Topwater Fishing

Topwater Fishing: Basics

Fish respond very differently to top-water lures. Smooth water usually calls for a quiet and gentle presentation while choppy water requires anglers to make a statement.  Swim a slider or a soft plastic erratically around rocks, edges, deadfall, or weeds but aggressively chug a popper around the same type of water when a strong wind creates a chop. If it ain’t working, try experimenting with a different approach.

Topwater Fishing: Steps

• You can use topwater fishing lures such as poppers, which have a concave face that makes a big splash when you jerk the lure sharply on the surface.
• Cast the lure to your desired location, then reel in using a retrieval motion that mimics a fish’s meal.
• You can also use the “walk the dog” type lures that shake their head back and forth when you just twitch the tip of your rod in a rhythm. This shaking head action mimics a dying baitfish on the surface.