# Topwater for bass?



## XtremeAngler (Jun 17, 2007)

I am a huge saltwater fisherman, butI occasionally fish at this little retention pond by my house that's stocked with bass. Today I was throwing a worm when out of nowhere a raft of some kind of baitfish (shad?) comes up and this bass starts tearing after them....2 or 3 hard strikes on the surface. I quickly took off the worm and put on some kind of zoom jerkbait (split tail) and waited for them to come up again. About 5 minutes later they surfaced again so I casted in that direction and got a hit but no fish. They came up 2 or 3 more times while I was there but I never hooked up with a fish. Is this common in little ponds like this because I have never seen anything like it in freshwater? I didn't have any topwaters with me and that's what I really wanted to try.
So I wanted to ask what is a good topwater for bass? 
Will my bone super spook jr. that I use for trout work or do I need more of the chug bug style?


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## scwine (Sep 7, 2006)

Topwaters work great on bass.

I can't count the number of Bass I have caught on a Hullapopper or a Jitterbug. Frog colored or black.


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## XtremeAngler (Jun 17, 2007)

Alright cool thanks. And you just pop pop pause pop pop pause or something like that?


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## scwine (Sep 7, 2006)

XtremeAngler said:


> Alright cool thanks. And you just pop pop pause pop pop pause or something like that?


Yep. A lot of hits will come on the pause. Work a hullapopper like that covering ground very slowly. 
On a jitterbug, I use a faster steady retrieve. You will know the right speed when it just starts to leave a few surface bubbles.


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## KILT610 (Feb 24, 2006)

Also, invest in a clear Heddon Tiny Torpedo and a black Heddon Tiny Torpedo.........Great topwaters for pond bass.


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

A great wounded shad imitation that should be effective in the situation you described is the Zara spook. Walk the dog with it and hang on!!!

I use them in ponds with great success.


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## redduck (Jul 26, 2006)

There are a number of lures that are good for top water action on freshwater. In that situation with them busting shad I would try a rapala or something that looks like a shad or minnow. With a cast and twitch it is very effective. Other times there are buzz baits, frogs, poppers or chuggers, etc. The tiny torpedo as mentioned above is very effective in clear or bone color or shad color. Top water is by far the most fun when they are biting.


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## bayourat (Jan 7, 2005)

Ribbit... all you need.


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## reelthreat (Jul 11, 2006)

The same situation happens around the ponds at cinco... bass chase the shad up and nail them on top. Just about any topwater in my saltwater box works; however, I have a couple of storm swim baits that work even better. Go to Academy and get what looks as natural as possible. 

good luck


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## 12lbtest (Jun 1, 2005)

The ones above all work great. I prefer a chug bug type for surface fishing bass in small ponds. Keep in mind bass are lazy fish and aren't going to readily attack a fast moving lure especially in the cold weather. Most of the time I am hit on the pause after an slow retrieve. 

12lb


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## Bobby (May 21, 2004)

Anything you use in saltwater will work in freshwater.


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## CoastalBent (Aug 3, 2006)

Poppin' Image Jr.!! I fish it with small, subtle pops. A Bill Dance show turned me on to this bait and ol' Bill won't steer you wrong!


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## XtremeAngler (Jun 17, 2007)

Thanks for all the advice guys. Next time I make it to Academy I will pick some of these up and give em a shot.


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## Crispito (Aug 30, 2005)

I sure do enjoy running Super Spook Jrs in creeks and ponds....Watching the bass come up for those things.....BUENO !


Tight Lines & Gig'Em
Cm3


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## shadslinger (Aug 21, 2005)

Go buy some Zara Puppies, chrome/black and frog pattern, and maybe a clear one for those hard to trick bass. 
They are my favorites because there are no spinners, bells or whistles for the bass to learn to associate with it. It only has the action you give it. Animating a lure is what gets strikes. Learning to make it look frightened is a great trick, regardless of the lure type. Sometimes you want the lure to appear relaxed and unaware, such as slow rolling a spinner bait. Sometimes you want it to act bizarre like a slab spoon jerked off the bottom, that indicates this bait fish is brain dead and can't get away.

The Zara Spooks are great as well, but I have been able to catch more and still catch large fish with the smaller bait.
Throw it out and start reeling and jerking while you swing the rod tip back and forth a little, until the bait has a rhythmic back and forth action (walk the dog) once you get that going start tilting your rod tip down and jerk the bait through the wake that it has been pushing ahead of it. _The slasher puppy method_. If you make any top water do that it will draw vicious strikes by whatever size bass is around.
On the smallest ponds with the clearest water I have had big bass hit top water baits in the dead of winter. Top waters and plastic worms are the two baits that can coax strikes from the smartest bass in highly pressured fishing spots.
SS


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