When/where do you go from a popping style topwater to a walking topwater bait?
I’ve heard people say in the past “it’s almost time for the popping baits to come into play”

I throw a popper style when searching shallow water if Shad are present And or deeper water I use a Zara spook

Try them both. See which one is more effective that day. Meep an open mind.

They both work well. I tend to throw the popper when I am casting towards targets. When I am fishing long stretches of rip rap I tend to throw a spook.

Walking bait when it's slick and popper when there's a very slight chop.

I throw a white Spro popping frog for when the wind has the shad blown up in the timber or grass. Open water a spook is my go to. Bone most of the time. Other baits come in to play if I’m not trying to imitate shad.