Topwater Question and more...

[Tyler Holm]

I'm heading out to the Mississippi River backwaters tonight in search of a few bass. Last year we had an incredible topwater bite using SkeeterPops and other floating baits. My question is this.. Is there any chance the topwater bite would start this early?

Have these fish spawned yet? Either way, how should I change my tactics and presentations?

What areas should I focus on? Lillypads? Rip Rap shoreline? Weedlines? Channels?

[Deitz Dittrich]

TH- I havn't been down to the river yet this year. So I will probably be of little help to you. You can catch fish on topwater, but I would say that its probably not the best way to catch fish in these water temps. I would tend to lean more twards jerkbaits and such. I would look for fish on areas that are warming faster than other places... Wood, rock absorb heat and will warm the water around it.

Good luck!

[jackfish]

Ty:

Topwater presentations work all year. Even in colder water. Just finding which one is the tough part. I have used plastics, (large to medium flukes) rigged on a light wire wide gap worm hook. They dimple the surface as you twitch them. They work great. Smallies seem to like the longer thinner topwater baits. Try a Bang-O-Lure and work it slowly. Poppers are great in summer but I find that floating Rapala's worked on the surface can be deadly.

Hope this Helps

Jackfishhammy

www.jackfishhammy.com

[AQUAJOE]

Well put Jackfish. Skitter Poppers and my favorite Snag Proof Frogs work well all year. Bass hate that lure crossing over there space while they are resting. It drives them nuts.

Water is already warmer this year then it was last year. And we did great last year at this time.

[Tyler Holm]

Thanks guys,

I gave the topwater lures a chance, but to no avail. There was very little surfact activity so we decided to go underwater with our presentations. The fishing activity was super slow for us, but the skeeters were out in full force.

We caught 1 small northern and 1 16" fatty largie.

[Daze Off]

Spent two full days in backwater of Pool 2 last week and weekend and could bnot buy a fish on topwater. They wanted it deadsticked and.or moving pretty slow. Bites were gentle pick-ups for the most part. We REALLY banged 'em on Tuesday of last week and averaged 17" on Sunday. All largemouth.

Daze Off