Wake bait conditions!

[Bassboss]

Went out today fishing for a while after a tough lost game tonight. I just brought a white spinnerbait, I didn't really have any intention of catching fish, just wanted to end the day on a good note.

When I got their we had some SLIGHTLY emerging millfoil and coon tail, and the water was glass calm. I knew my spinnerbait with it's #5 willow blade was not the best option, despite the low light conditions. Every cast I was spooking bream on the surface. Little ones, no bigger then 4 or 5 inches. I'd also see them moving along the top making a little wake.

So I got some 4" Tru Tungsten blue gill color swimbaits on the way here from tackle warehouse (gonna get here Friday, can't wait, lol!). I was thinking they would probably do pretty good if I S-L-O-W-L-Y waked them on the top like them bream were doing.

But, in y'alls experienced when does a wake bait work better: When their's a chop on the water, or when it's glass calm.

Thanks for any help!

[carolina-rig-01]

I have a few wake baits both the floating BBZ-1 swimbaits and the Lucky Craft wake baits and I honestly don't throw them often enough to be good at knowing when and where to use them. I do know that in the Elite tournament last weekend Davy Hite was throwing a wake bait in the middle of the afternoon in rough water which totally goes against what I thought were ideal conditions lol.

[cassidyta]

I have a few wakebaits, but I don't think they are best used super slow as you are describing. Most of these baits will lose their action if you go too slowly. They come through the water like a spook just being reeled in.
I prefer to throw mine when there is a very light chop to the water. I think that this keeps the fish from getting a good look at the bait.
For me the best technique for a wake bait is to keep it moving. This forces the fish to make a choice quickly. The second choice is to twitch it in place.

[3dkicker]

I think it's more fun when they blow up on them on flat water. They'll hit them either way. I have found that when they snag grass on the hooks hard swim baits don't work well at all. Plastics work better then. The spinnerbait should work in those conditions too. The RC wake, Baby 1, and Bandit Footloose would be good choices as well.

[keithdog]

I know this has nothing to do with wake baits, but the conditions your describing are perfect for the old original #9 balsa floating Rapalas. Just toss them out, and gently twitch the bait making it quiver and dance on the surface. Just wanted to throw that in. It's still a killer techniques that you don't see used often anymore.

[cassidyta]

I agree Keith. When I want a very slow top water presentation, I will go with a shallow crank or a floating rapala. The floating rapala can be a great deadsticked/twitched bait if you skip it to the spot.

[Bassboss]

Originally Posted by keithdog

I know this has nothing to do with wake baits, but the conditions your describing are perfect for the old original #9 balsa floating Rapalas. Just toss them out, and gently twitch the bait making it quiver and dance on the surface. Just wanted to throw that in. It's still a killer techniques that you don't see used often anymore.

I've been wanting to toss one of those, and actually would have if I had one on had! lol! Them them things.. I don't throw them enough that's for sure! I'll definitely toss one when the conditions arise again!

[Brwnbass]

I used to throw the floating rapala alot, esp in spring & fall. Bass love em. They draw alot more bites than most topwater baits. As far as wake baits go, i like to throw them over shallow brush early in the morning. They work good on breaking fish too. I like an excalibur & a normans fat boy.

[Bassboss]

I had those same conditions today... tried at rapala but didn't get any takers! But stupid me forgot to bring a wake bait!!