Top water baits - Whats you favorite?

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I started with a couple Zara Spooks knockoffs, and they work so good I've never really bought much else. When the fish hit the lure every cast it's hard to beat that. I'm sure just about everything works in a boil. Last couple years we mostly use jigs - I realize those aren't top water but they work and can be used when the boil goes down. I do miss the fishing at the Hite end...
 
russellweight said:
Whopper Plopper!!!
For Powell I prefer the 90 size, but they just came out with a smaller 75 size which may be better for slurps and less aggressive fish. We have had many all day long bites this time of year on this bait! They are so simple to throw and retrieve, even a kid can catch fish on these with just a straight retrieve! Or you can get more advanced with a walk-the-dog or pop-r retrieve.
And best of all you can fish them through almost anything without getting hung up! Bring on the those LM way back in the brush!!! Haha
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TR. said:
Agreed, however I have changed out most of my treble hooks with owner in line and been very happy.

TR
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What size in line hooks do you use on Zara spooks, jumpin' minnows and pop-r's?
I need to order a bunch!
 
If you have youngsters or rookies on board rig them with 1/2 or 3/4 oz bucktail jigs (white or blue/white) with a single hook. They can throw them a long ways and will catch boiling fish every cast. Most fish are below the surface and something moving fast like a jig will get hit every time. If not you will end up removing treble hooks from nets, hands, boat carpet, fish, and about everything that will keep you for helping them catch more fish. I know from lots of experience. Chuck
 
I just found that Amazon also sells the Chinese knockoff "Whopper Ploppers" with free 1-day shipping! You can order an 8 pack of them for $29.99 and have them at your door tomorrow! You unfortunately don't have as much of a color choice, but I honestly haven't noticed a hookup ratio go up or down from throwing a different color. It seems that it's mainly the action that attracts the hit on these.


5679
 
I owe Russell dinner or a beer or something for suggesting the whopper plopper. I had an absolute blast with it. Can't remember having so much fun with a new lure. I would have never bought one had I not put up this thread. For one, they are not that impressive in the box. Two they are expensive, and I don't usually buy expensive lures unless I get lucky and find them in a bargain bin. Just a tightwad I guess. I bought 2, a 4.5" one and a 4" one. Both were silver/shad colored. Caught a couple on the bigger one, caught over 100 on the 4" one. First time I threw it I caught a fish, and caught one the next 6 cast as well. Grandson caught most of his fish on it. I retied it every trip out cause I was worried about loosing it being I only has the one. It reminds me of a buzz bait as far as what it looks like coming across the water. Hooks up rate were 3 to 1 better than a junior spook. It cast far and is really easy to fish and they absolutely smash it. Cannot remember laughing so much while fishing. One thing I will point out is that they rarely hit it until it was on top buzzing. When you cast it start reeling just before it hits the water and keep your rod tip up till it starts buzzing. Cost me $12.99, and I would not have taken a hundred dollar bill for it. I'll have at least a half dozen or so before I make my next trip. The little 12-15" fish would hit the smaller one but not the bigger one. Later in the season I think the bigger one will work just as well. Thanks again to Russell!!!
 
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Flipper said:
I owe Russell dinner or a beer or something for suggesting the whopper plopper. I had an absolute blast with the it. Can't remember having so much fun with a new lure. I would have never bought one had I not put up this thread. For one, they are not that impressive in the box. Two they are expensive, and I don't usually buy expensive lures unless I get lucky and find them in a bargain bin. Just a tightwad I guess. I bought 2, a 4.5" one and a 4" one. Both were silver/shad colored. Caught a couple on the bigger one, caught over 100 on the 4" one. First time I threw it I caught a fish, and caught one the next 6 cast also. Grandson caught most of his fish on it as well. I retied it every trip out cause I was worried about loosing it being I only has the one. It reminds me of a buzz bait as far as what it looks like coming across the water. Hooks up rate were 3 to 1 better than a junior spook. It cast far and is really easy to fish and they absolutely smash it. Cannot remember laughing so much while fishing. One thing I will point out is that they rarely hit it until it was on top buzzing. When you cast it start reeling just before it hits the water and keep your rod tip up till it starts buzzing. Cost me $12.99, and I would not have taken a hundred dollar bill for it. I'll have at least a half dozen or so before I make my next trip. The little 12-15" fish would hit the smaller one but not the bigger one. Later in the season I think the bigger one will work just as well. Thanks again to Russell!!!
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Flipper, That's AWESOME!
I am so glad to hear you had a blast with it! Were you mainly fishing the shoreline for smallies and LM? Or throwing at boils? (I take payment in info and fishing tips! ;) )
We have had so much fun throwing them at Powell for the last few years! Your comment about laughing so much says it all! Watching as fish after fish toss them back and forth, just to have another one take it under and run is such a blast! I even find myself throwing them when I know I shouldn't be, just because I like the action so much! As you said in the beginning of this thread "I would rather catch one on top water than two on a kast master."

I am very cheap too. Back in 2017 when I had first started using them we only had 3 (one for each of us) on our Labor Day trip. The first day in a boil a stripper broke off my son's out in the middle of this cove we were fishing. We spent SO MUCH time looking and looking for it, hoping we would find it floating there... Never did though... So one of us had to switch to a pop-r instead. It just wasn't the same. After that I bought a bunch of them just to make sure it wouldn't happen again! That's also why I searched, found and tried the Chinese knockoffs. I'm not worried about my kids using those, and they work just a well! :) If your up at Powell over Labor day weekend, I'll have to give you one to try out.

Congrads on the awesome trip!
 
I fished them mostly for stripers on top. I did try them early in the morning on the shorelines for SMB and had several hits and finally did catch one SMB. I was able to catch several stripers on top after they had gone down. I really liked the action and how easy it was to fish with. I fish with power pro 4/15 super slick line with a 10 or 12 pound Seagar leader on a 7' St Croix rod. With this set up I was able to fling the 1/2 ounce lure about 75 yards. This is important to me in that if the fish are out there a ways I can cast to them instead of constantly moving the boat after them. What colors do you prefer?
 
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Flipper said:
I fished them mostly for stripers on top. I did try them early in the morning on the shorelines for SMB and had several hits and finally did catch one SMB. I was able to catch several stripers on top after they had gone down. I really liked the action and how easy it was to fish with. I fish with power pro 4/15 super 8 line with a 10 or 12 pound Seagar leader on a 7' St Croix rod. With this set up I was able to fling the 1/2 ounce lure about 75 yards. This is important to me in that if the fish are out there a ways I can cast to them instead of constantly moving the boat after them. What colors do you prefer?
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Whopper Plopper Favorite Colors:
Phantom Shad
I Know It
Terminator
Abalone Shad

To be honest though, I truly believe it is more in the action than the color. We have not yet seen a better or worse catch ratio from one color to another.

Something else to make sure you keep with your stash of these is extra spit rings and hooks. We mainly target SM and LM. I don't know if it's just that when fish are hitting top water they are more aggressive or what, but those fish love to straiten out split rings! By the end of that first Labor Day trip that we used these on, my crankbait box was full of hookless lures! I had to steal most of them to replace the rings over and OVER! LOL I guess that happens though when you catch 200+ fish on a single lure!
 
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This whole whopper plopper discussion has got me so psyched for our upcoming Labor Day trip. I’ve picked up another bait casting setup for my son, a plethora of whopper plopper lures and now it seems I need to stock up on more split rings and hooks. Thanks everyone for all the great advice.
 
Looked up the one I had, it was a crystal minnow version - 4" 1/2 ounce. They hit it almost every cast. Don't remember making a good cast into fish and not getting one. The larger one which was 4.5 inches they did not like near as well. I was really impressed with the hook up rate. They rarely missed it. Where as a spook jr. or popper they miss it 2 out 3 times which is fairly entertaining to watch. I almost want to take the hooks off of a whopper plopper next trip just to see how many hits you could get on a cast.
I did not have any trouble with the split rings, but I did break both hooks. Not the fault of the hooks, just get in a hurry at times when the fish are boiling and I am not very patient. Got a little rowdy with the pliers and broke the hooks trying to remove them.
 
Flipper said:
Looked up the one I had, it was a crystal minnow version - 4" 1/2 ounce. They hit it almost every cast. Don't remember making a good cast into fish and not getting one. The larger one which was 4.5 inches they did not like near as well. I was really impressed with the hook up rate. They rarely missed it. Where as a spook jr. or popper they miss it 2 out 3 times which is fairly entertaining to watch. I almost want to take the hooks off of a whopper plopper next trip just to see how many hits you could get on a cast.
I did not have any trouble with the split rings, but I did break both hooks. Not the fault of the hooks, just get in a hurry at times when the fish are boiling and I am not very patient. Got a little rowdy with the pliers and broke the hooks trying to remove them.
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What colors did you choose? :unsure:

I don't know if it makes a difference, but when we had issues with the rings it was fishing mainly for smallies. They seem to be more aggressive than the stripers when it comes to pulling on those hooks. Who knows...

Have you been out again since the beginning of the month?
When is your next trip planned?

We are headed up Friday! I wish I could take time off to fish on a NOT holiday weekend, but it's the only chance I get with running our own business. Hopefully we can find some solitude up lake however.
 
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Got a sooner - powder - and an I know it. I really like the I know it. Have several other lures in that color pattern - pearl white with a chartreuse stripe and a blueish gray back. Did not have any trouble with the hooks or rings on the whopper ploppers. Got pretty aggressive removing the hooks also. Have not been since the first of the month. We were going to make a short trip this last weekend but decided not to due to the lack of decent reports. I think the moon makes a difference. Have always had good luck on the first new moon in August with boiling stripers. I think they feed a lot at night during the full moon cycles and don't have to feed as much during the day. Bow hunting for elk will take priority through the end of September. Planning on 3 trips this fall. Around Halloween is always good. Last couple years we have cooked a turkey on the lake in the grill for Thanksgiving. Don't catch as many fish in late November but they are usually bigger fish for some reason?
 
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