Soft Plastics During Topwater Time

[MK49]

I throw only topwater plugs at least for 2 hours in the morning. If bass keeps biting, I would use topwater all day. Never used soft baits during the early morning / late evening time.

This summer, the fishing is very tough at my local lakes. The water level is super low, here in California. I usually get only 3 to 5 topwater bites in the morning, and all the bites happen in the first 30min or so. I normally start fishing about 15min before the sunrise. So, for those who use soft plastic baits early morning or late in the evening, I have to ask. Do they catch fish? I'm talking about shallow water, less than 6' or 8'. During those hours, they are usually more active, and to me, using soft baits is waste of time, because they won't cover more water like topwater baits, and most likely, they are not feeding at the bottom. Should I try using soft baits after the first 30min (or when topwater bites die)?

I have the biggest confidence in topwater, so it's hard to stop using it, even if they don't bite for 30min. In the past, after no topwater bite for 15min, I use a different topwater bait, or move to different locations. and I started catching fish again. But, this year, when the topwater bite dies, it's pretty much dead. Bass used to bite topwater, until 9 or 10AM. This year, at 7AM, it's basically over, even when it's cloudy. So, I'm struggling. Please help me out.

[LowRange]

I always pair a softbait with topwaters. Usually a dead fin darter or caffeine shad. I'll skip under low cover like docks or in the same areas I had topwater action and let the bait sink down like a wounded shad. Over shallow weeds I will fish them fast near surface and then kill the bait and let it fall.

[Preston]

If the bites dying faster than prior years, I think I'd try something that runs near the top. Wake bait that cranks down, erratic glide bait(explorer gill ), spinner bait, swimjig, etc. I'm in Oregon and my favorite lakes are an hour away, so I never make it to the lakes before the sun is up. Feels like often catch the tail end of the morning bite, and I generally skip top water and start with baits mentioned above.

[MK49]

I always pair a softbait with topwaters. Usually a dead fin darter or caffeine shad. I'll skip under low cover like docks or in the same areas I had topwater action and let the bait sink down like a wounded shad. Over shallow weeds I will fish them fast near surface and then kill the bait and let it fall.

So, you use them without a weight, right?

[MK49]

If the bites dying faster than prior years, I think I'd try something that runs near the top. Wake bait that cranks down, erratic glide bait(explorer gill ), spinner bait, swimjig, etc. I'm in Oregon and my favorite lakes are an hour away, so I never make it to the lakes before the sun is up. Feels like often catch the tail end of the morning bite, and I generally skip top water and start with baits mentioned above.

Thanks for the suggestions. Wakebait on the surface works, when topwater is still happening. I've tried a little crankbait that runs just under the surface, like a Bandit Footloose. It didn't get a bite. Haven't had a bite on jerkbaits, either. The same thing with swim jig, except for under spins and scroungers with swim baits caught some fish, but not very consistent. Somehow, they stopped biting scroungers in Aug.

[Preston]

I like trying to figure this stuff out. Do you know for sure if the fish are still shallow and not biting? Or, are the fish gone and have pulled out to deeper water? If they are there and not biting, maybe get to the bottom. I might be tempted to try a heavy jig and hop it aggressively. Fish it fast and still cover water. I catch a lot of fish mid morning by fishing a heavy swimjig 1/2oz plus with a swimbait trailer hitting bottom and ripping it up. I pay attention to if I get bit on the rip, after the rip on the fall, or sitting still on the bottom. Then do movements to emphasize the action that got bit.

In lakes, chasing largemouth, I basically only fish medium to big swimbaits & glides and jigs and swimjigs. Normally 2 swimbaits and 2 jigs, so I have a 6" jighook softswimbait, a glide, a pitching or flipping jig, and swimjig. My affinity for this type of fishing limits me for sure, but the simplicity and love of these baits is enough. Occasionally if I can't get bit at all, I'll give up and go to a stick bait or creature bait or back to my house.

Man I would think with how drastically your morning bite has changed that if you figure out what they want, you will absolutely hammer them. This happened to me river smallmouth fishing. For like 3-4 years the fish were so tuned in on walking baits during the summer and through fall. I would literally fish walking baits all day, blue skies, blaring sun and hook 30-100 fish on some days. Then last year, they just didn't want it. I was stubborn and kept trying, but I knew something changed. One day experimenting I grabbed a buzzbait. Fish started going crazy on it. Not all day. More morning and evening but it was insane. Once the sun got high, a shallow jerkbait was damn hot. Hot the way the walking baits were in prior years. Now maybe the buzzbait and jerkbait would have been killer in those prior years too, but I dunno, never had a need to try them much until last year.

Holy crap that was a ramble...

[godshippy]

I've had more success throwing topwaters in the early morning than soft plastics. I've definitely gotten bit early morning and later evening when the sun is setting on plastics, but moving around and throwing a topwater just gets you more bites.

To me, I'd rather be productive and spend that time getting those topwater bites than slowing down and throwing a plastic during that window of opportunity.

[MK49]

I like trying to figure this stuff out. Do you know for sure if the fish are still shallow and not biting? Or, are the fish gone and have pulled out to deeper water? If they are there and not biting, maybe get to the bottom. I might be tempted to try a heavy jig and hop it aggressively. Fish it fast and still cover water. I catch a lot of fish mid morning by fishing a heavy swimjig 1/2oz plus with a swimbait trailer hitting bottom and ripping it up. I pay attention to if I get bit on the rip, after the rip on the fall, or sitting still on the bottom. Then do movements to emphasize the action that got bit.

Man I would think with how drastically your morning bite has changed that if you figure out what they want, you will absolutely hammer them. This happened to me river smallmouth fishing. For like 3-4 years the fish were so tuned in on walking baits during the summer and through fall. I would literally fish walking baits all day, blue skies, blaring sun and hook 30-100 fish on some days. Then last year, they just didn't want it. I was stubborn and kept trying, but I knew something changed. One day experimenting I grabbed a buzzbait. Fish started going crazy on it. Not all day. More morning and evening but it was insane. Once the sun got high, a shallow jerkbait was damn hot. Hot the way the walking baits were in prior years. Now maybe the buzzbait and jerkbait would have been killer in those prior years too, but I dunno, never had a need to try them much until last year.

Holy crap that was a ramble...

I know some fish are still there. Last week, I caught a few fish on a Heddon Meadow Mouse (it's my go to wake bait), and they hit in very shallow, probably 1ft or less. I also used walking baits and poppers. They only hit the Meadow Mouse on that day. Then, the bite died. I went to a little cove, and tried those topwater baits, jerkbaits, scroungers and crankbaits. No bite. So, I tried Yamamoto Fat Ika, still in the same cove. In my 2nd cast, I caught a decent 4.5lbs bass. Then, I got another bite in the next cast. Then, the bite stopped. So, I don't know how many fish are in the shallow (I think that was around 8:30AM), but some are still there, after they stop hitting topwater.

At this lake, I used to catch with walkers, poppers and the Meadow Mouse. This year, they don't hit poppers at all. Walkers and the Mouse still work, but not as good. I even tried some things that I haven't used for long time, like Whopper Plopper, Buzzbait, Baby Torpedo, Buzz Jet.... without success. I got one bite on the Plopper and one on the Buzz Jet, but that's about it. So, I keep using walkers and the Meadow Mouse. At least, I get some bites.

Like you said, something should work better, and I'm trying to figure it out. The water is very low, so I know there's less shade, when the sun comes up, because the trees that used to provide the shade are very far from the bank now. I'm sure that's one of the reasons. Dropping 1 to 2ft of water every week doesn't help, either, and there wasn't much water to begin with.

[MK49]

I've had more success throwing topwaters in the early morning than soft plastics. I've definitely gotten bit early morning and later evening when the sun is setting on plastics, but moving around and throwing a topwater just gets you more bites.

To me, I'd rather be productive and spend that time getting those topwater bites than slowing down and throwing a plastic during that window of opportunity.

I'm totally with you. That's why I'm still throwing topwater, which is my main way of fishing, anyway. But, I'm trying to figure out what could catch more. Besides different kinds of topwater baits, I've tried jerkbaits, crankbaits, scroungers and swimbaits without much success. Soft plastic is one that I haven't tried. That's why I asked.

[LowRange]

I always pair a softbait with topwaters. Usually a dead fin darter or caffeine shad. I'll skip under low cover like docks or in the same areas I had topwater action and let the bait sink down like a wounded shad. Over shallow weeds I will fish them fast near surface and then kill the bait and let it fall.

So, you use them without a weight, right?

Correct.

[LowRange]

Also much of my topwater is an evening bite after work. I target isolated shallow weed near points by kayak on lower pressure overcast days that fish will move from deep water to the shallow weeds to prey on whatever they can catch. I do this to put my shallow running and surface big baits across the path of fish. I bring other baits too because sometimes they want the big bait and sometimes they don't. This is when a weightless soft plastic or even a topwater can save the outing. 2 of my last 3 5#+ fish came on a Berkley Bullet pop and a Dead Fin Darter. Threw big baits in the same areas and got nothing and made one last pass with topwater and plastics on each trip and thats what produced the big fish.

[MK49]

Also much of my topwater is an evening bite after work. I target isolated shallow weed near points by kayak on lower pressure overcast days that fish will move from deep water to the shallow weeds to prey on whatever they can catch. I do this to put my shallow running and surface big baits across the path of fish. I bring other baits too because sometimes they want the big bait and sometimes they don't. This is when a weightless soft plastic or even a topwater can save the outing. 2 of my last 3 5#+ fish came on a Berkley Bullet pop and a Dead Fin Darter. Threw big baits in the same areas and got nothing and made one last pass with topwater and plastics on each trip and thats what produced the big fish.

Unfortunately, two lakes that I fish don't have much weed. Another unfortunate thing about my area is that basically, every evening is windy, 15mph wind is normal. So, it's not an ideal topwater situation. That's why I mostly fish in the morning.

What are your big baits? About 15 years ago, I was into big topwater baits, like 12" trout looking wake baits and walkers. Caught some 8+ pounders, but none of them was over 10lbs. I've caught more than a few 10 pounders on small topwater baits, like Rio Rico and Giant Dog X, so basically, my big baits days lasted only for 2 years. It's a lot more work, I need to have a specific tackle to throw 2oz+ lures, and Rio Rico and Giant Dog X caught bigger fish. Also, California, at least in my area stopped stocking trouts, so big trout baits are kind of useless now. I haven't used anything bigger than Zara Spook size (3/4oz walkers) in the last 10 years or so. I did think maybe, bigger baits catch fish now, because smaller baits aren't catching many fish in this year. So, I'm wondering what big baits you're using.

BTW, I found some Caffeine Shad in a box, must be at least 10 years old. I'll try it next time. Maybe, if I twitch it just below the surface, and let it sink every once in a while, it might catch more fish than topwater. Also, I found a few of my favorite walking baits from 10 ~ 15 years ago I'll try them, instead of my current favorites.

Thanks

[MK49]

BTW, my biggest issue now is that I can't find a pattern. Yes, I did find a few spots where I caught 5 or 6 fish with the same lures in one hour or so. I go back there the next day, it's still good. Then, go back there 5 days later, no more bites. Fast dropping water level must be causing it. Those good spots were only 3 ~ 5' deep. A week later, they would be 1 to 3' deep, and the fish go somewhere else, I guess. Then, I have to keep searching for good spots, which would be only good for a few days.

That's kind of why I started looking for different baits to use, because good spots only last for a few days, but different baits might catch more fish. And, soft plastic is something I don't use much, so I thought that's something I should experiment. In fact, other than the swim bait and scrounger trailers, only soft plastic I used in the last two month was Yamamoto Fat Ika. Aside from topwater baits, Fat Ika is the only bait that kept catching fish. Crankbaits, jerkbaits, chatterbaits, swimbaits.... haven't worked well in this summer. It's really weird. Suggestions about different soft baits like Caffeine Shad is very welcome.

BTW, isn't it really cool to catch fish on a 40 years old lure that I bought, when I was 10yrs old? My 40yrs old Heddon Meadow Mouse is still catching bass in this tough year. And, a weird thing is the Meadow Mouse works only at one of the two lakes I fish. Another thing is this. The Meadow Mouse rarely misses a bite. In fact, I don't even remember when the last time I missed a fish. I miss plenty of fish with other topwater bites.

[sbd3]

I second the caffeine shad but I highly suggest to try rigging the 5 incher with an owner 3/32 weighted twistlock light hook, the combo is magic. That hook makes it's booty shake on the drop as well as the senko. Also if you just steady reel it back slowly it also does something special too, it'll weave side to side in a subtle s-motion just like a glide bait only it's weedless, I've got many a bite just slow rolling it over and through vegetation, not to mention skipping it then gliding it out from under docks, great in open water too, super versatile! DOH! I just gave up one of my secrets, please don't use it against me.

[MK49]

Just got back from fishing. My plan was like this

- Use Meadow Mouse, if it's calm.
- Use OSP Yamato Jr, instead of Shower Blows or Giant Dog X. The Yamato Jr was my favorite 10 years ago, but haven't used it for a while, because the Shower Blows usually caught more fish.
- Try Caffeine Shad, before the sun hits the water.
- Try shallow crankbaits.
- Spend more time with Fat Ika.

When I got there about 20min before the sunrise, it was calm. So, I started with the Meadow Mouse. After a few casts, the line got into a hook hanger or a split ring. It was too dark to see. So, I started throwing the Yamato Jr. I wanted to go to another spot, before the sunrise, so I walked it fast to see if I get a bite. On the 2nd cast, I caught a little 2 pounder. On the next cast, a bass missed the lure, so I kept walking it fast, and the fish hit it again. I hooked the fish, probably 5 or 6 pounder. It jumped, then got into little sticks, and the line broke. I lost the Yamato Jr. So, I tied a Shower Blows, and walked it fast. I didn't get a bite for 5min, so I moved to another point, which was where I wanted to spend more time. Got about 10 bites on the Shower Blows in the next 40min. Then, the bite died. By then, I could fix the Meadow Mouse, so I started using it, but no bite. Tried a Repo Man, and a few other topwater baits without a bite. Normally, I would keep using topwater longer, but I went to the next plan this time. I used the Caffeine Shad for about 15min. No bite. Tried shallow crankbaits. No bite. Went back to topwater. No bite. So, I moved to the next plan, Fat Ika. I kept casting the Fat Ika from 8 to 9AM, occasionally, tried topwater and a scrounger. No bite at all. So, I left the lake.

At least, I found a pattern, fast walking the dog, about 10 ~ 20ft from the bank, and it's only a few feet deep. That's how I got a dozen of bites, and caught 8 of them. They didn't bite at the bank. This morning was better than the typical morning in this summer. I have two more Yamato Jr, so I'll probably go back tomorrow, and see if the same pattern works. I'll stay with topwater longer, like I normally do. I'll try the Caffeine Shad with a weighted hook, as suggested.

It's too bad a heatwave is coming this weekend. It's supposed to be the hottest in this summer. I noticed the water temp dropped from last week. Maybe, that's one of the reasons why the fish was more active today.

Thanks for all the suggestions, and keep them coming.