Fishing for Bass with Top Water Lures
During the late summer months, bass fishing can slow down during the middle of the day. But this does not mean the bass cannot be easily caught during morning and evening hours. Top water lures work great during this time. One of the greatest moments for any fishermen is when a huge bass hits their top water lure. Bass will move into the shallow water during the morning hours and evening hours to feed. This is why top water action is so good at this time! It is during this time when the bait fish also go shallow to feed on plankton and to feed on small bugs, and you guessed the bass are right behind them. One of the best lures to use at this time is a buzz bait. If I am fishing a pond, I will through the buzz bait parallel to the bank. Once you have your buzz bait thrown out reel it in immediately after it hits the water, and keep it burning! This retrieval method has been most successful for me. You can try different methods to see what works best for you.
Bass will not only hit top water lures in shallow water. You can just as easily catch bass on top water in deep water. Bass fishing is excellent in deep water when shad are schooling near the surface. A good tip is to size up the bait fish and match the hatch with a lure the same size as them. If the bass are chasing large perch or shad, throw them Zara Spook or a large Chug Bug. Whether or not you should work the lure fast or slow really depends on how many bait fish there are. If the bait fish are on a run, you would want to work the lure fast. If they are pooled up you can work your lure more slowly.
Bass fishing with top water lures during the wee hours of the night is some of the best fishing there is! Scum frogs have shown to be true bass assassins at night for me. Your retrieval needs to be more slow at night. Work your lure slow with sudden fast jerks, this will drive big bass insane! Once you do get a huge hit on top water, do not set the hook! A lot of bass fishermen will set the hook when they hear the strike. When you are fishing top water lures your line is usually very tight and by setting the hook you could yank the lure out of the bass’ mouth very easily. Wait until you can actually feel the bass on your line then set the hook. Also, sometimes bass will hit the top water lure a little late, to make sure you do not miss a bass due to a late hit I highly suggest that you use a trailer hook if you are using a top water lure that supports them. I never fish a buzz bait without a trailer hook for this reason. Like fishing with every other type of lure, remember to try different retrieval methods when top water bass fishing and your surely catch some great fish!
