Top water bite...

[CrappieJohn]

Last summer I stumbled across an incredible topwater bite on the Mississippi backwaters. Jerk baits were what they wanted at the time, but we later hit them on topwater frogs and larger floating rapalas that were just twitched. Spinner baits din't do it nor did the buzzbaits.

What water temp will I start to see this jerk bait activity start up at and at about what time of the summer? Wabasha area.

[Wayne Ek]

I'll bet you a cup of coffee and pie... that 40 degree's will be the magic number for hard jerk-baits. Call me when it happens, I bet the back-waters warm up quite fast, if the river is not at flood stage.

[Deitz Dittrich]

and I'll bet you both a cup, if you bring me with..

I would lean a little twards mid 40's than Wayne.. but I would listen to hi way before I listen to myself.. I dont have the exp fishing rivers like he does!

[CrappieJohn]

Even in high water the backwaters will warm up faster than the moving stuff. We came across a particular bass bite during the mid summer period last year fishing panfish. To me it was typical for bassing ingredients. This same area though will not show any bass while crappie fishing at that 40 + degree mark. Northerns yes, bass very infrequently.

The emmergent vegatation there is slow to show in this general area. Could there be a parallel or could I be missing this activity thinking it was visible weeds that were accounting for the fish?

I know the area very well and have a solid idea of the weedlines there...emergent or not. When the water does get into the 40's, should I be targeting the areas where I think the weed's edges are?

It was interesting to note too that the smaller of the two types of pads found in the area along with arrowhead held no fish. The big pads had all of the action and also held all of the sunfish we tried for each day when the sun got hot and the bass went into the thick cover.

[Bobby Bass]

You guys don't know how happy I am to be reading a post in regards to topwater fishing in the last week of February. As I type this there is a lite snow falling but you guys are talking topwater!!!

[CrappieJohn]

Right now I'd write anything to get out of the ice age.

[Wayne Ek]

T.C. Were the pads already up at that location or just an old pad field. Two thoughts if the pads are up, the larger pads the area should be cooler, as pads in the summer will be cooler than surounding waters, if it was an old pad field just starting, the black bottom pads seem to like could account for warmer water. Up in buffalo slough last year I got on an early season bass bite on emergent weeds that were still submerged... to bad it did not last one more week for a upcoming tournament.

[Wayne Ek]

Deitz, I'm up for it... let's talk T.C. into it... And lets go early in the year, mid-week, Oh No!!! you would have to work..

[CrappieJohn]

I'd be game.

[carlcmc]

i'm chuckling here about this as well. I have all my crankbait boxes and soft plastics spread out on the floor from going through them for the umpteenth time. Where is this global warming when we need it I say!

[friendlyfisher]

Any of you guys know if they have any of thoose chatterbaits in any of the catalogs yet.They have been talking about alot latley.

[river rat316]

You wont be seeing them in any catalog this year, there going for 30-150 a pop on hsolist right now, I hate to say it but take a Blade Dancer and ty a silicone skirt on it and put a trailer on it and looks almost identical to the chatterbait, I dont know if you can but bending the lip upwards on the blade dancer might give it the action of a chatterbait also

[OnTheWater]

do a google search for "chatterbait", and click on the first link; They are $5.99

[Slyster]

$6.65 now if I did it right... Did they see this thread?

[T-water]

I've always heard that the topwater bite doesn't start until the ducklings are on the lake. I think thats an old musky fishing rule. I have since learned that it is completely dependent on water temp. I've had awesome topwater bite in Jan. on artificially warmed waters.

Like everybody else I'm borderline freaking out wondering what I'm going to do until the opener. I guess I'll be spending more time watching the forum!

[OnTheWater]

Slyster-- my bad, it was the second link on google. They are on backorder though, so you won't get them for at least a couple of weeks.

[Mr. Pike1]

I never follow the standard logic of when to fish a paticular presentation. I always mix in up and let the fish and the conditions be the judge of what to toss. I always start with a Senko followed by a tube in areas that look to hold bass. I then go to the spinner, buzz bait, and a mepps to cover water. I mix in the crank bait and always try Mr. husky jerk (blue silver is a favorite). I love to get the hits on the top waters but find them to in most cases be the least productive in most situations. Once you find the type of bait that appears most productive then you of course have a gazillion color and sizes to try.

If I only had three baits it would be Senko, tube, spinner bait.