TOPWATER PROP BAITS - KEYING ON COVER

The strike was not ferocious. The surface of the water simply opened up and the Crazy Shad disappeared. After setting the hook, I soon had a nice four-pound bass in the boat. Topwater prop baits are my favorite lure to fish. I love to see the strike and wonder how big the fish will be.

Plugs with propellers on each end are dynamite lures to use. Not only are they fun, they can fool the biggest fish. The key to using these lures is understanding how bass use cover to ambush their prey. In my area of southeast Louisiana, shad often use bushes, treetops, lily pads, and other green flora as nesting areas. Bass flock to these areas in the early spring to ambush schools of shad. Using a topwater lure to imitate a wounded shad is a practical solution to catching fish.

In lakes and rivers around the country, some shorelines are covered with bushes, willows, and other foliage. In my area egrets and owls point the way to migrating shad. Use topwater baits like a Crazy Shad, Devil’s Horse, or other twin prop bait. Work the lure as close to the cover as possible with small twitches of the rod.

The biggest mistake I see anglers make is the action placed on the lure. Some anglers move the lure with big pops or jerks of the rod causing the lure to move a foot or more. The best retrieve is to keep the lure from moving more than an inch or so. After casting the lure as close to the cover as possible, let the ripples subside. Then with a short twitch of the rod, pop the lure from side to side. It is similar to a walk the dog presentation. Pause between several twitches of the lure.

Boat position is important in the areas where I fish due to the tidal flow of the river and marshes. The best way to present the bait is with the tide. To do this position the boat down river from the target and cast the lure up river. If needed let the lure the drift to the target. Begin to work the lure parallel and as close to the target as possible. Often a key area is the very front of the target. This is where the current brings the baitfish around the target. Bass often face away from the shore on the points of treetops waiting to ambush migrating shad.

Now, the hardest thing about topwater fishing is waiting to set the hook. With sudden explosive strikes, it is hard to condition the mind and body to wait until the lure disappears before setting the hook. I will guarantee you one thing; if you set the hook to quickly you will miss the fish every time. Heart stopping strikes will cause an instinctive jerk.  After 30 years, I still get caught off guard. Mental sharpness will help you avoid this mistake. Wait about a second before you set the hook. Usually a solid sweep of the rod is all that is needed to drive the hook home.

Waiting on the hook set is also important when the fish miss the bait or boil under the bait. The crucial tip when this happens is not to jerk the lure away from the fish. Continue working the lure with a determined cadence. The bass will often return with a vengeance. If you do have a lapse and snatch the lure away from the fish, return a worm or jerk shad to the area. Sometimes the fish will take the follow up bait.

It is often said that an angler would rather catch one fish on top than five on the bottom. I would prefer the five on bottom if they were a better stringer. However, I do love to catch fish on topwater lure. Time and again topwater fish are larger on average than others when fishing around cover. Shad plus green cover often points the way to prime bass fishing.

Next spring after the spawn, search out the prime areas for prop baits. They are an exciting way to catch fish. Be sure to have your heart checked before you go! Thanks to http://www.lurenet.com.

 

About the author: Jeff Bruhl is a member of the Louisiana Outdoors Writer Association, pro angler, and a pharmacist. His website, www.marshbass.com, covers freshwater fishing across Louisiana and the gulf coast. Each Saturday morning between 5-7 am CST, a bass fishing report can be heard on the Outdoors with Don Dubuc Radio Show (www.dontheoutdoorsguy.com) on 870 AM from the New Orleans station. Jeff has made numerous television and radio appearances on shows like Paradise Louisiana, The Big Fish, and ABC26.com. From tips on youtube.com to weekly reports on his website, his articles and reports provide tips and tactics for bass anglers in the sportsman paradise. Jeff’s sponsors include Abu Garcia, Xpoint hooks, Bud Light, Louisiana Fish Fry Products, Power Pole, Stanley Jigs and Spinnerbaits, Skeeter, Dockside Marine, Rat-L-Trap, and Berkley. For more information about fishing in Louisiana, drop Jeff an email at jeff@marshbass.com.