It doesn’t matter what kind of fish you hunt, in fishing, the lure you are going to catch is always important. Using a topwater lure is one of the best ways to catch your prey. The moment of splashing and foaming of water, when a fish has pecked on your bait, is what all anglers live for. This makes it worthwhile for all the long hours you spend by the water waiting to catch fish.
Top 13 Best Topwater Fishing Lures – Full Review
It is not always obvious which lure is best for a particular type of fish, especially for beginners who are just starting to master all aspects of fishing. Therefore, we have made for you an article in which we will analyze the best topwater lures on the market and will help you choose the ones that are right for you. This will give you a clearer idea of what lure you need and for what fish, and what to look for when choosing a topwater lure. Let’s begin!
Best Topwater Bass Lures
Sometimes topwater lure is the only way out to lure out a bass that has burrowed deep in vegetation or is prowling several feet deep. Whatever the reason for casting this lure, anglers have thousands of options to choose from. But we have compiled a list of the 5 best topwater bass baits.
1# Truscend Topwater Fishing Lures For Bass
For anglers who take bass seriously, lure versatility is essential. Topwater lures from Truscend are some of the best versatile bass lures. Although this company is a newcomer to the fishing industry, these lures are one of the most popular choices for anglers. They are capable of imitating the bait very accurately and are also durable and versatile.
These lures are ideal for use in both fresh and saltwater. Lures such as Truscend are great choices if you’re aiming for bass. It doesn’t matter if you prefer to fish in summer or winter, these lures can be perfectly adapted to any fishing style.
2# Hnyy Bass Fishing Topwater Lures
These lures are great for day and night bass fishing. The crystal coating allows the light to bounce off the bait and is excellent at attracting fish. Unlike poppers, the double-cupped lip produces a rhythmic noise on the surface of the water. This noise and vibration set off the wave that the nighttime bass hears. And thanks to the direct retrieve, the bass can easily get into this lure in the dark and even more so during the day. The lures are quite versatile, so you can use them in any body of water that might contain fish.
3# CharmYee Bass Fishing Topwater Lures Swimbait
Lures from CharmYee are made like the little fish that bass feeds on. Their body consists of 6 different segments to simulate the behavior of the bait as accurately as possible. The tail, fins, and even the eyes are as realistic as possible. The lures sink slowly and gracefully mimic bass prey. Plus, they are fairly well-balanced so you can cast them over long distances with ease. Thanks to the steel ball inside, the lures remain stable in any water. And very strong and sharp hooks are always ready to catch on any, even the smallest fish.
4# SundayPro Topwater Bass Lures 4 Pcs Set Swimbaits
SundayPro’s topwater lures are made from multiple pieces of plastic with multiple joints. This allows them to wriggle in the water like a real fish that bass hunts. And this is more than enough to fulfill its function at any depth. All 4 lures you get in the kit come in a different color to attract the attention of predators. The manufacturer offers only one size and color option but they all work reliably and are equipped with sharp hooks to catch any, even the smallest predator.
5# SundayPro Topwater Bass Lures Flexible Swimbait Set
Each lure in this set consists of a two-piece component that allows the lure to mimic live fish in the water and attract bass. They do it, of course, not as well as 6-piece lures but the bass actively bites on these lures, and the anglers are satisfied. This set of lures is more versatile than the previous one and you can choose the number and size of lures you need. The lures come in a variety of colors and have very sharp hooks for successful bass fishing.
Best Topwater Redfish Lures
The Redfish or Red Drum is a spectacular coastal predator fish. And to attract and catch this species you need a suitable topwater lure. While there are many lures that Redfish can fall for, below we have compiled 4 of the best models that have been tested by many anglers and us.
6# Bomber Lures Mullet Slow-Sinking Topwater Fishing Lure
This is one of the best redfish topwater lures. Although it moves a little awkwardly in the water, it has an attractive shiny look and is great for luring redfish. The action of the lure mimics the bait that is looking for food or shelter. Many lures need to be wound very quickly. But this model can hover in the water, allowing the redfish to get very close to you. Besides, this lure is equipped with a strong double hook on both sides.
7# Rapala Saltwater Skitter Topwater Fishing Redfish Lure
Like the previous lure, this model has the same great features. The only difference is in the placement of the hooks. In this model, the hooks are located on the belly and tail of the lure. Quality construction allows the lure to float like a real Redfish prey. Even if you are dealing with shy or hungry fish, such a bait can still attract it. The bass will bite if it gets even a little hungry.
8# Luremaster Popper Topwater Fishing Lures
This is one of our favorite poppers. It is great for coastal redfish fishing during the warmer months. It moves incredibly gracefully in the water, twitching like a wounded fish. The lure’s wide profile creates strong shocks and vibrations that attract redfish even from great depths.
9# High Roller Grim Ripper Topwater Fishing Lures
Another great bait of the highest quality. As soon as you submerge them in water, you will immediately notice how well they work. The lures are made of durable wood and have very strong and sharp stainless steel hooks.
Best Topwater Saltwater Fishing Lures
Topwater lures are designed to attract fish that live in salt-water. It makes sense to choose bait specifically for saltwater, because fish in saltwater has slightly different factors and, accordingly, the diet. Therefore, it is very important to find the right topwater lures for your fishing trip to be successful. Listed below are saltwater topwater lures that are the best options for saltwater fishing.
10# Heddon Super Spook Topwater Saltwater Fishing Lures
These are some of the best-selling topwater saltwater fishing lures. They are capable of attracting almost any saltwater or freshwater fish. Heddon’s topwater lures are made of durable materials attached to equally strong and sharp hooks. This ensures their durability and resistance to fish bites. Their durable hooks work as efficiently as possible on the water. Besides, the lures are designed to create maximum noise and vibration in the water with good movement control.
11# THKfish GT Topwater Saltwater Fishing Lures
These lures are flexible and versatile enough that you can use them for all sizes of fish. They work equally well if you drag them quickly or slowly pull them to lure the fish. Either way, the sturdy construction, and sharp hooks are always ready to pick up the fish when you need it. Although the hooks seem small at first glance, they perform well on the water. The lures are available in a variety of colors, so you can easily choose the one that suits you best.
12# Dr. Fish Walking Topwater Saltwater Fishing Lures
Topwater lures from Dr. Fish have an excellent grip on your prey and are among the highest quality lures thanks to two extra-sharp hooks that are securely attached to the body. The body of the lure is inflexible, but it looks real enough and is great at attracting many species of fish and showing itself in salt-water.
13# Fishing Lures Larger Topwater Popper Fishing Lure
Fishing Lures lures weigh 1.5 ounces and are powerful enough to fight and conquer large fish. This works especially well if you are a dog-walker. This is one of those baits that you’ll want to include in your toolbox if you don’t want to miss out on a big catch.
What Are Topwater Fishing Lures?
Topwater lures are a type of lure that can be moved across the surface of the water to attract fish and force them to hit the bait. Such lures often look like smaller creatures that are hunted by large predatory fish. These are usually small fish, frogs, or large insects. The key feature of topwater lures is the action they transfer to the water. They make noise when they enter the water and transmit vibrations that predators pick up. More complex and effective baits mimic the sounds and movements of real baits. Some even include LEDs or reflective elements that attract fish with their light. This is one of the most fun and exciting types of fishing.
How to Use Topwater Bait Successfully?
The most common mistake (especially for beginners) when using topwater lures is pulling out the hook immediately after the fish has hit the bait. In many species of fish, especially bass, it is very important to wait a few seconds before retrieving so that the bass will securely hold the bait in its mouth. Because of this, many are missing out on fish or lost during retrieval. This applies to many species of fish such as spotted trout, bass, redfish, tarpon, or bonefish.
Fishreeler Overview
Throughout our review, we decided to select the best baits in each category. So, the best topwater bass bait is Truscend Topwater Fishing Lure, the best for redfish is Bomber Lures Mullet Slow-Sinking, and for saltwater, we consider Heddon Super Spook Bait Better. We showed you what topwater lures are and how they work. This will allow you to better understand this type of bait and make your final choice of which bait is right for you. Have a nice fishing!
Tags: #best topwater lures / #best topwater bass lures / #best topwater lures for bass / #best saltwater topwater lures / #topwater lures / #topwater striper lures /#topwater musky lures
I live in Tenerife (Canary Islands) for the last 10+ years and share my daily fishing experiences on my website. Many years of personal experience as a fisherman and the vast experience of my friends allow me to write professionally on any fishing topics (from choosing a flashlight and equipment to deep-sea fishing).
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This article is an excellent resource for learning about the best topwater lures.
What I found most interesting was the variety of techniques used to impart action on the lure.
Overall, a great read with lots of helpful tips – thanks for sharing!
I’m a big fan of the Excalibur Rebel Popper – it’s my go-to topwater bait. Fishing with a smaller rod (5’5″) allows for more action on the top, so that’s my preference.
I’m also a huge advocate for using floating joint back Rapala lures as topwater! Though they weren’t designed for that purpose specifically, I’ve had great success when splashing them on top and getting some massive hits. And if that doesn’t work out, you can simply reel it in as usual. 🎣
My preference list:
For beginners, I recommend starting with Whopper Poppers. Throw it out, reel it back in, and let the bait do the work – just be sure to play around with different speeds!
Once you get comfortable and have caught some fish and gain an understanding of how a fish hits the top water and how to set the hook without jerking it from their mouth, move on to poppers and spooks.
When using a spook, learning to “walk the dog” is key. For poppers, use a “pop, pop, pause” action for the best results. Lastly, frogs are the toughest for topwater hook sets – they can also be harder to walk the dog with; you’ll need to wait until the fish compresses your bait and turns away before setting your hook.
Most of my go-to baits are clear, foxy shad, and black shore shad. 🐟
For all conditions, foxy shad is the way to go. If you’re fishing during dusk, you can’t go wrong with black, while clear is great for sunnier or still water days.
Poppers like Pop-r, Yellow Magic, and Rico can be fished in a variety of ways. My go-to technique is to cast the bait, wait until all the ripples fade, then do a double twitch (this will cause either a pop or a spitting sound depending on the bait). Wait 5-20 seconds and repeat – adjust your cadence until you see what works best for the fish.
For Zara Spooks, it’s typically either near cover or a cast followed by walking the dog. Even when there are short strikes, don’t stop – just keep walking it back. If they miss it, try throwing a weightless fluke behind your spook.
I’m a huge fan of Whopper Ploppers in fast-moving water, especially around rip rap with big boulders and rocks. Hooking one is a challenge, but when you get it right, you’ll hear the drag screech and your fish will jump like crazy. It’s so much fun!
I love bank fishing, especially with topwater lures. For the best results, try fishing in the early morning or late evening. Start with a popper and go slow – make sure the tail is still creating ripples – and see what happens. Then move on to your next topwater choice.
Whopper Ploppers might be a bit pricey, but they last for years. Plus, since they’re topwater lures, snags are less common than with subsurface lures. For an alternative option, look into the Berkeley Choppo – it’s cheaper but just as good!