Topwater lures are as deadly today as they were decades ago. We asked some insiders to reflect on the current state of the surface bait scene. They say that topwaters are back in a big way.

Five years ago, Carolina rigs, crankbaits, and soft jerkbaits were bass fishing’s big three, but topwaters are definitely the hot trend now,” veteran Tennessee bass pro Charlie Ingram says.

“Catch 50 bass on a plastic worm or deep diver, but the fish you remember are the ones you catch on surface lures,” says Old Hickory Lake, Tennessee, bass guide Donny Hall (615/383-4464). “A good topwater bite is the ultimate bass fishing experience. Nothing gets your adrenaline pumping harder than bass busting your surface plug.”

Several factors account for the current surge in surface baits. “Special skill once was required to work some topwaters properly,” Ingram says. “An expert angler could make his Zara Spook walk the dog, or he knew how to modify a Pop-R by whittling the head to make it spit. But with the surface lures now on the market, a 10-year-old can make a great topwater presentation. Manufacturers have designed into their lures little nuances that trigger strikes from today’s highly-pressured bass.”

Gilmore Manufacturing Company of Pelsor, Arkansas has been making wood topwater lures like the legendary Jumper prop bait for 50 years. Dennis Gilmore, son of the company’s founder, agrees that the market niche has had its ups and downs, but is currently riding high.

“I think people have less time to fish today than in the past, and they want to make each trip memorable,” he notes. “Also, the topwater season has expanded. Bassers once didn’t consider throwing a surface bait until late spring, but now we see them in use from when the water temperature rises into the 50s until late fall.”

“I once fished a fall B.A.S.S. tournament on Grand Lake, Oklahoma,” Ingram recalls. “A massive cold front blew in the night before the event. The first morning the temperature was 11°F, the second, 13°F, and the third, 16°F. Snowed like crazy. Guess what lure won it? A buzzbait. That was a wake-up call for me.

“I now fish topwaters far more than I used to. I’ll start when the surface temperature is around 52°F in spring. And my best topwater action often occurs in fall, when the water temperature falls through the 60s into the 50s.”

Trophy bass fishing is more popular than ever, and the word is out that for the “big bite,” a topwater lure is often the best call. Donny Hall reports on a recent trip to Guntersville Lake, Alabama: “A buddy and I caught 45 bass from 5 to 71⁄2 pounds in one day, all on 5-inch STI Pupfish stick baits. That’s probably the best day of bass fishing either of us ever will experience, and it shows the power of a surface lure to draw strikes from lunker bass. My biggest largemouth from Old Hickory Lake, a 91⁄2-pounder, also hit a Pupfish. If you’re after the fish of a lifetime, you oughta be chunkin’ a topwater.”

“I consistently rely on certain topwaters to put weight on my stringer in tournament competition,” Charlie adds. “My favorite for big bass is the Terminator buzzbait. It has a titanium wire frame, so when Ol’ Moldy gloms onto it, you might get all bent out of shape, but your buzzer won’t. The line tie is off-center, too, displaying a kinky wobble when you retrieve it. I’ve caught lots of 7- to 9-pounders on it.”