Autumn Topwater

Any time you can tie on a lure in the morning and fish it confidently all day, that’s a good thing. Make that a topwater lure that prompts violent attacks, and a good thing becomes a great thing!

Welcome to autumn.

Moderating water temperatures, an instinctive drive to “feed up” before winter and shallow congregations of shad and other forage species make bass active and prompt them to look high in the water column this time of year. Surface lures get their attention and prompt strikes all day long.

If the bass are relating to shad and holding over humps, points or flats, a walking lure like a Heddon Super Spook or a 4 ½-inch Cotton Cordell Pencil Popper works wonderfully for covering water and calling in fish. Use shad-imitating colors and try to match the size of any baitfish you see.

Bass relating to shoreline structure commonly are feeding on bluegills and other sunfish that have moved shallow and remain ever watchful for displaced terrestrial insects and critters like frogs swimming on the surface. A popper, like a Rebel Pop-R, or a prop bait, like a Cordell Crazy Shad, allows you to work shoreline cover thoroughly and coax bass into attacking.

If the bass are under lily pads or matted vegetation or are cruising in stands of emergent grass, a BOOYAH Pad Crasher becomes the bait of choice, with a ToadRunner being an outstanding option for working the sparser edges of the same vegetation stands.

For any topwater, finding the right pace can make or break a day. Sometimes they want it faced and won’t hit unless they are forced to react. Other days, you must do more coaxing, and pauses become important.

Experiment a bit with cadence, locations and topwater lure types, based on the spot, but stick with surface offerings until you unlock the specific pattern. You won’t be sorry!