Must have topwaters

From crankbaits to jerkbaits to wakebaits and more, TackleTour's new hardbait sub-forum has been a long time coming. Well, now your wait is over!
User avatar
LowRange
Pro Angler
Pro Angler
Posts: 4784
Joined: Wed Jun 15, 2016 9:18 am

Must have topwaters

Post by LowRange » Mon May 30, 2022 1:15 pm

Long story short I have been out of the topwater game for years. I used to vacation down in the Ozark lakes for that magical topwarer bite but haven't been down there in over ten years. I did buy a lake lot for have access to a private lake that is shad based (a big deal for Nebraska) and it has clear water (also a rarity here). Seems like an ideal body of water to throw topwaters and I have been and its been great this year. So much so that I bought a dedicated topwater rod, an Otomat, to throw baits on this summer in the early morning and night topwater bites.

I have some new poppers I have been throwing like the KVD and Berkley as well as a bunch of old walking baits but I want to add in enthusiast and top tier baits now that I can afford them.

Drakestar
Platinum Angler
Platinum Angler
Posts: 889
Joined: Sun Jan 05, 2020 11:54 am

Re: Must have topwaters

Post by Drakestar » Mon May 30, 2022 1:55 pm

I've been liking the Megabass V-4 Buzz Twin Prop in clear water. I don't throw buzzbaits a ton (just don't like them), but this a bit different: it's a nicely subtle finesse buzzbait with two clear plastic propellers that are stacked, and it gets bit in clearwater reservoirs around here. I just us a 3.3 Keitech as the trailer.

hoohoorjoo
TT Moderator
TT Moderator
Posts: 6789
Joined: Mon Feb 28, 2011 1:56 pm
Location: Oxford GA

Re: Must have topwaters

Post by hoohoorjoo » Mon May 30, 2022 2:45 pm

Hard to beat the Vixen for walking baits.
Try not to let your mind wander. It is much too small to be outside unsupervised.

User avatar
Hogsticker2
Pro Angler
Pro Angler
Posts: 7166
Joined: Wed Feb 29, 2012 5:20 pm

Re: Must have topwaters

Post by Hogsticker2 » Mon May 30, 2022 3:45 pm

Megabass I - Wing - Crawler
Luxxe Avenge Prop. OSP Louder - Prop
OSP Daibuzzin - Wake
OSP Louder - Popper
Evergreen Shower Blows Shorty - Walking

These are my most productive top water baits. In the evenings, I'll have 3 rods with three of these baits, ready for some explosive action!

Jeffbro999
Pro Angler
Pro Angler
Posts: 1952
Joined: Fri Jul 05, 2013 7:59 am
Location: Pensacola, FL

Re: Must have topwaters

Post by Jeffbro999 » Tue May 31, 2022 9:08 am

hoohoorjoo wrote:
Mon May 30, 2022 2:45 pm
Hard to beat the Vixen for walking baits.
X2, Sammy 105 and Jackall Bonnie 95 are tied for a close second

godshippy
Platinum Angler
Platinum Angler
Posts: 870
Joined: Mon Feb 28, 2011 4:29 am

Re: Must have topwaters

Post by godshippy » Tue May 31, 2022 9:18 am

Lucky Craft Gunfish 115 is a topwater I never leave home without--has consistently caught my bigger fish!

goldrod
Pro Angler
Pro Angler
Posts: 6241
Joined: Sat Jun 02, 2007 4:30 pm

Re: Must have topwaters

Post by goldrod » Tue May 31, 2022 10:00 am

I’d have to suggest the Greenfish TAT
For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible

toddmc
Pro Angler
Pro Angler
Posts: 2091
Joined: Mon Sep 12, 2011 9:31 am

Re: Must have topwaters

Post by toddmc » Tue May 31, 2022 11:00 am

The 80's were all about the Pop-R, Spook, and Devil's Horse as a kid. I later gravitated to the Japanese poppers like the Damiki D-Pop 70 and Michael. I still throw all sizes of spooks for open water. I've thrown in the Shower Blows and Pompadour lately to mix things up with the hardbaits. I still throw a ton of buzzbaits and frogs. You need to up your topwater rod game to more than one rod. 6'9" is my sweetspot, but I have ML, M, MH, and H rods with short rear grips for this purpose because you always need the best tool for the job.

User avatar
jmb27
Elite Angler
Elite Angler
Posts: 683
Joined: Sat May 05, 2012 5:10 pm

Re: Must have topwaters

Post by jmb27 » Thu Jun 02, 2022 12:08 pm

MB Pop-X. Best popper evar, imo.

Deps Buzzjet. I've caught more fish on this one than the jr. size. Fun to fish and sounds like a rusted out truck w/no brakes going down hill on gravel.

Whopper Plopper and LC Gunfish are "winners" too for me.

hoohoorjoo
TT Moderator
TT Moderator
Posts: 6789
Joined: Mon Feb 28, 2011 1:56 pm
Location: Oxford GA

Re: Must have topwaters

Post by hoohoorjoo » Thu Jun 02, 2022 7:00 pm

^^I also love the pop max.^^
Try not to let your mind wander. It is much too small to be outside unsupervised.

jerkbait22
Elite Angler
Elite Angler
Posts: 628
Joined: Sat Dec 23, 2006 4:21 pm

Re: Must have topwaters

Post by jerkbait22 » Tue Jun 07, 2022 3:55 am

jmb27 wrote:
Thu Jun 02, 2022 12:08 pm
MB Pop-X. Best popper evar, imo.
How do you fish the Pop-X? Are you popping it like a regular popper, walking it, or some combination of both?

I’ve personally had much more success on the pop max so I wonder what I’m missing with the pop x. I have two and have thrown them sparingly but only ever caught a few dinks.

chreim20
Elite Angler
Elite Angler
Posts: 454
Joined: Fri Jul 10, 2015 7:17 am

Re: Must have topwaters

Post by chreim20 » Tue Jun 07, 2022 4:57 am

Jackall Pompadour Jr is a must have. This thing gets bit when nothing else will. I think it's something the fish haven't seen much of that gives it such success.

A close second, is the whopper plopper 75. So versatile, pop it, start and stop, steady retrieve, such a versatile bait.

User avatar
jmb27
Elite Angler
Elite Angler
Posts: 683
Joined: Sat May 05, 2012 5:10 pm

Re: Must have topwaters

Post by jmb27 » Tue Jun 07, 2022 6:12 am

jerkbait22 wrote:
Tue Jun 07, 2022 3:55 am
jmb27 wrote:
Thu Jun 02, 2022 12:08 pm
MB Pop-X. Best popper evar, imo.
How do you fish the Pop-X? Are you popping it like a regular popper, walking it, or some combination of both?

I’ve personally had much more success on the pop max so I wonder what I’m missing with the pop x. I have two and have thrown them sparingly but only ever caught a few dinks.
A little bit of both, but much more success popping it with pauses.

I'm just the opposite, I've caught few with the pop max and about a bazillion with the Pop-X. :lol: Perhaps, I need to fish the Pop Max some more. :-k

User avatar
Hogsticker2
Pro Angler
Pro Angler
Posts: 7166
Joined: Wed Feb 29, 2012 5:20 pm

Re: Must have topwaters

Post by Hogsticker2 » Tue Jun 07, 2022 1:56 pm

I've had better luck with the OSP Louder series than the Pop Max or X. I've used quite a few poppers throughout the years, and the Louder really brings them in compared to all others. Just my experience, but you don't have one, I'd highly recommend it.

jerkbait22
Elite Angler
Elite Angler
Posts: 628
Joined: Sat Dec 23, 2006 4:21 pm

Re: Must have topwaters

Post by jerkbait22 » Wed Jun 08, 2022 5:27 am

I also have the otomat. Pop max and otomat were made for each other! Deps buzzjet is also a top bait for me but I believe too heavy for the otomat to throw.

I’d add:
Evergreen Shower Blows Shorty
Teckel Kicknocker (RI Vixen)
Megabass Giant Dog X

Giant dog X when you have glass calm conditions, kicknocker with some wind and/or cloud cover, and shower blows seems to work in both scenarios.

Honorable mention to the OSP Daibuzzin Heavy Hitter.

Secondary uses for the rod for me have been jerkbaits and shallow cranks. I really like it for throwing the 110 plus 1 junior.

Post Reply