Photo by Grant Kelly
and i like how well it casts. another thing is the sound; most baits all have kind of a similar sound, but this one is a little different and more high pitched,” says Hawk. He will use walking style baits the majority of the time when he is topwater fishing and will definitely use them anytime he is fishing in open water or around schooling fish.
POPPER STYLE BAITS
The popper style bait has been around for years and even though the design remains mostly the same, they still work and should have a place in every angler’s tackle box. “i’ll use a realis Popper 64 anytime i am fishing around shallow cover. it works really well for when you want to keep it in one place, like if you want it to sit right next to a laydown before you pop it again,” says the elite Series pro.
Where buzzbaits really shine is shallow, dirty water. “i use buzzbaits most when i am fishing in water that is less than three feet deep. it works really well around vegetation and river systems are setup perfectly for the buzzbait,” adds Hawk.
High-end topwater baits come in amazing colors, complete with realistic finishes and beautiful artistic work, but does that even matter when all fish can see is the bottom of the lure? i posed this question to Hawk and he agreed to some extent. What is more important is the color of the bottom of the lure. “i like baits that have a pearl bottom most of the time because that is what baitfish look like from below.
Chrome is another good color to have on the bottom and i have found that any time you are fishing for smallmouth, they really like that chrome finish,” says Hawk. His preferred color choices for both the Pencil 110 and Popper 64 are a color called “all Bait” and a color called “Neo Pearl”. “Those two will cover pretty much all situations. if i am fishing one of the desert lakes like Mead, i will use a color called “Passion Chartreuse”, they really like that clear and chartreuse color there,” says Hawk.
as a general rule, the clearer the faster you should move your bait. “i think doing that makes sure the fish do not get too good of a look at the bait. if the water is really clear and i am using a walking bait, i will really get it moving,” adds Hawk. if the water is a little more stained or if he is using a popper style bait close to cover, he will slow down his retrieve. This is a general rule, but as always allow the fish to tell you what they prefer on that day.
The one thing that Hawk adds to his baits is a feathered trailer. He prefers the owner tournament version, and he will use white for largemouth and spotted bass and switch to the chartreuse version anytime he is targeting smallmouth. topwater fishing is exciting and can often be an easy way to load the boat in a hurry. Kevin Hawk is a big believer in their effectiveness as he travels the country as a professional bass angler. Following his tips and tricks will make you a better topwater angler and make sure you get more of those awesome topwater strikes.
RETRIEVE
BUZZBAITS
CUSTOMIZATION
COLOR SELECTION
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