Topwater bassing

Catching fish on surface presentations is the pinnacle when fishing for most species, and the humble Aussie bass is no different. When the barometer rises above 1020 and the insect activity picks up, you can bet bass will be looking up for their next meal, and luckily for anglers, this opens up an opportunity to catch them in probably the most exciting way. Whether in small babbling creeks, wide lazy rivers or large stocked impoundments, bass will respond to topwater lures if the conditions are right.

As with most surface fishing, this will be best when the sun is either rising or setting, and sometimes the action can continue after dark. Occasionally, they bite will last into the day after the morning rush, particularly if a bit of light rain or overcast weather rolls through.

Bass anywhere are often reluctant to leave the safety of cover, however when the lower light conditions they will stray a few metres from their lairs if something looks tasty enough. In complete darkness they can sometimes be found swimming around in completely open water!

When rigging up, it’s worth noting what action you want to achieve from your topwater lure, as traces that float or sink may affect it. Some leader materials such as most fluorocarbons, tend to sink, while monofilaments tend to float. Fluorocarbons such as Daiwa J-Thread FC Leader, Sunline FC Rock Fluorocarbon Leader and Berkley Vanish Fluorocarbon Clear Leader, and monos such as Berkley Trilene Sensation Mono and Sufix Super21 Mono Line are suitable for topwater bass fishing.

Lures such as poppers, buzzbaits and bent minnows tend to work better with fluorocarbon leaders, while stickbaits, fizzers, frog imitations and paddlers tend to work better when fished on mono.

To get you started, the Yo-Zuri 3DS Popper 65mm, Tiemco W-Buzz Hard Body Lure, Bassday Sugapen 70mm Floating Hard Body Lure, Taylor Made Fizz Banger 45mm Hard Body Lure and Tiemco Soft Shell Cicada Hard Body Lure are a few great lures to have on hand. If you can, try to match the colour of your lure to the insect, amphibian or baitfish life in the area, as this will maximise your chances of scoring a hit.

If you have a bass swirl or attack and miss your lure, it pays to give the lure a short pause, before resuming the retrieve. Often these fish will come back for another go, provided they didn’t feel the hooks in the first attempt.

Topwater bassing is something bass fanatics dream about when they’re doing something that’s not fishing, and warm mornings or afternoons get these same people feeling particularly excited! Why not go and see what all the fuss is about!