®
F
all is a great time to be throwing a topwater bait,
and often a large topwater can be your ticket to
some of the biggest bass of the year. Two pros that know the power of big topwater baits are Major League
Fishing pros Fred Roumbanis and Luke Clausen.
They each weighed in with their top lure pick when it
comes to big topwater for the fall.
GO BIG
We tried hard not to use the cliché “go big or go home” here; but it fits nicely when talking fall topwater baits. Yearling bluegill, bass, shad, and everything else that begins their lifecycle during the spring are going to be the biggest when summer turns to fall. Because of this, bass are naturally looking for a bigger meal.
Add in the fact that bass are gorging on everything they can before winter sets in and you have a recipe for hungry bass looking for a large meal. Jumbo topwater baits are an excellent way to catch both numbers of bass and some of the biggest bass of the year.
popper-style baits and walk side-to-side and create a big commotion on the surface as they pop and splash their way back on the retrieve.
Another excellent choice is the River2Sea Whopper Plopper. This has been one of the hottest topwater baits in recent memory, and it has a knack for catching huge bass. The popular 130 size fits into the category of big topwaters.
The final lure category in this discussion is technically not a topwater, but a wake bait. Wake baits are a great way to get the attention of fall bass.
There is nothing extraordinary about fishing bigger topwater lures, the same gear and retrieves work except for stouter rods and heavier line. The power of these baits is the size.
FRED WEIGHS IN
Roumbanis reveals he throws big topwater all season long, and he says the ima Little Stik is one of his favorite walking baits to use.
3 SIGNALS TO LOOK FOR
Several clues signal the time to be throwing big baits. Water temperature, bait size, and shorter days are the key factors. Bigger topwater baits will work all season long, but once the water begins to cool, it is generally time to go big.
Water temperature varies significantly by region, and even lake to lake, but the first significant drop in temperature is a time to watch. After the water continues to warm into summertime, it often stabilizes for a period before continuing the yearly cycle and cooling as fall starts to sets in.
Gauging when to use a bigger lure can also come down to merely seeing bigger baitfish in the water. A big clue that this is happening on your local waters is when the days become shorter and those afternoon fishing sessions are cut shorter by the change of seasons.
BIG BAITS OF CHOICE
Think of your favorite topwater baits and upsize them. Standard walking baits like the Zara Spook are proven fish catchers, and the Super Spook that features three treble hooks is an excellent choice for fall topwater fishing.
Other baits with loyal a following are the ima Little Stik, Evergreen Shower Blows and the new Berkley Cane Walker. Each of these baits is categorized as pencil
Fall 2019
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