A look at the best approach to topwater lures

There’s simply no experience in fishing like a topwater strike. Whether it’s a violent eruption of water or a subtle “gulp,” the strike is what keeps anglers coming back.

Besides the fact that topwater lures are just fun to fish, they are also known for catching a variety of fish, often big ones. Sometimes they’re the only option when fish are dug deep in vegetation or prowling the flats in two feet of water. Whatever the reason for throwing a topwater lure, anglers have thousands to choose from.

Ronny Castiglioni, a guide with the Fishful Thinker Group, joined my on my radio show Saturday to break down the best choices and when to use them. For a lake like Horsetooth Reservoir near Fort Collins, with limited surface cover, Castiglioni’s first choice is a small popper, especially if the fish are not super aggressive. It’s a lure that is easy to fish and smallmouth bass will come up and hit it in two feet of water or at depths of 20 or more feet.

It is also effective for a number of other species. Largemouth bass holding on the edge of cover or white bass chasing bait in open water can be readily caught on a popper. A small popper is also effective for bluegills and trout. If the fish are aggressive, or spread out, Castiglioni will switch to a walk-thedog type stick bait. You can cover water more quickly with a walking bait, but they can be more difficult to learn to fish. You need to get in a rhythm and maintain a back-and-forth slashing motion.

In a lake like Boyd Reservoir that has a lot of cover sticking up or laying on the water, Castiglioni looks to a couple of other types of surface lures. If the cover permits he likes to throw a buzzbait. It is an easy bait for his guide clients to fish. You basically cast and retrieve. The blade helps it deflect off of cover and the upward facing hook keeps it from snagging. If the cover is too dense or matted he will go to a hollow body or foam frog lure. You do need some heavy duty equipment to throw a frog bait in thick cover and it can be difficult to master.

Speaking of equipment, a small popper or walking bait can be easily presented with medium spinning gear. Larger walking baits, buzzbaits and frogs are best fished on casting gear. I prefer braided line. It gives me greater casting distance with stronger break strength. Monofilament will work, but you need heavy line to prevent too much stretch and to get fish out of heavy cover. Fluorocarbon is a poor choice, because it sinks and can drag down the nose of a surface lure and impede the action.

Many anglers believe the only times to fish topwater baits are early in the day and late in the day, in low light. I have found topwater baits can be effective almost any time of day in the right conditions. Largemouth bass in heavy cover will hit a topwater bait all day long. Schooling fish that are chasing bait will hit a topwater bait at noon in the middle of the lake. Good examples of this are the white bass at lakes like Boyd and John Martin Reservoirs. Bass aren’t the only fish that can be caught on a surface lure. Pike are notorious for vicious topwater strikes. Trout, walleyes and even catfish will hit a lure on the surface under the right conditions.

The biggest mistake anglers make fishing topwater baits is they set the hook too soon, Castiglioni said. If you set the hook when you see the strike, quite often you will just pull the bait away from the fish. The best solution is to not set the hook until you feel the pull on the line.