Years ago, Outdoor editor of the Kansas City Star, Ray Heady, claimed there is nothing compared to catching bass than with a topwater lure. May through June is the best fishing of the year. When bass come roaring up out of the depths of water with their big mouths wide open and you see the fish exploding through the center spray, it gets your adrenaline going like nothing else in fishing.

The excitement of using topwater lures are just that. They stay on top of the water and fish come up from underneath and do their best to give their angler a heart attack. Fish hitting a topwater lure are doing more than picking up dinner, they are trying to kill that frog, bug, rodent or a baitfish struggling on top.

Surface lures come in all shapes and sizes, from small grasshopper imitations to big cigar shape baitfish that zigzag across the surface. They pop, chug and bubble.

Topwater is the most exciting way to fish for bass. They are productive and often outfish other techniques. They are most effective in warm to cool water, if the water temperature is above 55 degrees, a topwater lure is the first lure to use in the morning. They should be used in the early morning, late afternoon or during the calm before a storm. They work best in late spring, summer and fall.

A buzz bait is a good lure to use over schooling bass and in dense cover. In rivers a buzz bait will work by casting the lure close to the bank and retrieving it fast, causing a reaction strike. In a river, a bass might not enter the current to strike. Buzz baits are similar to spinner baits, but designed to work on top water. They usually work best from mid-spring to mid-fall when the water temperature is above 60 degrees. They can be used over cover due to the unique design.

Poppers are another good surface lure. You can attract bass with the popping and gurgling sound on the water surface. These lures need to be used in a series of starts and stops. Cast out and let the lure rest a few minutes then retrieve it a few feet and let it rest again. The popping and gurgling will attract the fish’s attention. The strike usually happens when the lure is at rest.

Charlie Campbell a master of the Zara Spook top water lure with a bass he hooked using one of the many Spooks in his tackle box. (Photo: Ken White)

When using a stick bait, the angler has to furnish the action by maneuvering the lure. These baits work well around boat docks and open water. The most popular stick bait is the Zara Spook and for good reason. It has been catching both small and largemouth bass for decades. It can call in fish from up to 25 feet and works well in a variety of conditions. Charlie Campbell, Forsyth, is a master at catching bass using the Spook. While fishing with him on Stockton Lake, I watched him throw a Spook in cover where most anglers wouldn’t cast without getting hung up. He caught both large and smallmouth bass without a lot of effort. The Spook works best in the summer and can be used all day.

Jerk baits are another lure that catches a lot of bass. One of the best jerk baits is the Rapala floating minnow. You can use this lure in shallow water anytime when the water temperature is above 55 degrees. Cast the lure out, let it sit until the rings of water disappear, then begin a twitch–twitch-pause motion.

As for the color of topwater lures, you need to match the baitfish in the lake so a silver type color is usually the best for most area lakes.

Topwater lures are excellent to teach youngsters the fun of bass fishing. Once they see a bass explode on their lure, they are hooked.

Hank Parker, a well-known bass angler, said, “I don’t think I have ever met a bass fisherman who didn’t get excited when talking about topwater fishing. There is no greater thrill in angling than a bass exploding on your surface lure.”