What's Your Favorite Topwater Bass Lure?

There are dozens of different topwater bass lures. Most will work sometimes. A very few work most of the time. That means that most bass anglers have their favorites, so let’s find out what they are.

The following poll covers three widely popular topwater styles: poppers, walk-the-dog types, and floating frogs. Chances are one of those is your go-to topwater bait, but which one? Check the following descriptions, then voice your choice.

POPPERS -- The chugging, gurgling sounds of a cup-faced popper can draw bass from a considerable distance, or perhaps seemingly wake up otherwise lethargic fish. Poppers such as Chug Bugs or Pop-Rs work especially well on windy days because the lure’s face digs into the surface and makes the lure easier to control.

WALK-THE-DOG -- A Zara Spook is the best known of this style, but there are many other versions. These are my personal favorites, partly because they draw explosive surface strikes. (The bass I’m holding in the photo took a Zara.) The lures wag and dart erratically along the surface when fished with a repetitive jerk-and-stop rod-tip motion.

FLOATING FROGS -- All bass eat frogs when they can, which makes frog imitators a logical choice. Recent years have seen a frog renaissance as more makers have introduced their own versions. Basically a hollow rubber body rigged with an upright and mostly weedless double hook, they work well when twitched on top of floating weed mats or worked around the lily pads.

So those are the choices. By all means let us know your favorite, and if your favorite isn’t listed then let us know that, too.