Topwater Fishing

[SoonerATC]

Hi folks,

Last night I was wrapping up an afternoon of crappie fishing at Lake Thunderbird. Around 8pm, the baitfish moved into the shallows and the crappie and bass started tearing them up. It was quite fun to see, actually. Lots of surface water disturbance from the baitfish and frequent splashing as the predator fish attacked.

I tried throwing a topwater popper and tried a curly tailed worm, but wasn't able to get any of them to strike. What can I do to take advantage of the feeding frenzy during these times? Should I just try a different popper?

Thanks!

 

[RaysZ71]

Use spinners, crank baits or jig heads with 4" shad. I prefer crank-baits, like 4' divers. I catch as fast as I can throw when they feed like that.

 

[Deer Slayer]

A silver spoon might also work well.

 

[Oklahomabassin]

Hi folks,

Last night I was wrapping up an afternoon of crappie fishing at Lake Thunderbird. Around 8pm, the baitfish moved into the shallows and the crappie and bass started tearing them up. It was quite fun to see, actually. Lots of surface water disturbance from the baitfish and frequent splashing as the predator fish attacked.

I tried throwing a topwater popper and tried a curly tailed worm, but wasn't able to get any of them to strike. What can I do to take advantage of the feeding frenzy during these times? Should I just try a different popper?

Thanks!

I have had best luck matching the size of the bait fish as close as possible. If they are chasing 1.5 inch ghost minnows, often times you can throw a 3" or 4" shad imitation and rarely get a hit. Other times when sand bass are schooling anything that hits the water is hit. Its just fishing, you have to find what works.

 

[jbarnett]

OKbassin knows. He showed me first hand that it works.
Haven't ever had that much fun fishing.

 

[Oklahomabassin]

OKbassin knows. He showed me first hand that it works.
Haven't ever had that much fun fishing.

Thank you kind sir. A lot of times its being in the right place at the right time. That night we got lucky.

 

[SoonerATC]

Well, the new crankbait and new silver topwater lure I tried last night didn't work. I generally have very little success with artificial lures of any kind. I don't think I know the right techniques for using them. Kind of frustrating when you can see them swimming up near the shore and know they're out there, but not be able to get a strike!

I did use a black jig off the dock though earlier in the evening with a crappie nibble and caught two decent ones.

 

[Stingray]

Try a Rebel Bumblebug. In my experience the bass just tear those things up when they're feeding at the surface.

I've had really good luck with them.

-S

 

[BadgerLB]

buzzbaits when it gets hot... and they're popping like that have always done good for me... but spinners seem to do better...

 

[shootinpreacher48]

try something that looks as real as possible to what the bass and Crappie are going after if it is shad, try a spoon, crankbait, etc...