With spring long gone and summer far from over, many fishermen find considerable slack in their line of enthusiasm, but some bass enthusiasts insist those who aren’t hitting the water before daybreak right now don’t know what they’re missing.
From first light until about 7:30 a.m., the opportunity to cast to bass in topwater scenarios is one not to be missed.
Bass depend largely on sight to feed and their eyes are very sensitive to light. Bright sun and hot water push them deep during the day, but early risers who catch them cruising the shallows for their breakfast can find some of the best action of the year.
Topwater lures fall into a fair variety of categories. Some pop, some swim, some buzz and some fall somewhere in between. Every avid angler has a favorite, but it takes a few trials to figure out.
The Heddon Super Spook and Super Spook Junior are wide favorites, but very early in the morning almost any topwater buzz bait works fine. The Triggerfish by Think Tank Lures is one popular option because it offers the opportunity to steer a buzz bait. The Whopper Plopper by River2Sea is another because of the cavitation it creates with its rotating tail.
For grassy areas that bass like to hit early in the day, many topwater enthusiasts swear by frogs. There are two types of topwater frog. One is a soft plastic frog that can be fished in and through the grass, and there’s a Spook-style of frog that is fished along the grass’s edge. Anglers just have to find what the bass are interested in and what they’re in the mood to hit.
In cloudy water, bigger and louder can be better when it comes to the choice of lures. If you’re somewhere the water is very muddy, you need something that makes a lot of noise. This is where the classic big-bladed buzzbaits prove their worth, but fishing them comes with one important caveat.
You really do need a trailer hook on a buzz bait. With their skirts and the way they’re designed, you get a lot of short strikes. A trailer hook swinging behind the main hook will clean up a lot of fish on strikes that would have otherwise been nothing but close calls.
For many bitten by the fishing bug, mornings right now are an opportunity not to be missed.
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 41 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
