Every angler that regularly fishes with top water lures has a story like this, and nearly every one of them will tell you nothing can rival the rush of an aggressive largemouth bass viciously attacking a top water lure. There’s simply nothing like it in the world of bass fishing. But before you rush out and buy a soft plastic frog, there are a few things you should know about top water fishing.
- Heavy Cover Calls for Heavy Equipment
If you’re going to be fishing top water lures, especially soft plastic frogs, chances are you’re going to be fishing heavy cover like lily pads, reeds, rushes, and thick grass, and when you’re fishing heavy cover it’s important to have the right equipment. A medium/heavy rod, a strong, quality reel, and heavy braid line (20lbs-25lbs min) are a must. You’ll be relying heavily on your equipment to get the lure through some thick, nasty cover, and if a fat largemouth hits your lure in the weeds you’re going to need the big guns to pull it into shore without your line hanging up or snapping. - So Many Lures, So Little Time
Soft plastic frogs have skyrocketed in popularity in recent years, with nearly every major lure manufacturer coming out with their own unbeatable frog design, but there’s a lot more to the top water game than just frogs. Poppers, Jitterbugs, Prop Baits, Mice, and more, there are all kinds of top water lures to choose from, each with its own unique action and presentation. Some lures, like the River2Sea Spittin Wa Frog and Rebel Pop-R, have large mouths and work best with a slow, jerky retrieve as the lure’s large mouth will displace water, creating a small splash and popping sound in the water that drives the big bass crazy. While other lures, like the Arbogast Jitterbug, work best with a stop-and-go retrieve, as the lure’s large curved lip causes it to move side-to-side in a walk-the-dog style motion when retrieved. - Timing is Everything
When it comes to the top water fishing game, lures are most effective when the bass are at their most aggressive, in the early pre-dawn hours of the morning, and the later after-dusk hours of the night. Under the right conditions, it’s still very much possible to catch big bass on top water lures during daytime hours, but they have been consistently proven most effective during the morning and night.
Top water fishing, with its quick, aggressive strikes, and thick, heavy cover battles, makes it some of the most exhilarating and rewarding fishing a bass angler can ask for. An absolute must for any angler, whether fishing from a boat or from the shore, with the right equipment and a little practice any angler can experience the thrill of catching a big bass with a top water lure.
