Crankbaits, jigs and other lures can be very effective; but a topwater lure is often enticing for good quality fish, as well as numbers when searching for fish willing to commit.
On smaller grass lakes, the key may be deeper water that is home to multiple types of vegetation, or an area that drops to 10 or 12 feet from flats you have been fishing. One of the most efficient ways to cover water has a small profile, but a long, successful history – I am talking about a popper.
The original Pop-R was one of the first lures I cut my teeth on as a young teen angler. I was not able to put together the pieces as to why the lure had such a significant impact on my results, but I did understand the bait was both killer on largemouth and smallmouth bass in the post spawn period. That was enough for me at the time.
Lately, I feel like a failure if I return without some sort of gained knowledge from each and every fishing trip.
Analyzing my experience, I’ve learned that more fish tend to commit to the topwater popper over a walk-the-dog type of bait immediately following the spawn. While this may not hold true on each and every lake or river that you fish, we have a balanced mix of largemouth and smallmouth bass that have pushed me towards this lure choice throughout Washington State.
As an easy meal for any recuperating fish, or any fish looking “up” for a meal. The key to the bait seems to be the popping noise, but a secondary characteristic remains just as important – the very small movements that the angler is able to impart.
LOCATIONS
The primary focus of your assault should be secondary points. Beyond the popper’s strength of being used as a search tool, it is best utilized with long casts around these areas that are high percentage locations.
With knowledge of where the bass have spawned, odds are your new location is not too far away. Finding active fish just 40, 50 or 60 yards from a spawning flat is fairly common, due to the available cover or transition zones that drop from 3, 4, or 5 feet to 8, 9, or 10+ feet. Those breaks can be explosive for post spawn smallmouth and largemouth.
While there is no better teacher than experience, a post spawn approach with a popper should be utilized with a plan in mind. Spending time on secondary points or 45-degree banks will eventually yield results.
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Taking note of what those fish are relating too is most important. Catching fish on poppers near 45-degree banks with chunk rock will be a much more different pattern on a river than it would be catching fish off an underwater weed line on a small natural lake.
If you can unlock what’s underneath the water, you can duplicate it over the entire river or lake with greater success.
BRAND SPECIFICS
Rebel’s Pop-R is considered an O.G. in the topwater department. I too, put this to use for many years. Before losing my favorite bait of all time, it had an unbelievable run with hundreds of fish caught. Cost effective, durable and performance are just a few things that come to mind when discussing The Rebel Pop-R.
As online shopping and social media evolved, I began trying other brands. From XCalibur’s Zell Pop to Duo Realis’ Popper 64, I have found unique sounds that come from each lure and thus, each and every one has a place in my tackle box.
While I do not suspect that one necessarily catches more than another, the colors offered from each manufacturer allow me to change up paint schemes dependent on the conditions given.
Sticking to natural colors such as white and silver allow me to fish these
baits throughout an entire
day, but
if a slight chop or wind makes things difficult for the fish to see, I transition to a paint scheme like seen on the Duo Realis Popper 64 – the bright orange belly really drives the smallmouth wild. One constant feature I prefer for any popper bait is a feathered tail as I think the natural sway of the feather can help entice wary fish.
Regardless of your post spawn knowledge or available budget, one of these lures will help you be more successfull this season.
While it may take an adjustment from fishing the backs of pockets, coves or creeks to areas you normally pass right by, this one location adjustment will surely help you dial in your fishery more-so now, than you have in the past. Offering more time fishing and less time driving, these secondary points just may be your new primary locations throughout summer.
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