I've heard various of different types of top water to use. What's in season right now?

buzz bait and frog are what I like the most prespawn and spawn; also had some success with a spook during the spawn.
post spawn, just about any topwater can be great.

Throw a wake bait in the mix right now, its not a true topwater I guess but I classify it as one.

Many have a time and place so I always had one of each tied on.
- My custom Spook for the straight edge grass lines.
- Hydrilla Gorilla Buzz Bait for the lesser slop.
- Bull Ribbit Frog for the heavy slop
- Spro Popping Frog to slow it down strikes.

Buzzbait for me right now.

Rick Clunn says it is NEVER too cod to not throw a buzzbait. I have caught fish on all topwater presentations at these water temps, but I also like a wake bait, too. Hope this helps. Tight lines, keep safe and good luck.

Thad Rains

One thing though...I have never seen top waters thrown during tournaments. Am I just not watching enough tourneys or is it just there are much better options? (Don't mean to hijack the thread but since we are on the topwater subject)

I have been fishing at a large pond this week and the bass are bedding very close to the edge of the pond. A fluke or senko has been working well but yesterday, I tried a buzzbait late in the day. For 30 minutes right at dusk, the bass absolutely killed the buzzbait. Even with a trailer hook, I still missed several. The bite died when all of the sunlight was gone.

shhhhh..... No one needs to know that

You will see a topwater frog throw a lot in tournaments on TV.

I have won many tournaments on top water with my Spook being in the lead over all the others I throw. The first two hours of day light is the window. If it is cloudy I have much more time to visit my other two top water holes. I always find the best 3 spots on each lake spending 30 mins. or less on each of them until I find the fish. On rare occasions the top water bite has continued on sunny days. This seems to be clear water reservoirs like Lake Amistad where the bite can happen all day in several different water depths.

Unless you just happen to be in the area where another fisherman is using top water at day break, you would not have seen them. After that short window of opportunity most move on to other baits in search of Bass at the next level.

So about 30 minutes before and after dusk to throw top water then move to maybe crank or jerk until u get to drop shot or more finesse techniques?

No. I spend 2 hours on top water each morning. No more than 30 mins. at each of 3 places just to find the best spot out of the 3.

I throw em all day long when it warms up, time of day has never mattered.

Good pattern as long as you are getting bit. When the biting stops, I like to go to the second drop and pick them right back up with other baits. Most do not live in the shallows and head back home when the feeding is over. I target big bass and want to follow their route each day to stay on them if possible.