I couldn’t see the splash of my lure landing over the underwater point, but as soon as I popped my surface bait, I was fast to an unseen opponent. Two resounding jumps made me think smallmouth, and sure enough, a big bronzeback was soon diving toward my toes.
Something about tempting a fish to rise out of its element to take a bait holds a magic not found in fishing below the surface. And topwater lures offer so many retrieve possibilities that tuning one to the attitude of the bass gives special satisfaction beyond the excitement of a strike and the thrill of the fight.
Topwater baits have undying appeal to bass because their actions and position in the water beg, “Eat me!” On the surface, a land animal or semi-aquatic creature like a frog is pinned in a perilous position. A fish on the surface is not a happy fish, particularly if it’s small enough to fit into the mouth of a bass or other opportunistic predator. Recreating this natural action often makes topwater lures the most effective baits for bass.
Topwater Times
Once waters approach their annual maximums, bass do the bulk of their annual feeding. During the Summer Period, though, bass typically feed for short periods, remaining in an inactive or neutral disposition more than 90 percent of the time. Topwater lures are great summer baits because they not only excite active bass, but also can stir neutral bass to feed. A splashing bait can persuade bass that other fish are feeding around them. Their instincts urge them to join the feast.
For daytime topwater action, schools of baitfish must be holding offshore or over structure, within 10 feet of the surface. In reservoirs, vast schools of shad ripple the surface like heat waves, and bass lurk below. In natural lakes, largemouths will pop a topwater during hot summer days when bluegills suspend over the edge of deep weedbeds, holding just a few feet below the surface over 12 to 15 feet of water. If baitfish are deep or scattered in cover, topwater fishing probably won’t produce.
River smallmouths offer another exciting option in summer when water levels and flow rates fall. Bass hold by boulders, logs, and along the edge of grassbeds ready to seize a meal carried along in the current.
They’ll sometimes smash a popper or minnowbait immediately, or they may ease up for a close look before annihilating it.
Low-light hours are prime time for summertime toppin’, and the nocturnal bite can be great. As light wanes, bass in clear waters often move shallow where they’re attracted by any surface commotion. Largemouths and smallmouths slowly cruise open flats, looking for prey that are less active after dark, like sunfish and shad, or prey that emerge from cover after dark, like crayfish. Awesome after-dark strikes are guaranteed to send shivers down your spine, whether you hook up or not.
But if you don’t put a topwater tackle box in your boat till the 4th of July, you’ll miss some great opportunities. Before the spawn, largemouths filter into shallow bays with lots of cover. These protected spots warm fast, and bass may bask near the surface, apparently soaking up warmth to boost their metabolism. They’re spooky and not aggressive, but they will softly engulf a lure floating on the surface or gently twitched near a stump or weed clump.
