Bass Fishing Techniques

Take It From The Top

When it comes to bass fishing techniques, one
stands out above all else. And that’s surface fishing.
A bass coming out of the water as it hits a topwater bait
is the stuff of calendar art. And there isn’t a fisherman
alive who doesn’t feel a wrench to the belly when that
happens. Unfortunately, far too many anglers don’t
understand the specialized fishing tactics necessary
for top water success.

Nothing in the world compares with a fish hitting on the surface. Could be a smallmouth catapulting upwards as he hits a popper, or a largemouth pulling her typical slap and run on a stickbait, or a buzzbait disappearing in a washtub depression when a big Kentucky spotted sucks it in. When a big fish hits on top, your heart stops and your gut tightens.

Fact is, however, while topwater fishing may be the best way to fish, it may also be the worst way to catch fish for the average fisherman.

How so? These bass fishing techniques are often performed improperly. The typical basser fishes topwater baits too fast, at the wrong time of year, too fast, in the wrong places, too fast, and with the wrong color choices. And did I mention too fast?

With the exception of buzzbaits, these bash fishing techniques demand that topwater lures should be fished exceedingly slowly. It wasn’t by accidents that old timers always used a pause-for-the-ripples-to-settle retrieve. That’s what does the trick, most times.

One of the best bass fishing techniques, when using a topwater bait, is to pick a specific target. Cast your lure about a foot above your target and allow it to gently drop to the surface. Once this is accomplished, in precisely the spot you want the lure, let it rest until all the ripples have disappeared. Then, ever so gently, twitch the lure, causing as little movement as possible.

That first twitch is a very critical time for these bass fishing techniques. You have to keep the movements soft, so as to not spook fish by erratic or quick movements. After repeating the twitch and pause a few times, quicker, sharper pops can be made in order to attract the fish from greater distances. Once you’ve fished the most productive area of your cast---the first five or six feet from where the lure first landed---employ these bass fishing techniques to retrieve the lure to the boat. If it’s a chugger, use a steady retrieve. If a popper, use short, quick gurgling pops.

About 80% of the surface baits around can be fished exactly this way, and you won’t go to far wrong. Add in a quick, steady retrieve for buzzbaits, and “walking the dog” for stickbaits, and you’ll have it all covered. More or less, anyway.

Many fishermen think “topwater” is synonymous with “popper.” Such is not the case. Here’s a rundown of topwater bait styles, and how best to work them.

• Buzzbaits. Buzzbaits are the only topwater baits designed for a fast retrieve. In fact, they are dependent on speed to work. Basically a large propeller blade towing a hook, they come in two major styles and innumerable configurations.
  
  In-line buzzbaits resemble overgrown spinners. The blade is mounted on a straight wire shaft, and the hook is attached—either directly, or as part of a total package that could include a leadhead, spoon, or other hard trailer, and a skirt of some kind.
  
  Overhead buzzbaits are akin to spinnerbaits. In all other respects they are just like spinnerbaits except for the large propeller instead of Indiana, Colorado, or willowleaf blades.
  
  Buzzbaits are often called “seek and destroy” baits, because they will frequently call up a fish that might swat at it without actually hitting. When that happens, one of the bass fishing techniques that scores best is to pick up a second rod armed with a plastic worm or other bait and cast to the same spot. You’ll be surprised at how often that results in a solid hit.



• Poppers: Poppers are hallmarked by a dish shaped face that cups and holds water when it is jerked sharply. This results in a pop---a sudden eruption of water and an audible single sound.
  
  Color choices are almost unlimited. But, and this is true about all topwater baits, color probably is more important to the fisherman than to the fish. As a rule, dark colors on dark days and light colors on bright days makes sense. Other than that, fish to dot see the colors and patterns. All they see is a something in trouble, silhouetted against the sky.



• Chuggers. Like poppers, chuggers use a deep cut to create noise and a bubble stream in the water. Unlike poppers, however, the cut goes all the way to the outside edges. This is done by either adding on metal or plastic lips and wings, or molding the dish into the lure.
  
  Chuggers leave a gurgling, splashing, bubble trail on the retrieve. Instead of an audible pop, the same action results in a geyser of water pushed up in front of the lure.
  
  Chuggers can be fished a bit faster than poppers. But don’t get carried away. Short darts and hops usually are better than a steady retrieve.



• Stickbaits. Imagine a cigar made out of wood or plastic. Hang a couple of hooks on it, paint it, and cast it into likely cover. That, in a phrase, is a stickbait---literally a stick, tapered at both ends, that does absolutely nothing! It doesn’t gurgle, splash, pop, or otherwise make noise. It doesn’t leave a bubble trail. It doesn’t do much of anything---except take fish! Incredibly large fish! In incredibly large numbers! That is, if you fish it right.
  
  I could write a book about bass fishing techniques for working stickbait. Suffice it to say that v-e-r-y s-l-o-w-l-y is the way to go. Idea is to simulate a wounded baitfish. Use the rod tip more than the reel to bounce and twist the lure. A good stickbait fisherman can work the lure for ten minutes, have it never sit still, and not move linearly more than six inches.



• Gurglers. Gurglers are nothing more than stickbaits with propeller blades mounted fore, aft, or both. Worked in the same manner as stickbaits, they have the additional appeal of a gurgling bubble trail kicked up by the props. For many people, they are easier to work than straight stickbaits.