just too hard for me to break the habit of breaking their jaw on the hookset...needless to say I missed her...damn near cried...lol

[cassidyta]

IB,

First of all, my climate is generally warmer than most, so when I say this keep that in mind.

I really don't think there is a true top-water season. (not counting ice) I do think that there are times when it works better than others, but I have caught top water fish in 40 degree water. This works in coves where the water is not too deep. I have seen fish come up from 15' to hit it.
Much like any other bait, I usually have to slow it down ALOT. Most of the time I will fish it the same as I do a cold water drop shot or jig. I will simply raise my rod enough create a tiny wake and then deadstick it. I may leave it in deadstick mode for a minute or two.

[96ecss]

The past few years my favorite topwaters are:

Rapala Skitter Pop
Rapala Skitter Prop
Rebel Pop-r

Dave

[JHolmes]

It is definitely a Spro Frog for me. Spooks and Baby Torpedos probably tie for second.

I agree with Cassidyta about the speed. The water here is still pretty chilly, so letting that frog soak works great this time of year.

[Bender]

I really did well with spooks/sammies up in Michigan. I can't seem to get a bite on topwater down South here.

In the past pre/spawn/post were the best times with a spook on the shallow flats. The bass just hate that thing walking really fast over them.

[cassidyta]

One thing to add on TW. When I am working a very slow bait on the top, I really like using a crankbait. I will let it go a few inches below the water and then rise up. I think that it mimics a dying shad very well.

[bassinbob]

Buzzbait is my fav. top water bait. Being that we aren't counting toads that is. I can't wait to see how the Triggerfish does this year. Second would be the gitterbug.

[AUFred]

It depends on the water I am fishing. I like Hula Poppers & Pop R type baits because I can control how much water I disturb and they are pretty much idiot proof. A buzzbait is awesome if the fish are aggressive and the water has a little tinge to it or a good surface ripple. I also will buzz a regular spinnerbait. If the water is really clear I may go with a Rapala type bait used as a topwater. I have not used propeller types like Tiny Torpedo in a long time but they can be effective.

[66KingFisher]

Rage tail toad, Pop-R, and a rattlin Spook.

[walkeraviator]

To me, Fall has always been topwater season. How do you knwo when it is time to throw towater?

For me, its all about buzzbaits, Pop-R, Heddon Torpedo, and Bang-O-Lures. I am learning to walk a spook lately though.

[AUFred]

I have caught bass on topwater 12 months out of the year. I find Spring & Fall to be the best action but I have caught several on topwater in Winter.

[IowaBasser]

Originally Posted by AUFred

I have caught bass on topwater 12 months out of the year. I find Spring & Fall to be the best action but I have caught several on topwater in Winter.

I knew before I looked at your location that you didn't live in Minnesota ...'cause I'm smart like that! If I was really really r-e-a-l-l-y smart, maybe I could figure out how to fish a top-water-lure from an ice-hut in January. That would be the bomb! Now I'll sit back and wait for suggestions.

[Thingfish]

It's been topwater time since April began here in Central Florida. I caught 115 bass in April, almost all on topwater stuff. I find poppers to be the most versatile because you can barely twitch them and stay close to your target or you can cover a lot of water quickly. My favorites:

For popping:

Strike King Spit-N-King
Rapala Skitter Pop

For walking the dog:

Heddon Zara Spook/Puppy
LuckyCraft Sammy

For frogging:

JDs Custom Baits "The Frog"