5 Must-Have Topwater Lures for Bass: Proven Picks for Explosive Strikes

With a small-ish minnow-like profile, these floating hard-bodied baits are set apart by their exaggerated, cup-shaped “mouth”. When retrieved with small erratic bursts of movement, that mouth resists the water, causing the bait to pop, chug and gurgle its way across the surface, creating a disturbance that triggers a bass’ automatic feeding response.

Rig it on a medium power baitcasting rod, in the 6’10” to 7’ range—the same rod you use for a jerk bait would be perfect. And load your reel with 10-pound test line. Honestly, I usually use fluorocarbon, but some guys will swear by old school monofilament because it floats.

The popper works great over submerged weeds with a bit of open water above them. It also seems to have the power to draw fish up to the surface from significant depths, especially in clear water.

The TackleWarehouse.com Best Selling Topwater Popper

Best Selling Lure: Lobina Rico
Best Selling Color: Bone

My Personal Topwater Popper Pick

Lure: Jackall Binksy
Color: Chartreuse Strike Gill
Why: I’ve always personally called this little lure “The Kitchen Sink” since at its core it’s a topwater popper, but it also includes a crazy variety of bass attractors, like a small dangling blade, a prop in front of the rear hook, beautiful paint jobs and an extra-flashy feathered treble. It’s got it all! That unique combination of elements seems to be irresistible to the bass I’ve shown it to.

I’m throwing you a bit of a curveball with this one, since Jackall doesn’t appear to be selling the Binksy in the U.S. at this time. But their lineup seems to come and go pretty regularly, so there’s a good chance it will be available again sometime soon. Plus, there appear to be quite a few good examples still available from secondary market sellers on eBay.

2. Walking Baits That Trigger Bass Strikes

Topwater walking baits refers to a style of lure that doesn’t really have much attracting power on its own, requiring the angler to impart a rhythmic cadence of popping the rod tip while start-and-stop reeling. When done properly the lure will zig-zag its way across the surface, in a retrieve known as walking the dog.

Like the popper, this lure’s treble hooks will have a tendency to get mucked up by surface vegetation and debris. But also like the popper, get it near the cover and it will have the ability to draw bass out of the cover to strike.

The TackleWarehouse.com Best Selling Topwater Walking Bait

Best Selling Lure: Evergreen SB Topwater
Best Selling Color: American Shad, Bone, or Full Metal

My Personal Topwater Walking Bait Pick

Lure: Heddon Feathered Treble Super Spook Jr.
Color: Clear
Why: The Heddon Zara Spook was the first walking bait I can remember seeing as a kid. To be honest, I never stopped using them. I’ve tried dozens of variations from other manufacturers, but there’s nothing that consistently outperforms a good ol’ Spook.

I will say that I do reach for Heddon’s upgraded Super Spook over the standard, original model. Specifically, check out the Heddon Feathered Treble Super Spook Jr with all the attracting qualities of the original, plus a feathered rear treble, a single, knocking rattle, upgraded hook hangers and split rings connecting the hooks, helping to keep bass from coming unbuttoned.

3. Plopper Lures for the Most Aggressive Topwater Hits

The River2Sea Whopper Plopper blew up when it hit the scene about ten years ago. But like many modern fishing lures, it’s a design that’s much, much older than that.
These are basically, minnow-shaped, hard body lures, with a single, cupped-blade tail. When reeled with a steady, medium-fast retrieve that tail spins like a damaged outboard propeller. It “plop, plop, plops” its way over the surface, letting every fish for miles know it’s there.

The great thing about a plopper, is that the bass hit them like a mamma grizzly protecting her young. The strikes are vicious! Even knowing it’s coming, I’ve been jump scared time and time again as my lure heads over an open spot in a submerged weed bed. It’s pretty addictive.

The TackleWarehouse.com Best Selling Topwater Plopper

Best Selling Lure: River2Sea Whopper Plopper Silent
Best Selling Color: Bluegill, Bone, Loon or Monkey Butt

My Personal Topwater Plopper Pick

Lure: Same. I reach for the River2Sea Whopper Plopper
Color: Phantom Shad
Why: Yep, in this case, I’m part of the crowd. The River2Sea Whopper Plopper is Tacklewarehouse’s top seller for a reason.

However, I will add that I am excited to try a new plopper-style bait I just saw—the Rapala Claptail 110. It won Best Freshwater Hard Lure at ICAST 2025. It includes a dangling metal blade on the top of the lure that will “clank” against the prop tail. At this time, I haven’t had the opportunity to test it, but it sure seems like a good idea.

4. Buzzbait Fishing for Big Bass in Cover

The buzz bait is simple by design, simple to use, and bass crush them. Like the plopper, the bites can be pretty exciting. Unlike the plopper and the other topwater hard baits, the buzz bait can be fished through some nasty, snaggy stuff, meeting the bass right where they live.

Go with a fairly long, fairly stout baitcasting rod for your buzz bait—7-foot -to 7-foot, six and medium-heavy action, or even heavy if you can find a fairly fast tip to help casting. You’ll want to use a baitcasting reel to get that lure engaged and moving forward immediately when it hits the water. And load that baitcasting reel with 20-pound test braided line.

The TackleWarehouse.com Best Selling Buzz Bait

Best Selling Lure: Buckeye Lures Buzzerk

Best Selling Color: White/Nickel Blade, Black/Black Blade, Black/Gold Blade

My Personal Buzz Bait Pick

Lure: Picasso Hog Snatcher
Color: Black/Black Blade
Why: While the Buzzerk is definitely a solid pick, I believe its current best seller status is at least in part due to a well-publicized, dramatic, last-minute largemouth caught by Bass Pro Tour pro Jake Lawrence, narrowly defeating a hard charging Jacob Wheeler in an event on Nickajack Lake earlier this year. I'll include the video coverage of that epic battle here:

Again, you can't go wrong with the Buzzerk, but if you want an option, take a look at the Picasso Hog Snatcher. It has a nice, compact profile, a keel-shaped, flattened head and a stout hook. In the low light hours or on a cloudy day, throw the black-on-black model around thick submerged cover and hang on.

5. Frog Lures for Bass in the Slop

The hollow-bodied frog is one of my absolute favorite ways to catch bass. In fact, I've written an entire article on the details of frog fishing HERE. When conditions are right, it doesn’t take a ton of skill or experience to get bass to bite a frog. Put it where the bass live under overhead vegetation mats and try get it out of there untouched. However, getting a hooked angry bass out of the weeds and into the boat is a different story.

To help improve your chances of dragging a big frog bass out of the muck, you’ll need heavy tackle. My go-to combo for many years now is the 7’5” Heavy-Fast action Shimano Zodius Rod and a Shimano Curado 200 Reel. If you can swing an extra 80-bucks, I’d upgrade that reel to the DC (Digital Control) version of the Curado to improve cast distance and decrease back lash. I’d spool it up with 50-pound test braided line. The setup is still light and nimble enough to make long casts all day without fatigue, but offers plenty of power to lean way back and wind down on ‘em when they’re buried in the slop.

The TackleWarehouse.com Best Selling Hollow-Bodied Frog

Best Selling Lure: Berkley Swamp Lord Frog
Best Selling Color: This listing shows more best selling colors, than not. Outside of the obvious usual colors, check out Chartreuse Perch.

My Personal Frog Pick

Lure: Jackall Kaera
Color: Glitter Hasu or Glitter Bluegill
Why: I throw the Jackall Kaera whenever the bigger frogs don’t seem to be getting as many bites as I think they should. At half, to maybe two-thirds the size of most normal frogs, the Kaera still casts absolutely great. For pressured lakes, where the shallow fish have seen tons of normal frog lures, or maybe on a cold-front, high barometric pressure day, this frog seems irresistible.

Summary: Topwater Bait Guide for Bass Anglers

• Lure Type: Popper
• Top Brand/Model: Lobina Rico
• Prime Time: Post-spawn through early-fall
• Species: Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass
• Location: Open water around cover. The clearer the water, the farther bass will come up to hit it.

• Lure Type: Walker
• Top Brand/Model: Heddon Super Spook
• Prime Time: Post-spawn through early-fall
• Species: Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass
• Location: Open water around cover. The clearer the water, the farther bass will come up to hit it.

• Lure Type: Plopper
• Top Brand/Model: River2Sea Whopper Plopper
• Prime Time: Summer through early-fall
• Species: Mostly Largemouth, but occasional Smallmouth Bass, especially in the smaller lure sizes
• Location: Open water around cover. Works best in stained water.

• Lure Type: Buzz Bait
• Top Brand/Model: Buckeye Lures Buzzerk
• Prime Time: Summer through late-fall
• Species: Largemouth Bass
• Location: Around and through cover. Works everywhere except matted weeds.

• Lure Type: Hollow-Bodied Frog
• Top Brand/Model: Berkley Swamp Lord
• Prime Time: Summer
• Species: Largemouth Bass
• Location: Works great on top of matted weeds, but also draws strikes in open water around cover.

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