by Pros4- 1Source's Dave Landahl
Whether you're dropping your trolling motor down, wading a stream, paddling a kayak or walking the shoreline, fishing topwater lures for bass is one of the most enjoyable ways to bust those piscine foes during the summer months.
As the day is awakening, so is that aggressive feeding mode bass are famous for. Before the heat of the day, the action on top can be its hottest.
So, what do some of the top pros like to toss on top for bass during the summer? Of course, the answers vary as much as the colors on their pro jerseys.
Here are a few of the faves for busting summer bass on top from a handful of fishing pros.
1. Berkley pro Josh Bertrand digs taking a walk for big summer bass.
"I really like a walking bait in the summer," said Bertrand. "I can cover a lot of water with it. Plus, it attracts the big bites."
2. Zoneloc Hook's pro and former Bassmaster Classic champion Alton Jones likes to get shady when fishing on top during the hot months.
"I like the Booyah Pad Crasher," said Jones. "I like it because you can skip it back into the shadiest, darkest places where the big bass live."
3. No shock, but Lucky Craft pro Brent Ehrler loves a Lucky Craft topwater.
"I like the Lucky Craft Gunfish 117," said Ehrler. "There a couple reasons I love it. First, it is the best topwater bait ever invented.
"Second, it now has three trebles instead of two which makes it the best version ever."
4. Costa pro Casey Ashley likes to pop the top during the summer for bassin' fun.
"My favorite summer topwater is a Livingston Walk N Pop 67," said Ashley. "I like it because it effectively works when fishing a shad or bream pattern for bass. Both major food sources in the summer for them."
5. Storm pro Brandon Palaniuk favors a walking bait.
"My favorite topwater is the Storm Arashi Topwalker 13," said Palaniuk. "I can cast it a country mile and cover a ton of water.
"Its body design allows it to make sharp cuts for precise target fishing. Its flatter sides also allow the hooks to stay under the body, which gives it a better hook up."
6. GarminGarmin pro Brent Chapman favors a more generalist approach.
"I like topwater for sure," said Chapman. "I throw whatever they're biting."
7. Enigma Fishing pro Aaron Martens sticks with a veteran lure of the bass wars.
"I fish a lot of topwater," said Aaron Martens. "But my favorite has to be the Super Spook. It's big. It's loud. It's obnoxious. Plus, it draws really ferocious strikes and it is just so fun to fish."
8. JT Kenney is loyal to an old Vixen for topwater action.
"My favorite topwater is an old school Reaction Innovations Vixen," said Kenney. "I'm talking the original version, not the newer model.
"I have one of them left and it's been re-painted at least 5 times. It's a plain bone color- sometimes it has eyes, sometimes it doesn't, depends on who paints it."
Pick a favorite of your own and head down to your tackle shop and pick up a few of these options. Topwater time is heating up.
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