We’ve arrived at the middle of summer, which often means that water is warm and low. Therefore, bass get pretty picky. In shallow water big streamers can put them off. In these cases a stealthy approach is best: fishing topwater. This is one of our favorite things to do in the summer, and we spend a lot of days doing it. To give you a hand on your own topwater adventure, we put together this list of the best topwater bass patterns.
Bass Popper
Tried. Tested. Proven. Classic and effective. Poppers have been around for ages, and it’s no secret that they’re one of the best topwater bass flies out there. We offer them in a range of sizes and colors, and you should always be prepared to change it up depending on what the bass want. Although the frog coloration is our favorite, sometimes one of the other options is better received.
Dry Rind Frog
This pattern is all about profile. It’s designed for working in lily pads or in and around weed beds, and looks just like a swimming frog. For you anglers that really like largemouth, you won’t want to be without some of these.
Sneaky Pete
Sometimes the popper is too much commotion for bass. That’s where the Sneaky Pete comes in. Because it creates a very subtle wake, it can make all the difference with bass that are on edge due to low flows.
Frog Legged Popper
Frogs are a big part of a bass’ diet, and this is the perfect frog imitation. With it’s deer hair construction this pattern floats well and pushes some serious water. If you need to get a fish’s attention from distance, this will do it.
Wildwood’s Wild Wobbler
This is a floating baitfish pattern for those rivers and lakes that have a considerable baitfish population. Sometimes bait gets concentrated and bass really key in on them.
Blue Damsel
If you’ve never seen bass keyed in on a damsel fly hatch, you need to change that. They’ll station up in river current just like trout and sip them all day. Without a doubt, it’s one of the most fun things you can experience when fishing for bass. This pattern is a perfect imitation of them, and bass will crush it all day long.
Chubby
Some days bass focus on terrestrials, and really key in on their profile. When this is the case, match a chubby to what you see in and around the water.
If you want to read a different take on bass fishing, check out this article from Sean Platt.
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